Biography
Asad Mirza joined Florida International University (FIU) in 2014 as an undergraduate student in biomedical engineering and has since advanced through the department to his current position as research assistant professor. His early research began under Nikolaos Tsoukias through the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, focusing on computational models of pericyte electrophysiology and cerebral microvascular dynamics.
Asad earned a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from FIU in 2017, receiving the Outstanding Graduate Award in Biomedical Engineering. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy in biomedical engineering in 2024 under the advisement of Sharan Ramaswamy. His dissertation developed a computational model to predict aortic valve calcification through hemodynamic biomarkers.
His research integrates biomechanics, computational modeling, and physiology to better understand cardiovascular pathologies and improve tissue-engineered valve design. He specializes in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite element analysis (FEA), and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations to identify flow-derived biomarkers associated with calcific aortic valve disease and related disorders.
Beyond his primary research, Asad contributes to interdisciplinary projects involving nitric oxide transport, calcium signaling, and endothelial mechanobiology. His work has appeared in Bioengineering, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, Materials Today Bio, and Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.
An active instructor and mentor, Asad teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in computational modeling (BME 2740), simulation (BME 1054L), and physiological systems (BME 6715). He also serves as a senior design advisor, guiding students in developing innovative biomedical devices and software tools.
Awards & Honors
- Graduate Research Day - 1st Place Oral Competition, 2024
- Heart Day - 1st Place Poster Competition, 2024
- Koerner Family Foundation Fellowship, 2020-2021
- 11th World Congress for Microcirculation - Trainee Poster Award, 2018
- FIU Outstanding Graduate Award in Biomedical Engineering, 2017
- Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program Scholar, 2017
Education
- Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, 2024
- Dissertation: “Computational Model for Aortic Valve Calcification Prediction Through Hemodynamic Biomarkers”
- BS, Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, 2017