Faculty and Instructors of Biomedical Engineering at Florida International University | Florida International University Department of Biomedical Engineering

Meet The Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Faculty

Meet Our Distinguished Faculty

Our dedicated Biomedical Engineering professors work hard to exceed your highest expectations. Each instructor is an accomplished scholar engaged in ongoing research and scholarly work. That is one great aspect of the learning environment at Florida International University.

Dr. Michael Brown, University Instructor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Michael Brown, M.D., Ph.D.

Teaching Professor

Research Interests: Systems biology, tissue engineering and drug delivery.

Phone: (305) 348-1213
Email: BrownM@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/michael-brown/

Office: EC 2676

Dr. Michael C. Christie, Senior Instructor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Michael C. Christie, Ph.D.

Associate Teaching Professor | Faculty Fellow of the Honors College | SUCCEED Affiliate Faculty | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Interests: Biomechanics, Biomaterials, Medical Device product development, design, and manufacturing. Computational modeling of cardiovascular and related diseases for improved device designs and clinical intervention strategies.

Phone: (305) 348-7392
Email: mchristi@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/michael-christie/

Office: EC 2690

Dr. Anuradha Godavarty, Associate Professor & Undergraduate Program Director, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Anuradha Godavarty, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Interests: Optical-based molecular imaging (fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging) and tomography.
Research Advancements: Anuradha Godavarty is developing a low-cost hand-held wound healing assessment and conducting clinical studies.
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Optical Imaging Laboratory (OIL)

Phone: (305) 348-7340
Email: godavart@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/anuradha-godavarty/

Office: EC 2675

Joshua Hutcheson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Graduate Program Director

Research Interests: Cardiovascular disease and mechanobiology, Cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, Tissue engineering, Molecular imaging
Research Advancements: Joshua Hutcheson studies cardiovascular disease mechanisms.
Research Area: Engineered Tissue Model Systems
Lab: Cardiovascular Matrix Remodeling Laboratory

Phone: (305) 348-0157
Email: jhutches@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/joshua-hutcheson/

Office: 2612

Shuliang Jiao, Ph.D.

Professor

Research Interests: Optical Coherence Tomography, Photoacoustic Microscopy, Multimodal Imaging
Research Advancements: Shuliang Miao's biophotonic devices help treat retinal degenerative disorders.
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Eye Imaging Laboratory (Under Construction)

Phone: (305) 348-4984
Email: shjiao@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/shuliang-jiao/

Office: AHC4 Room 332

Dr. Wei-Chiang Lin, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Wei-Chiang Lin, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Interests: Biophotonics, Ultrasound, and Medical Instrumentation
Research Advancements: Wei-Chiang Lin develops smart intraoperative guidance systems for surgery.
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Biomedical Engineering Creative Lab: W[CL]2 (Under Construction)

Phone: (305) 348-6112
Email: wclin@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/wei-chiang-lin/

Office: EC 2673

Dr. Anthony McGoron, Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Anthony McGoron, Ph.D.

Professor | Undergraduate Program Director

Research Interests: Drug Delivery and Drug Transport Modeling
Research Advancements: Anthony McGoron develops targeted image-guided drug-delivery for combatting cancer
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Drug Delivery and Imaging Guided Therapy Laboratory

Phone: (305) 348-1352
Email: mcgorona@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/anthony-mcgoron/

Office: EC 2442

Anamika Prasad, Ph.D

Associate Professor

Research Interests: Biobased and bioinspired material design, Tissue biomechanics (bone tumor, vascular tissue in plant, cardiovascular tissue), Nano-mechanical characterization Biomedical devices for precision agriculture and healthcare
Research Advancements: Anamika Prasad examines structure-function outcomes in human and plant tissue, with an application focus on disease detection, treatment, and biomedical device development.
Research Area: Nanoindentation, Spectroscopic analysis (Raman and FTIR), Imaging (SEM, Laser microscopy), Solid mechanics (FEM), 3D manufacturing (electrospinning and 3D printing).
Lab: EC3140

Phone: 305.348.6965
Email: anprasad@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/anamika-prasad-ph-d/

Raj Pulugurtha, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Advancements: Electronic and Bioelectronic Packaging, Flex and 3D packaging with Heterogeneous System Integration for Emerging Biomedical, Communication and Computing systems, Wearable and Implantable Medical Devices, Advanced Passive Components, Vertical Power Delivery, 5G and 6G Systems Packaging, Antenna Sensor Integration, Power and Data Telemetry, Hermetic Packaging, Interconnects and Connectors
Research Area: Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Lab: Bioelectronic and Electronic Packaging Lab

Phone: (305) 348-6249
Email: mpulugur@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/raj-pulugurtha/

Office: EC 2614

Dr. Sharan Ramaswamy, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University

