Faiz Qureshi

PhD Candidate
Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
Advisor: Dr. Tom Chau

Education & Training

Faiz completed his Bachelor of Technology with honours in Biomedical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela in 2025. His thesis focused on the design and validation of a portable handheld electrospinner for silk fibroin scaffold fabrication. In 2024, he was a MITACS Globalink Research Intern at the PRISM Lab, where he developed a wireless, low-cost fNIRS-based Brain Computer Interface for pediatric applications. Over the past four years, Faiz has designed and built multiple biomedical devices such as custom ultrasonic transducers, a Gamified hand rehabilitation glove and a low-cost transcarpal prosthesis. Faiz is a strong advocate for affordable rehabilitative solutions and is committed to advancing the democratization of healthcare for underserved populations.

Research Interests

Faiz is interested in understanding how children with complex communication needs initiate joint attention, a foundational behaviour linked to later socio-communicative and attentional outcomes. To interrogate this, he is developing a wearable multi-channel, multi-distance and multi-wavelength fNIRS headset. This will let us simultaneously probe cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism. Studying the brain bases of communication initiation would help us improve assessment, reduce reliance on behavioural observation, and inform the development of personalized and neurally grounded communication interventions.

Other Interests

Faiz is a Dan 1 black belt and two-time national gold medalist karateka. He enjoys cooking up an “Indian storm” on slow days, volunteers at a food bank and plays badminton to unwind.