Research
My current research interests include:
- Biopolymer conjugates and nanomaterials for therapeutics.
- Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering.
- Targeted Drug Delivery Systems/ delivery of antitumor agents.
- Novel Biomaterials for environmental remediation.
1. Graphene oxide and chitosan-based conjugated polymeric nanocomposite for the effective adsorption of heavy metal ions in water resources.
Several domestic and industrial processes release heavy metals in the environment. The presence of heavy metals at water bodies and soils at elevated concentrations are not acceptable, as they result in health hazards. Heavy metals are toxic to human organisms and show persistence because of their non biodegradability. They also impose bioaccumulation problem in living tissues. They must be removed because of the toxicity and detrimental effects they have on the environment. There are several techniques to remove the heavy metals. Coagulation and flocculation, ion exchange, chemical precipitation, filtration utilizing membranes, oxidation, and other methods can all be used to remove heavy metals. These methods are pricey, and there are a lot of disadvantages to using them. adsorption is the simplest of all techniques, because of its reversible behaviours. Because of the adsorbent's capacity to regenerate and reuse itself, it is an environmentally benign and cleaner method for heavy metal removal. Graphene oxide and chitosan-based hybrid nanocomposites have been attracting the researchers since a few years because of its high adsorptive behaviour towards some selective metal ions. Both chitosan and graphene oxide have free functional groups which may help in increase in metal ion adsorption. Chitosan and carbon-based graphene oxide are available in abundance which may help in designing it further for large scale applications.
2. Chitosan and silk-based biomaterial for articular cartilage regeneration.
Tissue engineering is a promising strategy for cartilage/bone regeneration and repair. Various types of natural wound healing material can be used to overcome this problem. Polysaccharide and protein combinations may be used to imitate the natural environment of certain tissues. Hydrogels are useful in skin tissue engineering because they can be used as dressings for burns and other wounds or as delivery vehicles for bioactive compounds. The potential of hydrogels to absorb large amounts of water and maintain a moist wound environment has piqued curiosity. They can also be removed without causing any pain to the patient. Based on these facts, hydrogel-based cellular structures for skin healing have received a lot of attention. Silk and chitosan natural biopolymer extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons and crustaceans are example of two essential natural biomaterial. It has been widely used in tissue engineering due to its combination of robust mechanical qualities, biocompatibility, protease biodegradability, and blood compatibility, they may be processed into a variety of material configurations. Thus, fabrication of a more suitable and functionalized delivery carriers will be an important goal of this objective.
3. Smart Liposome formulated delivery system of siRNA.
LNPs are one of the most widely used bioactive nanocarriers in cancer therapy. By increasing the therapeutic effectiveness of anticancer medicines, LNPs have aided developments in the use of NPs to treat cancer. There is a huge possibility of using liposome as a non-viral gene delivery tool for cancer treatment. Although substantial progress has been made in the field of siRNA delivery through liposome to cancer cells, there are still challenges to be overcome. Strategies to minimize off-target effects and immune stimulation must be formulated to overcome. Therapeutic siRNA delivery methods that are effective and tailored will make cancer therapy more accessible and give appropriate cancer therapeutic models. Given the polygenic nature of malignancies, combining siRNA with another conventional therapy such as chemotherapy, radiation, photodynamic therapy, or immunotherapy can improve the effectiveness and specificity of cancer treatment. In near future work, I am interested to synthesized a multitargeting smart liposome for Therapeutic inhibitory genes delivery, that are effective and tailored which will make cancer therapy more accessible and give appropriate cancer therapeutic models.
