(2gu) Revolutionizing Tissue Repair with Advanced Functional Adhesives

Each year, millions of individuals worldwide require various forms of wound management, ranging from minor cuts to complex surgical wounds. Surgical tissue adhesives and sealants have emerged as alternatives to traditional invasive wound repair techniques like sutures and staples for wound closure over the past decade. The global market for surgical sealants and adhesives is projected to reach $5.4 billion by 2030, indicating the increasing demand for adhesive solutions to replace sutures. However, currently available alternatives possess shortcomings such as the need for special storage conditions and post-operative adhesion to adjacent tissues.

The research interests of my future research group focuses on overcoming these challenges in the field of tissue adhesives and sealants. Specifically, our research efforts will be dedicated to the development of tissue adhesives uniquely packaged in microcapsules, enabling their on-demand release through the application of pressure or stimuli such as light. This innovative packaging approach ensures that the adhesives can be stored in ambient conditions without compromising their effectiveness. Additionally, we aim to address the issue of post-operative adhesion to healthy surrounding tissues by developing "Janus-faced" adhesive patches. Another research direction of interest is the development of "functional tissue adhesives" capable of not only providing passive wound closure but also promoting wound healing through the grafting of therapeutic moieties onto the polymeric structure.

My experience as a Lillian Gilbreth Postdoctoral Fellow at Purdue University, specializing in tissue adhesive and sealant development, uniquely positions me to pursue these research directions. During my postdoctoral research, I gained valuable expertise in formulating adhesives with superior wet adhesion and tested their efficacy through in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments using animal tissue models. Additionally, my Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore involved the development of self-healing polyurethanes using various chemistries that exhibit on-demand healing when exposed to stimuli such as heat and moisture. Furthermore, I have experience in nanoparticle synthesis from my Ph.D. research, where I synthesized nanoparticles for applications in the field of electromagnetic interference shielding. With a background in functional polymer synthesis and my current focus on biomaterials, I am confident in my ability to achieve the ambitious goals I have set for my future research group.

Teaching Interests:

With undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in polymer science and engineering, as well as a Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Engineering, I am well-suited to teach a range of introductory courses within the Chemical Engineering curriculum, including Introduction to Chemical Engineering, Heat & Mass Transfer, and Chemical Reaction Engineering. The interdisciplinary nature of my career trajectory also uniquely positions me to teach various graduate-level courses related to polymer or material science within the department. Leveraging my postdoctoral experience in the field of biomaterials, I am also well-suited to instruct courses such as "Introduction to Biomaterials." Additionally, I am interested in developing specialized topics courses such as "Introduction to Polymer Blends and Alloys" and "Viscoelasticity of Biological Materials."

During my Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, I served as a teaching assistant (TA) for two courses, encompassing both classroom lectures and laboratory instruction, for two consecutive semesters. In these roles, I conducted office hours for problem-solving, prepared assessments, administered exams, evaluated student performance, and provided feedback. Although my department only required two semesters of TA responsibilities, I voluntarily continued for an additional two semesters due to my passion for teaching. My teaching philosophy is rooted in a "Guide-on-Stage" approach, emphasizing student-centered learning. To achieve this, I advocate for modern teaching methods such as "flipped classroom learning" and "interactive learning" as integral components of the curriculum. As a mentor, I invest significant effort in training my mentees initially and subsequently empower them with independence to generate innovative ideas and solve problems. Throughout my academic journey, I have mentored over ten Ph.D., master's, and undergraduate students, both as a postdoctoral researcher and a Ph.D. candidate.