Prof. Ali Gilles Tchenguise Miserez

Principal Investigator

Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering

Prof. Ali Miserez earned his undergraduate (1998) and PhD (2003) in Materials Science and Engineering from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland. His final-year project was carried out on an exchange program at Northwestern University (Evanston near Chicago). For his PhD, he specialized in metallurgy and mechanics of materials, doing his research in the field of metal matrix composites and fracture mechanics. After he completed his PhD, in 2004 he obtained a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) post-doctoral fellowship to explore new horizons and he started a post-doc in the field of biological materials and biomimetics at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) notably working alongside Prof. Herbert Waite. Having the freedom of an individual fellowship allowed him to dig into the biological and biochemistry fields, with the goal to gain expertise at the frontier of Physical and Life sciences. This allowed him to expand his research towards biomimetics, bio-inspired materials, and structure / biochemistry / properties relationships of hard and soft tissues. He also took part of a program sponsored by the International Center for Materials Research (ICMR), aimed at developing research exchanges between Western and Developing countries. Under this program, he spent 3 months at theInstitut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) in Western Java, Indonesia, where he initiated a research collaboration and taught a class for the graduate curriculum. He joined the School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) as an Assistant Professor in September 2009, establishing an interdisciplinary research group in the field of biological and bio-inspired materials. In 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship, a $3 Million individual research grant for early career scientists. In 2016, Prof. Ali Miserez was promoted to Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Schools of MSE and Biological Sciences (SBS) at NTU. In 2021, Prof. Ali Miserez was promoted to Full Professor (with tenure) in MSE.

ali.miserez@ntu.edu.sg

Nanyang Technological University Profile

Academic Profile

Dr. Eva Hiew Shu Hui

Senior Research Fellow & Safety Officer

Ph.D. Materials Science

Shu Hui is from Singapore and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has been her second home for years now. She is an NTU alumni and pursued her Ph.D. project at BBML. With her passion and research interests for biomimicry she continued to stay at BBML as a research fellow. She has experience working with bioinspired peptides, mainly from the suckerin protein. She is an expert in fabricating - characterizing peptide based materials, and understanding their self-assembly mechanisms. She has experience in peptide-based hydrogels, nanocapsules, amyloid fibers, as well as functionalization of anti-bacterial peptides on bacterial cellulose. Progressing towards translational research, she was awarded an SRIS Skin Innovation Grant to pursue a project on “Biomimetic short peptide hydrogels for chronic wound healing”. Additionally, with her research efforts she endeavours to convert local food waste proteins into functional amyloids, to fabricate composite membranes for water purification, such as heavy metal removal from contaminated water (in collaboration with Professor Mezzenga, ETH, Zurich). She is also leading a project to study protein-induced corrosion of metals, funded by MINDEF Singapore. Along with juggling through various research projects, she is also a dancer and a SCUBA diver who loves marine life and volunteers as a local marine biodiversity surveyor, advocating for marine conservation.

evahiew@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Harini Mohanram

Senior Research Fellow

Ph.D. Structural Biology

Harini hails from India and now calls Singapore her home. She pursued her Ph.D. at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Prior to joining BBML, she was a research fellow at School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, NTU. At BBML, she is the NMR expert and works across projects assisting in getting structural insights on the proteins understudy. Her main research focuses on investigating characterizing barnacle cement proteins. She is interested in structural biology, biophysical characterisations and most recently in biomoneralization and characterization of beta amyloids. Apart from the lab, she likes to spend time with her family.

m.harinibalaji@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Sushanth

Senior Research Fellow

Ph.D. Biochemistry

Sushanth earned his PhD from Kansas State University (USA) under the supervision of Prof. John Tomich at the Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics. At the Tomich laboratory, he developed, characterised, and patented a set of novel branched amphiphilic peptides capable of self-assembling into nanocapsules that have applications in drug/gene delivery (patent currently licensed to Phoreus Biotech Inc.). For his postdoctoral research, he moved to the Dept. of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at Linköping University (Sweden) where he helped improve the haemocompatibility of collagen-based hydrogels by employing various protein chemical modification methods. A few years later, Sushanth joined Prof. Bo Liedberg’s group at NTU (Singapore) as a Research Fellow where he helped develop novel fluorescence-based assays for protease detection by optimising peptide sequences for various proteases. At BBML, Sushanth’s research is focused on peptide-based coacervates and is a part of the ‘liquid-liquid phase separation’ project.

