Faisal Masood

 As a senior studying bioengineering, Faisal Masood feels that his  experience as a Grainger Engineer has been fulfilling. In the past four years, Faisal immersed himself in the campus community while building and maintaining lasting relationships. To Faisal, becoming a Knight of St. Patrick is a humbling way to be recognized for his hard work and dedication.

Becoming  Bioengineer
As an aspiring physician, Faisal chose to study bioengineering because it's the perfect way to exhibit critical thinking and technical abilities in a health care context.  

“I chose to study bioengineering because I was interested in becoming a physician but I did not want to lose aspects of engineering and design that I was also passionate about. I am very happy with my decision as I am excited to utilize my first-hand experience as a clinician to serve as a bridge between innovation and the clinic.”

As he prepares to graduate as a Grainger Engineer, Faisal wants to use his engineering skill sets to improve the quality of care for all.

“I hope to use both my experience as a clinician and my training as an engineer to address problems that I observe in the clinic. I also hope to be involved in the design of technologies that aim to provide affordable healthcare to underserved populations.”

A Leader 
In his four years on campus, Faisal has been involved with the campus community. Faisal is the head laboratory assistant for BIOE 202, the Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab course.

He has worked at the Underhill Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab for three years and currently serves as the Head Laboratory Assistant. Currently, Faisal is conducting research to understand cell behaviors. 

“In working with my graduate student on this project, I have learned a lot about experimental design and execution.” 

Additionally, Faisal has established himself as a self-starter within Grainger Engineering. 

“I am a co-founder of a community outreach group that was created my sophomore year. By using our technical skills, my team and I were able to convert patient-derived MRI files into 3D-printed anatomy models. We then provided these models to high school anatomy students free of charge so that they could understand the kinesthetic aspect that is so crucial to physiology.”

Building a Community
While learning the technical skills is an imperative part of the Illinois experience, Faisal finds that building lasting relationships with peers and colleagues proves to be just as important. 

“Engineering is inherently a collaborative pursuit and I am very grateful that I have found wonderful people to work with over the years. Without the peers and mentors that I have surrounded myself with, I do not think I would have been as successful or happy as I am now.”