Research achievements

Dr. Raj Kumar obtained his PhD on 07/10/2017 and currently is a PBC (Planning and Budgeting Committee) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Faculty of Engineering (Bio-Engineering) and Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Israel. He is working on the project “Nanomaterials for neural tissue engineering” in the Neuroengineering and Regeneration Lab. On this project, he is synthesizing magnetic nanoparticles, core-shell magnetic nanoparticles and nanocomposites of magnetic nanoparticles to make three-dimensional (3D) scaffold hydrogel (collagen) for neuron regeneration, and to guide the directions of neurons using external magnetic fields. He is also involved in a research project on skin regeneration through enhancing the migration of skin cell for wound healing. In addition, he has also been investigating different nanomaterials and nanocomposites to promote PC12 cells differentiation and growth of neuron. The interesting nanomaterials of his investigation are ZnO tetrapods and PLGA-PEG microtubes The work completed so far in his postdoc will be generate 5 research articles and 3 review articles. He is a highly demanded reviewer for various international journals in the field of nanomedicine and high energetic materials, such as RSC Advances, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

 

Before moving to Israel, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) (Jan 2017 - March 2017) on a project entitled “Continuous nanoformulation technology for poorly water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients” funded with a National Postdoctoral Fellowship (NPDF) by Science and Engineering Research Board, India. He also involved in development of a research proposal “Enhancing oil recovery using nanoparticles stabilized carbon dioxide (CO2) foams”. Prior to joining IIT Gandhinagar and having just completed his PhD, he worked as a Contractual Faculty at Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Central University of Karnataka for a semester (Aug. – Dec. 2016). He taught chemistry courses such as Inorganic Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Nanoscience to Master of Science in Chemistry (M.Sc. Chemistry) and Engineering Chemistry for Integrated Master of Science/Technology (I.M.Sc and I.M.Tech).

 

His PhD research project was on “A novel evaporation assisted solvent antisolvent interaction method for the nanocrystallization of organic compounds”, at School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, India. During his PhD, Dr. Kumar independently developed an evaporation assisted solvent antisolvent interaction (EASAI) method, a drop-by-drop solvent hot antisolvent interaction method, a drop-to-drop mixing method, a continuous precipitation process and droplet based nanoprecipitation. He was actively involved in a project entitled "Novel Routes for Crystallization Of Energetic Compounds” funded by Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory, Defense Research and Development Organization (TBRL-DRDO) India. The EASAI method was transferred to TBRL-DRDO, India for commercial production of nano-high energetic materials for defense applications. This is the one of the process that formulates the nanoparticles with particle size below 100 nm with spherical morphology. He also developed controlled delivery of poor water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) through solid lipid nanoparticle formulations using Sonochemistry. He was also involved actively in a project entitled “Swollen Liquid Crystal Soft Templates for Structured Nanomaterial Synthesis”, funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST), India.

 

Dr. Kumar published 13 publications in international peer-reviewed journals, contributing 1 book chapters and 1 patent submission.  He has over 7 years of experience in nanoformulation of various organic compounds, such as poorly water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients and high energetic compounds through solvent antisolvent interaction methods using a reprecipitation process and the microfluidic technology. He gained expertise in preparation of nanoparticles of organic compounds. During his PhD he attended and presented his work in various international and national conferences and workshops, including the 3rd International Conference on Nanotechnology in Medicine (NanoMed 2015) at Manchester University, Manchester, UK; the 7th International Congress, Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine (BioNanoMed-2016) at Danube University, Krems, Austria, and 9 other international conferences (ICFMD 2012, RAINSAT-2015, NANOS-2015, NSNT-2012, NSNB-2013, ICA-2013, BIN-2014, ICRANN-2014, NANOS-2015) held in India. He actively participated in research scholar’s conference at IIT Mandi (Research Fair) and presented his work as oral (Research Fair-2016) and poster (Research Fair-2013) presentations. He also volunteered as a member of the organizing committees of conferences at IIT Mandi as volunteers. He also attended 2 national workshops on cell culture technique and microfluidics technology.

