People
Group Leader
Oommen Podiyan Oommen
- Associate Professor
- Biomaterials for cell and tissue engineering
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
- Tampere University
- +358504478904
- oommen.oommen@tuni.fi
About me
Albert Einstein has said 'if you have never failed, you never tried anything new'. Integrating your expertise into new areas outside your domain of expertises and taking calculated risks, makes one a productive scientist.
I am an organic chemist by training and a biologist at heart. Harnessing the transformative power of synthetic chemistry for biomedical application is the primary goal of my research. I aim to bridge this knowledge gap and develop translational technologies for various biomedical needs. As a trained organic chemist, I have the advantage of being able to tailor the properties of the materials and thus tune their immunological and cellular functions. Currently, my research spreads over diverse areas: Nanomedicine, drug delivery, gene delivery, cardiac and bone tissue engineering, stem cell engineering for transplantation, immunomodulation of cells and materials and developing bioconjugation strategies.
Responsibilities
Teaching Responsibilities: I am the course coordinator for two Master’s courses, namely: Nanomedicine & Advanced Drug Delivery Technologies(BBT.BTE.306, 5 ECTS), and Tissue Engineering Applications (BBT.BTE.304, 5 ECTS). The essence of my teaching philosophy is that research and teaching are strongly coupled. As these two subjects are close to my research activity, the content of my lectures are structured such that research and application are strongly engaged. The lectures are research-oriented compilations of state-of-the-artdevelopments in the scientific fields.
Research Mentor: I am currently supervising three Ph.D. student; Mr. Sumanta Samanta, Mr. Austin D. Evans, and Ms. Negin Pournoori and three Master’s students. The supervision includes designing new projects, monitor overall academic progress, giving training in fabrication and characterization of soft materials and nanoparticles. I have developed my research supervision strategy based on my interactions with research students.
Research unit
Bioengineering and Nanomedicine Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
Research fields
Tissue Engineering of Tumor Microenvironment, Nanomedicine, Engineering 3D scaffold, Bioconjugation Chemistry, Cell Engineering
● Remote reviewer for ERC Starting Grant (PE11 Panel; 2021)
● Associate Editor, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
● Co-founder and partner of a spin-off called ‘Uppsala Therapeutics AB’
● Editorial board member of the journal ‘Frontiers in Nanotechnology’
● International Advisory Board Member for H2020 ERA-Chair project TRANSCEND-IRO (ESEI-BioMed)-Romania (2020-2026)
● Scientific Advisory Board Member, European Society of Biomaterials
● Scientific board member of European Chapter Meeting of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society
● Expert grant reviewer in ‘Discipline for Physical Sciences and Engineering’ for the National Science Center, Poland (2016-2018)
● Expert grant reviewer for ‘Sir Henry Welcome Trust Post-Doctoral Fellowship’, UK. (2021)
● Guest editor of the JuFo1 journal ‘Disease Markers’ an open access journal from Hindawi
● 2016- Organizing Committee Member and Scientific Advisory Board, TERMIS Europe 2016/ Uppsala/ Sweden
● May 2012 Organizing Committee Member and Sessions Chair/ 22nd Interdisciplinary Research Conference on Biomaterials, ‘GRIBOI’/ Uppsala University/ Sweden
● Reviewer for the leading peer-reviewed journals: Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials; Biomaterials; Biomacromolecules; ACS Applied Materials and Interface; Scientific Reports; Acta Biomaterialia; Chemical Communications; Small; Nanoscale; Biomaterials Science; Macromolecular Bioscience; Molecular Biosystems; RSC Advance; Journal of Materials Chemistry B; Soft Matter, etc.
Some of my selected publications in the field of nanomedicine, drug and gene delivery, cell engineering & tissue engineering.
Biomimetic polyelectrolyte coating of stem cells suppresses thrombotic activation and enhances its survival and function, V. K. Rangasami, K. Asawa, Y. Teramura, K. L. Blanc, B. Nilsson, J. Hilborn, O. P. Varghese, O. P. Oommen, Biomaterials Advances, 2023, 147, 213331.
Hyaluronic acid based next generation bioink for 3D bioprinting of human stem cell derived corneal stromal model with innervation, A. Moro, S. Samanta, L. Honkamäki, V. K. Rangasami, P. Puistola, M. Kauppila, S. Narkilahti, S. Miettinen, O. P. Oommen, H. Skottman, Biofabrications, 2023, 15 (1), 015020.
