(4on) Exploring Fibrous Scaffolds and Microdroplet Chemistry for Health Monitoring, Pharmaceutics, and the Environment

My group will primarily focus on materials chemistry and biomaterials, particularly in the areas of catalysis, bioanalytical chemistry and health. I envision leading a research group with a primary focus on diagnostics (mass spectrometry), pharmaceutics (biomaterials), and bioanalytical chemistry (microdroplets and chemical synthesis) as illustrated in Fig. 1. My motivation lies in a) addressing critical biological and chemical questions to meet clinical needs and b) understanding the mechanisms of novel reactivities in aqueous microdroplets. To achieve these goals, I will leverage a wide range of fabrication techniques, advanced materials, and cutting-edge characterization methods to develop groundbreaking approaches. My primary research objective is to pioneer novel classes of diagnostic and targeted drug delivery devices that boast unique features (fingertip-sized, miniaturized, and invisible). Addressing critical questions, I will explore drug delivery across biological barriers of skin and eye, as well as analyze metabolic markers found in sweat and tear films. Additionally, I aim to gain the reaction acceleration at the water-air interface of sprayed water microdroplets, particularly in the context of diagnostics and the environment. By integrating principles of analytical chemistry with methods in medicine and biology, I aim to shed light on following key questions:

(1) What noninvasive approaches are being explored to overcome challenges in targeted drug delivery across skin and eye barriers?

(2) What are the primary challenges in developing techniques to quantitatively analyze metabolic markers in small volumes of collected sweat and tear films (~ 20 μL) at low concentrations (nM and pM)?

(3) What is the chemistry of materials at the water-air interface of microdroplets that bear a net electrostatic charge?

My academic career path has been a blend of various fields in science and engineering, resulting in a multidisciplinary training that spans chemistry, polymer science, and biomaterials. These collaborations have provided me with invaluable and versatile experience in several research areas, including synthetic molecular and materials chemistry, biology, medicine, bioanalytical chemistry, and environmental health. To become proficient in research and lead team, I have undergone various training program, such as:

1) Electrochemistry, mass spectrometry, environmental health, and microdroplet chemistry in Chemistry Department (Stanford University): Mentored by Richard N. Zare

2) Targeted drug delivery and biomaterials in the School Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences (Georgia Tech): Advised by Mark R. Prausnitz

3) Extrusion, antimicrobial scaffolds, and process-structure-property (PSP) relationships in the Polymer Science and Engineering Department (CWRU): Advised by Gary E. Wnek

Selected Publications (Published: 20 total, 9 first-author, 3 Co-first authors)

1. ^‡Mofidfar M., ^‡Mehrgardi M., Xia Y., Zare, R. N., (2024) “Relative humidity dependence of hydrogen peroxide formation may cause viral airborne infection seasonality.” PNAS (IF: 11.1), 121 (12), e2315940121.
2. Mofidfar M., Song X., Kelly J.T., Rubenstein M.H., Zare R.N., (2023) “Silicone wristband spray ionization mass spectrometry for combined exposome and metabolome profiling”, Israel Journal of Chemistry (IF: 3.36), e202200116.
3. ^‡Wang M.L., ^‡Chamberlayne C.F., ^‡Xu H., ^‡Mofidfar M., Baltsavias S., Annes J.P., Zare R.N., Arbabian A., (2022) “On-demand electrochemically controlled compound release from an ultrasonically powered implant”, RSC Advances (IF: 4.03), 12, 23337-23345. (^‡ shows equal contribution)
4. ^‡Mehrgardi, M., ^‡Mofidfar, M., Zare, R., (2022) “Sprayed Water Microdroplets Are Able to Generate Hydrogen Peroxide Spontaneously”, Journal of the American Chemical Society (IF: 15.42), 144, 17, 7606–7609. (^‡ shows equal contribution)
5. Mofidfar M., Abdi B., Ahadian S., Mostafavi E., Desai T. A., Abbasi F., Sun Y., Manche E. E., Ta C. N., Flowers C. W. (2021), “Drug delivery to the anterior segment of the eye: a review of current and future treatment strategies”, International Journal of Pharmaceutics (IF: 5.9).
6. Mofidfar M., Farrell L. O., Prausnitz M. R. (2019), “Pharmaceutical Jewelry: Earring Patch for Transdermal Delivery of Contraceptive Hormone”, Journal of Controlled Release (IF: 11.5), 301: 140-145.
7. Mofidfar M., Prausnitz M. R. (2019), “Electrospun Transdermal Patches for Contraceptive Hormone Delivery”, Current Drug Delivery (IF: 3.7), 16(6): 577-583.
8. Mofidfar M., Kim E. S., Larkin E. L., Long L., Jennings W. D., Ahadian S., Pearlman e., Ghannoum M. A., Wnek G. E. (2019), “Antimicrobial Activity of Silver Containing Crosslinked Poly(Acrylic Acid) Fibers”, Journal of Micromachines (IF: 3.5), 10 (12): 829.
9. Mofidfar M., Wang J., Long L., Hager L. C., Vareechon C., Pearlman E., Baer E., Ghannoum M., Wnek G. E. (2017), “Polymeric Nanofiber/Antifungal Formulations Using a Novel Co-extrusion Approach”, AAPS PharmSciTech (IF: 4.0), 18(6): 1917-1924.

Patent

Baer E., Wnek G. E., Mofidfar M. Wang J. (2020), “Polymer Fiber Scaffolds and Uses Thereof”, US Patent 10751293 B2.

Selected Awards

1. Best UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Poster Award, 6^th annual workshop on “Micro- and Nanotechnologies for Medicine: Emerging Frontiers and Applications, 2018
2. Best Poster Award, 5^th Annual Georgia Tech Postdoctoral Research Symposium, 2018
3. Outstanding Graduate Students Award, CLiPS National Science Foundation's Science & Technology Center, 2016

Teaching Interests

With B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Polymer Science and engineering, along with a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering, I am excited and qualified to teach core courses in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, polymer processing, and transport phenomena at all levels as per the department's requirements. Based on my expertise and research experience, I also look forward to developing elective courses in chemistry, biomaterials, polymer science, and physical chemistry. My teaching extends beyond the classroom into the laboratory, and I aim to engage students and postdoctoral researchers in my group to participate in interdisciplinary research approach toward chemical and biomedical engineering, by drawing expertise in material and polymer analysis, chemistry, polymer science, and bioengineering.

Teaching Experience

Fluid Mechanics, Four Semesters

• Topics included: Fluid properties in perspective, Fluid statics, Conservation principles, Pipe flow, Internal flow applications, Pumps and compressors, External flow, Fluid-solid separations by free setting, Flow in porous media, Fluidization and sedimentation.

Thermodynamics I, Two Semesters

• Topics included: The first law of thermodynamics and energy, Energy conversion and general energy analysis, Volumetric properties of pure substances, Energy analysis of closed systems, Mass and energy analysis of control volumes, The second law of thermodynamics, Thermodynamic properties of fluids, Entropy, A measure of work potential, Application of thermodynamics to flow processes