Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) | Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) Cross-appointment in Medical Imaging | Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) | Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE) Associate Chair, Research, Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) Director, Biomaterials Manufacturing Cluster (BioMC)
Dr. Naomi Matsuura is an Associate Professor in Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Medical Imaging in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is also the founding Director of the Biomaterials Manufacturing Cluster (BioMC), created to support cross-disciplinary partnerships and international collaborations for large-scale, transformative, clinically focused, biomaterials engineering projects. Dr. Matsuura’s laboratory designs and applies new biomaterials to guide the personalized treatment of human disease, through research in size-controlled, modular nanoscale and micron-scale colloids; image-guided, non-invasive, treatment of disease; externally activated theranostic agents; point-of-care diagnostics; and medical imaging phantom development. Awards received include the John C. Polanyi Prize in Physiology/Medicine and Physics, an Early Researcher Award (Government of Ontario), a 2020 Suffrage Science Award (MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, UK) and the 2022 WIMIN Mid-Career Award (World Molecular Imaging Society). Dr. Matsuura serves on the Board of Trustees of the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) and is a co-founder of a national network of Canadian medical imaging scientists (WMIScan). She serves as a Senior Editor of the Nanomaterials and Delivery Platform Section for the journal Molecular Imaging and Biology (MIB), the official medical journal for the Academy of Molecular Imaging. She also sits on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Nanobiotechnology. She serves on the NanoMedicine Innovation Network (NMIN) HQP Program Advisory Committee and is a member of the Advisory Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the WMIS.
Lab Members
Rana Ali
Postdoctoral Researcher, 2024 – Present
Rana Ali completed a PhD in materials science/chemistry from Simon Fraser University and entrepreneurship/business management from the Wharton School of Business in 2021 and 2022, respectively. He is also a tech entrepreneur who aims to translate research from the lab to the market to commercialize technologies for the benefit of Canada and humanity. In his free time, he enjoys reading sci-fi, writing blogs, and skiing/snowboarding.
Contact: ranafaryad.ali(at)utoronto.ca
Mohammad Moeini
Research Associate, 2023 – Present
Mohammad obtained his PhD in Chemical Engineering from McGill University at 2013. After 10 years of research experience in multiple fields of Biomedical Engineering at Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal Heart Institute, and Amirkabir University of Technology (Iran), he joined Prof Matsuura’s lab at the University of Toronto in 2023. Mohammad is interested in designing and fabricating nano/micro-biomaterials for tissue engineering, controlled/targeted drug delivery, biomedical imaging, and vascular embolization. He is now studying the temporary particulate embolic agents and in vitro models for their evaluation.
Contact: m.moeini(at)utoronto.ca
Matthew Chen
Ph.D. Candidate, 2020 – Present
Matt received his Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2017. He subsequently completed a Master’s of Applied Science at the University of Toronto with a focus on ultrasound contrast agents development. Currently his PhD work is focused on a continuation of this work with focuses in research ultrasound-enhanced liquid biopsies and additional work into computational modelling of ultrasound contrast agents. Outside of research Matt is an avid cyclist, competentive rower, and currently is also an Assistant Coach with the Varsity Blues Rowing Program.
Contact: mattalex.chen(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Osama Khan
Ph.D. Candidate, 2024 – Present
Osama completed his undergraduate in Biotechnology at McMaster University, fulfilling his degree with 10 held teaching assistant positions, 1000s of hours spent in the laboratory, and 12 months of co-op experience in a medical devices start-up company. For his Ph.D., his interests lie in the utilization of drug-loaded microbubbles for the treatment of cancer. For his life, his passions lie in the enjoyment of nature (hiking & swimming) and the luxury of literacy (reading, journaling, writing poetry).
Contact: osamaqi.khan(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Patrick Dong Min Chang
Ph.D. Candidate, 2020 – Present
Patrick is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. His current research project focuses on the synthesis and characterization of drug-loaded phospholipid-stabilized nanobubbles for ultrasound-triggered anticancer applications. He completed his undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto in 2020 with previous work experience in the Government of Canada in 2019.
Contact: patrickdongmin.chang(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Samuel Penner
Ph.D. Candidate, 2019 – Present
Sam is a PhD candidate within the department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He completed undergraduate studies at both the University of Winnipeg (Double major: Chemistry and Biochemistry), and the University of Toronto (Materials Science and Engineering). His interests include hiking and cooking where he enjoys applying what he knows about materials and chemistry in the kitchen.