Heparin-derived theranostic nanoprobes overcome the blood-brain barrier and target glioma in murine model, S. Samanta, V. Le Joncour, O. Wegrzyniak, V. Rangasami, H. Ali-Loytty, T. Hong, R. K. Selvaraju, O. Aberg, J. Hilborn, P. Laakkonen, O. P. Varghese, O. Eriksson, H. Cabral, O. P. Oommen, Advanced Therapeutics, 2022, 2200001
Bidirectional cell-matrix interaction dictates neuronal network formation in a brain mimetic 3D scaffold, S. Samanta, L. Ylä-Outinen, V. K. Rangasami, S. Narkilahti and O. P. Oommen, Acta Biomaterialia, 2022, 140, 314-323.
Interpenetrating gallol functionalized tissue adhesive hyaluronic acid hydrogel polarizes macrophages to an immunosuppressive phenotype, S. Samanta, V. K. Rangasami, H. Sarlus, J. R. K Samal, A. D. Evans, V. S Parihar, O. P. Varghese, R. A. Harris, O. P. Oommen, Acta Biomaterialia, 2022, 142, 36-48.
Pluronic Micelle-Mediated Tissue Factor Silencing Enhances Hemocompatibility, Stemness, Differentiation Potential, and Paracrine Signaling of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, V. K. Rangasami, G. Nawale, K. Asawa, S. Kadekar, S. Samanta, B. Nilsson, K. N Ekdahl, S. Miettinen, J. Hilborn, Y. Teramura, O. P. Varghese, O. P. Oommen, Biomacromolecules, 2021, 22 (5), 1980-1989.
Harnessing hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles for combination therapy: A novel approach for suppressing systemic inflammation and to promote antitumor macrophage polarization, V. K. Rangasami, S. Samanta, V. S, Parihar, K. Asawa, K. Zhu, O. P. Varghese, B. Nilsson, J. Hilborn, R. A. Harris, O. P. Oommen, Carbohydrate Polymers, 2021, 254, 117291.
ILC1 drive intestinal epithelial and matrix remodelling, G. M. Jowett, M. D. A. Norman, T. T. L. Yu, P. Rosell Arévalo, D. Hoogland, S. T. Lust, E. Read, E. Hamrud, N. J. Walters, U. Niazi, M. W. H. Chung, D. Marciano, O. S. Omer, T. Zabinski, D. Danovi, G. M. Lord, J. Hilborn, N. D. Evans, C. A. Dreiss, L. Bozec, O. P. Oommen, C. D. Lorenz, R. M. P. da Silva, J. F. Neves, E. Gentleman, Nature Materials 2021, 20 (2), 250-259.
Unexpected role of hyaluronic acid in trafficking siRNA across cellular barrier: First biomimetic, anionic, non-viral transfection method, M. Paidikondala, V. K. Rangasami, G. N. Nawale, T. Casalini, G. Perale, S. Kadekar, G. Mohanty, T. Salminen, O. P. Oommen,* O. P. Varghese,* Angew. Chem. Int. Edn., 2019, 58 (9), 2815-2819.
Tissue Adhesive Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels for Sutureless Stem Cell Delivery and Regeneration of Corneal Epithelium and Stroma, L. Koivusalo, M. Kauppila, T. Ilmarinen, S. Samanta, V. S. Parihar, S. Miettinen, O. P. Oommen,* H. Skottman,* Biomaterials, 2019, 225, 119516.
First Aldol Cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel: Fast and Hydrolytically Stable Hydrogel with Tissue Adhesive Properties, D. Bermejo-Velasco, S. Kadekar, M. V. T. da Costa, O. P. Oommen, K. Gamstedt, J. Hilborn, O. P. Varghese, ACS Applied Materials and Interface, 2019, 11 (41), 38232-38239.
Bi-directional cell-pericellular matrix interactions direct stem cell fate, S. A. Ferreira, M. S. Motwani, P. A. Faull, A. J. Seymour, T. T.L. Yu, M. Enayati, D. K. Taheem, E. M. Kania, O. P. Oommen, T. Ahmed, S. Loaiza, K. Parzych, F. Dazzi, H. W. Auner, O. P. Varghese, F. Festy, A. E. Grigoriadis, A. P. Snijders, L. Bozec, E. Gentleman, Nature Communications, 2018, 9, 4049.
Synthetic design of growth factor sequestering extracellular matrix mimetic hydrogel for promoting in vivo bone formation, H. Yan, T. Casalini, G. Hulsart-Billström, S. Wang, O. P. Oommen, M. Salvalaglio, S. Larsson, J. Hilborn, O. P. Varghese, Biomaterials 2018, 161, 190-202.
Multifunctional Hyaluronic Acid and Chondroitin Sulfate Nanoparticles: Impact of Glycosaminoglycan Presentation on Receptor Mediated Cellular Uptake and Immune Activation, O. P. Oommen,* C. Duehrkop, B. Nilsson, J. Hilborn and O. P. Varghese, ACS Applied Materials and Interface, 2016, 8, 20614–20624
Chondroitin Sulfate Coated Gold Nanoparticles: A New Strategy to Resolve Multidrug Resistance and Thromboinflammation, D. Gurav, O. P. Varghese, O. A. Hamad, B. Nilsson, J. Hilborn, O. P. Oommen,* Chemical Communications, 2016, 52, 966-969
Chondroitin Sulfate-Coated DNA-Nanoplexes Enhance Transfection Efficiency by Controlling Plasmid Release from Endosomes: A New Insight into Modulating Nonviral Gene Transfection, H. Yan, O. P. Oommen, D. Yu, J. Hilborn, H. Qian, O. P. Varghese, Adv. Funct. Mater., 2015, 25, 3907–3915.
Smart design of stable extracellular matrix mimetic hydrogel: synthesis, characterization, in vitro and in vivo evaluation for tissue engineering, O. P. Oommen, S. Wang, M. Kisiel, M. Sloff, J. Hilborn and O. P. Varghese Adv. Funct. Mater., 2013, 23, 1273–1280.
Microencapsulation of cells, including islets, within stable ultra-thin membranes of maleimide-conjugated PEG-lipid with multifunctional crosslinkers, Y. Teramura, O. P. Oommen, J. Olerud, J. Hilborn, B Nilsson, Biomaterials, 2013, 34, 2683-2693.
Ph.D. Students
Austin Evans
- Doctoral Researcher
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
- Tampere University
- austindonnelly.evans@tuni.fi
About me
I am a Doctoral Researcher using engineering principles to develop multifuncitonal hydrogel systems to enable 3D cancer mechanobiology research among other uses.
Field of expertise
My PhD research project combines expertise in aqueous hydrogel polymer chemistry, the biomaterial-cell interface, protein engineering, tissue engineering, 3D cell culture, and cell biology.
Research unit
Protein Dynamics Group and Bioengineering and Nanomedicine Group
Negin Pournoori
- Grant Holder
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
- Tampere University
- +358503023619
- negin.pournoori@tuni.fi
Sumanta Samanta
- Ph.D. Student
- Tampere University
- sumanta.samanta@tuni.fi
Post Doc
Shiji Raju
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- Tampere Institute for Advanced Study
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology
- Tampere University
- shiji.raju@tuni.fi
About me
I am a nanomedicine expert with over nine years of experience in the synthesis, characterization, and in vitro and in vivo studies of various nanomaterials for biomedical applications, including drug delivery and imaging, with a particular focus on oncology. Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at Tampere University, where I specialize in the bio-fabrication of immunotherapeutic-loaded nanomedicine for pancreatic cancer. My project, which aims to enhance image-guided cancer treatment through immunomodulation by integrating nanomedicine and immunotherapy, was internationally selected for funding by the Tampere Institute for Advanced Study for the 2023–2025 period.
I hold a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the University of Kerala, with research conducted at the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. My doctoral work was supported by a 5-year University Grants Commission - Junior Research Fellowship (CSIR/UGC JRF) awarded in 2015 through a highly competitive national examination by the Department of Higher Education, Government of India. My thesis, ‘Evaluation of Punica Granatum Fruit Rind Polysaccharide Nano-constructs for Theranostic Applications in Cancer’, focused on the development of theranostic nanomedicine.
My fascination with immunology began during my master's studies, where I was captivated by the body’s defence mechanisms against diseases, particularly the intricate interplay of humoral and cell-mediated immunity. During my Ph.D., I explored nanotechnology's applications in biomedicine, and now, in my postdoctoral research, I am privileged to synergize nanotechnology with immunology. My professional goal is to establish myself as an independent researcher and contribute to translational nanomedicine-immunotherapy research that directly benefits patient care.
Field of expertise
- Animal cell culture: Media preparation, culture and storage of different cancer and normal cell lines, sterilization, handling and maintenance of culture room and equipment.
- Handling experimental animals: Different strain mice - BALB/c, C57 Black, NCr nude.
- Nanomaterial preparation and characterization
- Molecular biology: Isolation of RNA and protein, cDNA preparation, PCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, SDS PAGE, western blotting, ELISA
- Imaging: Bright and fluorescence imaging of cells, in vivo fluorescence imaging, image processing and interpretation.
- In vitro studies: Hemolysis assay, MTT assay, flowcytometric apoptotic assays, cox lox assay, colony formation assay, glucose uptake assay, drug release profiling.
- In vivo studies: Toxicity studies, bio-distribution studies, tumor reduction studies.
- Writing and interpretation of data.
- Histopathology: Tissue processing and Hematoxylin and Eosin staining for histopathological analysis.
Research unit
Bioengineering and Nanomedicine Group
Research fields
Nanomedicine, Immunotherapy, Targeted therapy, Cancer
Fellowships and qualifications
- International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2023)
Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Tampere University, Finland. - Chief Minister’s Navakerala Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023)
The Kerala State Higher Education Council, Govt of Kerala, India. - CSIR-UGC Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship in Biotechnology (June 2015)
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt of India. - ARS-NET Lectureship in Agricultural Biotechnology (2014)
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt of India. - CSIR-UGC NET Lectureship in Biotechnology (December 2013)
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt of India.
Honors
- Dr. Divya Ravindran Memorial Award (2023)
Best Research Paper, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Research articles
1. Shiji, R., Joseph, M.M., Anitha, S., Raveendran Pillai, K., Unnikrishnan, B.S. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2022. Galactomannan armed superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a folate receptor targeted multi-functional theranostic agent in the management of cancer. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 219, pp.740-753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.185
2. Shiji, R., Joseph, M.M., Raveendran Pillai, K., Preethi, G.U. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. A biocompatible glycol-capped nano-delivery system with stimuli-responsive drug release kinetics abrogates cancer cell survival. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 165, pp.568-581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.121
3. Shiji R., Joseph M.M, Raveendran Pillai, K., Himabindu P., Preethi G.U., Sreelekha T.T., 2020. Polysaccharide enabled biogenic fabrication of pH sensing fluorescent gold nanoclusters as a biocompatible tumor imaging probe. Microchimica Acta, 187, pp.1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-020-4189-8
4. Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U., Anitha, S., Shiji, R., Archana, M.G., Sreekutty, J., Anusree, K.S., Syama, H.P., Deepa, M., Anil, P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2021. Impact of galactoxyloglucan coated iron oxide nanoparticles on reactive oxygen species generation and magnetic resonance imaging for tumor management. Journal of Cluster Science, pp.1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10876-020-01971-9
5. Unnikrishnan, B.S., Anitha, S., Preethi, G.U., Joseph, M.M., Maya, S., Shiji, R., Anusree, K.S. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. Folic acid-appended galactoxyloglucan-capped iron oxide nanoparticles as a biocompatible nanotheranostic agent for tumor-targeted delivery of doxorubicin. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 168, pp.130-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.205
6. Syama, H.P., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Sreekutty, J., Archana, M.G., Joseph, M.M., Preethi, G.U., Anusree, K.S., Reshma, P.L., Shiji, R. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2022. Bio fabrication of galactomannan capped silver nanoparticles to apprehend Ehrlich ascites carcinoma solid tumor in mice. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 76, p.103649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103649
7. Reshma, P.L., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U., Syama, H.P., Archana, M.G., Remya, K., Shiji, R., Sreekutty, J. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2019. Overcoming drug-resistance in lung cancer cells by paclitaxel loaded galactoxyloglucan nanoparticles. International journal of biological macromolecules, 136, pp.266-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.06.075
8. Padinjarathil, H., Joseph, M.M., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U., Shiji, R., Archana, M.G., Maya, S., Syama, H.P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2018. Galactomannan endowed biogenic silver nanoparticles exposed enhanced cancer cytotoxicity with excellent biocompatibility. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules,118, pp.1174-1182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.06.194
