Maryam Sadeghi is an Iranian-born Canadian computer scientist and businesswoman in the field of medical image analysis.

Maryam Sadeghi
Sadeghi in 2014
Born
Mianeh, East Azerbaijan, Iran
NationalityCanadian
Alma materSimon Fraser University (PhD 2012)
Occupation(s)Co-founder and CEO of MetaOptima Technology

Early life and education

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Sadeghi was born in 1980 in Mianeh, East Azerbaijan, Iran.[1] She completed an undergraduate degree in computer hardware engineering at the Iran University of Science and Technology before moving to Canada in 2007.[1]

Sadeghi holds a PhD in computing science from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in the area of medical image analysis.[2] Her PhD thesis, titled Towards prevention and early diagnosis of skin cancer: computer-aided analysis of dermoscopy images,[3] won the Doctoral Dissertation Award 2012 Honourable Mention from the Canadian Image Processing and Pattern Recognition Society (CIPPRS).[4]

Research and career

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Sadeghi's company, MetaOptima, developed the MoleScope, a mobile dermatoscope phone attachment, which allows the tracking and monitoring of skin moles.[5] Sadeghi (currently the CEO) co-founded this company with her husband, Majid Razmara (who serves as the chief technology officer).[6][7] MoleScope is a consumer-oriented device with a magnification tool and light source for professional grade imaging quality, with the option to connect to a cloud-based platform. This connected platform allows users to monitor suspicious growths through analysis and archiving of changes in size and colour.[8] MetaOptima has over 70 employees based in Canada, Australia and the US.[6][9] It has also developed the DermEngine platform which utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze and classify skin lesions, alongside simplified documentation.[6][9] DermEngine received the 2019 Ingenious Small Private Sector Award.[7]

Sadeghi was also part of a team that developed UVCanada—a free public health education app for sun protection.[1][10]

Awards and honours

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  • WaveFront's Wireless Prize package ($40,000) in the BCIC-New Ventures Competition in 2013[11]
  • Prize in the Plug & Play Silicon Valley competition in Vancouver, British Columbia, in July 2014.[11]
  • SFU Dean's Convocation Medal, 2012.[12]
  • Nominee, YWCA Women of Distinction Award, 2016.[13]
  • Winner, Business in Vancouver Forty under 40, 2016.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Entrepreneur turns smartphone into cancer fighter". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  2. ^ "SFU Computing Science: Maryam Sadeghi". Simon Fraser University.
  3. ^ Maryam, Sadeghi (2012-07-03). Towards prevention and early diagnosis of skin cancer: computer-aided analysis of dermoscopy images (PhD). Simon Fraser University.
  4. ^ "Maryam Sadeghi wins honourable mention for thesis - Faculty of Applied Sciences". Simon Fraser University. 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  5. ^ Stueck, Wendy (2013-12-27). "Maryam Sadeghi takes dermatology digital with MoleScope". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  6. ^ a b c "BCCTO Awards: Majid Razmara". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  7. ^ a b Sehgal, Pragya (28 November 2019). "AI and analytics dig deep into dermatology". IT World Canada. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  8. ^ Fayerman, Pamela (2015-06-10). "Medical microscope attaches to your smartphone for skin cancer screening and other news from the World Congress of Dermatology". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  9. ^ a b Sehgal, Pragya (28 November 2019). "AI and analytics dig deep into dermatology". IT World Canada. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  10. ^ "NSERC Current Winner 2012 Innovation Challenge Award". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 28 June 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Simon Fraser University's Maryam Sadeghi to unveil MoleScope at World Congress of Dermatology". News-Medical.net. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  12. ^ "Maryam Sadeghi receives Dean's Convocation Medal - Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Fellows". Simon Fraser University. 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  13. ^ "Introducing the 2016 YWCA Women of Distinction Awards Nominees - Entrepreneurship & Innovation". YWCA Metro Vancouver. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  14. ^ "Business in Vancouver Forty under 40". Business in Vancouver. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  15. ^ "Business in Vancouver Maryam Sadeghi". Business in Vancouver. 2016-12-05. Retrieved 2021-04-28.