Skip to main content Skip to navigation

School of Engineering

Dr Sina Saffaran

Academic profile photograph

Dr Sina Saffaran

Assistant Professor
Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow

sina dot saffaran dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk

LinkedIn Twitter Google Scholar ResearchGate

Biography

Sina is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick, and a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow. He has broad expertise in developing and applying high-fidelity computer simulations of patients with acute lung injury and using high-performance computing platforms to implement parallelised global optimisation algorithms for matching computational simulators to individual patient data. In 2020, he obtained a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Warwick, and was awarded Warwick’s Science Faculty Thesis Prize. From 2020 to 2022, he was a Research Fellow at University College London's CHIMERA (Collaborative Healthcare Innovation through Mathematics, Engineering and AI) centre, where he worked on understanding how patient’s physiology changes during ill health and recovery through mathematical modelling. In 2022, he was awarded a 5-year Research Fellowship from the Royal Academy of EngineeringLink opens in a new window, primarily focused on automating and individualising mechanical ventilation of critically ill patients.
Education

2020 - PhD Biomedical Engineering, University of Warwick, UK

2015 - MSc Advanced Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK

2013 - BSc Electrical Engineering – Control, Iran University of Science and Technology, Iran

News

Research Interests

  • Systems Medicine
    • Computer simulation for cardiopulmonary modelling
    • Personalised simulation and control technologies for the Intensive Care Unit
    • Mechanical ventilation of critically ill patients

    • Pulmonary and cardiovascular pathophysiology

Teaching Interests

  • Nonlinear Control and Reinforcement Learning (New module, coming soon!)
  • ES4F0: Advanced Control Systems
  • ES2C1: Introduction to Biomedical and Clinical Engineering
  • ES327: BEng Final Project Supervision

Publications

  • S. Mistry, S. Saffaran, B. Brook, J.G. Hardman, J.G. Laffey, L. Rose, L. Camporota, T.E. Scott, and D.G. Bates, "Ventilator Induced Lung Injury with Airway Pressure Release Ventilation versus Pressure-Controlled Ventilation", submitted.

  • H. Shamohammadi, L. Weaver, S. Saffaran, R. Tonelli, M. Laviola, J.G. Laffey, L. Camporota, T.E. Scott, J.G. Hardman, E. Clini, and D.G. Bates, "Positive end expiratory pressure generated by high flow nasal cannula therapy in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure", submitted.
  • H. Yu, L. Weaver, S. Saffaran, R. Tonelli, J.G. Laffey, L. Camporota, T.E. Scott, J.G. Hardman, E.M. Clini, and D.G. Bates, "Machine learning models predict non-invasive ventilation outcome prior to its initiation", submitted.

  • L.Weaver, H. Shamohammadi, S. Saffaran, R. Tonelli, M. Laviola, J.G. Laffey, L. Camporota, T.E. Scott, J.G. Hardman, E.M. Clini, and D.G. Bates, "Digital twins of acute hypoxic respiratory failure patients suggest a mechanistic basis for success and failure of non-invasive ventilation", submitted.

