Curriculum Vitae

Experience and Training

Zoetis Inc. – Kalamazoo, MI

• Senior Scientist, Diagnostic Assays – Global Diagnostics – manager: Ryan Viator, Ph.D. (2023 – Present)

Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) Inc., A Xerox Company – Palo Alto, CA

• Member of Research Staff, Printing Scientist – Hardware Research and Technology Laboratory – manager: Joerg Martini, Dr. rer. nat. (2021 – 2022)

Vanderbilt University – Nashville, TN

• Postdoctoral Fellow – Department of Chemistry – advisor: David W. Wright, Ph.D. (2018 – 2021)

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center – Bethesda, MD

• Research Trainee – Department of Transfusion Medicine – mentor: Willy A. Flegel, M.D. (2013)

Education

University of Houston – Houston, TX (2013 – 2017)

• Ph.D. – Biomedical Engineering (advisor: Sergey Shevkoplyas, Ph.D.)

Tulane University – New Orleans, LA (2009 – 2013)

• B.S.E. – Biomedical Engineering (advisor: Sergey Shevkoplyas, Ph.D.)

• B.S. – Mathematics (advisor: Tewodros Amdeberhan, Ph.D.)

• B.A. – Anthropology (advisor: Trenton Holliday, Ph.D.)

• Minor – Business (Freeman School of Business Summer Institute)

Honors and Awards

• Core Values Recognition Award (awarded 12x by peers), Zoetis Inc. (2023 – 2025)

• Impact Award, Zoetis Inc. (2024)

• Employee Appreciation Award (awarded 2x for different projects), Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) Inc., A Xerox Company (2022)

• Predoctoral Fellowship Award ($52,000), American Heart Association (AHA) (2016 – 2018)

• Best Departmental Dissertation Award (Biomedical Engineering), University of Houston (2017)

• Poster Award, BioScience Graduate Society (BSGS) Annual Graduate Student Symposium, University of Houston (2016)

• Biomedical Engineering Department Travel Award ($500), University of Houston (2016)

• Cullen Graduate Fellowship Travel Grant ($750), University of Houston (2016)

• Outstanding Abstract Award for Trainees ($500), 2016 AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

• Travel Fellowship, NSF/IEEE Sponsored 15th International Summer School on Biocomplexity, Biodesign and Bioinnovation, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey (2016)

• Summer Grant Award ($10,500), Whitaker International Program, Åbo Akademi University – Center for Functional Materials (FUNMAT), Turku, Finland (2014)

• Top Poster Award, 2014 AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA (2014)

• Runner-Up Award, Graduate Research & Scholarship Day (GRaSP) Demonstration, University of Houston (2016)

• Presidential Fellowship Merit Scholarship, University of Houston (2013 – 2015)

• Intramural Research Training Award ($3,887), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center – Department of Transfusion Medicine (2013)

• Departmental Honors (Biomedical Engineering), Tulane University (2013)

• Dean’s List, Tulane University (2010 – 2013)

• Distinguished Scholar Award Merit Scholarship, Tulane University (2009 – 2013)

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Routt, A. H., Yang, N., Piety, N. Z., Lu, M., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2023). Deep ensemble learning enables highly accurate classification of stored red blood cell morphology. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 3152. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30214-w

• Piety, N. Z., Stutz, J., Yilmaz, N., Xia, H., Yoshida, T., & Shevkoplyas, S.S. (2020). Microfluidic capillary networks are more sensitive to storage-induced decline of red blood cell deformability than ektacytometry. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 604. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79710-3

• Vörös, E., Piety, N. Z., Strachan, B. C., Lu, M., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2018). Centrifugation-free washing: A novel approach for removing immunoglobulin A from stored red blood cells. American Journal of Hematology, 93(4), 518–526. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.25026

