Dr Hossein Heidari

Dr Hossein Heidari is an Assistant Professor, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and the Research Chair at the UCL Institute for Materials Discovery (IMD).

When did you take up this position? What was your position beforehand?

I joined UCL in 2023 as an Assistant Professor in Materials Innovation and Enterprise. Prior to my current role at UCL, I was on the faculty at Queen Mary University of London in Biomedical Engineering and a fellow of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation in Los Angeles. 

Before that I led the bioprinted tissue research at our biotech startup Volumetric Bio in Houston, which was acquired by 3D Systems. 

I worked as a BASF Researcher at Berkeley towards the end of my PhD, and I’ve been lucky to work at the intersection of cutting-edge research and innovation – from developing soft biomaterials to helping scale up and expand light-based bioprinting technologies.

Tell us about your work at UCL - how do you spend your days, and what makes your role different to similar positions elsewhere?

No two days are ever the same at UCL, and I like it that way. I split my time between research, teaching and mentoring MSc students, PhD students and Postdocs, and building new avenues of research such as SPARK 3D – our ambitious organ-manufacturing project funded by UKRI.

What makes this role especially exciting is the mix of academic freedom and entrepreneurial thinking at UCL. It’s a place that really encourages big ideas and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

A lot of my work focuses on designing soft biomaterials and creating new ways to print living tissues. We’re also working on integrating real-time monitoring and artificial intelligence into our optical biomanufacturing processes, which is a whole new frontier. 

I work with and lead an amazing team at the Programmable Biomaterials Lab (PBL), and together we’re trying to push the boundaries of what’s possible in tissue engineering.

What are some of your favourite things about working at UCL? How have you found it different to previous jobs?

I love the energy here at UCL. There’s a real sense of momentum and purpose – people are curious, open to collaboration and cocreation, and very approachable. 

The IMD community is dynamic, highly motivated and cross-disciplinary. Compared to previous positions, especially in industry, the academic environment at UCL gives more room to ask big, foundational questions – but also institutional support and brilliant talent to start translating answers into real-world innovation.

Can you tell us about any upcoming research, or future projects that you're looking forward to working on?

At the PBL we are focused on understanding how multicellular systems organise in three-dimensional space and to use optical manipulation of their environment to build a bioproduction platform. 

Our SPARK platform is a volumetric bioproduction system that combines bioprinting, biomodulation, and real-time imaging. The goal is to create functional 3D tissues at scale, which could really change the landscape of regenerative medicine and healthcare. 

We’re also part of some exciting new collaborations with both clinical and industrial partners across various sectors. I’m particularly interested in how we can take these bioproduction technologies from bench to bedside, safely and affordably.

Have you always been based in London? If not, when did you move here, and how did you find adapting to living in London?

I moved to London in 2021 after several years in California and Texas, and many years in Iran prior to that. It was definitely a bit of a shift, especially getting used to the weather and traffic, but London has really grown on me. 

The diversity of events and communities, the atmosphere, and the energy make it a fantastic place to live and work.

Finally, tell us about your non-work life. Do you have any hobbies, or favourite places to go in London?

Outside of work, I enjoy movies and filmmaking, and my favourite director is our own Christopher Nolan. I also enjoy 3D design and look at 3D printing to make small gadgets as a hobby aside research. 

London’s full of hidden gems – whether it’s a quiet park, a new gallery and exhibition, a performance or a street food spot – and I love exploring it all.