Bio

Dr. Rizvi’s expertise is in imaging and therapeutic applications of light, bioengineered 3D models and animal models for cancer, and targeted drug delivery for inhibition of molecular survival pathways in tumors. His K99/R00 (NCI) develops photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based combinations against molecular pathways that are altered by fluidic stress in ovarian cancer. He was also co-PI on an Innovation Award with Bristol-Myers Squibb to develop optical techniques in immuno-oncology for light-based modulation of immune responses. He has co-authored 40 peer-reviewed publications and five book chapters with a focus on PDT, biomedical optics and molecular targeting in cancer.

Dr. Rizvi moved to Chapel Hill from Boston, where he was an Assistant Professor of Dermatology (tenure-track) at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and an Assistant Biomedical Engineer at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine (WCP), Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, an M.S. in Tumor Biology from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Rizvi is a Council Member of the American Society for Photobiology (ASP), Chair of the ASP Awards Committee, and Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Pan-American Photodynamic Association. He serves on several organizing committees and Scientific Advisory Boards, including the Program Committee for SPIE Photonics West (BIOS Conference B0110) and the World Congress of the International Photodynamic Association. He has been the beneficiary of exceptional mentorship throughout his career, primarily by Dr. Tayyaba Hasan (WCP, MGH, HMS). Additional key mentors include Dr. Utkan Demirci (post-doc co-advisor, currently at Stanford University), Dr. Brian Pogue (Ph.D. co-advisor, Dartmouth College) and Dr. David Kessel (Wayne State University).

Courses Taught

Fall- BMME 302 Human Physiology: Mechanical Analysis
Spring- BMME 490/890 Targeted Photomedicine

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