MEET OUR TEAM
Dr.Maryam Badv
Assistant Professor University of Calgary, Full Member, Libin Cardiovascular institute
Dr. Badv obtained her PhD and master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from McMaster University and her bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Tehran. Her PhD research mainly focused on developing biofunctional lubricant-infused surface coatings for medical implants. The research conducted during her PhD resulted in publishing multiple journal and conference publications and patents. Based on her academic achievements she was nominated by McMaster’s Dean of Engineering and selected as the Valedictorian for the graduating class of 2019. In addition to her research responsibilities, Dr. Badv cared tremendously about graduate student related maters. During her role as the President of the Engineering Graduate Society (EGS) at McMaster University, she provided undivided attention to crucial matters that impacted the engineering graduate student community. Her work as a student advocate and President of EGS was roundly acknowledged by the faculty, which also resulted in her earning the Mary Keyes Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service to McMaster. After completing her PhD, Dr. Badv joined UCLA as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow. In her postdoctoral training, she had the opportunity to take on a new challenge where she worked with an interdisciplinary team of nanoscientists, engineers, clinicians and industry partners, aiming to develop multifunctional tissue engineered scaffolds for periodontal disease. Since joining UCalgary, Dr. Badv has been the recipient of multiple awards including the International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM) Young Scientist Medal, the SU Teaching Excellence Award and Schulich School of Engineering, Graduate Supervision Excellence Award and Research Excellence Award.
POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS
Dr. Maziar ShafieiDarabi
Alberta Innovates Postdoctoral Fellow (co-supervised with Dr. Abbasi)
Maziar received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, in 2017, and his M.Sc. degree in Telecommunication Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Iran, in 2021. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in 2025. During his doctoral studies, he focused on the development of microwave–microfluidic sensing platforms for environmental and biomedical applications. His Ph.D. thesis focused on the development of sensors for the detection and analysis of microplastics in environmental samples. As part of his Ph.D. program, he also collaborated with FluidAI, a rapidly growing Canadian startup, through a Mitacs internship, contributing to the development of biosensors for early diagnosis of anastomotic leaks. Maziar is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Calgary Sensor Lab and Badv Lab, supported by the Alberta Innovates Postdoctoral Recruitment Fellowship. His current research is focused on the development of AI-powered microwave-based biosensing technologies for biomedical applications, with a particular emphasis on real-time clot formation assessment.
Dr. Davood Zaeim
Postdoctoral Scholar
Davood obtained his PhD in Food Science and Engineering from the Research Institute of Food Science and Technology. During his PhD, he studied the targeted delivery of live probiotic cells through microencapsulation in complex biopolymer networks and hydrogels using electro-hydrodynamic processing. He conducted part of his research at NIZO Food Research as a Visiting Scholar. Following his PhD, he continued his academic career as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Zhejiang Gongshang University. His research there primarily focused on gastric structuring and nutrient delivery, investigating the digestion behavior of protein-stabilized emulsions. This included investigating molecular interactions and structural changes during orogastric digestion to influence nutrient delivery patterns and subsequent metabolic responses. Currently, his main project centers on post-surgical tissue adhesion prevention. Outside of his academic work, he enjoys playing badminton and table tennis, as well as biking, hiking, and photography in Alberta’s stunning natural landscapes.
graduate students
Adam Junck
PhD Graduate Student (co-supervised with Dr. Abbasi)
Adam is a PhD student in the Badv Lab and the Calgary Sensor Lab. Co–supervised by Dr. Abbasi, Adam will be exploring applications of electromagnetic sensing in biomaterials research. He completed his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 2023 at the University of Calgary, with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. His first exposure to applied electromagnetic research was during his capstone project where, under Dr. Abbasi’s direction, his team evaluated microwave sensing methods for measuring blood perfusion on the plantar surface. Aside from his academics, he enjoys spending time with his cat, Smudge, and hiking or skiing in the mountains. He is also an active member of the Calgary volleyball community as an official and referee development coordinator.
Mitchell Rhead
PhD Graduate Student (co-supervised with Dr. Abbasi)
Mitchell is a master’s student in the Badv Lab and the Calgary Sensor Lab at the University of Calgary. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 2024, with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. During his undergraduate capstone design, Mitchell participated in a wearable electrochemical sensing project, which helped motivate him to pursue further education in biomedical research. He also interned for 16 months at an electrical and RF consulting company in Calgary. Outside of academics, Mitchell loves preparing and drinking coffee, and enjoys sport climbing.
