The Center of Excellence is working on disruptive innovations in materials science that will enhance healthcare, improve patient outcomes, and promote global well-being. The innovative and clinically feasible technologies in material science are aimed at tackling major medical issues.

Ongoing activities

• Hydroxyapatite-based bioactive bone substitutes
• NO-releasing peptide-based dressings for diabetic wounds
• Mg-alloy-based bioresorbable bone implants
• Cryohaemoclot bandage for trauma care
• Phenylalanine conjugated thermostable human insulin
• Bio-adhesive Spray for NAFLD
• Thermo-responsive gel for IBD cure
• Bio-adhesive materials for wound healing
• Antimicrobial peptides

Flagship project

Development of 3-D Printed Porous Interbody Spacer for Spinal Deformity

This project is developing 3D-printed porous interbody spacers for spinal deformity. The novelty of the proposal is the unique design in both material composition (PEEK with antimicrobial hydrogel) and architecture.

PI

Name: Professor Ashok Kumar
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Faculty Members

Dr. Ashok Kumar

Biological Sciences and Bioengineering

Downstream processing; affinity interactions and cell separations; nanotechnology; biomaterials; tissue engineering

Dr. Sandeep Verma

Chemistry

New antibiotics, programmable soft matter for neuronal regeneration, and modulating stem cell proliferation by designed molecules

Dr. Shikhar Jha

Materials Science and Engineering

Advanced material processing under externally applied fields and its effect on electrical, optical, and chemical properties of the materials

Associated Faculty Members

Scientists

Dr. Shreya Mehrotra

DST-INSPIRE Faculty
IIT Kanpur

3D Bioprinting, Microfluidics, Tissue Engineering

Dr. Bibhas K. Bhunia

Assistant Professor
Parul Institute of Applied Science, Parul University, Vadodara

Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials

Research Scholars

Clinical advisors

Dr. Abhinav Srivastava

Orthopaedic spine surgeon
Era’s Lucknow Medical College Lucknow

Endoscopic spine surgery, spinal injury, Deformity Correction (Scoliosis, Kyphosis), Disc replacement, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, spinal cord tumor

Dr. Saroj Chooramani

Distinguished Visiting Professor
PhD Research Scholar, BSBE

Spinal cord regeneration, Stem cell therapy, Neural tissue Engineering

Dr. Sohael M. Khan

Associate Professor & Consultant
Spine Surgeon at DMIMS, Ortho Spine Consultant, Care Hospital, Nagpur

Spine Surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, endoscopic spine surgery, deformity correction.

Dr. Vineet Ahuja

AIIMS-New Delhi

Luminal Gastroenterology: Inflammatory bowel disease, Peptic ulcer disease, Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Amebic liver abscess

