Dr. Sharan Ramaswamy earned a PhD in Biomedical Engineering (BME) from the University of Iowa in 2003. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at the NIH and a research faculty position at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Ramaswamy joined the BME department at Florida International University (FIU) in December 2009 as an Assistant Professor. He is currently a tenured Associate Professor at FIU. His research expertise is in the areas of Cardiovascular Mechanobiology, Regenerative Medicine and Mechanics. He directs the Cardiovascular Therapeutics Laboratory’s (CV-PEUTICS Lab), (formerly known as the Tissue Engineered Mechanics, Imaging and Materials Laboratory (TEMIM Lab)) at FIU. He has numerous scientific articles published in his discipline in leading journals, proceedings and book chapters. His work has been funded by the American Heart Association (AHA), the Miami Heart Research Institute, the National Science Foundation, private industry and academia. He is a Fellow of the AHA and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Dr. Ramaswamy holds a patent in the area of bioreactors for cardiovascular regenerative medicine, a provisional patent in enhanced, stem cell-derived exosome production for the purposes of cardiac regeneration and is co-founder of a start-up company (DeNovo Biodevices LLC, Miami, FL). He is an advisor to several graduate and undergraduate students and participates in significant outreach mentorship efforts to schools in the Miami-Dade County Public School System.

CV

Academic Positions

  • 20092007

    Visiting Research Assistant Professor

    Bioengineering, The University of Pittsburgh

  • 20072003

    Visiting Post-Doctoral Fellow

    Tissue Engineering /MRI, National Institute Of Health

  • 20031998

    Research Assistant

    Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa

  • 19981997

    French Government Scholar

    Joint Replacement,  Ecole Céntrale De Lyon

  • 19971996

    Research Engineer

    Biomaterials, National University of Singapore

  • 19961995

    Research Worker

    Biomaterials, National University of Singapore

Education

  • PhD 2003

    Biomedical Engineering

    University of Iowa

  • M.Eng. 1998

    Biomaterials

    National University of Singapore

  • B.S.E 1994

    Bioengineering

    Arizona State University

Funded Research / Grants

  • March 2021
    Stem Cell-seeded bioscaffolds supporting somatic growth, function and remodeling in the treatment of critical congenital valve disease in the young ion.

    • Grant Renewal awarded by the Florida Heart Research Foundation.
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • June 2020
    PFI-TT: Development of an enhanced molecular cargo via flow oscillations for heart regeneration.

    • Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • October 2019
    NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) in Cellular Metamaterials (CELL-MET)

    • Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Boston University
    • Role: Local (Florida International University), Co-Principal Investigator (CO-PI)
    • Renewed in 2020.
    • Renewed in 2021.

  • February 2019
    Fulbright award to Sweden (Karolinska Institutet) - Mechanobiology and Cardiovascular Regeneration

    • Agency: US Department of State
    • Role: Fulbright Specialist

  • October 2018
    Stem Cell-seeded bioscaffolds supporting somatic growth, function and remodeling in the treatment of critical congenital valve disease in the young

    • Agency: Miami Heart Research Institute
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • August 2018
    Terminal Sterilization

    • Agency: Vivex Biomedical Inc.
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • July 2018
    A curvature-based biomarker for early detection of aortic valve calcification

    • Agency: FIU College of Engineering and Computing Coulter Foundation Seed Grants Program
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • December 2016
    A bioreactor mimicking the human circulation

    • Agency: Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED), FIU | Start-up-FIU seed Funding
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • May 2016
    Bioscaffold mitral valve replacement permitting somatic growth and remodeling

    • Agency: American Heart Association (AHA) | Grant in Aid, Southeastern Affiliate
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • May 2016
    I-Corps: Mechanically Conditioned 3-Dimensional Cell Culture System

    • Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) | I-Corps National Teams Program
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • March 2016
    3D Flow-Stretch-Flex Bioreactor

    • Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • March 2016
    Permanent valvular replacement supporting growth using porcine bioscaffolds

    • Agency: BME Coulter Seed Grant | FIU
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • June 2012
    Fatigue and constitutive properties of novel stent-graft

    • Agency: Saint George Medical, Inc.
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • April 2012
    Hydrodynamic testing of a novel tri-leaflet silicone valve at four anatomically-relevant locations

