Education Post-Doctoral Fellow,Harvard University. 1999 - 2001 Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley. 1994 - 1999 5-yr integrated M.S., Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur. 1989 - 1994 Research Interests The Gracias laboratory develops new methods to fabricate very small devices and integrated structures, and characterize these systems using microscopy and spectroscopy. A major thrust of our research is focused on constructing miniaturized 3D devices which are especially challenging to fabricate at small size scales. We are also particularly interested in understanding, synthesizing and characterizing self-assembling, intelligent and hybrid biotic-abiotic systems. We utilize a range of experimental techniques including photo-, e-beam and nano-imprint lithography; thin film deposition, molding, etching, culture of prokaryotic (E coli) and eukaryotic (e.g. fibroblasts, islets, myoblasts) cells, biological assays (e.g. fluorescent stains, ELISA, cytology), non-linear optical spectroscopy, electron microscopy (TEM & SEM with fixation), RF measurements such as GHz spectrum analysis, electrochemical methods such as potentiometry and chronoamperometry and four point electrical testing with femto-amp resolution. We also utilize analytical methods as well finite element methods (HFSS, Surface Evolver, COMSOL) to model data. Our lab is multidisciplinary and students in our lab have had backgrounds in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, … Continue reading →

> Click to read our letter of announcement Effective August 12th, 2013 our address & contact information will change to the following: New Mailing Address: 5050 Dufferin Street, Unit 111 Toronto, ON M3H 5T5 New Phone: (416) 736-3553 New Toll-Free: 1-855-736-3003 New Fax: (416) 736-3554 At Salient Medical Solutions, we offer a wide variety of products, including diagnostic equipment, surgical and medical aesthetic technologies for dermatology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, gynecology, phlebology and urology.Joined by reputable manufacturers, we are well positioned to provide the best products, quality and service to our valued clients. Salient offers a comprehensive set of turnkey aesthetic solutions, including a variety of ablative and non-ablative medical devicesand professional skin care lines. Each product is carefully selected based on proven safety & efficacy, substantiated by rigorous use and scientific testing. With a variety of best of breed aesthetic devices, we are able to successfully meet the unique requirements of every client. We survey the global industry and carefully select only the best technologies, previously unavailable to the Canadian market. As a total service provider, we offer tools designed to help our clients market their practice, including printed materials, artwork, advertising templates, consumer based websites and more. See more here: … Continue reading →

Research Interests Currently, Parwezs research activity is focused finding new approaches to manage corneal disease. Corneal infections are a major cause of visual impairment worldwide. In the UK alone, 6000 patients are affected from corneal microbial infections every year. Bacterial organisms such Pseudomonas aeroginosa are major causative agents in pathogenesis. Visual impairment often is very rapid (within 24 hours) and frequently leads to permanent visual loss (Figure 1). A common problem during such infection is the severe levels of corneal tissue damage. We know from animal models, that this results from the combined effects from the actions of the pathogen and the hosts inflammatory process. The cornea quickly loses its normal transparency, leading to visual impairment. Since the cornea is a thin structure (human central cornea thickness is only 550m), tissue damage carries high risks of ocular perforation and visual loss. Although antimicrobial therapies are usually successful in reducing the pathogen load, they do not help to limit tissue damage. Currently, there is no effective treatment to limit this. Such therapies are highly desirable since patients would benefit from reduced effects of uncontrolled tissue damage. Parwez has set-up a clinical and laboratory investigative programme, to investigate how different pathogens interact … Continue reading →

Femto lasers: At a glance Femtosecond lasers for use in cataract surgery offer more precise and reproducible capsulorhexis Differences in the platforms comes from how they opt to image the cataract Femtosecond lasers for cataract surgery can also be used to create LRIs Using the femtosecond laser in cataract surgery allows for easier emulsification of the cataract Three different platforms all promise better safety, efficacy, and consistency Using lasers to perform certain parts of cataract extraction harkens back to the days when Nd:YAG for posterior capsulotomy was first introduced. These days, the interest in using lasers has increased, as three companies are developing or have brought femtosecond technology to the cataract surgeon. These new lasers have the means of not only removing the cataract, but of creating precise capsulorhexis and treating astigmatism via limbal relaxing incisions. The three companies working on these lasers are: LenSx Lasers (Aliso Viejo, Calif.), LensAR (Winter Park, Fla.), and Optimedica (Santa Clara, Calif.). EyeWorld spoke with the medical monitors or key investigators here in the U.S. about their roles in the development of these lasers. At this point, only the LenSx has clinical indications cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The remaining two … Continue reading →