Dr. Sanjay Kala

GSVM Kanpur

General Surgery

Dr. Sumbul Siddiqui

Consultant Cardiac Surgeon DBASI SMHRC, Nagpur

Cardiac Surgeon

Dr. Zahiruddin Quazi

Executive Director
Directorate of Research and Innovation, DMIHER

Community Medicine

Dr. Richa Giri

Vice Principal
GSVM Kanpur

Pediatrics

Dr. Ashish Kumar

New Delhi

Publications

• Saha, T., Mehrotra, S., Gupta, P., Kumar, A. (2024). Therapeutic miRNA-enriched exosome functionalized hepatic patch attenuates chronic non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-driven fibrosis in a preclinical model. Biomaterial 2025 Jul:318:123140. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025..
• Singh, S., Kaul, G., Shukla, M., Akhir, A., Tripathi, S., Gupta, A., ... & Verma, S. (2025). Linear Antimicrobial Peptide, Containing a Diindolyl Methane Unnatural Amino Acid, Potentiates Gentamicin Against Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Drug Development Research, 86(2), e70070.
• Shaikh, S., Mehrotra, S., Bochove, B. V., Teotia, A. K., Singh, P., Isabella, L., Lindfors, N. C., Seppälä, J., Kumar, A. (2024). Osteoinductive Strontium-substituted Nanohydroxyapatite Containing Biodegradable 3D Printed Composite Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 16(47):65378-65393
• Verma, D. P., Tripathi, A. K., & Thakur, A. K. (2024). Innovative Strategies and Methodologies in Antimicrobial Peptide Design. Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 15(11), 320.
• Ghosh, R., Singh, P.; Hussain, P. A., Ubaid, T., Bibhas, B., Kumar, A. (2024). Emerging technological advancement for chronic wound diagnosis and treatment. ACS Applied Biomaterials 7(11):7101-7132.
• Nikhil, A., Gugjoo, M. B., Das, A., Manzoor, T., Andrabi, S. M., Ganai, N. A., Kumar, A. (2024). Treatment of goat knee osteochondral injuries and cartilage phenotype maintenance using multi-layered scaffold laden with chondrocyte exosomes. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13(32): 19 pages.
• Paul, S., Verma, S., & Chen, Y. C. (2024). Peptide dendrimer-based antibacterial agents: synthesis and applications. ACS Infectious Diseases, 10(4), 1034-1055.
• Gupta, S., Qayoom, I., Singh, S., Kumar, A. (2024). Antibiotic and exosome functionalized bone cement in synergy with herbal membrane to treat bone infection and execute complete bone healing. ACS Infectious Diseases 10(11): 3994 – 4008.
• Gahane, A. Y., Verma, D. P., Sarkar, S., & Thakur, A. K. (2024). Evaluation of Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) of Novel Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-Phenylalanine Antimicrobial Agent. Pharmaceutical Research, 41(4), 687-698.
• Nikhil, A., Gugjoo, M. B., Das, A., Ahmad, S. M., Kumar, A. (2024). 3D-Printed-Cryogel-Impregnated Functionalized Scaffold Augments Bone Regeneration in Critical Tibia Fracture in Goat. Advanced Health Care Materials 2402619.
• Srivastava, E., Qayoom, I., Kumar, A. (2024). Reduced graphene oxide substituted nanohydroxyapatite: rejuvenating bone nerve cross talk with electrical cues in fragility fracture rat model under hyperglycaemia. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 16, 59738-50751.
• Panjla, A., Joshi, S., Singh, G., Bamford, S. E., Mechler, A., & Verma, S. (2024). Applying Machine Learning for Antibiotic Development and Prediction of Microbial Resistance. Chemistry–An Asian Journal, 19(18), e202400102.
• Singh, P., Baniasad, H., Gupta, S., Shaikh, S., Seppälä, J., Kumar, A. (2024). 3D-printed cellulose nanocrystals and gelatin scaffolds with bioactive cues for regenerative medicine: Advancing biomedical applications. Int J of Biological Macromolecules.78 (2024) 134402.
• Sen, S., Kaul, G., & Verma, S. (2024). Nucleobase and Peptide-based Designed Molecules for Biomedical Applications. Current Indian Science, 2(1), e2210299X308571.
• Banerjee, A., Singh, P., Sheikh, P. A., Kumar, A., Koul, V., Bhattacharyya, J. (2024). A multifunctional self-healing hydrogel laden with M2-derived exosomes reshape microenvironment of diabetic wound and accelerate healing. Int. J Biological Macromolecules .270(2024) 132384.
• Banerjee, A., Singh, P., Shiekh, P., Kumar, A., Koul, V., Bhattacharyya, J. (2024). Simultaneous regulation of AGE/RAGE signaling and MMP-9 expression by an immunomodulating hydrogel accelerates healing in diabetic wounds. Biomaterial Advances 163(2024) 213937.
• Das, A., Nikhil, A., Yadav, B., Jagavelu, K., Kumar, A. (2024). Thermosensitive polymer encapsulated exosomes for preventing cerebrovascular disease: A preclinical evaluation in rat carotid artery thrombosis model. J Drug Del Sci Tech 216 (2022) 112580.
• Bormon, R., Srivastava, E., Ali, R., Singh, P., Kumar, A., Verma, S. (2024). Nitric oxide-releasing 6,9-disubstituted purines as potent anticancer agents against hepatocellular carcinoma. ChemCom. DOI:10.1029/D4CC00232F.
• Nikhil, A., Qayoom, I., Das, A., Kumar, A. (2024). Preventing septic implant failures in osteoporotic hip fractures using antibiotic-loaded functionalized nanocement. Chemical Engineering Journal 486 (2024) 149908.
