Seleem Badawy

Seleem Badawy is a second-year student in Biomedical Engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary. He began research in grade 10 with Dr. Kristina Rinker at UCalgary, employing bioinformatic tools with experimental data to compare and analyze types of aortic aneurysms genetically and mechanically. This research was presented internationally at the Biomedical Engineering Society 2020 Conference and is currently being prepared as a manuscript for publication. Continuing with the Rinker Lab, he is now examining the effects of shear stress on the genetic expression of breast cancer cells and development. 

Seleem has developed a strong passion for the pursuit of knowledge and scientific exploration. Other research endeavors he has been involved in include investigating the effects of hypertensive medications on COVID-19 risk, published as first author in the STEM Fellowship Journal, and analyzing the effect of prebiotics on the gut microbiota in children with type 1 diabetes in the High School Youth Researcher Summer Program, funded by Alberta Innovates. He has also explored wearable technologies through the STEM Fellowship Research Exploration Program and synthetic biology through the UCalgary iGEM team.

Seleem has expanded his coursework to further connect theory to his lab work, such as through the “Gene Regulation and Epigenetics”, a graduate-level course he took at Harvard University, and taking a Digital Engineering minor to enhance his software development skills.

Seleem is an active member in the STEM and Engineering community. He is a member of the Diversity Committee of the international Biomedical Engineering Society, a member of the New York Academy of Science, and active volunteer in healthcare. He has also been involved in his Biomedical Engineering Student Society, Engineering Student Society, and as an outreach ambassador with STEM fellowship. 

Seleem has been honoured with several awards and recognition for his work. He has been recognized as Alberta’s Top 20 Under 20, in the leadership category, received the 2022 Emerging Social Innovator Award, the best prototype award in the advanced category at the Tech Futures Challenge Prototype Competition, and more.

His translational research has inspired him to learn more about entrepreneurship as well. He currently serves in the UCeed Haskayne Student Fund, a student-led venture capital fund where he directly evaluates and invests in early-stage startups. Through this, he has worked with HaloHealth, a physician angel investment group focused on medical and healthcare ventures. He has also founded and is president of Project SciCorp, a federally incorporated non-profit established in 2020 as a vehicle to inspire and inform youth about entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as previously working at Innovate Calgary.

Seleem aspires to pursue an MD-PhD to improve human health, help people, further explore the complex mechanisms of the human body, and use his engineering skills and entrepreneurial background to translate that knowledge to real-world solutions.