Daniel Naveed Tavakol Email & Phone Number

New York, Ny, Us

Extending the lifetime of engineered multi-organ-on-a-chip systems for up to 6 months of in vitro culture• Project lead on a NASA/FDA/BARDA/NIH-funded contract for extending the lifetime of engineered human tissue models for up to 6 months, in collaboration with Dr. Mirjana Maletic-Savatic at Baylor College of Medicine• Developing a scalable and reproducible multi-organ platform for integrating either (1) heart and bone marrow microtissues (at Columbia) or (2) brain organoids and bone marrow microtissues (at Baylor College of Medicine)Organs-on-a-chip for studying galactic cosmic radiation and radioprotective countermeasures • Project lead on a TRISH/NASA-funded grant for identifying the effects of galactic cosmic radiation on human tissues (heart, vasculature, bone marrow)• Led two multi-month efforts to use simulated galactic cosmic radiation from NASA’s space radiation lab at Brookhaven National Labs on engineered human tissues

Greater New York City Area

Worked under the advisement of Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic in her Lab for Stem Cells & Tissue Engineering, I helped develop multi-tissue platforms to model patient-specific disease and drug treatments in vitro, with specific emphasis on the role of the hematopoietic and immune systems. During my doctoral work, I developed an engineered human bone marrow tissue model that was used to study cosmic radiation injury, tissue-resident immune populations, and leukemia.My doctoral work resulted in 16 publications, including 3 first author research manuscripts and 3 first author review articles. In addition, my work was funded by the National Institutes of Health Ruth L., Kirschstein F31 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (2022-2023) and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2019-2024).

Lausanne Area, Switzerland

From August 2017 until August 2018, I worked under Dr. Olaia Naveiras in the Lab of Regenerative Hematopoiesis at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) as a Whitaker International Fellow. Through collaboration with the Prof. Thomas Braschler at the Université de Genève, we created an engineered bone marrow (BM) niche by using collagen-coated scaffolds in a murine stromal co-culture system to support hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in vitro. I was simultaneously involved in two other collaborations to study adipocytic differentiation in the BM in vitro using Raman Spectroscopy (with Université de Lille), as well as a comparative study for assessing BM recovery after aplasia via MRI, micro-CT, and histology (with EPFL Center for Biomedical Imaging). Work was presented at: Whitaker Symposium (Budapest, April 2018), Swiss Stem Cell Retreat (Heidelberg, May 2018), the 3rd Bioengineering & Translational Medicine Meeting (Boston, Sept. 2018), and the BMES Annual Meeting (Atlanta, Oct. 2018).

School Of Engineering & Applied Science

Instructor, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, BME 1501, Current Research in Regenerative Medicine 1 & 2 (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017)Co-taught a 1-credit student taught course through the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences on research in regenerative medicine. The course is broken down into understanding and approaching research via the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, with hands on activities, field trips, guest lectures, and in-class literature analysis. Students from all levels take the course, with approximately 40 students taking the course each semester it has been taught (~140 total). Conferences (papers presented at): American Society of Engineering Education Zone II Conference (San Juan, 2017), BMES Annual Meeting (Minneapolis, 2016).

Charlottesville, Virginia Area

Under the direction of Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler, I studied angiogenesis and the neovascularization of blood vessels in mouse and human models, specifically focusing on pericyte movement in the microvascular networks of the cornea for healthy and diabetic mice. Throughout my last two years in the lab, I learned about 3D Bioprinting and biomaterials as mechanisms for tissue recovery and regeneration. During my last year, I worked on a capstone project with two other biomedical engineers on the design of an oxygen-sensing material for monitoring wound healing in vivo. Conferences (presented at): Experimental Biology 2017 (American Physiological Society and Microcirculatory Society annual meetings), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting 2016, Experimental Biology 2016, ACC Meeting of the Minds 2016, and the BMES annual meeting 2015. Awards/Funding: APS Undergraduate Research Excellence Fellowship (UGREF), David S. Bruce Outstanding Undergraduate Abstract Award, University of Virginia Beckman Scholarship, and a Harrison Undergraduate Research Award.

University Of Virginia School Of Engineering & Applied Science

Communicated with students, faculty, staff, and administrators in order to promote the success of undergraduate students in UVa's School of Engineering & Applied Science. More information can be found at the "organization" tab at the bottom of this profile, and at the newsletter links (attached). Past positions: Vice President (Spring 2015 - 2016), Web/IT Development Chair (Spring 2014 - 2015), First Year Council member (Fall 2013 - Spring 2014)

Department Of Chemical And Biomolecular Engineering

From June 2011- February 2012; June 2013- July 2013.Under the direction of Dr. Srinivasa Raghavan, I worked on a project focusing on microcapsules made from chitosan and glutaraldehyde, experimenting with shape design and stability, as well as experimented with novel nylon beads through the microfluidic process.

Under the guidance of Dr. Albert Fornace Jr., I conducted research involving radiation metabolomics, identifying putative metabolites that would transcend age and be indications of males and females after exposure to an amount of gamma radiation.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Bioengineering And Biomedical Engineering

Master'S Degree, Bioengineering And Biomedical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Graduate research assistant in Laboratory for Stem Cells & Tissue Engineering

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Biomedical/Medical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Engineering Student Council, Rodman Scholars Council, Engineering Students without Borders, Virginia.

Advanced Diploma

Activities and Societies: Science Olympiad, Model United Nations, Biology Club, Medical Youth Society.