Instructor for BME 451L: Fundamentals of Biomedical Microsystems

Helping develop open-source neuromodulation technologies for the autonomic nervous system.

Managed engineering team to develop novel bioelectronic therapiesDeveloped and executed product development plans integrating R&D, manufacturing, clinicalvalidation, regulatory submission, and reimbursementLed electronic hardware design, development, testing, verification and validationResponsible for company IP strategy, application drafting, and university licensing

Cofounded a medical device startup to develop chronically implantable sensor systems for improving the treatment of chronic diseases. Our first product is a wireless multi-sensor module for use in hydrocephalus shunts. Served as Entrepreneurial Lead on an NSF I-Corps grant; conducted 124 customer discovery interviews over 8 weeks and led business development and product-market fit analysis.Presented in Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition (2nd place, $15k prize), NAI Student Innovator Showcase (National Finalist), and New Ventures Seed Competition (Semifinalist). Responsibilities included all R&D activities, as well as business development.

BioFLEX clinical studyIntegrated pressure, flow, and patency sensors into a single microfabricated device designed for diagnosing shunt failure in hydrocephalus patients. Designed and built custom electronics box to allow sensor operation in a clinical setting while recording and analyzing data. Currently running an ongoing clinical study to test the integrated sensor module and custom electronics in patients with external ventricular drains at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.Impedimetric thermal flow sensorDeveloped a low overheat temperature (<2°C), highly sensitive thermal flow sensor which utilized the high temperature sensitivity of cerebrospinal fluid conductivity to measure flow. Microfabricated sensors from Parylene C and platinum, iterated on sensor design to improve sensitivity at low flow rates.Reflected impedanceDeveloped novel method for passive, wireless transduction of resistive loads. Validated method with flexible, thin-film test coils. Developed catheter patency sensor and glucose sensor using reflected impedance.Kirigami strain sensorDeveloped a biocompatible strain sensor utilizing kirigami slits to enable high-strain operation.

Designed, optimized, and fabricated electrical testing setups for 30-person start-up specializing in wide-bandgap silicon carbide-based power electronics for military and industrial customers. Designed high-frequency planar spiral transformers for high-temperature (700°C) applications, which involved modeling and optimization in MATLAB from first-principle physics and fabrication by hand using precision screen printing of platinum on high-temperature co-fired ceramics. Layed out and tested PCBs integrating hermetically sealed SiC transistor arrays into digitally-controlled circuit breakers and switch-mode power converters.