The principal reason for Dr Kumar to move to your lab is to acquire new research skills to give him the capability to build and lead his own research team in the future. Through delivering project, Dr Kumar will also further develop his transferable skills. He will be responsible for delivering the project’s goals on time, in full and to budget and for co-supervising master and PhD students, thereby enhancing his project management and leadership skills in a multicultural, strongly international environment. He will also benefit from participating in training courses, including presentation/communication skills, leadership and academic writing. Integration into the international level over a two year period will consolidate his ability to collaborate and communicate with international colleagues in future, disseminate scientific advances, enhancing his impact around world.

​

Research and academic achievements:

​

Research at Bar Ilan Univeristy

            I joined as Postdoctoral Fellow in Prof. Orit lab which is also called as Neuro Engineering Laboratory as a part of Faculty of Engineering and Bar Ilan Institute of Nanotechnologies and Advanced Materials in April 2017. My work focus on controlled the directional growth of neuron by utilizing functional nanomaterials. I also involved in various other projects and has work collaboration with Dr. VIjay Bhooshan Kumar, Postdoc at Prof. Gendanken Lab, Chemistry, Bar Ilan University.

​

During My Ph.D., I was worked on different research areas namely nanoformulation of organic compounds (high energetic materials and poor water soluble drugs), solid lipid nanoparticles for control drug delivery and nanomaterials

​

Research Highlights at IIT Gandhinagar

            During My Postdoctoral studies (3 months) at IIT Gandhinagar, I was worked on continuous nanocrystallization of pharmaceutical drugs and effect of stabilizers on controlling the growth of particles and effect of ultrasound in liquid antisolvent precipitation method. Developed the project on oil recovery enhancement using stable foams which are stabilized by hydrophilic nanoparticles. 

​

Research Highlights at IIT Mandi

            During My Ph.D., I was worked on different research areas namely nanoformulation of organic compounds (high energetic materials and poor water soluble drugs), solid lipid nanoparticles for control drug delivery and nanomaterials as catalyst in organic coupling reaction in synthesis.

​

1.         Nanoformulation of Organic compounds:

 

1.1.      EASAI method         

            I developed a novel method evaporation assisted solvent-antisolvent interaction (EASAI) for nanoformulation of organic compounds. This method is mainly control the rate of supersaturation and rate of nucleation which affects the particles size and morphology of nanoparticles. we enhanced the rate of supersaturation by controlling the experimental parameter in such a way to enhance the evaporation of solvent quickly after injection into antisolvent. Using this method we successfully nanoformulated the high energetic materials (RDX and HMX) and poor water soluble drugs. The solubility and bioavailability of the poor water soluble drug was enhanced more than 10 times by nanoformulation. The anticancer activities of naproxen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was enhanced 8 fold and 2 fold with compare to respective raw-drugs and pure anticancer drugs doxorubicin. All prepared nanoparticles of organic compounds are below 100 nm with spherical morphology.

​

1.2.      Microfluidics technology

            We also applied the microfluidics technology to prepare the nanoparticles of organic compounds. We design the four different experimental method namely drop-by-drop hot antisolvent precipitation, drop-to-drop solvent antisolvent interaction method, continuous flow method and nanoprecipitation by droplet generation. I was successfully nanoformulated the different poor water soluble drugs and high energetic materials. The solubility was enhanced more than 12 times and all nanodrugs showed enhancement in drug release profile. All prepared nanoparticles are particles size below 220 nm and able to prepared nanoparticles continuously which is suitable for industrial applications.

 

2.         Solid Lipid nanoparticles

            I also developed a hot melt sonication method for preparation of solid lipid nanoparticles. I was successfully prepared the different drug loaded solid lipid nanoparticles of different lipid using different surfactant. The prepared solid lipid nanoparticles showed control release of poor water soluble drugs with high drug encapsulation efficiency and drug loading. This may useful for delivery of toxic drugs in cancer treatment.

​

3.         Catalysis

            I also involved in investigated of catalytic activities of nanomaterials namely pure palladium nanowires, palladium polyaniline nanocomposite, palladium nanoparticles and nanorods dispersed graphene nanocomposite in organic coupling reactions such as Suzuki, Heck and Sonagashira reactions. These nanomaterials showed good catalytic activity in green coupling reactions with good percentage of yield recyclable with very small amount of catalyst. This catalyst capable to complete the Suzuki reaction in 45 minutes Heck and Sonagashira reactions within 10 minute.

 

In above all research method we optimized all experimental parameter and studied thoroughly.

​