    • Agency: University of Florida, College of Medicine – Seed Grant
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • January 2012
    Targeted delivery for liver cancer treatment (Heptag exchange)

    • Agency: Seventh Framework Program of the Directory General Research of the European Commission
    • Role: Collaborator

  • April 2011
    Mechanical testing of soft tissue hydrogel substitutes in compression and shear

    • Agency: Florida International University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Collaborative Technology Innovation Program (CTIP)
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • March 2010
    Techniques for Prolonged Retention of Scaffold Environments in Osteochondral Defects – In Vitro Feasibility Assessment by Mechanical Testing and Characterization

    • Agency: Florida International University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Collaborative Technology Innovation Program (CTIP)
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • May 2010
    Enhanced Retention and Anchorage of Hydrogels Augments Cartilage Regeneration in Osteochondral Defects.

    • Agency: Florida International University, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), RESEED grant
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

  • January 2008
    Noninvasive detection and tracking of cell populations in the development and remodeling of engineered heart valves

    • Agency: American Heart Association (AHA), National Scientist Development Grant
    • Role: Principal Investigator (PI)

Patent Disclosures

  • US Patent
    Injectable Enhanced Stem Cell Exosomes and Method of Using Them

    • Inventors: Sharan Ramaswamy, Manuel Salinas, Yih-Mei Lin
    • Current Status: Provisional US patent, US serial no. US62/947,379.

  • US Patent
    Flow-Stretch-Flexure Bioreactor

    • Inventors: Sharan Ramaswamy, Steven M. Boronyak, George C. Engelmayr, David E. Schmidt, Mohammed El-Kurdi Michael S. Sacks
    • Current Status: Issued, non-provisional US patent, patent number, US 8852923 B2.

Professional Honors, Awards & Fellowships

  • Fellow – American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), (Since June 2019).
  • Fellow Faculty Mentorship Award in the College of Engineering and Computing, College-level award, Florida International University, 2019.
  • Fulbright Specialist, May 4-18, 2019, Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University, Sweden. Activities (at the Karolinska Institute): seminars and scientific discussions and education in the area of “Tissue Engineered Heart Valves and related mechanobiology” as well dialogue to help facilitate collaborations with between both these Swedish institutions and FIU in the area of cardiovascular regenerative medicine.
  • Secondary Faculty Appointment, School of Universal Computing, Construction and Engineering Education (SUCEED). My over-arching objective in SUCEED is to work pro-actively with in-unit SUCEED Faculty and other partners at FIU and in Miami-Dade County Public Schools to work on Educational initiatives focused on outreach and mentorship programming and development.
  • Faculty Fellow, Honors College, Florida International University, August 2017 – Present.
  • Faculty Award for Research and Creative Activities, University-wide award, Florida International University, 2017.
  • William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award, McKnight Doctoral Fellows Program, Florida Education Fund, 2017.
  • Faculty Research Award in the College and Engineering and Computing, College-level award, Florida International University, 2017.
  • Hind Rattan Award 2017 – Presented to Sharan Ramaswamy for his “Outstanding services, contributions and achievements” in his professional field.  The Hind Rattan (Hindi phrase translated to English as “Jewel of India”) is one of the highest Indian diasporic awards granted annually to non-resident persons of Indian origin (NRIs) by the NRI Welfare Society of India.
  • Faculty Award for Excellence in Advising and Mentorship, Florida International University, 2016.
  • Founding Faculty Fellow – STEM Transformation Institute, Florida International University (FIU). Spring 2015.
  • Honorary member – National Academy of Inventors, November 2013.
  • Top Scholar – Spring 2013, Florida International University – for recognition of research, service and activities in the cardiovascular arena and association as a fellow of the American Heart Association and its council on basic cardiovascular sciences.
  • Outstanding Paper Award, 2013 ASME Global Congress on Nano Engineering for Medicine and Biology, awarded for Dua R. and Ramaswamy S. Enhancement of Interfacial Mechanical Properties Of Tissue Engineered Cartilage To Bone Using Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles. Paper Number NEMB2013-93205. Proceedings of the 2013 ASME Global Congress on Nano Engineering for Medicine and Biology, February 4-6, 2013, Boston, MA, USA.