Dr. Mohamadmahdi Samandari is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and the Institute for Engineering in Medicine, Health, & Human Performance (EnMed) at Old Dominion University. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran (2017) in collaboration with Harvard Medical School and Imperial College London, followed by postdoctoral training at UConn Health Center. His research integrates biomechanics, biofabrication, and advanced drug delivery strategies to develop innovative solutions for soft tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. An accomplished scholar and innovator, Dr. Samandari has authored over 50 publications in top-tier journals, accumulating more than 2,600 citations with an H-index of 30, and holds over 10 inventions. His work has been supported by over $4M in external funding ($1M as PI) and recognized by prestigious honors, including the Wound Healing Foundation Young Researcher Award and the National Elite Foundation scholarship. Beyond the lab, he is a co-founder of InPrint Bio, a startup company dedicated to translating biomedical research into clinical practice. 

Kaylea Ross is a second-year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Old Dominion University. Her current research focuses on the development of microneedle arrays for infected wound healing, with an emphasis on improving localized therapeutic delivery and enhancing tissue regeneration outcomes. Her previous graduate work includes analyzing β-catenin cell adhesions of MDCK, C2bbe, and A431 cell lines with immunofluorescent imaging. She earned her B.S. in Biology from Old Dominion University, where her studies focused primarily on entomology and wetland plant systems. This ecological-minded background provides her with a unique perspective in biomedical engineering, grounding her work in systems level thinking, environmental adaptability, and organism–environment interactions that inform her approach to biomaterials design and translational research. During her free time, Kaylea enjoys spending time walking and playing with her dog, creating art, and being outdoors.

Joshua Pierce is a second-year Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering at Old Dominion University, where his research focuses on the use of adhesive microporous scaffolds as hemostatic agents to rapidly control traumatic bleeding and improve patient outcomes. His work aims to advance practical, life-saving solutions through innovative biomedical engineering approaches.

Prior to graduate school, Josh gained diverse hands-on experience in the medical field. His roles have included performing gross pathology as a laboratory technician, procuring donor eye tissue to support vision restoration, and assisting in clinical procedures under a neurosurgeon. These experiences have deepened his understanding of clinical needs and reinforced his interest in developing engineered solutions to address unmet challenges in medicine.

Josh joined the Samandari Lab to explore novel strategies in regenerative medicine and contribute to cutting-edge research in the field. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Virginia. Outside of his academic pursuits, Josh enjoys spending time with friends, swimming, and playing tennis.

Mahmud Hussain is a first-year Biomedical Engineering PhD student at Old Dominion University. At Samandari Lab, his research involves using multiscale porous biomaterials for wound healing, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine applications. Prior to his current role, he was a research intern at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he worked on developing nanopatterned platforms for studying material-pathogen interactions, viral inactivation, and biofilm formation. Mahmud completed his master’s degree in Nanoengineering at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where he characterized neuronal extracellular vesicles to study Tau secretion via unconventional protein secretion pathways as potential biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. Outside the lab, Mahmud enjoys traveling, biking, and photography.