Dr. Rinku Saran

Senior Research Fellow

Ph.D. Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Rinku Saran is from sandy plains of western Rajasthan. He obtained his BE in Electrical Engineering (University of Rajasthan, Jaipur) and MTech in Alternate Hydro Energy Systems (Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee). He went on to complete a PhD in 2014 (University of Surrey, Guildford) under the supervision of Prof Richard Curry, in which he developed near-infrared photodetector devices based on colloidal quantum dots. Extending these studies and his interest in optoelectronics he moved to University of Manchester with Prof Richard Curry in 2016 as a research associate. Here he investigated optical properties of perovskites and nitride-based nanocrystals. In 2018, he moved to the USA (University of Central Florida, Orlando) under the Preeminent Postdoctoral Program. Here he studied surface wetting properties of solids and developed non-wettable superhydrophobic surfaces. He then moved to the University of Oklahoma and worked on Molecular-beam epitaxial (MBE) growth of lead and selenide based semiconductor thin films and heterostructures. In 2021, he joined Prof Ali Miserez’s laboratory for biological and biomimetic materials (BBML) as a senior research fellow (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore). At BBML, he is investigating optical and electronic properties of proteins for their use as a solid-state material for opto/bio-electronic applications. He enjoys test match cricket, folk music and screenplay writing.

rinku.saran@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Kanagavel Deepankumar

Research Fellow

Ph.D. Biotechnology

Deepan is from India and he pursued his Ph.D. in South Korea at Yeungnam University. At BBML he endeavours to engineer the sucker ring teeth protein with unnatural amino acids for enhancing their functional and biophysical properties. He maintains more than a passing interest in biomimetics research involving protein engineering. More than singing, he enjoys listening to different genres of music.

deepankumar@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Bhargy Sharma

Research Fellow

Ph.D. Biological Science

Bhargy is from India and moved to Singapore after her bachelors to pursue her Ph.D. at Nanyang Technological University. She joined BBML to study the velvet worm slime. Her project aims to characterize and establish a recombinant expression system for protein-based biopolymers that constitute the slime. She pursues research in protein structural biology and exploring biomolecules using nuclear magnetic resonance technique. Apart from scientific literature she also finds interest in reading fiction novels. Outside the lab, she enjoys outdoor activities including jogging and swimming.

bhargy.sharma@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Bhuvaneswari Kannaian

Research Fellow

Ph.D. Structural Biology

Bhuvi is from India. She pursued her Ph.D. in Structural biology at School of Biological Sciences, NTU. She joined BBML as a research fellow. Her current research work at BBML focuses on exploring the early events in Liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins involved in biomineralization. She is also investigating the metal induced LLPS formation of amyloidogenic proteins/peptides. Her research interests include nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and biophysical/biochemical characterization of proteins. Apart from research, she is interested in listening to music, singing, and watching movies.

bhuvaneswari.k@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Anastasia Shebanova

Research Fellow

Ph.D. Cell Biology

Anastasia is currently researching on liquid-liquid phase separation of biopolymers by liquid phase electron microscopy. She is interested in cryo-electron microscopy and in situ structural biology. She enjoys playing the piano, going to classical concerts, and watching sunsets.

anastasia.s@ntu.edu.sg

Dr. Hu Zhaolong

Research Fellow

Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering

Zhaolong is from China and pursued his Ph.D. at Nanyang Technological University. Upon graduation, he started his career in the biotechnology industry with GenScript and BGI Genomics with project management and R&D functions. A few years late, he joined BBML as research fellow working on an interdisciplinary project in the area of protein-based biopolymers, with an overarching goal to produce eco-friendly and biodegradable biopolymers. He is also interested in protein engineering and functional biomaterials development. Apart from research, he enjoys hiking and is a certified SCUBA diver.

zhaolong.hu@ntu.edu.sg

Loke Jun Jie

Research Assistant & Safety Officer

M.Eng. Materials Engineering

Jun Jie is from Singapore. He has been associated with BBML since his undergraduation days at NTU. His current research focuses on interfacing synthetic biology with electronics to investigate the adaptive camouflage in cephalopods. His project aligns with his own research interest in bioelectronics and biomimetic materials. He also holds the title of the-man-of-all-work in the lab, as he ensures to keep the equipment up and running and manages the chemical inventories for seamless functioning of the lab. He extends his talents even in photography and is also the official photographer of the lab.

jjloke@ntu.edu.sg

Bui My Hanh

Research Assistant

M.Sc. (Eng.) in Polymer Science and Composite Engineering

My Hanh comes from the land of the Ascending Dragon (Vietnam). She completed her Masters from University of Sheffield, UK. She is interested in material science and marine science research with a focus on protective coating used in marine infrastructure and transportation. Her research efforts at BBML aim at synthesizing and characterizing antifouling coating inspired by slippery liquid infuse porous surface (SLIPS) found in “Nepenthes“ Pitcher Plant. She loves exploring different places and appreciates cultural differences.

