Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Chemistry and Biochemistry
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
2017

Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Organic Chemistry
Panjab University, Chandigarh
2009

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

Biology, Minor in Chemistry
Panjab University, Chandigarh
2007

Biomaterials

Drug Delivery

Stem cells

Extracellular Vesicles

Regenerative medicine

CHEM 003 General Chemistry

4 credit course.

Deals with the fundamental principles of chemistry, the chemical and physical properties of the elements and their most common compounds, and methods of qualitative inorganic analysis.

Prerequisite: CAR math 

Text books and other materials: Chemistry: The Central Science (14th Ed), by Brown, LeMay, Bursten, Murphy, Woodward and Stoltzfus; Pearson, Prentice Hall. 

Non-programmable Calculator (TI-30x recommended)

Periodic Table of Elements (in any form)

CHEM 145 Organic Chemistry Laboratory

3 credit course.

Experimental studies in the isolation, purification, and synthesis of organic compounds.

Prerequisite: CHEM 141 or CHEM 142

Textbook: Bakare, O. Ed. Experimental Organic Chemistry. 2014-2015 Howard University Edition; Academx Publishing Services: Sagamore Beach, MA. 2014.  

CHEM 141 Organic Chemistry I

3 credit course.

Lecture course analyzing the chemistry of the compounds of carbon. Topics will include bonding, reactivity, reaction mechanisms, reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and alkyl halides, conformation, substitution and elimination reactions, stereochemistry, NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. 

Prerequisite: CHEM 004.

Textbook: “Organic Chemistry”, 9th Edition, John McMurry, Brooks/Cole.

Travel award to attend International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV); Annual Meeting, 2026

Travel award to attend Humanity Unlocking Biomaterials (HUB), 2026

Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), Judge travel award, 2025

Howard University College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2024

Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), Judge travel award, 2024

Hamilton Company Syring Grant, April 2024

Hamilton Company Syring Grant

Hamilton Company Pipette Grant, May 2023

Hamilton Company Pipette Grant 

Texas A&M Health professional development award, 2021

Bridge Project-American Chemical Society (ACS) Career Kick-Starter (CKS) workshop, 2020

American Chemical Society (ACS) postdoc to faculty (P2F) workshop, 2020

Advanced Silicone Materials for Soft Actuator Applications

Advanced Silicone Materials for Soft Actuator Applications

Soft actuators are at the forefront of the innovation tide in medicine, manufacturing, and aerospace because they are able to mimic the behavior of biological tissue and adapt to complex, unstructured environments. Of all the materials used, silicone-based elastomers have drawn enormous attention since they offer a superb combination of mechanical flexibility, biocompatibility, thermal stability, and long-term durability. In the past few years, there has also been a rapid pace of material evolution, additive manufacturing, and biointegration that has enhanced the performance and applications of silicone-based soft actuators. However, there is no focused and timely review compiling these advances. This review seeks to address that need by critically discussing recent advancements in advanced silicone materials, exploring new fabrication methodologies, and discussing emerging applications that range from wearable devices to implantable robotics. We also present suggestions for directions and the problems which must be addressed in order to further develop the performance and potential of silicone-based soft actuators, justifying the relevance and urgency of this effort.

Ethoxy Acetalated Dextran-Based Biomaterials for Therapeutic Applications

Ethoxy Acetalated Dextran-Based Biomaterials for Therapeutic Applications

A novel class of pH-responsive polymers, acetalated dextran, has emerged in the field of biomaterials. These versatile materials are derived from dextran through a simple acetalation reaction, allowing for the creation of polymers with a tunable release profile which allows the controlled release of encapsulated therapeutics in response to acidic environments. Despite their recent introduction, acetalated dextran has rapidly garnered significant interest due to its potential for various therapeutic applications. This review delves specifically into the recent advancements of ethoxy acetalated dextran or Ace-DEX, a particular acetalated dextran with a distinct advantage: its degradation products (acetone and ethanol) are less toxic compared to other variants that produce methanol. The focus of this review is the diverse range of biomedical applications currently being explored for Ace-DEX-based scaffolds. Finally, this review concludes by addressing the existing challenges associated with Ace-DEX and outlining potential future research directions within this promising field.

