Researcher

Title

• Assistant Research Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal
• Researcher, CHU Sainte Justine Research Centre
• TransMedTech Principal Investigator, TransMedTechInstitute 

Laboratory

Savoji Lab

Internship opportunity(ies)

• 3D Bioprinting of Cardiac Tissues - PhD

• CIHR & FRQNT Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 2019
• PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, University of Montreal, 2016
• MSc in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology
• BSc in Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology

We combine advanced manufacturing technologies including micro- and nano-fabrication, 3D bioprinting, microfluidics and cell-spinning with advanced functional and composite materials for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and organ-on-chip applications.

• Bioengineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials
• Micro/Nano-Fabrication
• 3D Bioprinting
• Organs-on-Chips

Career Summary

Dr. Houman Savoji is currently an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology of the University of Montreal and a full-time researcher at the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre. He is also a TransMedTech Principal Investigator in regenerative medicine, organs-on-chips and bioprinting.

He was a CIHR and FRQNT Postdoctoral Fellow in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, Canada. He received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Polytechnique Montreal at the University of Montreal, Canada.

He has also received several prestigious scholarships and awards during his graduate and postdoctoral studies such as the CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship, FRQNT Postdoctoral Fellowship (1st Rank), Human Society of International Grant, FRQNT Star Researcher Award, FRQNT Merit Doctoral Research Scholarship, the Jane and Frank Warchol Fund of the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC) Foundation; among others.

He has been heavily involved in variety of research projects and has published a number of papers in peer-reviewed journals as well as several technical reports which were delivered to the government offices. Furthermore, he has presented his research in several international and national conferences in different countries.

His primary research interest lies in the general area of Advanced Manufacturing with particular emphasize on Micro- and Nano-fabrication of Functional Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications. His research focus is to design, develop, optimize, implement and characterize novel functional biomaterials and devices/platforms by utilizing emerging engineering technologies including 3D Bioprinting, Microfluidics and Electrospinning for one of the most highly demanding markets in the engineering and medical disciplines.

Awards and Distinctions

• 2017-2020, Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Postdoctoral Fellowship
• 2017-2019, FRQNT Postdoctoral Fellowship (1st Rank)
• 2017-2018, Human Society of International Grant, Human Toxicity Assessment Project
• 2016, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM) Award
• 2015, FRQNT Star Researcher Award, Quebec Research Fund 
• 2014-2015, Jane and Frank Warchol Fellowship, Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation
• 2013, Institute of Textile Science Award 
• 2012-2015, FRQNT Merit Doctoral Scholarship for Foreign Students

Presentations

• Savoji H, Davenport Huyer L, Mohammadi MH, Lai BFL, Bannerman D, Shoaib M, Bobicki E, Radisic M, 3D Printing of Microvasculature Using BioelastomerPrepolymers by Freeform Reversible Embedding, 35th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Biomaterials Society, May 2019, Quebec City, Canada (Oral Presentation).
• Savoji H, Mohammadi MH, Kim L, Ahadian S, Rafatian N, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Radisic M, Label‐Free, High‐Throughput Purification of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells-Derived Cardiomyocyte Using Spiral Microfluidic Separation, 34th Annual Meeting of Canadian Biomaterials Society, May 2018, Victoria, Canada (Poster Presentation).
• Mohammadi MH, Savoji H, Mandla S, Ahadian S, Radisic M, Development of Functional Heart Ventricle Using hiPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes,12th Ontario-on-a-Chip Symposium, May 2017, Toronto, Canada (Oral Presentation).
• Savoji H, Maire M, Lequoy P, Liberelle B, De Crescenzo G, Wertheimer MR, Ajji A, Lerouge S, Chondroitin Sulfate-Oriented Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Coating for Random and Aligned Electrospun Vascular Grafts, 10th World Biomaterials Congress, May 2016, Montreal, Canada (Poster Presentation).
• Hadjizadeh A, Savoji H, Ajji A, Growth Factor Releasing Micro Strands Promoted In Vitro Angiogenesis, 10th World Biomaterials Congress, May 2016, Montreal, Canada (Oral Presentation). 

Publications

1. Savoji H, Davenport Huyer L, Mohammadi MH, Lai BFL, Rafatian N, Bannerman D, Shoaib M, Bobicki E, Ramachandran A, Radisic M, 3D Printing of Vascular Tubes Using Bioelastomer Prepolymers by Freeform Reversible Embedding, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b00676.
2. Zhao Y, Rafatian N, Wang EY, Lai BF, Wu Q, Lu RX, Savoji H, Radisic M, Towards Chamber Specific Heart-on-a-Chip for Drug Testing Applications, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2019.12.002.
3. Davenport Huyer L, Bannerman D, Wang Y, Savoji H, Knee-Walden E, Brissenden A, Yee B, Shoaib M, Bobicki E, Amsden BG, Radisic M, One-Pot Synthesis of Unsaturated Polyester Bio-Elastomer with Controllable Material Curing for Microscale Designs, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2019, 8 (16), 1900245.
4. Savoji H,Mohammadi MH, Rafatian N, Khaksar Toroghi M, Wang E, Zhao Y, Korolj A, Ahadian S, Radisic M, Cardiovascular Disease Models: A Game Changing Paradigm for Drug Discovery, Biomaterials, 2019, 198, 3-26.
5. Savoji H,Godau B, Sheikh Hassani M, Akbari M, Skin Tissue Substitutes and Biomaterial Risk Assessment and Testing, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2018, 6, 86.
6. Ahadian S, Savoji H, Khademhosseini A, Recent Advances on Regenerative Hydrogels in Tissue Engineering, Chemical Engineering Progress, AIChE Journal, 2018, 114 (5), 56-63.
7. Savoji H, Maire M, Lequoy P, Liberelle B, De Crescenzo G, Ajji A, Wertheimer MR, Lerouge S, Combining Electrospun Fiber Mats and Bioactive Coatings for Vascular Graft Prostheses, Biomacromolecules, 2017, 18, 303−310.
8. Lequoy P, Savoji H,Saoudi B, Bertrand-Grenier A, Wertheimer MR, De Crescenzo G, Soulez G, Lerouge S, In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Bioactive Coating for Stent-Grafts Based on Chondroitin Sulfate and Epidermal Growth Factor, Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2016, 27 (5), 753-760 e3.
9. Savoji H,Lerouge S, Ajji A, Wertheimer MR, Plasma-Etching for Controlled Modification of Structural and Mechanical Properties of Electrospun PET Scaffolds, Plasma Processes and Polymers, 2015, 12, 314–327.
10. Lerouge S, Barrette J, Ruiz JC, Sbai M, Savoji H, Saoudi B, Gauthier M, Wertheimer MR, Nitrogen-Rich Plasma Polymer Coatings for Biomedical Applications: Stability, Mechanical Properties and Adhesion Under Dry and Wet Conditions, Plasma Processes and Polymers, 2015, 12, 882–895.
11. Savoji H,Hadjizadeh A, Maire M, Ajji A, Wertheimer MR, Lerouge S, Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffolds and Plasma Polymerization: A Promising Combination Towards Complete, Stable Endothelial Lining for Vascular Grafts, Macromolecular Bioscience, 2014, 14, 1084–1095.