Dr. Hanieh M. Provencher is a Biomedical Engineering researcher specializing in medical imaging. She is currently engaged in research on heart-brain interaction and its effects on cognition. Hanieh completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience at the Montreal Heart Institute, where her research focused on investigating the impact of cardiac rehabilitation on changes in the brain’s angiopathic markers.
Hanieh is passionate about the implications of spaceflight on heart-brain interaction and cognitive health of astronauts. She is engaged in space health research on the impact of spaceflight on astronaut physiology. Her interests include the implementation of quantitative non-invasive monitoring techniques for the development of digital biomarkers. These biomarkers can help assess spaceflight-induced changes, supporting the development of countermeasures. Hanieh is also interested in remote healthcare monitoring by using digital biomarkers extracted from physiological signals.
During her doctoral studies at Polytechnique Montreal, Hanieh employed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess beat-to-beat pulsations of the brain. Later, she expanded her expertise to include Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound, engaging in the quantification of brain pulsatility in diverse populations. This exploration was a natural progression from her master’s studies in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Bern, Switzerland, where she developed an innovative signal processing method to extract highly correlated brain signals from superficial head signals. Hanieh was engaged in the physics and nanotechnology program at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, where she used optical systems in studying the effects of aging on the elastic properties of red blood cells. Furthermore, during her bachelor’s studies in Biomedical Engineering, Hanieh demonstrated her proficiency by employing neural networks to estimate fetal weight from ultrasound data.
Hanieh’s background also encompasses medical robotics projects, including the development of a smart drill for femoral canal surgeries. She is exploring the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical device domain for robotic systems and diagnostic tools. By becoming a director in The Mars Society of Canada, Hanieh applies her existing knowledge, acquires new insights, and contributes to laying the foundation for future generations of space enthusiasts.
Follow Us on Social Media!
Inspired to volunteer with us?
We’re looking for enthusiastic people from a variety of backgrounds to help with our projects and activities.