Optical Systems Engineer

Baharak Mehrdel, Postdoctoral Fellow

San Francisco, 94107, California, **********@*****.***, Google Scholar SUMMARY Research scientist with deep expertise in designing and characterizing advanced photonics, optical instrumentation, and computational optics, with over a decade of interdisciplinary research experience. Specialized in the simulation and implementation of optical components for biomedical and sensing applications, including TOF-PET, Cherenkov detection, and nanophotonic instrumentation. Proven ability to design, simulate, and characterize nanophotonic structures and materials for optical sensing and imaging applications. Proficient in MATLAB, and Python for system modeling. Experienced in translating simulation to physical prototyping using optomechanical assemblies, spectroscopy, and detector calibration. Proven cross-functional collaborator with a track record in both academic research and translational imaging technologies.

WORK EXPERIENCE

01/2023 – Present Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, USA

08/2021 – 01/2023 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of the Pacific, CA – Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy

09/2020 – 08/2021 Research Fellow, Amirkabir University of Technology, New Technologies Research Center

Tehran, Iran

Conducted optical and electrophysiological experiments on voltage-gated ion channels and protein conformational dynamics.

Applied spectroscopy, signal processing, and optical recording techniques to molecular dynamics studies, with experience transferable to optical transient monitoring.

Mentored undergraduate researchers and introduced optical sensing protocols.

Stockton, USA

Designed and optimized optical detection systems using Monte Carlo modeling (GATE) for TOF-PET applications.

Integrated photodetectors, dichroic filters, and custom optomechanics for high-speed photon detection.

Validated optical subsystems using bench testing, timing calibration, and waveform analysis.

Collaborated across medical physics and engineering teams to deliver imaging tools with translational potential.

Modeled and fabricated upconversion nanophotonic devices (UC-MNP-G structures) for photodetector and sensor applications.

Investigated advanced materials (graphene-metal composites) for enhanced optical detection across UV/visible ranges.

Supported thin-film and nanoparticle fabrication strategies for flat optical components.

01/2019 – 08/2019 Graduate Research Assistant, Universiti Sains Malaysia – School of Physics

Penang, Malaysia

09/2014 – 01/2018 Graduate Assistant (Teaching & Research), Universiti Sains Malaysia – School of Physics

Penang, Malaysia

01/2003 – 12/2011 Telecommunication Technician / Engineer, Kara Telephone & Azmoon Keyfiat

Tehran, Iran

Conducted diagnostics, repair, and performance optimization of circuit boards and fiber optics systems.

EDUCATION

02/2014 – 04/2019 Universiti Sains Malaysia – Research School of Physics Ph.D., Modelling & Simulation of Condensed Matter

Devices

Penang, Malaysia

Dissertation: Empirical Modelling and Experimental Investigation on Absorption Spectra of Colloidal Metal Nanoparticles and Quantum Dots Suspended in Ionic Surrounding Media.

09/2011 – 04/2013 Universiti Sains Malaysia – School of Physics M.S., Solid-State Physics

Penang, Malaysia

Thesis: Effect of Device Variables on Surface Potential and Threshold Voltage in Double-Gate Graphene Nanoribbons Field-Effect Transistors (DG-GNRFET).

09/1999 – 07/2003 Azad University of Karaj – School of Physics B.S., Applied Physics

Karaj, Iran

Synthesized and functionalized noble metal nanoparticles and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots for use in biosensors.

Applied Mie theory modeling and optical absorption analysis to simulate and interpret spectral behavior of nanosensors.

Designed ZnO nanowires for use in optical and fluorescence-based detection platforms.

Supervised graduate student research in nanophotonics and optical simulation (e.g., MNPBEM toolbox).

Delivered courses in optics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and modern physics.

TECHNICAL

SKILLS

Optical Modeling & Simulation: Monte Carlo (GATE), Python, MATLAB, MNPBEM, Mie theory

Optical Instrumentation: TOF-PET, Cherenkov detectors, UV/Vis absorption, optical microscopy, SPECT, MRI

Nanofabrication & Materials: Metal nanoparticles, quantum dots, ZnO nanowires, graphene composites

Characterization Techniques: TEM, SEM, AFM, FTIR, UV-Vis, XRD, DLS

Programming & Data Tools: Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, Origin

Laboratory Systems: Digital electronics, data acquisition, waveform processing

LANGUAGES English Persian

Turkish

Publications

2025 Mehrdel, B., Kratochwil, N., Seo, Y., Glodo, J., Bhattacharya, P., Ariño- Estrada, G. and Caravaca, J., 2025. Enhancing the Cherenkov over scintillation ratio using dichroic filters in BGO and TlCl for TOF-PET. Scientific Reports, 15(1), pp.1-14.

Das, B., Mehrdel, B., Goodman, D., Streicher, M., Seo, Y. and Caravaca, J., 2025. Compton Imaging of Ac-225 In Pre-Clinical Phantoms With a 3D- Positioning CZT Camera. IEEE Transactions on Radiation and Plasma Medical Sciences.

Encarnação, P.M., Correia, P.M., Mehrdel, B., Bredwell, I., Veloso, J.F., Caravaca, J. and Seo, Y., 2025. Individual and Simultaneous Imaging of 99m Tc and 177 Lu with a Preclinical Broad Energy-Spectrum CZT-Based SPECT. IEEE Transactions on Radiation and Plasma Medical Sciences. 2024 Mehrdel, B. and Villalba-Galea, C.A., 2024. Effect of a sensing charge mutation on the deactivation of KV7. 2 channels. Journal of General Physiology, 156(3), p.e202213284.

Full publication list: Google Scholar

Conference

Presentations

2024 Mehrdel, B., Kratochwil, N., Seo, Y., Glodo, J., Bhattacharya, P., Arino- Estrada, G. and Caravaca, J., 2024, October. Enhancing Cherenkov photons fraction in BGO and TICl detectors using dichroic filters. In 2024 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (NSS), Medical Imaging Conference

(MIC) and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference

(RTSD) (pp. 1-1). IEEE.

Das, B., Mehrdel, B., Seo, Y., Goodman, D., Streicher, M. and Caravaca, J., 2024, October. Compton imaging of therapeutic radionuclides with a CZT camera. In 2024 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (NSS), Medical Imaging Conference (MIC) and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference (RTSD) (pp. 1-1). IEEE.

2023 Mehrdel, B. and Caravaca, J., 2023, November. Improving TOF-PET performance by exploiting photon wavelength classification. In 2023 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and International Symposium on Room-Temperature Semiconductor Detectors

(NSS MIC RTSD) (pp. 1-1). IEEE.

2022 Baharak Mehrdel, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea, “Modulation of Kv7.2 deactivation by a sensing charge mutation”, 2022 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. San Francisco.

Baharak Mehrdel, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea, “Modulation of Kv7.2 deactivation by a sensing charge mutation”, 2022 Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. San Francisco.

Grants and

Leadership

Principal Investigator, photodetector modeling project (UC-MNP-G), funded by Iran Nanotechnology Innovation Council (2020).

Led and mentored interdisciplinary teams in optical imaging and sensor development.

Soft Skills Collaborative, interdisciplinary, and innovation-driven.

Skilled in scientific writing, grant preparation, and conference presentation.

Strong mentoring and project leadership experience. Service As Peer

Reviewer Nanotechnology, Nano Future, Talanta, Materials Research Express, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Research Express, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, Nanoscale Advances.

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