About
Riaz graduated from UMIST in 2003 with a First Class MEng (Hons) degree in Biomedical Materials Science with Industrial Experience and completed his PhD at The University of Manchester in 2007, investigating the micromechanical behaviour of bone. Following postdoctoral research in soft tissue micromechanics, he was awarded a British Heart Foundation Advanced Training Fellowship in 2008. Riaz joined the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool in 2011 and is now Reader in Biomedical Engineering. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (FIMMM), Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and a former Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow. He established Liverpool’s Nanomechanics Laboratory and founded its first MSc programme in Biomedical Engineering, subsequently serving as Director of Postgraduate Taught Education for seven years. He is currently (since September 2026) serving his second term as Interim Head of the Department of Materials, Design and Manufacturing Engineering.
Riaz’s overarching research aim is to understand how the nano- and microscale properties of biological tissues change with ageing and disease. His research combines advanced mechanical characterisation with imaging and digital histopathology to investigate structure-property relationships across multiple length scales. A major focus is cardiovascular biomechanics, particularly the mechanics and microstructure of the aorta in aneurysm, dissection and bicuspid aortic valve-associated disease. He co-founded Liverpool Aortic Biomechanics and Biochemistry Research Group (LABB, www.labb-group.com) His group also studies other collagen-rich tissues, including skin and ocular tissues, alongside hard tissues, biomaterials and hydrogels. Advanced techniques including nanoindentation, atomic force microscopy and microindentation underpin much of this work.
Riaz’s research spans fundamental engineering science through to clinically driven studies, with strong collaborations involving clinicians, surgeons, engineers and materials scientists. His work includes the development of new approaches for spatially resolved mechanical characterisation of biological tissues and the integration of biomechanics with histology, imaging and microstructural analysis. He has also worked with industry on medical device development and translation. Through these activities, his research seeks to apply materials science and engineering principles to understand disease mechanisms and ultimately improve the assessment and treatment of patients.
Prizes or Honours
- Bob Bonser Prize for Aortic Surgery (SCTC, 2019)
- Fellow (Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3), 2018)
- IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Society's 2012 Outstanding Paper Award (IEEE, 2013)
- RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship (2017)