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Dr. Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala

Assitant Professor in Formulation Science

Area
Norcroft Building
University of Bradford
E-mail
a.ramachandrakurupsasikala@bradford.ac.uk
Phone
+441274238049
Dr. Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala
4 awards

Biography

Dr. Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science and Institute of Cancer Therapeutics at the Faculty of Life Sciences. Her vision is to develop next-generation nanotherapeutics for human diseases with unmet clinical needs through non-invasive approaches. She is an interdisciplinary biomaterial scientist who completed her master’s degree in Physics and continued her journey toward nanomedicine research and worked on the interface between materials science and biology. After receiving her doctorate from the Department of Bionanosystem Engineering, Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) South Korea, she was quickly recognised for her work with a three-year Young Investigator Award from the National Research Foundation of Korea. Meanwhile, she's taken a position as an Assistant Research Professor at the JBNU. Her role as an independent PI allowed her to serve as Primary Supervisor for two master's theses and as Co-supervisor for one doctoral thesis. To further develop her career as an independent research leader in next-generation biomaterials, she moved to the University of Birmingham as a Marie Curie Fellow, where she investigated a new strategy for the non-invasive modulation of the Blood-Brain Barrier to overcome the unmet need for delivering drugs to the brain. Arathyram is passionate about communicating her research to the public and patients through PPI meetings and various outreach activities like European Researchers Night, Nottingham Soapbox Science, Pint of Science etc. She is the Outreach, Collaborations, and Dissemination Lead of the Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science.

Research

I have a strong interest in the development and translation of next-generation nanotherapeutics to address breakthrough healthcare challenges. I have always tried to broaden my horizons through interdisciplinary research and partnerships since receiving my Ph.D. and throughout my academic career. Our group is focused on developing innovative ways for producing smart and hybrid organic-inorganic nanomaterials with desirable properties to be used as targeted drug delivery carriers, non-invasive anticancer agents, tissue regeneration matrices, and bioimaging platforms. In our research, we use a highly interdisciplinary approach and work at the intersection of materials science, engineering, and biology. Some ongoing research areas include:

1. Synthesis of multifunctional nanomaterials for cancer theranostics Application
  • Magnetic hyperthermia
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Photothermal therapy 
  •  Photodynamic therapy 
  • Second Harmonic Generation Imaging
2. Development of non-invasive Blood Brain Barrier modulators for targeted drug delivery to the brain
  • Nanoelectroporation
  • PiezoMagnetic nanoparticles
  • Carbon nanoneedles
3. Remotely controlled stimuli-responsive Drug Delivery systems
  • PH sensitive
  • Ultrasound sensitive
  • Magnetic field sensitive
  • Light Sensitive
4. Development of Implantable Anticancer Devices (IADs)
  • Electrospun nanofiber-based IADs
  • Hydrogels based IADs
  • Microneedle based IADs
5. Biomimetic nanomaterials for regenerative medicine Application
  • Piezoelectric whitlockite nanoparticles
  • Piezoelectric Nerve conduits
  • Piezoelectric Bone implants
  • Piezoelectric Wound dressing patches








Professional activities

  • Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (1 September 2020)
  • Young Investigator Award (1 December 2016)
  • Brain Korea 21 Plus Graduate Scholarship (1 September 2013)
  • DAAD Fellowship- Working Internships in Science and Engineering Programme (1 September 2010)

  • University of Birmingham - Marie Curie Individual Fellow (21 September 2020)
  • Jeonbuk National University, South Korea - Assistant Research Professor (1 December 2016)
  • National Remote Sensing Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, India - Junior Research Fellow (14 July 2011)

  • Speaker at Nottingham Soapbox Science 2022
  • School outreach activities and Provision of materials for the British Science week celebration 2021 as a Stem Ambassador of West Midlands, UK
  • As part of the European Researchers' Night, hosted by the University of Bristol, I presented the Piezoelectric research at the Curiosity Carousel Knowledge Fair