Principal Investigator
Anita Shukla
anita_shukla@brown.edu
Associate Professor of Engineering
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011
B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2006
Anita Shukla is an Associate Professor of Engineering and a member of the Center for Biomedical Engineering at Brown University. Professor Shukla’s research focuses on designing responsive and targeted biomaterials for applications in drug delivery and regenerative medicine. She is particularly passionate about using these materials for treating infections. Professor Shukla is the recipient of several national and university honors and awards for both her research and teaching, including a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, an Office of Naval Research Director of Research Early Career Grant, and a Brown University Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Prior to joining Brown in 2013, Professor Shukla was an NIH Ruth Kirschstein postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University. She received her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2011 as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Professor Shukla also received a Master’s of Science in Chemical Engineering Practice from MIT. She received her Bachelor’s of Science at Carnegie Mellon University in 2006 with majors in chemical engineering and biomedical engineering.
Senior Research Scientist
Akram Abbasi
akram_abbasi@brown.edu
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston. 2014-2019
M.Sc. Chemical Engineering-Thermo-kinetics and Catalyst, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran
B.Sc. Chemical Engineering-Process Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran
Research interests: Developing biomaterials and nanoparticles for treatment and detection of bacterial infection.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sk Rajab Ali
sk_rajab_ali@brown.edu
Ph.D. Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. 2016-2022
M.S. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. 2014-2016
B.Sc. Midnapore College, West Bengal, India
Research interests: Developing stimuli-responsive soft materials for the treatment of bacterial/fungal infections.
Graduate Students
Camila Carvalho
camila_carvalho@brown.edu
Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Engineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Research Interests: Developing drug delivery systems using responsive biomaterials for the treatment of systemic and localized fungal infections.
Carolina Gomez Casas
carolina_gomez_casas@brown.edu
Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Engineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
Research Interests: Developing immunomodulatory drug delivery systems for the treatment of microbial biofilms.
Zhaowei Jiang
zhaowei_jiang@brown.edu
Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University
B.S., Biochemistry, Syracuse University
Research Interests: Developing nanomaterials for the treatment of bacterial infections
Veronica LaMastro
veronica_lamastro@brown.edu
Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering & Chemistry, Rowan University
Research Interests: Developing advanced drug delivery systems for treatment of systemic fungal infections
Alec McCall
alec_mccall@brown.edu
Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Arizona State University
Research Interests: Developing bacterial enzyme responsive antimicrobial biomaterials for treatment of chronic wound infections
Dominique Walker
dominique_walker@brown.edu
Ph.D. Student, Therapeutic Sciences
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), MCPHS University
B.S., Kinesiology & Psychology, Michigan State University
Research Interests: Developing targeted drug delivery systems for the treatment of fungal infections
Visiting Graduate Students
Patricia M. Nagai De Lima
patricia_michelle_nagai_de_lima@brown.edu
Ph.D. Student, Microbiology & Immunology, São Paulo State University
M.Sc., Microbiology & Immunology, São Paulo State University
Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), University of Vale do Paraíba
Research Interests: Developing antimicrobial agents and control methods for infections of medical and dental care
Undergraduate Students
christopher_shin@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: investigating biomaterials for drug delivery and regenerative medicine
Peter Gonzalez
peter_gonzalez@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Chemical Biology
Research interests: Developing aerosolized nanoparticles containing antifungal medications to combat pulmonary fungal infections
Tobias Meng-Saccoccio
tobias_meng-saccoccio@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: Developing peptide-decorated antifungal drug-loaded liposomes for active targeting of Candida biofilms
Carleigh Oberkfell
carleigh_oberkfell@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: Investigating therapeutic agents for eradicating microbial biofilms
Kyle Lam
kyle_lam@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Materials Chemistry
Research Interests: Developing antimicrobial nanoparticles for the treatment of biofilm infections
Injy El-Dib
injy_el-dib@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests:Developing Antibiotic-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles for Targeted Treatment of Infections
Joanne Liu
joanne_liu@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: Designing liposomal therapeutics to target fungal infections and biofilms
Mayayi Izzo
mayayi_izzo@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: Optimizing liposomal formulations with antibiotics for responsive hydrogels to target wound infections
Jamiley Avila
jamiley_avila@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Investigating immunomodulatory lipid nanoparticles to combat biofilm infections
Julia Patterson
julia_patterson@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: Optimizing liposomal formulations for antimicrobial, enzyme-responsive hydrogel applications
Niyanta Nepal
niyanta_nepal@brown.edu
Sc.B. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering and BA in Education Studies
Research Interests: Development of hydrogels with the capability to detect β-lactam drug resistance via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy utilizing gold nanoparticles