Nima Maftoon

Hearing Lab
The long-term research goal of the Hearing Lab is to develop advanced devices and methods for diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss and other auditory pathologies. Such work requires discoveries about the processes involved in hearing as well as developing innovative engineering solutions. To serve these requirements, we use and advance knowledge in fields such as biomechanics, solid and fluid mechanics, acoustics, system identification and hearing physiology. The research portfolio of the Hearing Lab includes device development, advanced acoustic and vibration measurements and analysis in animal and human ears supplemented with analytical and computational modelling.

Computational Metastasis Lab
Computational Metastasis Lab is focused on developing predictive tools that enable personalized cancer treatments. The lab uses advanced computational mechanics algorithms in conjunction with clinical image processing in creation of the predictive tools. We measure data in-vitro and in-vivo in human and animals to validate our mathematical models of tumor-cell circulation, intravasation and extravasation using advanced optical methods and using clinical modalities.

• Hearing Science, Auditory Mechanics, Medical Devices, Hearing implants, Diganostic tools, Biomechanics, Vibration, Acoustics, Otolaryngology, Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics, Physiological measurements and modelling, Cancer mechanics, Metastasis, Computational Oncology

• 2017, Postdoctoral Fellowship Postdoctoral Fellowship, Hearing Science and Technology, Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, USA
• 2014, Doctorate Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Canada
• 2000, Master of Applied Science Mechanical Enginnering, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran
• 1997, Bachelor of Applied Science Mechanical Enginnering, University of Tehran, Iran

• BME 252 - Linear Signals and Systems
  • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
• MTE 252 - Linear Systems and Signals
  • Taught in 2024
• SYDE 252 - Linear Systems and Signals
  • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024
• SYDE 351 - Systems Models 1
  • Taught in 2022, 2024
• SYDE 599 - Special Topics in Systems Design Engineering
  • Taught in 2022

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Ebrahimian A., Mohammadi H., and Maftoon N., Material characterization of human middle ear using machine-learning-based surrogate models, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, Volume 127, Canada. 2024
• Keshavarz Motamed P., Abouali H., Poudineh M., and Maftoon N., Experimental measurement and numerical modeling of deformation behavior of breast cancer cells passing through constricted micro, Microsystems and Nanoengineering, Volume 10, Canada. 2024
• Rahmati N., Keshavarz Motamed P., and Maftoon N., Numerical study of ultra-large von Willebrand factor multimers in coagulopathy, Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, Volume 23, 737-756, Canada, 2024.
• Ebrahimian A., Mohammadi H., and Maftoon N., Mechanical Effects of Medical Device Attachment to Human Tympanic Membrane, JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Volume 25, 285-302, Canada, 2024.
• Rahmati N., and Maftoon N., Computational analysis of cancer cell adhesion in curved vessels affected by wall shear stress for prediction of metastatic spre, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Volume 12, Canada, 2024.
• Ebrahimian A., Mohammadi H., and Maftoon N., Relative importance and interactions of parameters of finite-element models of human middle ear, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Volume 127, 619-634, Canada, 2023.
• Ebrahimian A., Mohammadi H., Rosowski J.J., Cheng J.T., and Maftoon N., Inaccuracies of deterministic finite-element models of human middle ear revealed by stochastic modelling, Scientific Reports, Volume 13, Canada, 2023.
• Mohammadi H., Ebrahimian A., and Maftoon N., Cutting characteristics of viscoelastic membranes under hypodermic needle insertion, International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, Volume 127, Canada, 2023.
• Mohammadi H., Ebrahimian A., and Maftoon N., Finite-Element Modelling of Needle-Tissue Interactions, Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering, Volume 31, 1363-1404, Canada, 2023.
• Anvari S., Nambiar S., Pang J., and Maftoon N., Computational Models and Simulations of Cancer Metastasis, Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering, Volume 28, 4837-4859, Canada, 2021.
• Ebrahimian A., Tang H., Furlong C., Cheng J.T., and Maftoon N., Material characterization of thin planar structures using full-field harmonic vibration response measured with stroboscopic holo, International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, Volume 127, Canada, 2021.
• Shen J., Faruqi A.H., Jiang Y., and Maftoon N., Mathematical Reconstruction of Patient-Specific Vascular Networks Based on Clinical Images and Global Optimization, IEEE Access, Volume 9, 20648-20661, United States, 2021.
• Anvari S., Osei E., and Maftoon N., Interactions of platelets with circulating tumor cells contribute to cancer metastasis, Scientific Reports, Volume 11, Canada, 2021.
• Keshavarz Motamed P., and Maftoon N., A systematic approach for developing mechanistic models for realistic simulation of cancer cell motion and deformation, Scientific Reports, Volume 11, Canada, 2021.
• Mohammadi H., Ebrahimian A., and Maftoon N., Fracture behaviour of human skin in deep needle insertion can be captured using validated cohesive zone finite-element method, Computers in Biology and Medicine, Volume 127, Canada, 2021.
• Ebrahimian A., Mohammadi H., Babaie M., Maftoon N., and Tizhoosh H.R., Class-aware image search for interpretable cancer identification, IEEE Access, Volume 8, 197352-197362, Canada, 2020.
• Cheng J.T., Maftoon N., Guignard J., Ravicz M.E., and Rosowski J., Tympanic membrane surface motions in forward and reverse middle ear transmissions, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Volume 127, 272-291, United States, 2019.
• Ravicz M.E., Cho N.-H., Maftoon N., and Puria S., Motion of organ of Corti structures in the gerbil cochlear apex, measured with a commercial optical coherence tomography (OCT) s, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 127, United States, 2018.
• Maftoon N., Motallebzadeh H., Guinan J.J., and Puria S., Drive mechanisms to the inner and outer hair cell stereocilia, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 127, United States, 2018.
• Motallebzadeh H., Maftoon N., Pitaro J., Funnell W.R.J., and Daniel S.J., Fluid-Structure Finite-Element Modelling and Clinical Measurement of the Wideband Acoustic Input Admittance of the Newborn Ear C, JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Volume 18, 671-686, Canada, 2017.
• Motallebzadeh H., Maftoon N., Pitaro J., Funnell W.R.J., and Daniel S.J., Finite-Element Modelling of the Acoustic Input Admittance of the Newborn Ear Canal and Middle Ear, JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Volume 18, 25-48, Canada, 2017.
• Maftoon N., Funnell W.R.J., Daniel S.J., and Decraemer W.F., Finite-Element Modelling of the Response of the Gerbil Middle Ear to Sound, JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Volume 16, 547-567, Canada, 2015.
• Maftoon N., Funnell W.R.J., Daniel S.J., and Decraemer W.F., Effect of opening middle-ear cavity on vibrations of gerbil tympanic membrane, JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Volume 15, 319-334, Canada, 2014.
• Maftoon N., Funnell W.R.J., Daniel S.J., and Decraemer W.F., Experimental study of vibrations of gerbil tympanic membrane with closed middle ear cavity, JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Volume 14, 467-481, Canada, 2013.
• Motallebzadeh H., Gariepy B., Maftoon N., Robert W., Funnell J., and Daniel S.J., Finite-element modelling of the newborn ear canal and middle ear, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Volume 19, Canada, 2013.