What if we could hear disease?
Talk given at TEDxChicago 2025 & TEDx Editor’s Pick
Chicago, September 26th, 2025
Dr. Hossein Zargartalebi
Science Innovator in Precision Medicine
About the Talk
In this emotional and forward-thinking talk, Dr. Hossein Zargartalebi shares his deeply personal journey from a hospital room to a scientific breakthrough. His innovation—a molecular sensor that detects proteins in real time—may unlock a new era in healthcare, one where disease can be caught long before symptoms appear. By turning biology’s quietest signals into a clear voice, this technology gives us something medicine has never truly had before: the ability to act early, save lives, and give people back the most precious thing of all—time.
Source: TEDxChicago
About Hossein
Dr. Hossein Zargartalebi is a biotech innovator and entrepreneur developing next-generation wearable and implantable biosensors that monitor protein biomarkers in real time, inside the body. His work enables continuous tracking of inflammation, diabetes, heart failure, and other chronic conditions – opening the door to earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and adaptive care.
He currently serves as a Fellow and Head of the Bioengineering Team at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, where he leads translational research initiatives focused on the development of next-generation implantable sensing platforms for real-time, in vivo monitoring of clinically relevant biomarkers. Prior to this role, he was awarded the prestigious NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, conducting research at Northwestern University in the departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry. He began his postdoctoral training at the University of Toronto within the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Dr. Zargartalebi holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Calgary, where he developed novel electrochemical diagnostic tools targeting cancer and COVID-19. His multidisciplinary expertise spans biosensing, microfluidics, electrochemistry, and translational medicine.
Dr. Zargartalebi has received numerous awards for his research, which has been published in over 20 leading journals and featured in major media outlets. He is also an active mentor and is passionate about bridging fundamental science and real-world healthcare innovation. His work is transforming how we detect and understand disease–not after it happens, but as it unfolds.
Source: TEDxChicago
TEDxChicago 2025
Our future feels uncertain, yet we are resoundingly called to what matters most: You and me. Us. Humanity, itself. At TEDxChicago 2025, we believe the most powerful force shaping tomorrow is our collective agency, imagination, desire for connection and laughter, dignity, and generosity. This year, our speakers and artists arrive on Chicago’s stage to share their ideas, showcasing their fierce commitment to unify science, technology, and sustainability with the essential principles of compassion, justice, and care.
This is our love letter to Chicago.
Source: TEDxChicago
Coach’s Reflections
More to come!
