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BioSystems and Micromechanics (BioSyM) - IRG

Amir Reza Aref
Post-Doctoral Associate, BioSystems & Micromechanics IRG, Singapore-MIT Alliance For Research and Technology (SMART)

http://web.mit.edu/aref/www/

Positions

• 2008 – Present; Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT & BioSyM, SMART
• 2005 – 2008; Ph.D. Nanotechnology Centre, Cranfield University, UK
• 2004 – 2005; MSc. Department of Chemistry, Coventry University, UK
• 2002 – 2004; Research student, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• 1996 – 2000; BSc. Applied Chemistry, Azad University, Iran

Research Interest

• Control of Cell Population Behavior in Tissue Constructs Using Image Analysis
  Tissue Engineering Transplantation and cell therapy of stem cell Cancer research
• Nanotechnology applied to stem cell substratum interactions

Honors and Awards

• The first winner of award of The 8th Royan International Twin Congress (September 5-7, 2007, Tehran-Iran). Title of paper was: Aref, A., “Attachment and Spreading Kinetics of Stem Cells Using Optical Waveguide Lightmode Spectroscopy”.
• The winner of “Highly Recommended Award” of the Research Poster Conference of Cranfield University, England, 28th June 2007. Title of paper was: Aref, A. “Attachment and Spreading of Stem Cells on Natural and Synthetic Surfaces”.

Publications

• Aref, A. Horvath, R, McColl, J, and Ramsden, J.J. Optical monitoring of stem cell-substratum interactions. Journal of Biomedical Optics, Volume 14, Issue 1, No. 010501 (2009)
• Aref, A. Horvath, R, McColl, J, and Ramsden, J.J. Apparent retinoic acid instability results in a new morphology of human embryonal carcinoma stem cells. Journal of Biological Physics and Chemistry. (in press).
• Aref, A. Horvath, R and Ramsden, J.J. Quantitative spreading kinetics as a means of identifying stem cell differentiation. (in press).
• A. Aref, R. Horvath, F. Ansari and J.J. Ramsden. Attachment and spreading of human embryonal carcinoma stem cells on nanosurfaces using optical waveguides. Nanotech 2008, 11th Annual Conference, June 1-5, 2008. Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• A. Aref, R. Horvath, F. Ansari and J.J. Ramsden. Monitor the kinetics of stem cells differentiation on nanosurfaces using optical waveguides. 7th International Conference, Clinical Applications of Magnetic Carriers, May 21-24, 2008 Vancouver, Canada.
• J. McColl, R. Horvath, A. Aref, L. Larcombe, S. Morgan, I. Chianella, G. Yakubov, J.J. Ramsden. Polyphenol control of cell spreading on glycoprotein substrates. Journal of Biomaterials Science: Polymer Edition, Volume 20, Issue 5-6, Page: 841-851, (2009).
• Aref, A., McColl, J., Horvath, R. & Ramsden J.J.”RTC07-246: Attachment and Spreading Kinetics of Stem Cells Using Optical Waveguide Lightmode Spectroscopy”. The Royan International Twin Congress (3rd Congress on Stem Cells Biology & Technology), 5-7 Sep 2007. Tehran-Iran. (Winner of the Best Paper Award).