Biography
Dr Hadi Afsharan is an early-career translational research fellow and innovation leader in medical technologies at The University of Western Australia (UWA). He was awarded a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from UWA in 2023, where his doctoral work focused on developing polarisation-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) for clinical diagnostics. He has since led multiple high-impact translational research initiatives, including the development of non-invasive tools for cardiovascular disease screening and monitoring using retinal imaging and radar-based jugular venous pressure measurement.

Dr Afsharan holds a dual fellowship from the WA Department of Health’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund (FHRI) and UWA, supporting a combined portfolio of cardiovascular innovation projects valued at over $1.8 million. He is recognised for his strong translational focus, having filed a patent (WO 2023/214848 A1), collaborated with leading clinical and academic centres, and received multiple travel and research dissemination awards.

Academic
(i) 15+ peer-reviewed publications in journals and conferences, including SPIE, Optica Publishing Group, and the European Society of Cardiology;
(ii) Lead or chief investigator on over $1.8 million in competitive funding including FHRI, UWA Research Collaboration Awards, and national travel grants;
(iii) Finalist or award recipient in multiple national and international scientific competitions.

Education
• PhD (Biomedical Engineering), UWA, 2023

Current Employment

• Translational Fellow (FHRI and UWA), The University of Western Australia (2024–present)
• Innovation Fellow (FHRI and UWA), The University of Western Australia (2023–present)
• Research Associate, UWA (2023–2024)

Major Research Interests
• Non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostics
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
• Retinal imaging and biomarker discovery
• Radar-based physiological monitoring
• Translational medical device development

Link to video: Non-invasive tools for CVD screening and monitoring, Dr Hadi Afsharan

Student Supervision

• Honours and Masters: Co-supervised 4 students (2018–2023)
• Interns: Three students including international and domestic students
• PhD students: Three students (2024 - present)

Professional Services
• Peer reviewer for multiple journals in biomedical optics and cardiovascular science
• Invited speaker at conferences including SPIE Photonics West, CSANZ, and Science on the Swan
• Active contributor to innovation and early career researcher development programs

Professional Membership

• Member, SPIE – The International Society for Optics and Photonics
• Early career member, OPTICA,
• Member, European Society of Cardiology
• Member, THE CARDIAC SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND (CSANZ)
• Member, WA Cardiovascular Research Alliance (WACRA)
• Graduate, BridgeTech Commercialisation Program

Selected Invited Presentations
• SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, USA (2024, 2025): Presentation on PS-OCT imaging of tissue birefringence
• CSANZ Annual Scientific Meeting, 2024: PS-OCT imaging of tissue birefringence
• European Society of Cardiology Congress, 2023: Retinal biomarkers of hypertension
• Science on the Swan, Perth, 2022: Innovation pathways in retinal imaging

Languages
English, Turkish