Sharan Ramaswamy, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Interests: Cell and tissue mechanics with application in cardiovascular regenerative medicine
Research Advancements: Biomechanically-derived diagnostics and regenerative therapies for cardiovascular medicine.
Research Area: Engineered Tissue Model Systems
Lab: CV-PEUTICS - Cardiovascular Therapeutics Laboratory (Under Construction)
Acknowledgement: Affiliated Faculty Member, NSF CELL-MET ERC Project (EEC-1647837)

Phone: (305) 348-2532
Email: sramaswa@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/sharan-ramaswamy/

Office: EC 2614

Jessica Ramella-Roman, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Research Interests: Biophotonics
Research Advancements: Jessica Ramella is currently conducting a pilot human study for her biophotonic device for pre-mature labor and cervical cancer.
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Medical Photonics Laboratory

Phone: (305) 348-3015
Email: jessica.ramella@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/jessica-ramella-roman/

Office: EC 2612

Jorge Riera, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Interim Chair of Biomedical Engineering

Research Interests: Biophysical Foundations of Neuroimaging in Normal Aging and Brain Disorders
Research Advancements: Jorge Riera is making strides in treating multiple brain disorders.
Research Area: Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Lab: Neuronal Mass Dynamics Laboratory

Phone: (305) 348-4948
Email: jrieradi@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/jorge-riera/

Office: EC 2602

Hamid Shahrestani

Associate Teaching Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Phone: (954) 993-6110
Email: Hamid.Shahrestani@fiu.edu

Oleksii Shandra, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Research Interests: Mechanisms of seizure generation, propagation, generalization and termination, Excitotoxic and metabolic abnormalities in the brain as a cause and/or consequence of seizures, Cellular and molecular processes involved in the neurobiology of sleep in health and disease and Calcium signaling in neurons and astrocytes in the context of excitatory and inhibitory transmission
Research Advancements: Oleksii Shandra has characterized a mouse model of post-traumatic epilepsy after repeated diffuse traumatic brain injury and a technique for live brain multi-photon imaging and single-cell laser stimulation to study astrocyte calcium signaling before and after brain injury. Dr. Shandra examines electrophysiological and imaging biomarkers of epileptogenesis and pathophysiological mechanisms of the astrocyte-neuron networks.
Research Area: Arrays and silicone probes, Live brain multi-photon microscopy, Preclinical models of traumatic brain injury, sleep deprivation and acquired epilepsy, Use of transgenic mice and adeno-associated viruses, Immunohistochemical assays and confocal microscopy, MATLAB-based algorithms for spike and seizure detection and power spectrum analysis, Drug screening, Deep brain stimulation, Transcranial magnetic brain stimulation
Lab: Shandra Lab

Phone: (305) 348-0240
Email: oshandra@fiu.edu

Nikolaos Tsoukias, Ph.D.

Professor

Research Interests: Computational and mathematical modeling, biotransport, signal transduction, cardiovascular and respiratory systems physiology
Research Advancements: Nikolaos Tsoukias studies neuromuscular coupling.
Research Area: Engineered Tissue Model Systems
Lab: Vascular Physiology and Biotransport

Phone: (305) 348-7291
Email: tsoukias@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/nikolaos-tsoukias

Office: EC 2674

Heidi Mansour, Ph.D. - Secondary Appointment

Professor

Research Interests: Design and development of targeted drug delivery systems, nanomedicine, translational medicine, advanced particle engineering design technologies, and inhalation aerosols.
Research Advancements: Innovative inhalation aerosols as advanced inhalable microparticles/nanoparticles in airway and vascular diseases, lung surfactant multifunctional nanocarriers, nose-to-brain noninvasive therapeutic delivery, and biodegradable/biocompatible polymers for sustained-release delivery peptides/proteins/biologics.

Research Area: Research in Engineered Tissue Model Systems and Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Lab: Mansour Lab

Phone: (772) 345-4731
Email: hmansour@fiu.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/heidi-mansour-ph-d-secondary-appointment/

Office: Office 314, FIU Center for Translational Science

Asad Mirza, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Professor

Research Interests: Computational modeling, Cardiovascular system, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI), Biomechanics, and Biotransport.
Research Advancements: Dr. Mirza creates computational physiological models to study various diseases with a specialty in cardiovascular disorders.

Research Area: Research in Engineered Tissue Model Systems

Email: amirza@fiu.edu

Office: EC 2614

PROFESSOR EMERITA

Dr. Ranu Jung - Wallace H. Coulter Eminent Scholar Chair in Biomedical Engineering, Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering

Ranu Jung, Ph.D.

Biomedical Engineering Professor Emerita

Research Interests: Neural Engineering, Computational Neuroscience, Sensorimotor Integration
Research Advancements: Ranu Jung is developing neural technologies for functional restoration in individuals with limb loss or spinal cord injury.

Phone: (479) 575-5901
Email: rjung@uark.edu

Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/ranu-jung/

RESEARCH FACULTY

Asad Mirza, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Professor

Email: amirza@fiu.edu