Oveis Pourmehran

Dr Oveis Pourmehran

Grant-Funded Researcher (A)

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Oveis Pourmehran began his research journey in targeted drug delivery during his Master's program (2013-2015), where he developed several computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to simulate magnetic drug targeting, thereby enhancing drug delivery efficiency in the human lungs.

In 2017, Oveis joined the University of Adelaide (Australia) as a Ph.D. candidate and completed his thesis titled "Understanding the flow behaviour in human maxillary sinuses for drug delivery applications" at the School of Mechanical Engineering in 2021. His Ph.D. research contributed to the advancement of a tailored acoustic wave technique for drug delivery to human sinuses. In this groundbreaking work, he developed a high-fidelity direct computational aero-acoustic model to investigate the effect of acoustic waves on drug delivery to human maxillary sinuses, providing new insights into the acoustic drug delivery technique. His experiments demonstrated the potential of this technique to increase drug delivery efficiency by more than 45 times compared to conventional nebulized drug delivery methods.

Since June 2021, Oveis has been a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, where he established a Biomechanics Research Node (ENT-BioMech) to develop innovative drug delivery methods and devices for enhancing treatment efficiency in human upper airway diseases. Collaborating with leading researchers and scientists from the ENT research group at the medical school and researchers at the School of Mechanical Engineering, he has been awarded several research grants totaling over $2 million (2022-2025) as a chief investigator to develop cutting-edge techniques and devices for drug delivery to the upper airways and sinuses for CF and CRS treatment.

Media appearances:
https://set.adelaide.edu.au/news/list/2022/02/18/mechanical-engineering-phd-concept-developed-for-use-in-medical-clinical
https://www.schoolandcollegelistings.com/AU/Adelaide/321219921227571/Basil-Hetzel-Institute-for-Translational-Health-Research

As a multidisciplinary research team, the ENT surgery group, led by Prof. Peter-John Wormald, has recently established a Biomedical Engineering research node under the supervision of Oveis Pourmehran. The research node aims to develop innovative drug delivery methods and devices to improve treatment efficiency for upper airway diseases.

The following research topics are available for Ph.D. applicants, HDR, Honours, and 3rd-year students in 2024:

  1. Acoustic drug delivery to paranasal sinuses (Supervisory panel: Dr Pourmehran, Prof Wormald, Prof Psaltis)

2. Development of a mesh nebulizer for improved sinus drug delivery (Supervisory panel: Dr Pourmehran, Prof Wormald, Prof Psaltis)

3. Virtual endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) followed by airflow analysis and particle tracking in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses (Supervisory panel: Prof Wormald, Prof Psaltis, Dr Pourmehran)

4. Magnetic and electric-charged particle (drug) delivery to human lung and paranasal sinuses (Supervisory panel: Dr Pourmehran, Prof Vreugde)

Other Projects :

1.  Evaluating Nasal Irrigation Flow Dynamics and Eustachian Tube Involvement: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach

2.  Designing Focused Magnetic Field Systems for Targeted Nasal Cavity Drug Delivery: A Strategy for Frontal and Maxillary Sinuses

3.  Sinus Drug Delivery Assessment: 3D Models, FITC, and SPECT Imaging

4.  Optimising Microfluidic Methods for Realistic In-vitro Assessment of Sinus Drug Delivery Efficiency

    These research projects employ various techniques and skills, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD), particle tracking using DPM-CFD, finite element analysis (FEA), signal processing (acoustics), computer-aided design (CAD) modeling, CT-scan reconstruction (using 3D Slicer and other potential software), and cutting-edge 3D printing technology (such as FUSETEC).

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    • Appointments
      Date Position Institution name
      2021 - ongoing Postdoctoral Research Fellow The University of Adelaide
      2017 - 2021 PhD candidate The University of Adelaide
      2016 - 2017 Lecturer Golestan Institute of Higher Education
      2015 - 2017 Lecturer Islamic Azad University of Gorgan
      2015 - 2017 Researcher Young Researchers and Elites Club

    • Awards and Achievements
      Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
      2023 Scholarship 2023 THRFG BHI Conference and Travel Grant The Hospital Research Foundation Group Australia -
      2021 Award Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence The University of Adelaide Australia -
      2020 Award ECMS High-Impact publication in the sector of "Health Solutions" The University of Adelaide Australia -
      2020 Award Frank Perry Travelling Scholarship in Engineering The University of Adelaide Australia -
      2017 Scholarship Beacon of Enlightenment PhD Scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia -
      2015 Award Distinguished Graduated Student National Elite Foundation Iran, Islamic Republic of -

    • Education
      Date Institution name Country Title
      2017 - 2021 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD
      2013 - 2015 Babol Noshirvani University of Technology Iran M.Sc