9. Preethi, G.U., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Sreekutty, J., Archana, M.G., Anupama, M.S., Shiji, R., Pillai, K.R., Joseph, M.M., Syama, H.P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. Semi-interpenetrating nanosilver doped polysaccharide hydrogel scaffolds for cutaneous wound healing. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 142, pp.712-723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.10.012
10. James, A.R., Shiji, R., Kusumakumary, P., Nair, M., George, S.K. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2016. Profiling gene mutations, translocations, and multidrug resistance in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a step forward to personalizing medicine. Medical Oncology, 33, pp.1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-016-0809-x
11. Preethi, G.U., Sreekutty, J., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Archana, M.G., Syama, H.P., Deepa, M., Shiji, R., Anusree, K.S. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. Doxorubicin eluting microporous polysaccharide scaffolds: An implantable device to expunge tumour. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 107, pp.1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2019.110332
12. Preethi, G.U., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Joseph, M.M., Shiji R., Sreelekha, T.T., 2019. Biogenic silver nanoparticles adorned Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibrous Scaffolds avert Tumour and Bacterial Growth. Current Science, 116, pp.1735-1741. doi: 10.18520/cs/v116/i10/1735-1741
13. James, A.R., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Priya, R., Joseph, M.M., Manojkumar, T.K., Raveendran Pillai, K., Shiji, R., Preethi, G.U., Kusumakumary, P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2017. Computational and mechanistic studies on the effect of galactoxyloglucan: Imatinib nanoconjugate in imatinib resistant K562 cells. Tumor Biology, 39, pp.1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428317695946
14. Shiji, R., George, J., Sunitha, S., Vandhana, A. and Muthuraj, R., 2015. Effect of NAA and IBA on in vitro regeneration and hardening in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.). Journal of Root Crops, 40, pp.12-20.
15. Shiji, R., George, J., Sunitha, S. and Muthuraj, R., 2014. Micropropagation for rapid multiplication of planting material in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Journal of Root Crops, 40, pp. 23-30.
Book chapter
1. Shiji, R., Manu, M.J., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2017. Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters as a Powerful Tool for Sensing Applications in Cancer Management. In: Anuj Tripathi and Jose Savio Melo (eds), Advances in Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications (pp. 385-428). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3328-5_10
2. Rajkumar, S. and Shiji, R., 2023. Recent Developments in Two-Dimensional (2D) Inorganic Nanomaterials-Based Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Theranostics. In: Malviya R and Sundram S (eds), Targeted Cancer Therapy in Biomedical Engineering. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering (pp.563-595). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9786-0_16
3. Komeri, R., Syama, H.P., Preethi, G.U., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Shiji, R., Archana, M.G., Mohan, D., Tripathi, A. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2021. Prospects of Cell Immobilization in Cancer Research and Immunotherapy. In: Anuj Tripathi and Jose Savio Melo (eds), Immobilization Strategies (pp. 165-193). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7998-1_4
Review articles
1. Akhilesh, K.Y., Nagaraj, B., Saba, S., Shiji, R., Rajkumar, S., Prathap, S., Uthappa, U.T. and Gholamreza, A., 2024. Emerging Trends of Gold Nanostructures for Point-of-Care Biosensor-Based Detection of COVID-19. Molecular Biotechnology, pp.1-25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-024-01157-y
2. Unnikrishnan, B.S., Joseph, M.M., Preethi, G.U., Shiji, R. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2017. Green Chemistry Approach as a Versatile Platform for Nanoparticles with Biomedical Applications. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology-Asia, 7, pp.26-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210681206666161121160505
3. Preethi, G.U., Joseph, M.M., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Shiji, R. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2015. Biomedical applications of natural polymer based nanofibrous scaffolds. International Journal of Medical Nano Research, 2, pp.1-9. https://doi.org/10.23937/2378-3664/1410010
Masters student
Henri Arola
- Masters thesis student
About me
Henri is a medical student who is developing hydrogel system for organoid development derived from colorectal cancer patients in close collaboration with Prof. Toni Seppälä
Lotta Hiihtola
- Masters thesis student
- lotta.hiihtola@tuni.fi
About me
Lotta is doing her Master’s thesis where she is developing a 3D glioma tumor microenvironment model to study the immune cell-cancer cell crosstalk
Alumni
Dr. Vignesh Kumar Rangasami
About me
Dr. Vignesh, completed his Ph.D. in Oct. 2022 and is currently working as a postdoc at Benoit Lab of Therapeutic Biomaterials, Knight Campus, University of Oregon, USA. The title of his Ph.D. thesis was ‘Immuno-engineering of cells and biomaterials for biomedical applications‘