Dr.Laurent Bozec

Dr. Laurent Bozec is a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry, specializing in the biophysics of collagen-rich tissues. His research focuses on the nanoscale structure and mechanics of connective tissues in health, disease, and aging. 

He is internationally recognized for pioneering work using atomic force microscopy to study collagen behavior and its implications in dental and musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Bozec also leads innovative projects in cultural heritage conservation, particularly in restoring historical parchment. 

With a strong interdisciplinary approach, he collaborates across biomedical and heritage sciences to advance both healthcare technologies and preservation methodologies. 

Postdoc: University College London/London Centre for Nanotechnology

PhD: Physics, Lancaster University, UK

Dr. Mehrnoosh Neshatian is a postdoctoral research fellow and lab manager at the Matrix Functionalization & Phenotyping Lab in the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto. 

With a PhD in Biomedical Physics, her research focuses on the nanomechanics of collagen-rich tissues, employing advanced microscopy techniques like atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate connective tissue disorders, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). 

Dr. Neshatian leads interdisciplinary projects aimed at enhancing diagnostic methods for hypermobile EDS (hEDS), collaborating with the GoodHope EDS Clinic at Toronto General Hospital. Her work bridges biophysics and clinical research, contributing to advancements in both healthcare and cultural heritage conservation. 

Postdoc: The Matrix Functionalization & Phenotyping Lab (MFP-Lab), University of Toronto

Doctor of Philosophy : Biomedical Sciences, University of Toronto

Master of Science: Medical Biophysics, Toronto Metropolitan University

Mina Vaez is a PhD candidate in Biomedical sciences at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on crosslinking collagen scaffolds using biologically inspired crosslinkers and assessing their effects on the structural and functional properties of collagen. Before joining the lab, she completed her Master’s degree in Biomaterials/Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tehran, Iran. 

Master of Science: Biomaterials/Biomedical Engineering, Tehran University 

Wafa Alzubaidi earned her BDS from King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Dentistry in 2013 and served as a Teaching Assistant in the Prosthodontics Department from 2014 until joining the University of Toronto in 2022. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Dental Biomaterials Sciences where her research focuses on dentin biomodification and the longevity of adhesive restorations. Her work integrates spectroscopic, mechanical, and imaging techniques—using ATR-FTIR, atomic force microscopy, micro-computed tomography, and mechanical testing. 

Wafa is committed to advancing restorative dentistry through collagen-targeted biomodification strategies that address current adhesive limitations and support long-term clinical outcomes. 

 Bachelor of Dental Surgery : King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Dentistry 

Christina D. Nguyen is a PhD student at the Faculty of Information, a researcher, and a librarian. Her doctoral work investigates collagen degradation in parchment and develops open-access tools for condition assessment. Her research bridges materials science and archival practice to support evidence-based conservation. 

Sara Shalviry is a PhD candidate in Biomedical sciences  at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), where she is developing a cell-induced platform to explore therapeutic interventions targeting the extracellular matrix. 

Before joining the lab, she completed her Master’s at McGill University in Montreal and a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry at Sharif University of Technology in Iran. 

Master of Science: McGill University 

Jennifer Nguyen is an MSc student in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Toronto, with a B.Sc. from McMaster University. She is working on the parchment project, and her research is focused on developing a physical hydrogel for the localized delivery of a glycation agent to restore collagen integrity in degraded parchment. 

Her work aims to introduce a minimally invasive conservation method that targets nanoscale collagen damage. 

 Bachelor of Science : McMaster University 

Jonathan Finer is an undergraduate physics student at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on the application of convolutional neural networks to the classification of collagen images from atomic force microscopy, aiming to assist in diagnosing connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Emily Ganss is an undergraduate biomedical sciences student at the University of Guelph. She is working at the University of Toronto as a summer research student, working on a project under Wafa Alzubaidi. 

Through this project, she aims to prolong the lifespan of composite tooth restorations by analyzing demineralization and the structure of collagen fibrils.