Meenakshi Chauhan

I am interested in advancing biomaterials, tissue engineering, and nanomedicine approaches to modulate immune responses in cancer and regenerative medicine. My research aims to engineer multifunctional drug delivery systems that regulate immune cell behavior within the tumor microenvironment, with a focus on combination immunotherapies , injectable and printable biomaterials, and clinically translatable strategies.

• Engineered polypropylene sulfide-coated magnetic nanoparticles that combine hyperthermia with tumor microenvironment-triggered drug delivery for cancer treatment.
• Optimized lipid nanoparticles (LNC) for the delivery of siRNA/mRNA and explored these nanoparticles for dual therapy; siRNA-based gene regulation combined with chemotherapy for cancer treatment.
• Developed biomimetic bioadhesives and 3D-printed adaptive hydrogel for superior infection resistance for challenging tissue adhesion, hemostasis, and healthcare.
• Designed nanodroplet platforms for photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging–guided, macrophage-mediated cancer immunotherapy, enabling image-assisted therapeutic modulation of the tumor microenvironment for cancer.

Long-lasting Hand Sanitizer, Research and development of long-lasting hand sanitizer for KeaBiotech during COVID-19 pandemic. It became India's first long-lasting hand sanitizer and was launched by the Honorable Education Minister in April 2021

Development of functional biomaterials

· Self-assembled lipid nanoparticles and Metallic nanoparticles

·  Injectable hydrogel based on click chemistry

· Synthesis and characterization of polymers for biomedical applications

· Nanoparticles for mRNA and siRNA delivery

· Magnetic Nanoparticles for hyperthermia and MRI

· Functional biomaterials for immunotherapy

· Bio-ink for 3D bioprinting and wound healing

· Photoacoustic and Ultrasound-assisted nanoparticles for Imaging and therapy

Biological Study

· In-vitro Cell culture- Mammalian 2D and 3D cell culture (Cancer cells, Stem cells), Fluorescence Microscope, PCR/RT-PCR, Flow cytometry, Western blotting, ELISA.

· In-vivo studies- Expertise in handling rats and mice, development of tumor models including breast cancer, hepatic cancer model, ADME studies, and diabetic wound model establishment.

Analytical Techniques 

· Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

· Vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM)

· High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

· Particle size analyzer

· NanoSight®

· Infrared spectroscopy (IR)

· Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC)

· Flow Cytometry

Software

· GraphPad Prism

· FlowJo

· Origin lab

• The Scholarship and Teaching for Engineering Postdocs (STEP) program fellowship (2025-2026)
• Qualified Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test GPAT 2014 (Pharmacy)
• Qualified NIPER JEE 2014 conducted by NIPER, Mohali India.

• Protein-based hydrogel and process for preparing the same, 2020410391288, Filed
• Polypropylene sulfide nanoparticles for drug and metallic nanoparticles delivery, 202341003976, Filed

1. M. Chauhan, Chen Yun-Sheng, Tumor-homing, Ultrasound-Assisted STING Nanoparticles to Remodel the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Under preparation)

2. M. Chauhan, Qi Wu, Farah Shady, Synthesis and development of novel immunomodulating Carrageenan-keratin injectable hydrogel for wound healing (Under preparation)

3. M. Chauhan, Purandhi R, Uzma Hasan, and J. Giri, Synthesis and development of novel fibroin protein-based injectable hydrogel for microphage polarization and bone regeneration (ready to submit)

4. S.K. Yadava, M. Chauhan, Remya V, and J. Giri. Fabrication of lipid nanoparticles (LNC) for siRNA-based gene regulation combined with chemotherapy for cancer treatment and cancer stem cells. (under preparation).

• AACR Annual Meeting 2025, Chicago, USA, Participated in scientific sessions and networking events focused on emerging advancements in cancer research.
• Controlled Release Society (CRS 2022), Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Poster presentation on Tumor microenvironment responsive magnetic-PPS nanoparticle system mediated chemo-hyperthermia for effectively eliminating cancer stem cells and irrevocably reversing multidrug resistance., 07/22
• TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, TERMIS AM, Toronto, Canada, Poster presentation on Matrix Modulating Protein-based In-situ Hydrogel For Stem Cell Fate., 07/22
• APA Nanoforum 2022, IIT Delhi, Poster Presentation on Development of the smart drug delivery system for breast cancer treatment., 02/22
• APA Nanoforum 2022, IIT Delhi, Poster Presentation on Nanostructure hybrid lipid capsules (nHLCs) for exterminating glioblastoma and glioblastoma stem cells., 02/22
• India Nano 2022, Bengaluru, Poster Presentation on Nanostructure hybrid lipid capsules as a next-generation platform for breast cancer therapeutics.

