My Expertise
Ventricular assist devices
Heart pumps
Artificial Hearts
Control of heart pumps
Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Biomedical engineering, Biomedical engineering not elsewhere classified, Medical devices, Cardiovascular medicine and haematology not elsewhere classified, Process control and simulation, Modelling and simulationSEO tags
Biography
I'm an early-to-mid career researcher who is interested in using technology to improve the outcomes of those who are sick. My interests lie in artificial hearts and aged care.
I have consulted with multiple industry partners to help improve their devices, using both simulations and bench top testing. I'm interested in sharing my expertise with industry to ensure that patients have the best possible outcomes when using technology.
About me
Dr...view more
I'm an early-to-mid career researcher who is interested in using technology to improve the outcomes of those who are sick. My interests lie in artificial hearts and aged care.
I have consulted with multiple industry partners to help improve their devices, using both simulations and bench top testing. I'm interested in sharing my expertise with industry to ensure that patients have the best possible outcomes when using technology.
About me
Dr Stevens received his undergraduate degree in Medical Engineering from Queensland University of Technology in 2010, graduating with first class honours. He then completed his PhD in 2014 at the University of Queensland, in which he developed a physiological control system for dual rotary left ventricular assist devices operating as a biventricular assist device. He commenced a postdoctoral position as a Research Associate at the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in August 2015. He then became a lecturer in January 2018.
Research Interests
- Physiological control systems
- Heart assist devices
- Computational modelling (particularly CFD)
- Signal processing
- Wearable activity monitoring, particularly for older Australians
- Machine learning for biomedical applications
Teaching
- ENGG1000 Engineering Design and Innovation.
- BIOM1010 Engineering in Medicine and Biology.
- BIOM9701 Cardiovascular Dynamics.
- BIOM9640 Biomedical Instrumentation
- Biomedical Engineering Thesis Coordinator
I am currently looking for PhD students! If you're a curious engineer, and interested in any of the following
- Artificial heart, heart/lung machines and ventricular assist devices
- Designing automatic control systems for medical devices
- Biomedical signal processing
- ...and more
orcid.org/0000-0003-3583-688XMy Grants
To date I have received over $6 million in funding, with detailed grants listed below.
2021 UNSW Tyree Institute of Health Engineering Catalyst Awards (Stevens M C, Argha R, Chan D, Xu Y)
Project Title: Guardian Angels – Unobtrusive fall detection for persons living with dementia.
Amount awarded: $30 000
2021 Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (Rezai A, Stevens MC)
Project Title: mmWave Technology
Amount awarded: $5 000
2021 UNSW Engineering International Partnership Seed Grant (Stevens MC, Timms D, Hayward C).
Project Title: New Total Artificial Heart: Preparing for first-in-human studies
Amount Awarded: $5 000
2021 Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) (Kaye D, McGiffin D, Gregory S, Timms D, Tansley G, Fraser JF, Lovell N, Stevens MC, Chan C, Dargusch M, Hayward C, Wrigley C, Steinseifer U, Dasse K)
Project Title: The Artificial heart Frontiers Program
Amount Awarded: $999 570
2021 IH210100040 Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Hubs (multiple CIs)
Project Title: ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health
Amount Awarded: $5 million
2021 UNSW GROW Early Career Academic Grants Program (Beier S, De Silva C, Stevens MC)
Project Title: In vitro coronary flow during left ventricular assist device support– a platform for numerical and experimental work
Amount Awarded: $60 000
2019 UNSW Ageing Futures Institute Seed Funding (Stevens MC, Celler B., Delbaere K., Lovell N.
Project Title: Detecting Falls and Activity Monitoring of Persons Living with Dementia.
Amount Awarded: $29 963
2019 Tech Voucher with VitalCare (Stevens MC)
Project Title: Next generation of nurse call systems, using unobtrusive technology.
Amount Awarded: $30 000
2017 Tech Voucher with MP High Tech Solutions (Lovell, N.H, Stevens. M.)
Project Title: Unobtrusive Internet-of-Things monitoring technology for managing falls and frailty in the elderly
Amount Awarded: $30 000
2016 UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering Minor Equipment Grant 2016 (Co-Investigator)
Project Title: Purchase of Fall Detector Devices
Amount Awarded: $9 195.
2015 UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering Minor Equipment Grant 2015 (Co-Investigator)
Project Title: High Performance Computer and Wave Optics Module
Amount Awarded: $6 156.
