Bret Nestor
M. Eng, PhD
Machine Learning for Healthcare Researcher
The coolest things I've done in my career are:
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Invented a manufacturing technique for milliscale to microscale synthetic arteries. Subsequently I performed heart surgery on synthetic hearts.
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Augmented wet-lab experiments with artificial intelligence
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Patented and published microfluidic and robotic designs
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Watched white blood cells chase and engulf bacteria in vivo in real time.
If I could have a super power it would be:
Always hearing everything the first time. Save time.
I'm a "closet" fan of:
Realistic dioramas
The nerdiest thing I do in my spare time is:
Build robots, make MIDI instruments, and play classical guitar
Three things still on my bucket list are:
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Run an ultramarathon
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Living a net-zero carbon life
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Have a machine shop, bio lab, & server in my home
My past experience includes:
I completed my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia, where I focused on control systems and digital microfluidics. I wanted to apply my skills to solve pressing human problems so I decided to pursue my masters degree in bio-engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. With one foot in the biological world and one foot in the mechanical world, I worked with engineers, biologists and clinicians at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard Medical School for two years. My research evolved from fabrication of microfluidic devices to computational methods to evaluate drug screening systems for sepsis. I am now at the University of Toronto pursuing my PhD in Machine Learning for Healthcare under the supervision of Marzyeh Ghassemi and Anna Goldenberg.
