Vahid Serpooshan, PhD

Biography

Vahid Serpooshan, PhD, is an associate professor of pediatrics at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and serves as scientific director at the Children’s Heart Institute (CHI). He is a biomedical engineer and translational scientist whose work integrates pediatric cardiology, regenerative medicine, and advanced biofabrication technologies to address congenital and acquired cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Serpooshan’s research focuses on the development of advanced nano-biomaterials, 3D bioprinting, and engineered tissue platforms to model human heart development, investigate the mechanisms underlying congenital and acquired cardiovascular disease, and advance regenerative and precision medicine approaches. His laboratory combines stem cell biology, mechanobiology, and microenvironmental engineering to create clinically relevant cardiovascular tissues and organ-on-a-chip systems, with applications in myocardial repair, Fontan-associated liver disease, and congenital defects.

Prior to joining UTHealth Houston, Dr. Serpooshan held faculty appointments at Emory University School of Medicine and the Georgia Institute of Technology, in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pediatrics, and served as scientific director of the Innovation Center at Emory. He completed postdoctoral and instructor training (NIH K99/R00 fellow) in Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiovascular Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine after earning his PhD from McGill University.

Dr. Serpooshan has received sustained support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense, Additional Ventures, and Children’s Heart Foundation. These include an NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award, 2 NIH R01 Awards, and an NSF CAREER Award. He serves in national and international leadership roles across major scientific and professional organizations and is an associate editor or editorial board member for multiple peer-reviewed journals. He is deeply committed to mentorship and education and has trained postdoctoral fellows, physician-scientists, and graduate and undergraduate students pursuing careers in academic medicine, engineering, and industry.