2013 N. Stenning & Co. Pty. Ltd. PhD Top-up award (CI).
Purpose: Award for excellence in PhD Progress
Amount Awarded: $2 000.
2013 The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation Experienced Researcher Grant (Co-Investigator)
Project Title: Improving the preload and afterload sensitivity of rotary ventricular assist devices through the combination of passive and active control systems
Amount Awarded: $71 082.
2013 The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation Small Equipment Grant (CI)
Project Title: Construction of a new systemic venous compliance chamber for a mock circulation loop.
Amount Awarded: $3 148
2012 University of Queensland Richard Jago Memorial Prize (CI)
Purpose: Travel to USA for Internship at THI
Amount Awarded: $2 900
2011 University of Queensland Graduate Student International Travel Award (CI)
Purpose: Travel to USA for Internship at THI
Amount Awarded: $4 959
2011 The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation Novice Researcher Grant (CI)
Project Title: In Vitro assessment of physiological control strategies for biventricular assist devices.
Amount Awarded: $8 300
My Qualifications
B.Eng (Medical - Honours First Class) - 2010
PhD. 2014.
My Awards
2021 UNSW Scientia Education Academy Exemplary Teaching Practice Award: “Linking learning to professional, disciplinary, industry and/or personal contexts”. (27 Nov 2021)
2021 Heart Foundation NSW CVRN HEART PITCH Runner-up mid career researcher category: “Smart artificial hearts – what can we learn from self-driving cars?”. (17 sep 2021)
2021 ISHLT Oral and Mini-Oral Presenter Scholarship Award (won by my PhD student Masoud Fetanat)
2017 UNSW ARC PGC Supervisor Award
2010, 2013 The Prince Charles Hospital Research Forum Presentation Award
2010 Queensland University of Technology Medical Engineering Undergraduate Project Presentation Award
2006-2010 Queensland University of Technology Dean’s List
My Research Activities
I have authored 49 publications (37 manuscripts, 3 book chapters, 1 edited book, 8 conference proceedings)
Research Interests
- Physiological control systems - since 2012 I've been developing physiological control systems (smart cruise control) for artificial hearts and LVADs.
- Heart assist devices - since 2012 I've been simulating and testing artificial hearts and LVADs using computer modelling and bench top testing.
- Computational modelling (particularly CFD) - since 2016 I've been simulating the effect of ECMO on cerebral hypoxia.
- Signal processing - since 2012 I've been applying advanced signal processing techniques for control and diagnostic purposes.
- Aged care technology - since 2015 I've been involved in developing technology for improving the outcomes of older persons, particularly those living with dementia.
- Machine learning for biomedical applications - since 2018 my team have been applying machine learning techniques to result in better diagnostic tools.
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
I have successfully supervised 2 PhD students to completion and am currently supervising 4 more.
I supervise candidates in the following areas:
Cardiovascular Engineering
Artificial hearts, ventricular assist devices, physiological control.
Aged Care Technology
Machine learning, fall detection, wearables, unobtrusive monitoring.
Currently supervising
Gabriel Matus Vazquez
Ariyamehr Rezai
Laurence Boss
Anne Marie Vuong
My Engagement
I frequently engage with the community. I have been involved in the UNSW Women in Engineering camp, developing workshops to help students learn about the cardiovascular system. I have also been involved in the UNSW Early Career Academic Network, supporting early career researchers through events like promotion.
My Teaching
ENGG1000 Engineering Design
BIOM9701 Dynamics of the Cardiovascular System
BIOM4951/4952/4953/9020/9021/9914: Undergraduate and Postgraduate research thesis
In 2021 I received the inaugrual UNSW Scientia Education Academy Exemplary Teaching Practice Award “Linking learning to professional, disciplinary, industry and/or personal contexts”.
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3583-688X
Research Activities
The principal goal in controlling rotary blood pumps used as ventricular assist devices in heart failure patients is to mimic the natural heart behaviour so that the body's metabolic requirements are met while avoiding harmful states associated with over and under pumping. In this research we will create, evaluate and implement novel control algorithms that intelligently combine sensorless, non-invasive and invasive sensor signals to provide a robust preload sensitive flow controller for implantable rotary blood pumps that automatically adapts to varying patient conditions. Control…
Simplified fluid-structure interaction model of ventricular assist flow in the presence of contracting heart wall and aortic valve leaflets. Ventricular inlet (left) and outlet (right) boundaries are shown as white squares, and ventricular assist flow occurs through the outlet at the bottom.