1. Qi Wu, M. Chauhan, Farah Shady, 4D printable antimicrobial and antioxidant hydrogel bioadhesives for underwater tissue adhesion, hemostasis, and healthcare. Advanced Materials (2025)

2. Junxi Yi*, M. Chauhan*, Yun-Sheng Chen, *Near-infrared-triggered nanodroplets for macrophage-targeted cancer immunotherapy based theranostics. Small method (2025)

3. M Chauhan, P Roopmani, J Rajendran, KP Narayan, J Giri. Injectable, in-situ forming, tunable, biocompatible gelatin hydrogels for biomedical applications. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules(2025)

4. S.M. Basu, M. Chauhan, and J. Giri, pH-responsive polypropylene-sulphide-magnetic nanocarrier-mediated chemo-hyperthermia kills breast cancer stem cells by long-term reversal of multidrug resistance and chemotherapy re-sensitization. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.(2024).

5. Hasan, M. Chauhan, J. Giri, Overcoming multidrug resistance by reversan and exterminating glioblastoma and glioblastoma stem cells by delivering drug loaded nanostructure hybrid lipid capsules (nHLCs). Drug Deliv Transl Res. (2023)

6. K. Devarajan, M. Sivakalai, S.M. Basu#, C. Biswas#, M. Chauhan#, U. Hasan, P. Y. Panneerselvam, U.M Narayanan, S.S.K. Raav, J. Giri and Tarun K. Panda, Design and synthesis of photostable triphenylamine based neutral AIE nano luminogens: specific and long-term tracking of mitochondria in cells. Biomaterials Science (2023)

7. N. Desai, U Hasan, K Jeyashree, R Mani, M. Chauhan, SM Basu, J Giri., Biomaterial-based Platforms for Modulating Immune Components against Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells. Acta Biomaterialia (2023)

8. M. Chauhan*, S. M. Basu*, Qasim Mohd, and J. Giri. Polypropylene Sulphide Coating on Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Novel Platform for Excellent Biocompatible, Stimuli Responsive Smart Magnetic Nanocarrier for Cancer Therapeutics. Nanoscale (2023)

9. N. Sarviya, S. M. Basu, R. mani, M. Chauhan, J. Giri, Biomimicking nanofibrous gelatin microspheres recreating the stem cell niche for their ex-vivo expansion and in-vivo like differentiation for injectable stem cell transplantation. Biomaterials Advances (2023)

10. M. Chauhan, S. M. Basu, S. K. Yadava, N. Sarviya, J. Giri, A facile strategy for the preparation of polypropylene sulfide nanoparticles for hydrophobic and base-sensitive cargo. Journal of Applied Polymer Science (2021).

11. S.K. Yadava, Suparna M. Basu, Remya V., M Chauhanand J. Giri, Curcumin loaded nanostructure hybrid lipid capsules for co-eradication of breast cancer and cancer stem cells with enhanced anticancer efficacy. ACS Applied Bio Materials. (2020), 3, 10, 6811–6822.

12. S.K. Yadava, Suparna M. Basu, M Chauhan, Kshipra Sharma, Remya V and J. Giri, Low temperature, easy scaling up method for development of smart nanostructure hybrid lipid capsules for drug delivery application. Colloid and Surface B: Biointerfaces (2020) 190, 110927.

13. R Singh, S Khan, SM Basu, M Chauhan, N Sarviya, J Giri, Fabrication, characterization, and biological evaluation of airbrushed gelatin nanofiber. ACS Applied Bio Materials 2 (12), 5340-5348

14. R Singh, P Roopmani, M Chauhan, SM Basu, W Deeksha, MD Kazem and , J. Giri, Silver sulfadiazine loaded core shell airbrushed nanofibers for burn wound healing application. International Journal of Pharmaceutics (2022) 613,121358

*Equal Contribution, # Equal second author contribution

• Dr. Yun-Sheng Chen, Ph.D., Beckman Institute- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA, yunsheng@illinois.edu
• Dr. Farah Shady, The Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, sfarah@technion.ac.il
• Dr. Jyotsnendu Giri, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, India, jgiri@bme.iith.ac.in