• Shaikh, S., Gupta, S., Mishra, A., Shiekh, P., Singh, P., Kumar, A. (2024). Laser-assisted rapid synthesis of biomimetic nano-hydroxyapatite and its functionalization with bone active molecules for in-vivo ectopic bone regeneration. Colloids and Surfaces B.
• Ghosh, R., Gupta, S., Mehrotra, S., Kumar, A. (2024). Silane-modified Diopside-PCL Injection Moulded Biopolymer Ceramic Composite: A Potential Composition for Orthopedic Applications. ACS Applied Material Science and Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c15637.
• Sharma, S., Anand, A., Singh, R., Singh, R. K., & Verma, S. (2024). Peptide-triggered IL-12 and IFN-γ mediated immune response in CD4+ T-cells against Leishmania donovani infection. Chemical Communications, 60(30), 4092-4095.
• Sen, S., Ali, R., Onkar, A., Verma, S., Ahmad, Q. T., Bhadauriya, P., ... & Verma, S. (2024). Synthesis of a highly thermostable insulin by phenylalanine conjugation at B29 Lysine. Communications Chemistry, 7(1), 161.
• Das, A., Aman, N., Kumar, A. (2024). Antioxidant and trilayered electrospun small-diameter vascular grafts maintain patency and promote endothelialisation in rat femoral artery. ACS Biomaterial Science & Engineering 2024, 10, 3, 1697–1711.
• Mairal, A., Mehrotra, S., Kumar, A., Maiwal, R., Marshal, J., Kumar, A. (2024). Hyaluronic acid conjugated thermoresponsive polymer-based bioformulation enhanced wound healing and gut barrier repair of TNBS-induced colitis injury ex-vivo model in a dynamic perfusion device. ACS Applied Material Science and Engineering.https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c 14113.
• Das, A., Nikhil, A., Shiekh, P. A., Yadav, B., Jagavelu, K., Kumar, A. (2024). Ameliorating impaired cardiac function in myocardial infarction using exosome-loaded gallic-acid-containing polyurethane scaffolds coated with decellularized extracellular matrix. Bioactive Materials 33, 324-340
• Qayoom, I., Prasad, A., Fazili, Khalid M., Nussler, Andreas K., Kumar, A. (2023). Organic-inorganic composite of polypropylene fumarate and nanohydroxyapatite as carrier of antibiotics for the treatment of bone infections. Biomaterial Advances 1:157:213714. doi: 10.1016/j.bioadv. 2023.213714.
• Shaikh S., Baniasadi, H., Mehrotra, S., Ghosh, R., Singh, P., Seppälä, J., Kumar, A. (2023). Strontium-substituted nano-hydroxyapatite incorporated poly (lactic acid) based composites for orthopedic applications with bioactive, machinable, and high strength properties. Biomacromolecules 2023 Nov 13;24(11):4901-4914 doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00610.
• Das, A., Mehrotra, S., Kumar, A. (2023). Advances in Fabrication Technologies for Development of Next generation Cardiovascular Stents. Journal of Functional Biomaterials 14(11), 544.
• Gupta, R., Gupta, S., Gupta, P., Nüssler, A. K., Kumar, A. (2023). Establishing the Callus-based isolation of extracellular Vesicles from Cissus Quadrangularis and elucidating their role in Osteogenic differentiation. Journal of Functional Biomaterials 14, 540.
• Srivastava, E., Qayoom, I., Singh, A., Kumar, A. (2023). An electrically conductive nanofibrous “Electroband”: Amalgamating electrical and biochemical cues to enhance nerve regeneration in median nerve injury model. Carbon 213 (2023) 11826
• Patel, M., Jaiswal, A., Naseer, A., Tripathi, A.,……. Verma, S & Gour, N. (2024). Amyloidogenic propensity of metabolites in the uric acid pathway and urea cycle critically impacts the etiology of metabolic disorders. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 15(5), 916-931.
• Ghosh, R., Shaikh, S., Gupta, S., Mehrotra, S. and Kumar, A. (2023). Machinable diopside-lanthanum phosphate composite ceramics for fabricating load bearing bone implants. Chemical Engineering Journal 144048.
• Andrabi, S. M., Kumar, A. (2023). A kaolin/calcium incorporated shape memory and antimicrobial chitosan-dextran based cryogel as an efficient haemostatic dressing for uncontrolled hemorrhagic wounds.Biomaterial Advances 150 (2023) 213424.
• Gupta, S., Qayoom, I., Gupta, P., Gupta, A., Singh, P., Singh, S., & Kumar, A. (2023). Exosome-Functionalized, Drug-Laden Bone Substitute along with an Antioxidant Herbal Membrane for Bone and Periosteum Regeneration in Bone Sarcoma. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15(7), 8824-8839
• Singh, P., Andrabi, S. M., Tariq, U., Gupta, S., Shaikh, S., & Kumar, A. (2023). Functionally multifaceted scaffolds delivering bioactive compounds for treatment of infectious chronic and ischemic wounds. Chemical Engineering Journal, 141359.
• Gupta, A., Mehta, S. K., Kumar, A., & Singh, S. (2023). Advent of phytobiologics and nano-interventions for bone remodeling: a comprehensive review. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 43(1), 142-169.
• Shaikh, S., Qayoom, I., Sarvesha, R., & Kumar, A. (2023). Bioresorbable magnesium-based alloys containing strontium doped nanohydroxyapatite promotes bone healing in critical sized bone defect in rat femur shaft. Journal of Magnesium and Alloys, 11(1), 270-286
• Qayoom, I., Srivastava, E., & Kumar, A. (2022). Anti-infective composite cryogel scaffold treats osteomyelitis and augments bone healing in rat femoral condyle. Biomaterials Advances, 142, 213133.