Biopotency and surrogate assays to validate the immunomodulatory potency of extracellular vesicles

Biopotency and surrogate assays to validate the immunomodulatory potency of extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem/stromal cells for the treatment of experimental autoimmune uveitis

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have been recognized as promising cytotherapeutics due to their demonstrated immunomodulatory effects in various preclinical models. The immunomodulatory capabilities of EVs stem from the proteins and genetic materials they carry from parent cells, but the cargo contents of EVs are significantly influenced by MSC tissues and donors, cellular age and culture conditions, resulting in functional variations. However, there are no surrogate assays available to validate the immunomodulatory potency of MSC-EVs before in vivo administration. In previous work, we discovered that microcarrier culture conditions enhance the immunomodulatory function of MSC-EVs, as well as the levels of immunosuppressive molecules such as TGF-β1 and let-7b in MSC-EVs. Building on these findings, we investigated whether TGF-β1 levels in MSC-EVs could serve as a surrogate biomarker for predicting their potency in vivo.

Kinetic Versus Thermodynamic Polymorph Stabilization of a Trimesic Acid Derivative at the Solid-Liquid Interface

Kinetic Versus Thermodynamic Polymorph Stabilization of a Trimesic Acid Derivative at the Solid-Liquid Interface

The carboxylic acid moiety gives rise to structural variability in surface-supported self-assembly due to the common expression of various H-bonding motifs. Self-assembly of 3-fold symmetric tricarboxylic acid derivatives on surfaces typically results in monolayer structures that feature the common 2-fold cyclic R22(8) H-bond motif for at least one of the carboxylic acid groups. Polymorphs that are exclusively based on 3-fold cyclic R33(12) H-bonds were predicted but remained elusive. Here, we show the emergence of such a superflower (SF) structure purely based on R33(12) H-bonds for l-benzene-1,3,5-tricarbonyl phenylalanine (l-BTA), a molecule derived from the well-studied trimesic acid (TMA). In contrast to TMA, l-BTA is not completely planar and is also equipped with additional functional groups for the formation of secondary intermolecular bonds. At the heptanoic acid–graphite interface we transiently observe a SF structure, which is dynamically converted into a chicken-wire structure that only exhibits R22(8) H-bonds. Interestingly, when using nonanoic acid as a solvent the initially formed SF structure remained stable. This unexpected behaviour is rationalized by accompanying force field simulations and experimental determination of solvent-dependent l-BTA solubility.

MHC class I enables MSCs to evade NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity and exert immunosuppressive activity

MHC class I enables MSCs to evade NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity and exert immunosuppressive activity

Allogeneic mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are frequently used in clinical trials due to their low expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and lack of MHC class II. However, the levels of MHC classes I and II in MSCs are increased by inflammatory stimuli, raising concerns over potential adverse effects associated with allogeneic cell therapy. Also, it is unclear how the host immune response to MHC-mismatched MSCs affects the therapeutic efficacy of the cells. Herein, using strategies to manipulate MHC genes in human bone marrow-derived MSCs via the CRISPR-Cas9 system, plasmids, or siRNAs, we found that inhibition of MHC class I—not MHC class II—in MSCs lowered the survival rate of MSCs and their immunosuppressive potency in mice with experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis, specifically by increasing MSC vulnerability to natural killer (NK)-cell-mediated cytotoxicity. A subsequent survey of MSC batches derived from 6 human donors confirmed a significant correlation between MSC survival rate and susceptibility to NK cells with the potency of MSCs to increase MHC class I level upon stimulation. Our overall results demonstrate that MHC class I enables MSCs to evade NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity and exert immunosuppressive activity.

Electrospun Fibrous Nanomat Composition and a Method of Synthesizing the same

Patent: Kaur, G.; Kumari, S.; Saha, P.; Patil, S., Ganesh, S.; Verma, S. Indian Patent no. 424826

Overcoming Challenges as a Woman in STEM

Overcoming Challenges as a Woman in STEM, Invited for an article by Hello Bio

INVITED SEMINARS

Kaur, G. “Next-Generation Biomaterials in the Management of Autoimmunity” at International Research Convention (IRC-2026), titled “Chemistry for a Sustainable Future: Molecules to Materials” at IIS (deemed to be University), Jaipur, India, virtual talk (Feb 13–14, 2026).

Kaur, G. “Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Autoimmune Uveitis Treatment” Department of Chemistry, The Georgetown University, Washington DC (Oct 23, 2025).

Kaur, G. “Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles ameliorate experimental autoimmune uveitis in mice via suppressing retinal reactive T cell Infiltration” Amgen-Howard Day, Amgen, Rockville Site, MD (Aug 8, 2025).

Kaur, G. “Advanced Biomaterials for Oral Drug Delivery” Invited talk, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, NJ (Dec 10, 2024).

Kaur, G. “Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles ameliorate experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in mice via suppressing autoreactive T cell infiltration” Invited Lecture in ‘Recent Advances in Nano Medical Sciences (RANMS 2022), virtual event, University of Delhi (Jun 22–23, 2022).