Lab Director
Anuradha Godavarty
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Florida International University, Miami, FL
Post Doc.
Dr. Fernando Sebastian Chiwo
Dr. Fernando Sebastian Chiwo Gonzalez joined OIL in April 2023. He completed his PhD in Applied Sciences from the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi (UASLP) in March 2022. He was an associate researcher at the Center for Advanced Technology until 2023. His current research interest is thermo-optical imaging techniques, biomedical optical signal processing and analysis, and optical-electrical instrumentation for medical applications. In addition to research, Dr. Chiwo likes to listen to rock music all the time, play the guitar, and take long walks in every place he is in.
Graduate Students
Kacie Kalie – Ph.D. Student
Kacie graduated from FIU in Summer 2017 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering. Currently working toward her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. She joined the Optical Imaging Laboratory in Fall of 2016. Kacie’s research involves the development of hand held optical devices, including design and data processing, later applied to clinical studies for validation.
Daniela Leizaola – Ph.D. Student
Daniela graduated from FIU in Spring 2021 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Chemistry. Currently working toward her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. She joined the Optical Imaging Laboratory in Spring of 2019. Daniela’s research interests focus on determining the effects of skin color on near-infrared imaging devices. Her goal is to identify the extent of error in the NIR images due to skin color and develop a melanin correction. Additionally, she is investigating tissue oxygenation predictors for arterial calcification via mice studies. Aside from research, Daniela is fond of cooking, playing tennis and scuba diving.
Himaddri Shakhar Roy – Graduate Student
Himaddri graduated from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, in 2019 with a BS in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. He joined the Optical Imaging Laboratory in the spring of 2023. Himaddri’s research focuses on the clinical application of near-infrared optical imaging and optical devices development for biomedical applications. Apart from research, Himaddri enjoys traveling and playing cricket and badminton.
Aasma Dahal – Graduate Student
Aasma joined FIU in Fall 2021, as a Fulbright scholar from Nepal, to pursue a MS in Biomedical Engineering with a specialization in Tissue Model Systems. Driven by her deep-rooted passion for working and developing advanced instruments, Aasma is officially joining the Optical Imaging Lab as a PhD student in Fall 2023 where she wants to advance her knowledge on applying it to the human studies. Her research focus in applying optical imaging technique to cardiovascular and vascular calcification issues. She will be co-advised by Dr. Godavarty and Dr. Hutcheson. Besides her research, Aasma absolutely loves spending time at the beach or going on thrilling treks to the mountains or writing poems.
Nikhil Kumar Reddy – Graduate Student
Nikhil graduated from JNTU Hyderabad, India in 2017 with a BS in Computer Science. He then worked in the software industry for around 5 years and currently towards his master’s degree in Computer Science. He joined the Optical Imaging Laboratory in the Spring of 2023 as a Graduate Research Assistant. He is currently working on the development of the smartphone based mobile apps for telemedicine applications in the field of diabetic foot ulcer management.