CV
CHRONOLOGY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2001-2005 B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran
2005-2008 M.Sc. Biomedical Engineering in the field of Biomechanics, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
2008-2013 Ph.D. Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, Advisor: Maury A. Nussbaum
2013-2015 Biomedical Engineering Post-doctorate, interdisciplinary Consortium Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
2015-Present Aging and Cognition Fellow, Healthy Brain Research Center, CDC
CHRONOLOGY OF EMPLOYMENT
2009-2012 Research Assistant, Human Safely & Health lab, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2011-2013 Instructor/Teaching Assistant, Human Factor Engineering & Manufacturing Lab, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
2013-2015 Research Associate, interdisciplinary Consortium Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
2014-Present Bioengineer Collaborator, Center for Healthy Aging, Banner Sun Health Research Institute
2015-Present Research Associate, Senior: Arizona Center on Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
HONORS AND AWARDS
2001 Ranked 384th in nation-wide entrance exam for Iranian universities among 400,000 examinees
2009-2011 Outstanding Graduate Student; Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
2013 Young investigator award from The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) for “Aging, the Central Nervous System, and Mobility in Older Adults: Neural Mechanisms of Mobility Impairments.”
SERVICE/OUTREACH-NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
2013-Present Arizona Center on Aging, Research Associate
2013-Present Reviewer for Gerontology
2013-Present Reviewer for Sensors
2013-Present Reviewer for the Journal of Applied Biomechanics
2014-Present Reviewer for IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
2015-Present Reviewer for European Spine Journal
2015-Present Reviewer for IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Information
2015-Present Reviewer for Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (JAPMA)
PATENTS
Najafi B., Mohler J., Toosizadeh N., (2014) Methods and System to Identify Frailty Using Joint Movement Protocol. Patent number: 20150332004
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
Research Grants
1- NIH 1 R01 AG076774-01A1: Heart Rate Dynamics in Response to Upper-Extremity Function Test to Identify Irreversible Frailty After Invasive Therapy in Older Adults with Advanced Heart Disease (Toosizadeh)
01/2023-01/2027
(PI) $1,313,940.00 – Effort: 3.40 Person Months
Advanced heart diseases lead to a reduced blood supply from the heart and consequently fatigue and deficits in
performing physical activity. In the proposed research, we will assess the lack of physiological reserve in older adults
with advanced heart disease, focusing on motor and cardiac function, to develop a novel, objective, quick, and
accurate frailty score. We designed this approach to enhance candidate selection of older adults going through
invasive therapies for advanced heart diseases.
2- NSF 2236689: CAREER: Dynamic Modeling of Cardiac, Brain, and Motor Systems in Response to Provocative Testing for Frailty Assessment (Toosizadeh)
03/2023-02/2028
(PI) $580,246– Effort: 1.00 Person Months
In this career award I will establish a novel mathematical frailty model based on interaction between several
physiological systems during a stress-response testing module.
3- NIH R21EB033454 (Trailblazer): WARE-Care: a novel RF-based system to assess and prevent falling
07/2022-12/2024
(Co-I) $582,741
We propose a complementary sensor for frail and fall risk assessment in the nursing facility during the night. To
achieve this goal, we will build and evaluate a robust, non-invasive millimeter wave (mmWave) based sensing system
for fall risk and fall detection to work during the night to collect and assess older adults’ falling data. We have formed a
research team with expertise in radar signal processing, machine learning, frailty and fall risk analysis, telehealth,
clinical trials, and medical experts within the University of Arizona (UArizona) and have connected with a local nursing
center to test this low-cost, small, and portable motion-monitoring system: WARE-Care: mmWave based fall
Assessment and pRevEntion.
4- Bio5 Rapid Grant: Application of Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy for Identifying Alzheimer's Disease Based on
the Motor and Brain Function Dynamical Interplay (Toosizadeh/Lafleur/Fain/Chou/Rapcsak)
1/1/2022-7/31/2022
(PI) $49,343
5- Flinn Foundation: Soft, Battery‐Free, Wireless, and Wearable Digital‐Health Platform for Continuous Frailty
Assessment (Gutruf/Toosizadeh)
11/1/2019 - 4/30/2021
(Co-PI) $100,000
Development of a battery-free and soft platform that relies on far field power transfer to ultra-soft electronics.
Through the creation of this long-range, soft electronic mesh, a robust system utilizing multimodal sensing capabilities
can be realized for chronic health monitoring.
6 - NIH 1R21AG059202-01A1: Functional Capacity Assessment in Hospitalized Bed-bound COPD Patients; Predicting
Outcomes (Toosizadeh/Mohler)
09/15/2019 - 05/31/2021
(PI) $410,454
The major goal of this project is to provide data to improve identification of vulnerable older adults with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease using a quick and simple objective assessment tool feasible for bed-bound
hospitalized patients.