    • Certifications
      Date Title Institution name Country
      2019 ANSYS Fluids Academic Training at University of Adelaide LEAP Australia Pty Ltd Leading Engineering Application Providers Australia
      2018 2 Day FEA and CFD ANSYS Academic Training at the University of Adelaide LEAP Australia Pty Ltd Leading Engineering Application Providers Australia

    • Research Interests
      Acoustics Biomechanics Biomedical Engineering Computational Fluid Dynamics Computational Heat Transfer Fluidisation and Fluid Mechanics Heat and Mass Transfer Operations Respiratory System Translational Health Outcomes

    2022-2026: NHMRC Medical Research Future Fund (#2014977), 'The AIRSPACE Trial: AntI-MRSA PhAge Cocktail treatment via Acoustic Enhanced Nebulisers', (CIs: Wormald, Vreudge, Psaltis, Morales, Pourmehran, Cazzolato, Arjomandi, Louise, Schubert). Role: Chief Investigator E ($1,712,000).

    2022-2025: Passe & Williams Foundation - Conjoint Grant, 'Acoustic Drug Delivery for CRS Treatment', (CIs: Wormald, Pourmehran). Role: Chief Investigator B ($375,000).

    Fluid Mechanics I

    Fluid Mechanics II

    • Other Supervision Activities
      Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
      2023 - ongoing Co-Supervisor High-resolution image assessment of the mandibular canal morphology in CT images. The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Dental Surgery Honours Full Time Aaditya Mangla
      2023 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Development of nebuliser device for clinical trial The University of Adelaide Research Assistance, and Internship Other Part Time Uri Hauben

    • Mentoring
      Date Topic Location Name
      2023 - 2023 Advancements in Acoustic Drug Delivery for Paranasal Sinuses: A Comprehensive Review Tarbiat Modares University and The University of Adelaide Kavan Zarei
      2023 - ongoing The effect of functional endoscopic sinus surgery on nasal obstruction using computational fluid dynamics The University of Adelaide Isabella Amy Burdon
      2019 - 2020 Development of human respiratory airway models: A review Tabriz University and The University of Adelaide Kaveh Ahookhosh

    • Committee Memberships
      Date Role Committee Institution Country
      2023 - 2023 Chair SESSION #2: CLINICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE NOSE & AIRWAY SCONA2023; 15th Asia Oceania ORL-HNS Congress Australia

    • Memberships
      Date Role Membership Country
      2022 - ongoing Member Passe and Williams Foundation Australia
      2021 - ongoing Member Early- and Mid-Career Researchers, Australian Academy of Science Australia
      2020 - ongoing Member Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society Australia
      2018 - ongoing Member Acoustics Vibration and Control (AVC) Group Australia

    • Editorial Boards
      Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
      2023 - ongoing Editor Nano and Medical Materials Academic Publishing Pte Ltd Singapore
      2023 - ongoing Associate Editor Frontiers in Medical Engineering Frontiers Switzerland
      2023 - ongoing Associate Editor Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering Frontiers Switzerland
      2023 - ongoing Board Member European Journal of Case Reports and Clinical Images European Journal of Case Reports United States
      2021 - ongoing Editor Special Issue "Recent Advances on Acoustic, Ultrasonic, and Magnetic Drug Delivery" (IF 5.215) MDPI Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Switzerland
      2019 - ongoing Board Member Journal of Nanosciences: Current Research Hilaris Publisher Belgium
      2017 - ongoing Board Member SCIREA Journal of Mechanical Engineering Scientific Research Association (SCIREA) United States

    • Event Participation
      Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country
      2023 - 2023 Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) Showcase event Fair Flinders University Australia
      2022 - 2022 ANFF-SA Microengineering School Workshop Australian National Fabrication Facility Australia
      2018 - 2018 MATLAB Academic Conference in Adelaide Conference MathWorks -

    • Presentation
      Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
      2023 - ongoing CFD simulation of nasal irrigation and nebulisation for drug delivery to post operative sinuses Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research (BHI) Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia Australia
      2023 - 2023 Comparison of Squeeze Bottle and Nebuliser in Sinus Drug Delivery: A Computational Modelling SCONA2023 in conjunction with Asia Oceania ORL-HNS Congress 2023 Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia Australia

    • Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice
      Date Title Type Institution Country
      2023 - ongoing AAPG Generic call - 2023 Grant Assessment French National Research Agency (ANR) AAPG 2023 France
      2022 - 2022 PRACE 24th Call for Proposals for Project Access Grant Assessment Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) Belgium
    • Position: Grant-Funded Researcher (A)
    • Phone: 0882226173
    • Email: oveis.pourmehran@adelaide.edu.au
    • Campus: North Terrace
    • Building: TQEH- Basil Hetzel Institute
    • Org Unit: Surgical Specialities
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