Shayan Gholizadeh | Assistant Professor

Ph.D. - 2022, Rochester Institute of Engineering
Biomedical Engineering-Microsystems Engineering

M.S - 2015, Tehran Polytechnic
Biomedical Engineering-Tissue Engineering

B.S. - 2013, Tehran Polytechnic
Biomedical Engineering-Biomechanics

Contact information

3073 Engineering Hall
shayang@k-stat.edu

Professional experience

Shayan Gholizadeh is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Mike Wiegers Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Kansas State University and an affiliate faculty in the Divisions of Engineering in Medicine and Renal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Gholizadeh has a diverse background in biomedical engineering with a particular focus on Tissue Engineering and Organ-on-a-Chip systems.

After graduating from Tehran Polytechnic with a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering-Biomechanics and a Master’s degree in Tissue Engineering, he worked for two years as a Biomedical Engineering R&D scientist and administrator in the healthcare industry. He started his PhD studies at Rochester Institute of Technology under the supervision of Dr. Thomas R. Gaborski, focusing on developing tissue-on-a-chip microfluidic systems and ultrathin membrane

devices for physiological barriers to enable insights into distance- and contact-dependent cell interactions in the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Upon completing his doctoral studies, he served as a postdoctoral fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School from 2022 to 2024. During this time, he worked with Dr. Y. Shrike Zhang and Dr. Joseph V. Bonventre on pioneering research projects focused on bioengineering kidney collecting duct systems. He joined the ECE department as an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in July 2024 and transitioned into an affiliate faculty role at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Shayan's contributions to biomedical engineering are reflected in his extensive publication record and presentations at prestigious conferences including presenting session opening talks at the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Conference and the American Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting.

Research

Gholizadeh’s research is focused on advancing biomedical engineering through innovative tissue engineering and biomaterials approaches. One of his main research directions is focused on developing physiologically relevant tissue-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip platforms tailored for applications in neurological and renal health. He aims to pioneer the creation of microfabricated platforms, aimed at faithfully replicating the complex structures and functions of the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) and Kidney Epithelial Barrier. These efforts address critical challenges in neurodegenerative diseases and renal disorders, aiming to enhance therapeutic interventions.

Additionally, he plans to lead the development of artificial kidney biomaterial devices using state-of-the-art 3D bioprinting technologies through collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and industrial partners. This involves modeling the kidney collecting duct system with human ureteric bud-derived cells for disease modeling and regenerative medicine applications. His other research direction is focused on enhancing implant integration in soft tissues for medical procedures through the investigation of physical and chemical/biological surface modifications, aiming to improve the compatibility and performance of implants in clinical settings.

Gholizadeh's interdisciplinary approach fosters collaborations across engineering and medical disciplines, aiming to translate fundamental scientific insights into practical medical applications that can significantly impact patient care and improve health outcomes.

Academic highlights

• 18 Peer-reviewed publications in prestigious scientific journals
• Peer-reviewed over 100 manuscripts for scientific journals including Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering: C, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Macromolecular Research, and Scientific Reports.
• Invited session chair and abstract reviewer for the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Conference and American Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting