About Zian

I am a bioengineer passionate about enabling responsible innovation. As a Regulatory Affairs Associate at Experien Group, I help medical device companies navigate their regulatory needs, including U.S. and international strategies, regulatory submissions and filings, as well as reporting/compliance activities. One day, I hope to help shape governmental policy on emerging technologies, and ensure that breakthrough medical innovations can quickly realize their potentials to save patient lives.

Prior to starting my industry career, I spent four years exploring bioengineering applications through academic research. There, I focused on technologies with societal impact – from synthesizing biofuels for renewable energy, to preventing abuse of gene editing for bioweapons, to designing low-cost drug-eluting contact lenses to treat corneal infections in the developing world. Most recently, I worked with UCSF neurologists on developing the Open MS BioScreen, a web app that uses machine learning to help multiple sclerosis patients track and understand their symptoms. Specifically, I led the project’s regulatory analysis efforts, and formulated the FDA-exempt development strategy that ensures that patients can quickly have access to the tool.

For nearly a decade, I have volunteered my spare time to educational outreach efforts: demo-ing chemistry experients, teaching CS to kids, and organizing engineering fairs to help high schoolers realize their potentials in STEM. My proudest accomplishment in this space is co-founding BioEHSC™, a Berkeley-based biodesign competition for high schoolers. After overseeing the inaugural competition in 2014, I stayed on as an adviser and helped expand the event four-fold. As a result, BioEHSC™ is now the largest comprehensive bioengineering outreach effort to high school students in the United States.

I received my B.S. in Bioengineering (and minor in Public Policy) from UC Berkeley, and went on to obtain my Master of Translational Medicine jointly from Berkeley and UCSF. I love menswear, fountain pens, and coffee; and especially for an engineer, probably spend way too much time on POLITICO.

I’m always happy to chat about technology, policy, and current affairs, and I apologize in advance for giving often unwarranted style advice. Welcome to my site!