• Torabian, K., Lezzar, D., Piety, N. Z., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2017). Substituting Sodium Hydrosulfite with Sodium Metabisulfite Improves Long-term Stability of a Distributable Paper-based Test Kit for Point-of-Care Screening for Sickle Cell Anemia. Biosensors, 7(3), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/bios7030039

• Reinhart, W. H., Piety, N. Z., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2017). Influence of feeding hematocrit and perfusion pressure on hematocrit reduction (Fåhræus effect) in an artificial microvascular network. Microcirculation, 24(8), e12396. https://doi.org/10.1111/micc.12396

• Piety, N. Z., Reinhart, W. H., Stutz, J., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2017). Optimal hematocrit in an artificial microvascular network. Transfusion, 57(9), 2257–2266. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.14213

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Serrano, S., Lanzi, M. R., Patel, P. R., Noli, M. P., Kahan, S., Nirenberg, J. F., Airewele, G., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2017). A paper-based test for screening newborns for sickle cell disease. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 45488. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45488

• Xia, H., Khanal, G., Strachan, B. C., Vörös, E., Piety, N. Z., Gifford, S. C., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2017). Washing in hypotonic saline reduces the fraction of irreversibly-damaged cells in stored blood: a proof-of-concept study. Blood Transfusion, 15(5), 463. https://doi.org/10.2450/2017.0013-17

• Reinhart, W. H., Piety, N. Z., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016). Influence of red blood cell aggregation on perfusion of an artificial microvascular network. Microcirculation, 24(5), e12317. https://doi.org/10.1111/micc.12317

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Kanter, J., Vignes, S. M., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016). Validation of a low-cost paper-based screening test for sickle cell anemia. PLoS ONE, 11(1), e0144901. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144901

• Piety, N. Z., Reinhart, W. H., Pourreau, P. H., Abidi, R., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015). Shape matters: the effect of red blood cell shape on perfusion of an artificial microvascular network. Transfusion, 56(4), 844–851. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.13449

• Burns, J. M., Yoshida, T., Dumont, L.J., Yang, X., Piety, N. Z., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015). Deterioration of red blood cell mechanical properties is reduced in anaerobic storage. Blood Transfusion, 14(1), 80–88. https://doi.org/10.2450/2015.0241-15 (front cover)

• Piety, N. Z., Gifford, S. C., Yang, X., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015). Quantifying morphological heterogeneity: a study of more than 1 000 000 individual stored red blood cells. Vox Sanguinis, 109(3), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/vox.12277

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Lezzar, D., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015). A rapid paper-based test for quantifying sickle hemoglobin in blood samples from patients with sickle cell disease. American Journal of Hematology, 90(6), 478–482. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajh.23980

• Reinhart, W. H., Piety, N. Z., Deuel, J. W., Makhro, A., Schulzki, T., Bogdanov, N., Goede, J. S., Bogdanova, A., Abidi, R., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015). Washing stored red blood cells in an albumin solution improves their morphologic and hemorheologic properties. Transfusion, 55(8), 1872–1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.13052 (front cover)

• Reinhart, W. H., Piety, N. Z., Goede, J. S., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015). Effect of osmolality on erythrocyte rheology and perfusion of an artificial microvascular network. Microvascular Research, 98, 102–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mvr.2015.01.010

• Yang, X., Piety, N. Z., Vignes, S. M., Benton, M. S., Kanter, J., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2013). Simple paper-based test for measuring blood hemoglobin concentration in resource-limited settings. Clinical Chemistry, 59(10), 1506–1513. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2013.204701

• Yang, X., Kanter, J., Piety, N. Z., Benton, M. S., Vignes, S. M., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2013). A simple, rapid, low-cost diagnostic test for sickle cell disease. Lab on a Chip, 13(8), 1464–1467. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3LC41302K (back cover)

Patents and Patent Applications

• Shevkoplyas, S. S., Yang, X., Washko, J. K., & Piety, N. Z. (2021). Paper Based Diagnostic Test (U.S. Patent No. 10,908,152 B2). U.S. Patent and Trade-mark Office. https://patents.google.com/patent/US10908152B2

• Piety, N. Z., Bigazzi, M. O., Peucker, K. F., Relle, E. S., Algu, N. W., & Ellis, E. N. (2013). Visco-Elastic Protection Device (U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/813,341). U.S. Patent and Trade-mark Office.

