A major area of our research is concerned with the physicochemical properties and self-assemblies of synthetic surfactants, especially chiral surfactants. With a wide range of techniques available it is natural that we cover a wide range of problems. My group is interested in how the molecular geometry affects the association properties of ionic surfactants and surfactant mixtures in aqueous and saline solutions. My group has developed some single-chain chiral surfactants that form vesicles at relatively low concentrations.
One of the areas my group currently focusing attention on is drug and gene delivery using stimuli-responsive (pH, temperature, etc.) vesicles and hydrogels. Our aim is to prepare stable unilamellar vesicles and hydrogels of amphiphilic molecules that can be used for drug/gene delivery, formulations of health-care products, and water pollution control. We have developed some responsive hydrogel formed by amino acid based chiral surfactants. My group has also discovered molecules that gel edible, as well as mineral oils.
In recent years, increasing environmental pressure to utilize safer, "greener" working practices has resulted in a dramatic expansion in the use of such water-soluble/dispersible systems in industrial processes. Water-soluble polymers that exhibit "smart" behavior (i.e. which have the ability to change their conformation in response to an external stimulus such as temperature or pH) are of particular interest as they can be used as injectable delivery systems. We have developed some pH- and redox-sensitive polymeric micelles and vesicles for delivery of anticancer drugs.
Since my group is dedicated to developing biodegradable and biocompatible drug delivery systems, a sizable part of our research involves synthesis and characterization of small molecules and polymers. Therefore, all chemists (Physical, Organic and Inorganic) are welcome to my group. I believe my group members get a complete training in Chemistry which enable them pursue independent research after the Ph.D. program.
- Co-Principal Investigator
Ph. D. Students
Deepnath Bajani
Area of Research: Molecular Self-Assembly and Drug Delivery
Homen Dahal
Area of Research: Molecular Self-assembly and Drug Delivery
Pabitra Mondal
Area of Research: Molecular Self-Assembly and Drug Delivery
Swagata Patra
Area of Research: Nanoscience and drug delivery