University of Houston · EngineeringCenter for Personalized Breast Reconstruction
Fatima Aziz Merchant · Houston, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Fatima Aziz Merchant's lab focuses on improving breast reconstruction surgery using advanced technology. They aim to create personalized molds for patients recovering from mastectomy to enhance their body image and quality of life. The lab employs a mix of engineering, machine learning, and clinical evaluation to develop decision-support algorithms that can optimize surgical outcomes for patients with diverse reconstructive goals.
breast reconstructionpatient-specific moldsclinical decision supportmachine learning3D printingbiomedical informaticssurgical innovationrandomized controlled trialsbody imagequality of life
Research Aims
5AIM 01Develop personalized molds for breast reconstruction surgeries.
AIM 02Evaluate the effectiveness of patient-specific molds through clinical trials.
AIM 03Enhance the surgical process using decision-support algorithms.
AIM 04Improve quality of life for individuals post-mastectomy.
AIM 05Innovate techniques in breast cancer rehabilitation.
Skills the Lab Values
algorithm design3D printingimage processingmachine learningclinical trial methodologybiostatisticsdata analysisshape modelingpatient evaluation techniquesmultidisciplinary collaboration
Output against the department
Publications131bottom 31% of dept.192nd of 278
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.2kbottom 15% of dept.235th of 278
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.