Magazine Articles

• Piety, N. Z. (2017, May 15). Traveling to Angola to validate a paper-based sickle cell disease test. IEEE Pulse Magazine, 8(3), 45. https://doi.org/10.1109/MPUL.2017.2683438

• Piety, N. Z., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2017, May 15). Paper-based diagnostics: rethinking conventional sickle cell screening to improve access to high-quality health care in resource-limited settings. IEEE Pulse Magazine, 8(3), 42–46. https://doi.org/10.1109/MPUL.2017.2678658

Conference Presentations

• Piety, N. Z., Moore, C. P., Pieterson, K. A., & Wright, D. W. (2019, November 20–24). A Novel Lateral Flow Assay Format with Integrated Catch-and-Release Biomarker Concentration for Detection of Low Parasitemias at the Point-of-Care [Oral presentation]. 2019 ASTMH Annual Meeting, National Harbor, MD.

• Piety, N. Z., Moore, C. P., Pieterson, K. A., & Wright, D. W. (2019, April 9). A Novel Lateral Flow Assay Format with Integrated Catch-and-Release Biomarker Concentration for Ultrasensitive Malaria Detection [Poster session]. 2019 Vanderbilt University Postdoctoral Association Annual Symposium, Nashville, TN.

• Moore, C. P., Piety, N. Z., Gibson, L. E., & Wright, D. W. (2018, August 9). Metal-Functionalized Cellulose for Enhanced Diagnosis of Two Malarial Biomarkers [Poster session]. 2018 Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology Student Research Symposium, Nashville, TN. (top poster award)

• Piety, N. Z., Stutz, J., Yilmaz, N., Xia, H., Yoshida, T., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016, October 22–25). Anaerobic Conditions Reduce Deterioration of Rheological Properties of Stored Red Blood Cells [Oral presentation]. 2016 AABB Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL. (outstanding abstract award)

• Piety, N. Z., Stutz, J., Yilmaz, N., Xia, H., Yoshida, T., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016, October 5–8). Anaerobic Conditions Reduce Damage to Red Blood Cells during Hypothermic Storage [Oral presentation]. 2016 BMES Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.

• Piety, N. Z., Reinhart, W. H., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016, October 5–8). Influence of Red Blood Cell Aggregation on Perfusion of an Artificial Microvascular Network [Poster session]. 2016 BMES Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Serrano, S., Lanzi, M. R., Patel, P. R., Noli, M. P., Kahan, S., Nirenberg, D., Camanda, J., Airewell, G. E., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016, October 5–8). Paper-Based Test for Indirect Screening of Newborns for Sickle Cell Disease [Poster session]. 2016 BMES Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Serrano, S., Lanzi, M. R., Patel, P. R., Noli, M. P., Kahan, S., Nirenberg, D., Camanda, J., Airewell, G. E., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2016, April 15–18). Towards Universal Sickle Cell Disease Screening in Resource-Limited Settings: Clinical Feasibility of a Paper-Based test for Newborns and Mothers [Poster session] 2016 Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research Meeting, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Serrano, S., Lanzi, M. R., Patel, P. R., Noli, M. P., Nirenberg, D., Camanda, J., Airewell, G. E., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015, December 3–6). Initial Clinical Validation of a Rapid, Low-Cost, Paper-Based Diagnostic Test for Sickle Cell Anemia as a Tool to Facilitate Newborn Screening in Resource-Limited Settings [Poster session]. 2015 ASH Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Patel, P. R., Nirenberg, D., Airewell, G. E., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015, October 7–10). Clinical Validation of a Paper-Based Screening and Diagnostic Test for Sickle Cell Anemia in Angola [Oral presentation]. 2015 BMES Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Patel, P. R., Nirenberg, D., Airewell, G. E., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015, October 7–10). Paper-Based Test for Screening Newborns for Sickle Cell Anemia in Resource-Limited Settings [Oral presentation]. 2015 BMES Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.