  • S. Mistry, T.E. Scott, B. Jugg, R. Perrott, S. Saffaran, and D.G. Bates, “An in-silico porcine model of phosgene-induced lung injury predicts clinically relevant benefits from application of continuous positive airway pressure up to 8 hours post exposure”, Toxicology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.12.005, 2023.
  • L. Weaver, S. Saffaran, D. Hannon, T.E. Scott, J.G. Laffey, J.G. Hardman, D.G. Bates, “The Hydrostatic Effects of Prone and Supine Positioning: Model Development”, BioMedEng23, Sep 2023, Swansea, UK.
  • S. Mistry, B.S. Brook, S. Saffaran, D.M. Hannon, J.G. Laffey, T.E. Scott, J.G. Hardman, D.G. Bates, “Improved Optimisation Method for a Cardio-pulmonary Simulator to Individual Patient Data”, BioMedEng23, Sep 2023, Swansea, UK.
  • C.S. Barakat, K. Sharafutdinov, J. Busch, S. Saffaran, D.G. Bates, J.G Hardman, A. Schuppert, S. Brynjólfsson, S. Fritsch and M. Riedel, "Developing an Artificial Intelligence-Based Representation of a Virtual Patient Model for Real-Time Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome", Diagnostics, Special Issue on AI-Driven Intelligent Health Care Diagnostic Solutions, 13(12), 2098, 2023.
  • K. Sharafutdinov, S.J. Fritsch, M. Iravani, P.F. Ghalati, S. Saffaran, D.G. Bates, J.G. Hardman, R. Polzin, H. Mayer, G. Marx, J. Bickenbach and A. Schuppert, "Computational simulation of virtual patients reduces dataset bias and improves machine learning-based detection of ARDS from noisy heterogeneous ICU datasets", IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology, Special Issue on Computational Modeling & Digital Twin Technology in Biomedical Engineering, 2023.
  • L. Weaver, S. Saffaran, M. Chikhani, J.G. Laffey, T.E. Scott, L. Camporota, J.G. Hardman, and D.G. Bates,"Why reduced inspiratory pressure could determine success of non-invasive ventilation in acute hypoxic respiratory failure", in proceedings of the 44th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Glasgow, July 2022.
  • S. Mistry, B.B. Brook, S. Saffaran, M. Chikhani, D. Hannon, J.G. Laffey, T.E. Scott, L. Camporota, J.G. Hardman, and D.G. Bates, "A computational cardiopulmonary physiology simulator accurately predicts individual patient responses to changes in mechanical ventilator settings", in proceedings of the 44th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Glasgow, July 2022.
  • T.C. Kwok, C. Henry, S. Saffaran, M. Meeus, D.G. Bates, D. Van Laere, G. Boylan, J.P. Boardman, and D. Sharkey, "Application and potential of artificial intelligence in neonatal medicine", Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.siny.2022.101346, 2022.
  • S. Mistry, A. Das, S. Saffaran, L. Camporota, T.E. Scott, J.G. Hardman, N. Yehya and D.G. Bates, "Validation of at-the-bedside formulae for estimating ventilator driving pressure during airway pressure release ventilation using computer simulation", Respiratory Research, 23:101, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-022-01985-z, 2022.
  • L. Weaver, A. Das, S. Saffaran, N. Yehya, M. Chikhani, T.E. Scott, J.G. Laffey, J.G. Hardman, L. Camporota and D.G. Bates, "Optimising respiratory support for early COVID-19 pneumonia: a computational modelling study", British Journal of Anaesthesia, 128(6):1052e1058, 2022.
  • D. Hannon, S. Mistry, A. Das, S. Saffaran, J.G. Laffey, B.S. Brook, J.G. Hardman and D.G. Bates, "Modeling mechanical ventilation in silico – potential and pitfalls", Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Special Issue on Mechancial Ventilation, DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1055/s-0042-1744446, 2022.
  • L. Weaver, A. Das, S. Saffaran, N. Yehya, T.E. Scott, M. Chikhani, J.G. Laffey, J.G. Hardman, L. Camporota and D.G.Bates, "High risk of patient self-inflicted lung injury in COVID-19 with frequently encountered spontaneous breathing patterns: a computational study", Annals of Intensive Care, 11:109, 2021.
  • A. Das, S. Saffaran, M. Chikhani, T.E. Scott, M. Laviola, N. Yehya, J.G. Laffey, J.G. Hardman, and D.G. Bates, "In silico modeling of COVID-19 ARDS: pathophysiological insights and potential management implications", Critical Care Explorations, DOI:10.1097/CCE.0000000000000202, 2020.
  • S. Saffaran, A. Das, J.G. Laffey, J.G. Hardman, N. Yehya and D.G. Bates, "Utility of driving pressure and mechanical power to guide protective ventilator settings in two cohorts of adult and pediatric patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: A computational investigation", Critical Care Medicine, DOI:10.1097/CCM.0000000000004372, 2020.
  • S. Saffaran, A. Das, J.G. Hardman, N. Yehya and D.G. Bates, "High-fidelity Computational Simulation to Refine Strategies for Lung-Protective Ventilation in Paediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome", Intensive Care Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05559-4, 2019.
  • S. Saffaran, W. Wang, A. Das, W. Schmitt, J.G. Hardman, G. Weimann and D.G. Bates, "An inhaled sGC modulator can lower PH in COPD patients without deteriorating oxygenation", CPT Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology, DOI: 10.1002/psp4.12308, 2018.
  • S. Saffaran, A. Das, J.G. Hardman, N. Yehya, and D.G. Bates, "Development and Validation of a Computational Simulator for Pediatric ARDS Patients", in proceedings of the 39th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, JeJu Island, S. Korea, 2017.

Research Projects & Grants

  • £625k, Research Fellowship, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2022-2027
  • £200k, PI, Early Career Researcher International Collaboration Grants, EPSRC, 2024-2026
profile-lhs-additional-2
profile-lhs-additional-3
profile-lhs-additional-4
Office

D219/D220

Advice and feedback hours

Tuesday, 11 am to 12 noon during term time, or by appointment.

Write to

School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL

The ICSM Team

Hang Yu, PhD student, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Hossein ShamohammadiLink opens in a new window, PhD student, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Liam WeaverLink opens in a new window, PhD student, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Sonal MistryLink opens in a new window, PhD student, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Prof. Declan BatesLink opens in a new window, Professor of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Prof. Jonathan HardmanLink opens in a new window, Professor of Anaesthesia & Critical Care, University of Nottingham, Consultant in Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, NUH NHS Trust

Dr. Marianna LaviolaLink opens in a new window, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham

Dr. Luigi CamporotaLink opens in a new window, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London

Surgeon Commander Tim ScottLink opens in a new window, Consultant Anaesthetist, Academic
Department of Military Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, and Royal Stoke University Hospital

Prof. John LaffeyLink opens in a new window, Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Galway University Hospitals

Dr. Nadir YehyaLink opens in a new window, Attending Physician, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Dr. Marc ChikhaniLink opens in a new window, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Prof. Don SharkeyLink opens in a new window, Professor of Neonatal Medicine and Technologies, University of Nottingham

PhD & Research Opportunities

We are always keen to hear from potential graduate students with interests in biomedical engineering and systems medicine. We are also happy to support both undergraduate and postgraduate students widen their interdisciplinary research experience during degree projects or the summer vacation. Please get in touch by email to explore research ideas and determine funding opportunities.