Omar Escalona

Omar Escalona is a Professor in the School of Engineering at Ulster University and serves as the Director of the Centre for Advanced Cardiovascular Research (CACR). His academic career spans over three decades with significant contributions to cardiovascular engineering and medical device innovation.

Professor Escalona's research focuses on three main areas: atrial fibrillation solutions with improved quality-adjusted life year (QALY) outcomes; highly efficient cordless energy supply systems for artificial hearts and ventricular assist devices (VADs); and Connected-Health enabled cardiovascular healthcare services. His work has resulted in over 120 publications in prestigious international journals and conference proceedings, along with innovation patents including 'Analysis of Heart Waveforms' (US Patent #5694942).

His research has been supported by numerous grants including European Union funding through the ALFA Programme (Project Alfa-Beta) and a recent H2020 MRCA-RISE award (WASTCArD). Current projects include GALVANI-ICURe, which develops wireless power solutions for artificial hearts, and research addressing maternal and neonatal cardiac morbidity due to Chagas and Zika-virus diseases.

Professor Escalona's scientific contributions have been recognized through his h-index of 11 and 510 citations according to Scopus. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to good health and well-being.

Throughout his career, Professor Escalona has secured funding for 12 research projects and has supervised students in cardiovascular engineering and medical device development. His research group at the Advanced Cardiovascular Research Centre focuses on developing innovative solutions for heart failure treatment and cardiac monitoring technologies.