• Piety, N. Z., Reinhart, W. H., Pourreau, P. H., Abidi, R., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015, October 7–10). Shape Matters: Effect of Red Blood Cell Shape on Perfusion of an Artificial Microvascular Network [Oral presentation]. 2015 BMES Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Serrano, S., Lanzi, M. R., Patel, P. R., Noli, M. P., Nirenberg, D., Camanda, J., Airewele, G., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015, May 6–9). Initial Clinical Validation of a Rapid, Low-Cost, Paper-Based Diagnostic Test for Sickle Cell Anemia as a Tool to Facilitate Newborn Screening in Resource-Limited Settings [Poster session]. 2015 ASPHO Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ.

• Piety, N. Z., George, A., Patel, P. R., Nirenberg, D., Airewele, G. E., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2015, April 10–13). Clinical feasibility of screening newborns for sickle cell disease using a novel paper-based test [Oral presentation]. 2015 Annual Sickle Cell Disease Research Meeting, Hollywood, FL.

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Dinu, B. R., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, December 6–9). Paper-Based Assay for Quantification of HbS in Blood of Sickle Cell Disease Patients [Poster session]. 2014 ASH Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

• Piety, N. Z., Lezzar, D., Gifford, S. C., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, October 31). Ultra-low-cost, paper-based test for sickle cell disease in resource-limited settings [Oral presentation and demonstration]. 2014 University of Houston Graduate Research and Scholarship Projects (GRaSP) Day, Houston, TX. (runner-up award)

• Piety, N. Z., Gifford, S. C., Yang, X., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, October 25–28). Microfluidic System for High-Throughput Morphology Classification: Analysis of More Than One Million Red Blood Cells [Poster session]. 2014 AABB Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Dinu, B. R., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, October 25–28). Paper-Based Assay for Quantification of HbS and Diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease [Poster session]. 2014 AABB Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. (top poster award).

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Dinu, B. R., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, October 22–25). Paper-based assay for point-of-care quantification of HbS content in blood of sickle cell disease patients [Oral presentation]. 2014 BMES Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX.

• Piety, N. Z., Gifford, S. C., Yang, X., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, October 22–25) Simple microfluidic device for automated, high-throughput morphological analysis of stored red blood cells [Oral presentation] 2014 BMES Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX.

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Dinu, B. R., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, October 22–25). A low-cost, paper-based assay for diagnosis of sickle cell disease in resource-limited settings [Oral presentation]. 2014 BMES Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX.

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Dinu, B. R., George, A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2014, June 25). Low-cost, Paper-based Sickle Hemoglobin Assay [Oral presentation]. Åbo Akademi, Turku, Finland.

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Gifford, S. C., Huynh, R. A., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2013, September 25–28). Automated quantification of morphological deterioration of red blood cells during hypothermic storage using a simple microfluidic device [Poster session]. 2013 BMES Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

• Piety, N. Z., Yuan, Y., Shevkoplyas, S. S., & Flegel, W. A. (2013, August 8). Antigen-Antibody Mediated Rheological Changes in Artificial Microvascular Networks [Poster session]. 2013 NIH Summer Research Program Poster Day, Bethesda, MD.

• Piety, N. Z., Yang, X., Kanter, J., Benton, M., Vignes, S. M., & Shevkoplyas, S. S. (2013, January 28). A Simple, Rapid, Low-Cost Paper-Based Microfluidic Device for the Diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease [Oral presentation]. 2013 Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Research and Design Conference, New Orleans, LA.

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