Francisco Tovar Photo

Francisco J. Tovar-Lopez

Welcome to my professional portfolio! With over 17 years of experience as a biomedical engineer specializing in microfluidics, sensors, and MedTech innovation, I am dedicated to advancing healthcare technologies and fostering global collaboration.

Recognized as the Distinguished Mexican 2024 Award recipient in Australia, I strive to bridge cross-border partnerships and drive impactful advancements in science and technology.

Collaboration / Services

  • Scientific/Technological Project Management
  • Medical device design
  • Data processing, Design automation, AI.
  • Mechanical design, electronics, microfluidics design
  • Advanced fabrication, 3d printing, nanoscribe, micro-fabrication
  • Sensor calibration and data acquisition, instrumentation, and measurements
  • Course coordination
  • Research proposals, writing, article revision
  • Ansys, COMSOL, Fluent, Python, C++, Shapr3D, SolidWorks

Patents - Artificial Heart Sealing

Fluid Pumping Device>

Patent Number: 8376927
Solution for static seal structures in pump housings to prevent compressed air leaks.

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Field: Medical devices

Patents - Platelet Aggregation

Microfluidics Device

Patent Number: US20120058500A1
Innovative design for inducing platelet aggregation at specific locations for diagnostic purposes.

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Field: Cell Diagnostics, Medical devices

Awards

  • Distinguished Mexican 2024
  • Adjunct Professor, Monash University
  • ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
  • RMIT Vice-Chancellor Fellowship
  • Overseas PhD Scholarship, Mexican Government

Lab-on-a-Chip

A device to study blood clotting.

Parametrised design (Python, C++), Fabrication (photolithography), numerical calculation (CFD, FEA), . Lab-on-a-chip device for platelet aggregation analysis.

Lab-on-a-Chip

A device to study cellular mechanotransduction.

During my PhD, I observed platelets reacting to blood flow acceleration. A decade later, my foundational work enabled discoveries on Piezo1 strain sensing, ATP signaling, and clot formation mechanisms under extreme conditions. New staff designed and fabricated the device to test mechanotransduction hypothesis for cell deffects.

Advanced fluid manipulation (Droplets)

Droplet-on-soft shuttle

A novel way of transporting droplets of fluids from diferent species using a soft "shuttle" and sequential activation of electric potential (electrowetting). Droplet velocity is characterized by centroid tracing using deep learning algorithms for image processing.

Advanced sensing

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Differential microwave sensor.

This article presents a microwave sensor for detecting the water volume fraction in the glycerol–water solutions. The sensor is designed using a planar transmission line terminated with a series RLC resonator. The proposed sensor offers a high sensitivity, compact, real-time, and robust measurement platform with potential application in bio-electronics, biofuel characterizations, and food industry.

Sensors for Biomedical and Environmental Challenges

Wearable Sensors

Recent Progress in Micro- and Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensors for Biomedical and Environmental Challenges.

This review article presents unique perspectives on coming challenges such as antibiotic resistance and how emerging technologies such as microfluidics and novel sensors, will help in addressing these challenges. Editor's choice

Global Impact - Overview

As the president of Red GlobalMX Australia, I have led efforts to promote cross-border collaborations between Australia and Mexico, achieving:

  • Establishing presence in key cities (Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth).
  • Intercontinental collaboration across universities.
  • Delivering strategic initiatives like webinars and networking events.
Distinguished members of this group are:

Magdalena Plebanski.

Gustavo Fimbres.

Global Impact - Media

Academia

Courses I have taught include:

  • Biomedical Instrumentation
  • Mechanics and Materials
  • Human Flows
  • Cardiovascular Engineering
  • Research Methods

Students learn about electronics, sensors, control systems, and mechanics through interactive and practical approaches.

Highlights

  • Inventor
  • Project manager
  • Intelectual property
  • Documentation
  • Communication
  • Inter-disciplinary