Bio
Fikunwa is a mechanical engineering Ph.D. candidate in the cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Lab (Ennis Lab) in the Stanford Radiology Department. His research, which is at the intersection between medicine and engineering, is focused on developing mechanics-based clinical biomarkers for heart disease. Through his research, he aims to establish a comprehensively validated and clinically viable tool for estimating in vivo heart tissue stiffness to better understand and manage heart failure.
He began his academic journey as a mechanical engineering undergraduate student at Howard University during which time he also worked as a researcher at the FDA’s department of applied mechanics, characterizing the mechanical response of metals used in implantable cardiovascular devices. At Howard, he also supported research in the Applied Mechanics and Materials Lab and Biosensors Lab, as an undergraduate research assistant. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, in 2019, he joined Stanford University’s mechanical engineering department. He is also affiliated with the Radiology departments at Stanford and the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System. He is deeply passionate about empowering minority students to pursue STEM careers. Additionally, he is a fellow of the Bio-X, Stanford’s Interdisciplinary biosciences institute