7- BIO5 Institute Team Scholars Program (Toosizadeh/Chen/Barnard)
07/01/2019-06/30/2020
(PI) $65,000
Early-stage detection of brain network alterations due to the Alzheimer’s disease: Dual-task-based fMRI
analysis using machine learning approach
8- R01 NS102220-01A1: Development of High-Speed and Quantitative Neuro MRI Technologies for Challenging Patient
Populations
07/01/2018-06/31/2023
(Co-I) $ 2,749,319
Optimize multiplexed sensitivity encoded (MUSE) DTI and fMRI techniques to allow for fast acquisition of sub-
millimeter resolution, artifact-free, and quantitative MR images within a 20-min scan time, better tolerable for
challenging populations such as stroke or pediatric patients.
9 I - 3U48DP005002-01S4 CDC Healthy Brain Research Network Center (Mohler/Fain)
7/1/2014 - 6/30/19
(Scholar 10% 1.2 mos) Research in cognitive aging, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s and related dementias, in collaboration with statewide collaborators (Arizona Center on Aging, ADHS, AZ-PRC, Hartford Nursing Center, Flinn Foundation Aging and Cognition Consortium, the Banner Alzheimer’s Consortium, and 4 national HBRN collaborating centers)
10- UA Pepper Scholar - Pilot Experimental Scientific Projects (PESP): Improving Post-operative Outcomes in Older
Adults
Undergoing Traumatic Emergency Major Abdominal Surgical (Toosizadeh/Gries)
04/01/2018 - 03/31/2019
(PI) $40,000
The objective of this one-year PESP Independent Research Project is to explore the prevalence of clinical frailty
syndrome using a validated upper-extremity function (UEF) method among older adults undergoing traumatic
emergency major abdominal surgical procedure for predicting 30-day outcomes, including surgical complications,
length of stay, discharge disposition, readmission, and mortality.
11- NIH R21AG055852: MCI and Alzheimer's Disease Screening using Upper-extremity Dual-task (Toosizadeh/Mohler)
06/01/2017 - 05/31/2019
(PI) $430,937
Validate an objective, easy-to-perform, and quick tool for cognitive screening in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s type mild cognitive impairment. This method is based on simultaneous assessment of upper-
extremity functioning and cognitive performance, using wearable sensor technology and novel biomechanical
approaches for assessing motion.
12- RG2017-13 Arizona AHEC: Novel Dual-task Balance Challenge to Prevent Falls in Older Adults (Taylor-
Piliae/Mohler/Toosizadeh)
9/2017-9/2018
(Co-PI) $10,000
Improve balance and gait among older adults using low-cost in-home dual-task training
Educational and Training Grants
1- Reynolds Foundation Quality of Life in Aging (Fain/Mohler)
7/1/2013- 6/30/2017
(Role: Associate Faculty) Arizona Reynolds Program in Applied Geriatrics The purpose of this grant is to strengthen specialist physician training in geriatrics, with an emphasis on improving care delivered by hospitalists and surgical medical specialists (1) emergency medicine, 2) pulmonary/critical care, 3) hospital medicine, 4) orthopedics, and 5) surgery,) with the overarching aim of improving care for the frail elderly.Role to support Joseph and Berry in research development.
2- HRSA UB4HP19047 (Mohler/Fain) Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program
03/05/2015- 6/302018
The purpose of this grant is to provide statewide education and training in geriatrics
(Role: Associate Faculty) Arizona Geriatric Education Center The purpose of this grant is to provide interdisciplinary geriatric education and training of Arizona’s health professions faculty, students, and practitioners to prepare them to care for the rapidly growing older population.
3- Flinn Foundation Arizona (Najafi/Marwan/Coon/Mohler)
7/1/2013- 6/30/2017
(Role: Research Scholar/Mentor ) Evaluation of a Virtual Reality-Based Exercise Training Technology in Older Adults with MCI The purpose of this grant is to foster the development of a transformative cross-Arizona research infrastructure, allowing integration of emerging bioengineering and molecular technologies in the clinically relevant area of aging and cognition.
LIST OF COLLABORATORS ON GRANTS AND PUBLICATION
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Bradford Hendershot
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Khoirul Muslim
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Babak Bazrgari
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Michael Madigan
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Bijan Najafi
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Jane Mohler
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Michael Schwenk
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Saman Parvaneh
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Jonathan Sprinkle
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Bahareh Honarvar
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Talal K. Talal
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Hong Lei
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Esther Sternberg
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Scott J Sherman
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Chris Wendel
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Marvin Slepian
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Mohammad Haghpanahi
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David G. Armstrong
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Carol Howe
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Michael Dohm
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Cristine Berry
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Christian Bime
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Monica Kraft
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Eric M. Reiman
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Nan-Kuei Chen
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Kobus Barnard
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Siyang Cam