Patents Granted

• A nitric oxide-releasing peptide for neutralizing neuroinflammation and cell death pathway. Sandeep Verma, Rafat Ali, Shantanu Sen, Syed Shadab Raza, Arshi Waseem, Ravi Prakash (Indian Patent No: 202511012593, February 14, 2025).
• 2,6,9-Trisubstituted adenine derivatives for promoting osteogenesis and bone regeneration. Sandeep Verma, Ashok Kumar, Rakhi Bormon, Ekta Srivastava (Indian Patent No: 202411084515, November 5, 2024).
• A hydrogen sulfide releasing insulin derivative and process for synthesizing thereof. Sandeep Verma, Rafat Ali, Shantanu Sen, Aamir Nazir, Rohil Hameed, Syed Shadab Raza, Arshi Waseem, S Ganesh, Akanksha Omar (Indian Patent No: 202411066646, September 3, 2024).
• Phenylalanine conjugated thermostable human insulin and uses thereof. Shantanu Sen, Rafat Ali, Akanksha Onkar, Subramaniam Ganesh, Quazi Tausif Ahmed, Pradip Sinha, Sandeep Verma (Granted, Indian Patent No: 518452, March 1, 2024).
• A Biphasic Ceramic Carrier as a Delivery Vehicle of Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs. Ashok Kumar & Irfan Qayoom (2024). Indian Patent Application No. 202011025140, Date of Filing: 15-06-2020, Patent No. 496295; Date of Grant: 09-01-2024.
• A Process for Fabrication of an Electrically Conductive Aligned Nonofibrous Scaffold. Ashok Kumar, Ekta Srivastava (2022). Application No. 202211058482; Date of Filing 13-10-2022. Patent No. 466495; Date of Grant: 07-11-2023.
• A human insulin derivative for real-time monitoring of insulin quality and process for synthesizing thereof. S. Sen, Rafat Ali, Sandeep Verma (Granted, Indian Patent No: 501198, January 19, 2024).
• Short cationic peptide with broad spectrum activity as an adjuvant for conventional antibiotics and thereof. Sandeep Verma, Sidharth Chopra, Apurva Panjla, Grace Kaul, Manjulika Shukla (Granted; Indian Patent No: 452004, September 15, 2023).
• An Antibiotic Loaded Composite Bone Active Biomaterial and Process for Synthesis Thereof. Ashok Kumar & Irfan Qayoom. Indian Patent Application no. 202211044544; Date of Filing: 04/08/2022. Patent No. 423656; Date of Grant: 01/03/2023.
• Process for the Laser Assisted Synthesis of Nano-Hydroxyapatite and Thereof. Ashok Kumar, Shazia Shaikh, Ankita Mishra. Indian Patent Application No. 202111059140; Date of Filing: 18-12-2021. Patent No. 421508; Date of Grant: 14-02-2023.

Patents Filed

• Thiourea-based derivatives as novel antimicrobials against A. baumanii. Alexander Titz, Marta Czekanska, Sidharth Chopra, Sandeep Verma (Filed, European Patent 2024).
• Exosome loaded freeze-dried scaffolds for targeted regenerative therapy. Ashok Kumar, Parvaiz A Shiekh, Triya Saha, Shreya Mehrotra. (2023). Application No. 202311065670; Date of filing 29-09-2023
• Process for engineering extracellular vesicles for targeted liver-related disease conditions. Ashok Kumar, Purva Gupta (2024). Application No. 202411099619.; Date of filing: 18-12-2024
• Nano-scaffold loaded with trans-resvertol stabilized gold nanoparticles for enhanced bone regeneration and method thereof. Sneha Singh, Ashok Kumar, Archita Gupta (2023).Indian Patent Application No. 202331031960 Date of filing 04-05-2023.
• Perfusion-based microphysiological device (MPD) for ex-vivo explant culture for disease modelling. Ashok Kumar, Shreya Mehrotra, Ayushi Mairal (2023). Application No. 202311045812; Date of filing .07-07-2023.
• A method for the preparation of polyurethane-based scaffold coated with decellularized extracellular matrix for tissue engineering. Ashok Kumar, Ankita Das (2023). Application No. 202311018055; Date of filing 17-03-2023.
• Process for the Fabrication of Biodegradable Magnesium-Based Alloys for Orthopaedic Applications and Thereof. Ashok Kumar, Shazia Shaikh (2023). Provisional Indian Patent Application No. 202111017399; Date of Filing: 14-04-2023.
• A Biocomposite Delivery System for Phytobioactives in Bone Healing. Provisional Indian Patent Ashok Kumar, Sneha Singh, Archita Gupta, Prerna Singh, Sneha Gupta, Sanjay Kumar Mehta (2023). Application No. 202211024100; Date of Filing: 19-04-2023. published in the Journal Number 21/2023.

Association and Collaboration