Contact: samuel.penner(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Sean McGrath
Ph.D. Candidate, 2019 – Present
Sean completed his Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 2019. Currently a PhD candidate, his research interests include ultrasound triggered bioeffects and drug delivery, preclinical/clinical translation, and therapeutic use of endobronchial ultrasound. Outside the lab, Sean enjoys learning history, singing karaoke with friends, and trying to keep healthy (emphasis on trying).
Contact: seanfrancis.mcgrath(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Guanqi Huang
Co-supervised Ph.D. Student, 2024 – Present
Guanqi (Jack) earned his Honours Bachelor of Science under the Chemistry Specialist program from the University of Toronto. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto, under the supervision of Prof. Naomi Matsuura and Prof. Kai Huang. Guanqi’s research interests involve exploring the applications of mechanoluminescent nanoparticles in theranostics. Outside of work, Guanqi is enthusiastic about board games and enjoys applying his chemistry background in the kitchen.
Contact: guanq.huang(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Matteo Bomben
Co-supervised Ph.D. Candidate, 2020 – Present
Matteo received his bachelor’s degree in engineering science from the University of Toronto, majoring in biomedical systems engineering. Currently, he is conducting his PhD research under the co-supervision of Prof. Matsuura and Dr. James Drake, a paediatric neurosurgeon at SickKids Hospital. His project focuses on the development of robotic surgical devices for use in endoscopic brain tumour resection. Outside of the lab, Matteo enjoys playing softball, tennis, and staying active.
Contact: matteo.bomben(at)mail.utoronto.ca
David Gurov
Co-supervised M.A.Sc Candidate, 2023 – Present
David got his B.Sc. from the University of Groningen. There, he studied Life Sciences & Technology with a major in Biomedical Engineering. During his 2nd year of his undergraduate degree, David volunteered his time to assist with research on immune checkpoint inhibitors at the University Medical Center Groningen where he worked with patient PET/CT images under Prof. Elisabeth de Vries. Subsequently, David wrote his thesis on immunotherapies for brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme) and, additionally to that, conducted his research project on gene therapy via functionalized nanogels.
Contact: david.gurov(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Sarah White
B.A.Sc. Student, 2020 – Present
Sarah is an undergraduate student pursuing a BASc in Engineering Science with a specialization in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the application of laser-induced cavitation of microbubbles for drug delivery to tumors, aiming to enhance targeted cancer therapies. Outside of academics, Sarah is a member of the Varsity Blues Cross Country team and enjoys running in her spare time.
Contact: saraheb.white(at)mail.utoronto.ca
Alumni
Tesnime Hidjir
Yara Ensminger
Graduate student Germany
Khadija Rana
Graduate student University of Toronto
Yaxin Zhang
Graduate student
Zinedine Samuel Cobourne
Research Assistant Sunnybrook Research Institute
Robert Koucheki
Medical student University of Toronto
Katelyn Dixon
Scientist Quantum Valley Ideas Laboratories
Ignace Moya
Scientist NoNO Inc.
Siqi Zhu
Business Intelligence Lead Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Haochen Zhang
Engineering Intern Kinectrics
Joseph Choy
Graduate student Harvard University
Matthew Di Carlo
Dentistry student University of Toronto
Yali Gao
Research Scientist Thinkari Research, Inc.
Christophe Blaszykowski
Head of Chemistry SQY Therapeutics
Hans Fischer
Research Engineer Ripple Therapeutics
Wenjing Wang
MD China
Matthew Van Oirschot
Medical student Western University
Trevor Ung
Graduate student University of Chicago
Amy Chiu
Administrator Volaris Group
Jessica Miller
Special Projects Manager ventureLAB
Anthony Gorelikov
Research Assistant The Hospital for Sick Children
Vahid Raeesi
Director, Nanoparticle Formation Rampart Bio
Tracy Jiang
Graduate student Penn State University
Ruizhe Tang
Undergraduate student University of Toronto
Kierdra Dowling
Industry
Anna Zavodni
Cardiology resident University of Toronto
Yun Xiang
Research Scientist Stanford University
Yu-Jack Shen
Undergraduate student Toronto Metropolitan University
Samantha Chow
Senior Consultant IQVIA
Amanda Ricketts
Director of Operations PragmaClin Research Inc.
Yiran Zou
Assistant Manager/Director of Sales Junhopower Co. Ltd., China