Nazanin Askari
MSc Graduate Student
Nazanin Askari is an MSc student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary and a member of the Badv Lab. She received her BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tehran in 2025, where she focused on designing and synthesizing biomaterials for biomedical applications. Her graduate research builds on this foundation and focuses on developing nanocellulose-based biomaterial platforms to prevent post-surgical tissue adhesions. Outside of her academic work, Nazanin enjoys reading and spending time with friends.
Setayesh Afshar
MSc Graduate Student
Setayesh is a master’s student in the Badv Lab at the University of Calgary. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Amirkabir University of Technology, where her focus was mostly on surface modification and material–tissue interactions, with an emphasis on biomaterials. During her studies, she also worked on a tunicate-based bioadhesive project, exploring its potential for wound healing applications. Her graduate research is expected to focus on electrospun systems for bacteriophage delivery, aiming to develop targeted therapeutic platforms. Outside of her academic work, she enjoys expressive photography. She is also passionate about swing dancing and has a strong interest in classic, introspective cinema.
Hunter Marcelo
MSc Graduate Student (co-supervised with Dr. Philip Egberts)
Hunter is a master’s student in the Nanotribology Lab and the Badv Lab, where he is using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and other methods to research and characterize the properties of lubricant-infused surfaces for medical materials. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary in April 2023. During that time, he pursued his interests in nanomaterials, tissue engineering, and surface modifications through a project with the ENOVA Design Team, and also investigated algal cell growth methods for medicine production with his capstone project. Outside of his academic pursuits, Hunter enjoys heading to the mountains, and he actively participates in Calgary’s music scene as a singer and songwriter and teaches music part-time at the University of Calgary.
Bismarck Leung
MSc Graduate Student (co-supervised with Dr. Murari)
Bismarck is a master’s student under the supervision of Dr. Maryam Badv (Badv Lab) and Dr. Kartikeya Murari. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering, where he first discovered an interest in biomaterials and embedded devices initially sparked by Dr. Badv’s course and solidified through his team’s capstone project on detecting Parkinson’s disease using voice under Dr. Murari’s supervision. His current research focuses on how temperature affects the growth of Bacterial Nanocellulose, drawing on his interdisciplinary background in software and biomedical engineering. Outside the lab, he enjoys anime, card games, and traveling, especially to Japan for concerts and anime events.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Christina Iskander
Undergraduate Student
Christina is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering with a minor in digital engineering. Throughout her degree, she has worked in several areas of the field, including developing an interactive gesture-recognition software tool. She is also currently completing her capstone project, where she is building an assistive hockey device for youth with physical impairments. She now hopes to deepen her knowledge and experience in biomaterials and tissue engineering as she assists Dr. Zaeim with the propagation and purification of phages for a project focused on developing phage-based microgels using electro-hydrodynamic processing. Outside of school, she enjoys listening to music, playing piano, and taking weekend trips with friends.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
ALUMNI
Emma Stephens – Undergraduate student – 2021-2022
Milcah Angela Uy– Undergraduate student – 2021-2022
Firaoll Umar – Undergraduate Thesis Student – 2021-2022
Aarushi Bhargava – High School Student-2021-2022
Aman Singh – MITACS Globalink undergraduate student – summer 2023
Marine Dye – MITACS Globalink undergraduate student – summer 2023
Paige Croney – MSc Student – 2023-2025
Maria Isabel Arias Acevedo – MITACS Globalinks undergraduate student – summer 2023
Shannon Gomes-Hunt – Undergraduate student – summer 2023
Nidhin Sunil PURE undergraduate student – summer 2024
María Regina Arellano – MITACS Globalink undergraduate student – summer 2024
Cyrus Khandani – Undergraduate Student – Summer 2024
Sara H. Tamrin – Postdoctoral Fellow – 2023
Shine David Daniel – Undergraduate student – summer 2023
Catherine Betancourt Lee – Undergraduate thesis student – 2023-2024
Erin Roberts – PhD student – 2022-2024
Eren Rose Gino – MITACS Globalink undergraduate student – summer 2024
Vaishnavi Asanare MITACS Globalinks undergraduate student – summer 2024
Jaqueline Leite Vieira Visiting PhD Student – Brazil – March 2024 – August 2024
Zahra Bozorgmehr – MSc Student – Jan 2023 – Jan 2025
Fereshteh Oustadi – MSc Student – 2022 – 2024
Emma Stephens – MSc Student – 2023 – 2025
Mailing Address
University of Calgary
Department of Biomedical Engineering
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4
Canada
Contact us
Email: maryam.badv@ucalgary.ca
Phone: +1.403.220.4089
