Undergraduate Summer Research Program
The TRANSFORM HF Undergraduate Summer Research Program (USRP) gives Engineering students the opportunity to train alongside our multidisciplinary community of researchers to help address the grand challenge of inequity in heart failure care.
Students participating in the USRP will receive an award of up to $6,000, which must be supplemented by a $2,000 contribution from their research supervisors to ensure a minimum total stipend of $8,000 for a period of 16 weeks.
To learn more about the USRP, visit our Opportunities page.
2025 USRP Participants
NICHOLAS CHAN
Project: Skin-Tone Invariant Pulse Oximetry
Supervisors: Dr. Dan Franklin and Dr. Ofer Levi
CHLOE CHILTON
Project: Learning from our Roots: Exploring the intersection of land-based healing and technology-enabled biomedicine to enable holistic heart health care in the James and Hudson Bay region
Supervisors: Dr. Sahr Wali and Dr. Enid Montague
JOHN LAPP
Project: Transforming Palliative Care for Advanced Heart Failure: Studying the EffecTiveness of SGLT2 InHibitoRs on End-of-Life Outcomes in AdVancEd Heart Failure – The THRIVE-HF Collaborative
Supervisors: Dr. Kieran Quinn and Dr. Timothy Chan
AUGUSTA MONTE
Project: Optimization of Integrated Optical Ultrasound Sensor for Biomedicine
Supervisors: Dr. Ofer Levi and Dr. Dan Franklin
KENDRA ORIBHABOR
Project: CRISPR-Based MicroRNA Detection: Transforming Heart Failure Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment
Supervisor: Dr. Nicole Weckman
OLENA SAVYCH
Project: Characterization of three-dimensional ballistocardiograph in relation to hemodynamic assessment of heart failure patients
Supervisors: Dr. Alex Mihailidis and Dr. Susanna Mak
JESSIE YIN
Project: Machine Learning Models for Early Heart Failure Risk Assessment Using Body Temperature Gradients and Heart Rate Variability
Supervisors: Dr. Sophia Yue Li and Dr. Susan Marzolini
JACQUELINE ZHU
Project: Smart Socks and Sleeves for Monitoring Sleep Apnea
Supervisor: Dr. Azadeh Yadollahi and Dr. Darshan Brahmbhatt
2024 USRP Participants
RICHARD SEO
Project: Quantitative biosensor to monitor intestinal inflammation associated with IBD
Supervisors: Dr. Caitlin Maikawa and Dr. Alana Ogata
JESSICA TANG
Project: Integrating large language models into exercise-based virtual cardiac rehabilitation to provide real-time assistance to heart failure patients
Supervisors: Dr. Shehroz S. Khan, Dr. Tracey JF Colella, and Dr. Ali Abedi
JASON YOU
Project: Characterization of three-dimensional ballistocardiograph in relation to hemodynamic assessment of heart failure patients
Supervisors: Dr. Alex Mihailidis and Dr. Susanna Mak
MARIA BETTY
Project: Remote oxygenation monitoring of tissue
Supervisors: Dr. Ofer Levi and Dr. Daniel Franklin
NICHOLAS CHAN
Project: Evaluation of algorithms for skin-tone invariant pulse oximetry
Supervisors: Dr. Ofer Levi and Dr. Daniel Franklin
SANIA AFTAB
Project: Analysis of body fluids for rehabilitation based on wearable, textile-based remote system for long-term monitoring
Supervisors: Dr. Azadeh Yadollahi and Dr. Darshan Brahmbhatt
JACQUELINE ZHU
Project: Engineering bioelectronic cardiovascular devices: in-situ strain measurements in cardiovascular organs-on-chips and bio-fabricated implantable cardiovascular tissues
Supervisors: Dr. Axel Guenther and Dr. Craig Simmons
2023 USRP Participants
ANGEL RAJOTIA
Project: Equity focused usability evaluation of patient facing tools to treat heart failure
Supervisors: Drs. Enid Montague and Quynh Pham
MARK KARLOV
Project: Assessing exercise quality from videos with deep learning approaches
Supervisors: Drs. Shehroz Khan and Ali Abedi
MATTHEW OLIVEIRA
Project: Remote oxygenation monitoring of tissue
Supervisors: Drs. Ofer Levi and Daniel Franklin
NICHOLAS CHAN
Project: Development of algorithms for skin-tone invariant pulse oximetry
Supervisors: Drs. Daniel Franklin and Ofer Levi
OVIGA YASOKARAN
Project: Developing remote-monitoring and person-centered digital sleep apnea technologies for shelter residents
Supervisors: Drs. Azadeh Yadollahi and Mandeep Singh
RAE CORSTON
Project: Indigenous graphic medicine and arts-based knowledge translation
Supervisors: Drs. Sahr Wali and Craig Simmons
RIYA MATHUR
Project: Implantable piezoelectric energy harvester for pacemaker
Supervisors: Drs. Kamran Behdinan and Ridha Ben Mrad
RYAN LI
Project: Lateral flow assays for chronic heart failure
Supervisors: Drs. Xinyu Liu and Heather Ross
SARVNAZ ALE MOHAMMAD
Project: Characterization of three-dimensional ballistocardiograph in relation to hemodynamic assessment of heart failure patients
Supervisors: Drs. Isaac Chang and Susanna Mak
2022 USRP Participants
HELEN ZHOU
Supervised by Drs. John Floras and Chris Bouwmeester
Helen is an incoming third-year student majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in biomedical engineering. Her interests lie in the research and development of effective, non-invasive, and personalized early diagnostic devices for genetic and chronic diseases.
In her project, Helen aims to design and build a physical flow loop of the cardiovascular system to demonstrate the changing pressure and cardiac output due to various heart conditions as a teaching aid. By the end of the summer, she is hoping to develop an interactive, low-cost tool to assist the learning of her fellow undergraduate students.
Originally from Hong Kong, China, Helen loves to travel, enjoy beautiful sceneries, read, and experiment with different ways to bake and decorate cookies.
ZIYI HUANG
Supervised by Drs. Xinyu Liu and Heather Ross
Ziyi is an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. She is eager to work with other TRANSFORM HF network members on interdisciplinary issues and gain hands-on experience.
This summer, Ziyi is working with Drs. Xinyu Liu & Heather Ross to develop a high-sensitivity lateral flow immunoassay for remote, rapid detection of heart failure biomarkers in point-of-care devices.
In her spare time, Ziyi enjoys drawing, swimming, and playing the piano.