Karim Saadé
Ph.D. Student

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Email: karim.saade@mail.mcgill.ca

LinkedIn

Educational Background:

BASc Biomedical Mechanical Engineering and BSc Computing Technology - University of Ottawa

MASc Mechanical Engineering - University of Ottawa

Favourite Lab Equipment:

Pipette Tips

Research Project and Interests:

My research focuses on understanding the pathophysiology of preeclampsia (PE), a severe cardiovascular disorder during pregnancy that affects millions globally, contributing significantly to maternal and perinatal mortality. I am particularly interested in the role of the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC), a critical yet underexplored structure in vascular health, and its potential impact on spiral artery remodeling and trophoblast invasion. My projects involve developing physiologically relevant microfluidic models, or Organ-on-a-Chip (OOC) to simulate the vascular environment and study the effects of shear stress and eGC integrity on endothelial-trophoblast interactions. By investigating how eGC dysfunction might bridge the maternal cardiovascular and placental hypotheses of PE, my research aims to uncover new biomarkers and therapeutic targets, ultimately advancing early detection and treatment strategies for this life-threatening condition.

  • IES, International Experience Scholarship (2022)

    NSERC ‑ CGS M, Canada Graduate Scholarships Master’s Competition (2021)

    OGS ‑ Refused because accepted NSERC ‑ CGS M, Ontario Graduate Scholarship Competition (2021)

    NSERC ‑ USRA, Undergraduate Research Scholarship Competition (2019)

  • Conferences:

    European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Annual Meeting - London, England (Virtual) - Characterization of Der p 1 Carrying Particles: ground dust mite and spent culture.

  • Master’s Research Project (2021 - 2023)
    "Impedance Spectroscopy to Measure Placental Barrier Integrity"
    I worked on developing a placenta-on-a-chip to measure barrier integrity using impedance spectroscopy and quantify cell fusion using immunofluorescence imaging.

    R&D Engineer Assistant at Red Maple Trials Inc. (Jan 2019 - Dec 2019)
    Researched, Designed & Performed experiments using DOE (Design of Experiment) method to obtain correlation between particle concentration and allergen concentration.