Dr. Babak Shadgan

Principal Investigator

M.D. (Tehran Azad University)
M.Sc. [Sports Medicine] (University of London)
Ph.D. [Muscle Biophysics] (University of British Columbia)
Fellowship [Diffused Optical Tomography] (MIT/Harvard University)
Postdoctoral Fellowship [Clinical Biophotonics] (University of British Columbia)
Scholar, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Sciences (MSFHR)
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, UBC
Lecturer, School of Biomedical Engineering, UBC
Research Scientist, Vancouver Prostate Centre
Scientific Staff, Vancouver Acute (Vancouver General Hospital)
Instructor and Senior Member, SPIE

Research Interests

Dr. Shadgan’s primary research focuses on developing novel biosensing techniques and clinical interventions for real-time, continuous monitoring of tissue and organ physiology, metabolism, hemodynamics, and function, as well as the early detection of organ dysfunction and targeted treatment delivery.

His work includes the design and development of implantable, wearable, non-contact, and remote multimodal biosensors for innovative clinical and wellness applications. In collaboration with Dr. Brian Kwon, he created a miniaturized implantable NIRS sensor to monitor spinal cord hemodynamics in acute spinal cord injury treatment and is advancing NIRS-based methods to assess spinal cord tissue perfusion and autoregulation.

Additionally, in partnership with Dr. Donald Anderson, he developed a wearable/implantable optical sensor for non-invasive monitoring of hemodynamics and tissue vitality in free flaps and transferred grafts for reconstructive and cancer surgeries. He also designed a compact multimodal wearable sensor for rapid, non-invasive screening and monitoring of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, with encouraging early results.

Among photonics techniques, Dr. Shadgan has expertise and a particular interest in development and application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in clinical settings. NIRS works by transmitting light energy (photons) in the near-infrared spectrum (wavelengths ~ 650-1000 nm) into living tissue, then monitoring the absorption of photons by the molecules in the tissue that give it colour. NIRS can track changes in oxygen supply, consumption and demand in tissues, and it is non-invasive, which means that it doesn’t have to be inserted through the skin. NIRS can be used to measure changes in the amount of oxygen and blood

A miniaturized multi-wavelength NIRS sensor developed by Dr. Shadgan for continuous monitoring of tissue oxygenation and hemodynamics.

entering tissues in real-time. When using different wavelengths of light and varying distance from the tissue, NIRS can also measure the ratio of oxygenated blood to total blood in the tissue, which is known as tissue oxygenation index (TOI%). This index is important in clinical settings because it does not need to be compared to other measures in order to provide rapid, real-time information on the level of oxygen in tissues. Analysis of NIRS signals can also provide useful information about other properties of tissues. This is especially important in the acute phase of SCI, when a lack of blood flow and oxygen in the spinal cord can cause further damage to it. Improving blood flow and oxygenation of the spinal cord in the acute stage of SCI can prevent a significant degree of neural damage, thus mitigating the health conditions that the SCI causes. Dr. Shadgan is determined to use his research program, funded by an MSFHR Scholar Award in 2018, to make discoveries that improve the quality of life for people with SCI.

Olympic experiences have played a critical role in shaping Dr. Shadgan’s research career since 2002. During the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, one of his patients, a gold medalist wrestler, had to drop out of Olympic competitions because of progressive leg pain caused by a condition called chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS). In contrast to the majority of medical conditions, which are challenging to manage, treatment of this syndrome is straightforward when an early diagnosis is made. The standard diagnosis is based on clinical assessment confirmed by measurement of the leg’s intra-compartmental pressures, an invasive technique that requires inserting multiple needles into the leg compartments and recording intra-compartmental pressure changes while the subject runs on a treadmill. Difficult and subjective, this method often has limited diagnostic values. Many people, especially elite athletes, refuse to undergo this kind of investigation simply because of its invasive nature. That Olympics experience inspired Dr. Shadgan to start investigating an alternative, non-invasive, and sensitive technique for early and accurate diagnosis of CECS. He came to UBC with a clinical proposal to use NIRS for this purpose.

Dr. Shadgan’s second area of interest in sports medicine is injury prevention and Olympic

An infrared image showing integrity of the Achilles tendon in an athlete.

injury surveillance studies. His studies are focused on better understanding of the characteristics, risk factors and mechanisms of injuries in athletes from the recreational to elite level, and in high-risk individuals including people with disabilities. As the chairman of the International Olympic Wrestling Federation Medical Commission, Dr. Shadgan has been serving the Olympic Games as a Medical Officer and Medical Director of Wrestling competitions since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The multidisciplinary and spinal cord research-oriented environment of ICORD provides a unique opportunity for Dr. Shadgan’s research program. He enjoys working with exceptional researchers, scientists and trainees with a variety of skills and areas of expertise at ICORD, where he is establishing his state-of-the-art clinical biophotonics laboratory.

Recent collaborations

Dr. Shadgan has collaborated with Dr. Pierre Guy on NIRS-based monitoring of limb hemodynamics to detect chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS). He also leads work on detecting cardiac arrest using NIRS-based technology in collaboration with Dr. Brian Grunau and Dr. Calvin Kuo, and on free tissue transfer monitoring utilizing NIRS technology with Drs. Donald Anderson and Oleksandr Butskiy.

Major Findings

• Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a viable technique for monitoring tissue hemodynamics and oxygenation in the spinal cord
• NIRS can be used for non-invasive diagnosis of skeletal muscle conditions related to oxidative damage, fatigue, and dysfunction
• NIRS can be used for non-invasive monitoring of detrusor muscle hemodynamics and pressure in people with neurogenic bladder and SCI. A configuration of NIRS can be used for rapid and non-invasive diagnosis of acute urinary tract infection (UTI) in paediatrics

Techniques Employed in the Lab

• Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)
• Photoplethysmography (PPG)
• Biosensing sensors
• Infrared imaging

Affiliations with Organizations

• Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
• School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of British Columbia
• Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI)
• Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP)
• Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA)
• International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)
• Texas Instruments Expert Advisory Panel
• Society for Neuroscience (SFN)
• Medical & Anti-Doping Commission, International Olympic Wrestling Federation (UWW)

Awards

• CY Frank Award, Canadian Orthopaedic Association’s CORL Research Award (2024)
• IOC Participant Certificate, International Olympic Committee, Paris Olympic Games (2024)
• Merit, UBC Department of Orthopaedics (2024)
• Clinical Trial Award, US Department of Defense Research Program (2021)
• Wall Solutions Award, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (2020)
• Scholar Award, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Sciences (2018)
• Innovator’s Challenge Award, VGH & UBC Foundation (2018)
• Innovation and Translational Research Award, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (2017)
• Innovator’s Challenge Award, Lumira Capital (2017)
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Canadian Institute of Health Research (2013)
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of Calgary – Eye’s High Program (2013)
• Wearable Technology Innovation World Cup (2012)
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Sciences (2011)
• D.J. Lovell Award, International Society of Photonics and Optics (2010)
• Rising Star Award, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (2009)
• Senior Graduate Trainee Award, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Sciences (2007)
• Respiratory Rehabilitation Fellowship, British Columbia Lung Association (2006)
• Best Thesis Award, Queen Mary College, University of London (2001)
• AO-ASIF Fellowship, AO International Orthopedic Foundation (1998)

Trainee Awards

Year

Name

Award

Current Lab Members

Masters Students

PhD Students

Research Staff

Recent publications