mhbui@ntu.edu.sg

Sunyoung Hur

Ph.D. Student

Bachelor in Materials Science and Engineering

Sunny is from South Korea. Her research interest in materials science and biomimicry, brought her to Singapore to pursue a Ph.D. at BBML. Her Ph.D. project aims to explore the barnacle's underwater adhesion mechanism by characterizing the cement proteins. She likes sports and music, which made her opportunity to contribute graduate student club as a recreation director.

hurs0001@e.ntu.edu.sg

Kenrick Koh

Ph.D. Student

B.Eng w/ Honours Materials Engineering

Kenrick is from Singapore. He has been associated with BBML since his undergraduate final year project at BBML, where he developed interest in material science research with a focus on biomimicry, and drug delivery. His Ph.D. project is inspired from spider silk and squid suckerin proteins. He works with the derived fusion protein fabricate materials for drug delivery in wound healing applications. He enjoys playing board games with his friends, and learning about coding.

kenricky001@e.ntu.edu.sg

Sun Yue

Ph.D. Student

M.Eng. Materials Science and Engineering

Sun Yue is from China. He joined BBML to pursue his Ph.D. on coacervates for biomacromolecule delivery. His research interests include materials science and chemistry with a focus on drug delivery. He enjoys reading as a hobby.

yue006@e.ntu.edu.sg

Soon Wei Long

Ph.D. Student

B.Eng w/ Honours Materials Engineering

Wei Long is from Singapore and pursued his graduation at Nanyang Technological University. Subsequently he joined BBML to pursue his Ph.D. project on water purification using plant proteins. His research work finds inspiration from his interest in materials science and biomimetics. He enjoys learning new languages and is fluent in German and Japanese. He is also a musician and plays the electric and bass guitars.

weilong002@e.ntu.edu.sg

Jeffrey George

Ph.D. Student

M.Sc Chemistry

Jeffrey is from India. He graduated with an MSc in chemistry and joined BBML to study Liquid-Liquid phase separation (LLPS). He studies the effect of transition metals on LLPS using liquid phase transmission electron microscopy. His other interests include technology, hiking, reading, football.

jeff0022@e.ntu.edu.sg

Quentin Moana Perrin

Ph.D. Student

M.Sc Bioengineering, Material Science, and Architecture

Quentin comes from France. He pursued general engineering, material science and architecture master's degrees. After specializing in bioengineering, he worked in 3D printing, microfluidics and intestinal organoids. He moved to Singapore to explore the use of organoids for material bioproduction, his project aims to grow a spider silk gland model in-vitro. Outside the lab he enjoys climbing, diving and handcrafting.

quentinl001@e.ntu.edu.sg

Congxi Huang

Ph.D. Student

B.Eng. Materials Science and Engineering

Congxi Huang joined the group as a PhD student after his undergraduate study in Tsinghua University, China. His main research focus is coacervates and its applications in fields such as drug delivery. In his spare time, he likes reading books.

congxi001@e.ntu.edu.sg

Khwajah Syed Maricar

Project Officer

B.Eng. Materials Science and Engineering

Syed first started in our group as a FYP student, and upon graduation he continues as a project officer working on Liquid-liquid phase separation. He has a wide variety of hobbies, such as hiking, street photography, perfumery and enjoying/making coffee.

mkhwajah.maricar@ntu.edu.sg

Filipe Viana Ferreira

Ph.D. Student

B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Materials Engineering

Filipe comes from Brazil. He earned both his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he did research on calcium carbonate fouling. He also did research on the characterization of the liquid interface between oil nanodroplets and water as a graduate intern at IBM. Thanks to the SINGA scholarship from A*STAR, he moved to Singapore to pursue his Ph.D. and to do research on cellular uptake of droplet coacervates, co-supervised by Prof. Huajian Gao. In his free time, he studies foreign languages, plays games, reads/watches fantasy stories and swims.

filipe001@e.ntu.edu.sg

Chen Zilin

Ph.D. Student

M.Sc. in Materials Physics (Nanjing University) and Material Science (NTU)

Zilin got her bachelor’s degree in Materials Physics from Nanjing University and master’s degree in MSE from NTU. Out of interests in biomaterials and bio-inspired materials, she joined BBML to pursue PhD study on the delivery of peptide coacervates into primary cells. She enjoys playing badminton and walking by the sea.

zilin002@e.ntu.edu.sg