Dr Tim Angeli-Gordon

Biography

Tim Angeli-Gordon is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow and Senior Research Fellow with the Gastrointestinal (GI) Research Group at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI), and also holds an honourary co-appointment as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Surgery. He is the director of the Laboratory for TrAnslational Research in Gastroenterology and Emerging Technologies (TARGET Lab). His research focuses on in vivo measurement and monitoring of GI electrophysiology, with a specific focus on developing new diagnostic devices and interventional therapeutics for functional GI disorders. He research is currently supported by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Marsden Fund, National Science Challenge on High-Value Nutrition, and a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal Society Te Apārangi. 

Tim originally joined the GI Research Group at the ABI in December 2009 as a PhD student. His PhD research investigated the underlying electrophysiological control of the small intestine using high-resolution electrical mapping, and he received his PhD in early 2014.

Prior to joining the ABI in New Zealand, Tim attended the University of Michigan, USA, where he graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Engineering (2008) and Master of Science in Engineering (2009), both in Biomedical Engineering. He investigated new methods of drug delivery based on the human body's natural immune response for his Master's research, and also worked at a biotechnology company where he was involved in the research and development of a bioartificial kidney.

Research | Current

Tim is the director of the TARGET LAB, where he currently focuses on developing new technologies for mapping, monitoring, and modulating gastrointestinal (GI) electrical activity, which is a vital controlling mechanism of digestion. His work is largely conducted across the fields of bioengineering, physiology, and medicine, with a specific aim of achieving new levels of clinical understanding for currently under-defined GI disorders, as well as developing new electrophysiologically-based diagnostics and therapeutics for those disorders.
 

Project links

• TARGET Lab, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• Modelling the Gastrointestinal System, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• Diagnosis and Therapy of Gastric Dysrhythmias, MedTech Centre of Research Excellence
• Healthy Digestion, National Science Challenge on High-Value Nutrition

International Collaborations

• Prof Gianrico Farrugia, Mayo Clinic, MN, USA.
• A/Prof Arthur Beyder, Mayo Clinic, MN, USA.
• Prof Samuel Asirvatham, Mayo Clinic, MN, USA.
• Prof Thomas L. Abell, University of Louisville, KY, USA.
• A/Prof Jonathon Erickson, Washington and Lee University, VA, USA.
• A/Prof Punit Prakash, Kansas State University, KS, USA.

Postgraduate supervision

Graduate student positions available. Dr Angeli-Gordon routinely has funded Masters and PhD positions available. If you are a high-achieving student interested in a Masters or PhD in biomedical engineering, please contact Dr Angeli-Gordon for details (t.angeli@auckland.ac.nz). 

Current PhD Students:
Ashton Matthee, 2021-present, Development of endoscopic mucosal ablation to modulate gastric electrical activation patterns.
Sam Simmonds, 2021-present, Inter-organ communication in the gut: elucidating the bioelectrical basis of the gastro-intestinal junction.
Alexander Chan, 2018-present, Development of an analysis pipeline for endoscopic gastric electrical mapping.
Zahra Aghababaie, 2018-present, Targeted ablation therapy for treatment of gastrointestinal dysrhythmias.
Tim Wang, 2017-present (part-time), Advances in the investigation and management of post-operative gastric arrhythmias.

Current PhD Students:
Peter Tremain, Dec 2020-present, Endoscopic mapping of human gastric slow wave activation.
Johan Rickus, Mar 2021-present, Do protruding electrodes improve signal quality of gastrointestinal bioelectrical recordings?

Completed ME Students:
Nova Belle Pavel Nagalakshmi, 2020, Defining the consistency of gastric slow wave signal morphology.
Kiara Miller, 2020, Slow wave mapping of the rabbit small intestine, ceacum, and colon.
Abhishek Kamat, 2019, Determining the effects of electrode diameter and protrusion on signal morphology of gastrointestinal bioelectrical recordings. 
Ashley Abraham, 2019, Quantification of high-resolution rabbit intestine slow wave dynamics.

Distinctions/Honours

• 2019-2023: Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, Royal Society of New Zealand.
• 2017-2018: Edith C. Coan Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Auckland Medical Research Foundation, NZ.
• 2017: Early Career Research Excellence Award, University of Auckland, NZ.
• 2016: Vice Chancellor's Research Excellence Award, University of Auckland, NZ.
• 2016: Young Investigator Award for Best Poster Presentation, American Gastroenterological Association, USA.
• 2015: Best Paper / Presentation Award, NZ Society of Gastroenterology Conference, NZ.
• 2013: Distinguished Young Investigator Award for Best Clinical Presentation, Neurogastroenterology and Motility Conference, USA.
• 2013: Young Investigator Award for Top Abstract, Neurogastroenterology and Motility Conference, USA.
• 2012: R.H.T. Bates Postgraduate Scholarship, Royal Society of NZ.
• 2011: Baxter Healthcare Young Investigator Award for Best Presentation, New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology Conference, NZ.
• 2011: First Place, 'Exposure' Postgraduate Research Oral Presentation Competition, University of Auckland, NZ.
• 2011: Best Presentation, Riddet Institute Student Colloquium, NZ.
• 2010: 'Chiasma i-Volve' Award for Best Biotechnology Entry, 'SPARK' Entrepreneurship Ideas Challenge, University of Auckland, NZ.
• 2009-2012: Earle Food Research Scholar, Riddet Institute, NZ.
• 2009: James B. Angell Scholar, University of Michigan, USA.
• 2008: Magna Cum Laude Graduation Honours, University of Michigan, USA.

Responsibilities

• Senior Research Fellow, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• Rutherford Discovery Fellow, Royal Society of New Zealand
• Associate Investigator, Riddet Institute Centre of Research Excellence
• Associate Investigator, Surgical and Translational Research (STaR) Centre

Areas of expertise

• Biomedical Engineering
• Electrophysiology
• Gastrointestinal Motility
• Translational Experimentation
• Experimental Physiology

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Academic Service (Present)

• 2020-Present: Chair, Māori Advancement Committee, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• 2018-Present: Research Committee Member, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• 2015-Present: Prospective Student Interviewer, Hometown Alumni Involvement Link ('HAIL'), University of Michigan, College of Engineering

Professional Societies

• 2019-Present: Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE)
• 2019-Present: Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS)
• 2017-Present: Australasian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association (ANGMA)
• 2016-Present: Auckland Medical Research Foundation (AMRF)
• 2015-Present: American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS)
• 2015-Present: International Gastrointestinal Electrophysiology Society (iGES)
• 2010-Present: New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology (NZSG)
• 2010-Present: Physiological Society of New Zealand (PSNZ)