Good day, Chinnathambi Shanmugavel. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

Hi, yes, I'm Doctor Shanmugal Chinnathambi. I started my bachelor degree in physics. Uh, then later I moved to master in biophysics. Uh, in particularly that biophysics I start, I, I, I, I learned many things related to crystallography and biophysics. Then later I moved to PhD in medical physics and biomaterials. Approximately more than five years I spent in this.

Failed during my PhD time. After my PhD, I had a chance to visit Japan National Institute of Material Science for my postdoctoral researcher. I spent more than five years in this one institution during this five to six years, so I had an option to work with biomaterials for cancer therapy. Particularly mesoporous silica material and quantum dots in in particular.

On quantum dots for cancer diagnosis and drug delivery. So recently I had a chance with work with Nobel laureate Professor Susumu Kitagawa in chemistry field. He achieved metal organic framework in 2025 Nobel Prize winning candidate. So, so currently I'm looking my next level in VAT Vello. Yeah, Thank you.

Professor Shanmugavel, I have your background details. Let's begin by assessing your experience and skills concerning this role. Starting with your expertise in regenerative medicine, microfluidics, organ-on-chip technologies, therapeutics, and diagnostics—could you elaborate on your familiarity and experience in applying these areas in research or projects?

Yeah, particularly in therapy therapeutic field, I have several experience, for example, early direction of cancer and diagnosis. In my early stage, I had a chance to work with Professor Ganeshan in Anna University. He's familiar with cancer diagnosis and treatment. In that particular time. I have a lot of experience with fluorescence spectroscopy.

So he's using, uh, fiber optics for diagnosis the cancers, cancer tissue with the different fluorophore and later we are able to differentiate the fluorophore in normal, normal, healthy, healthy guys compared with early, early stage of cancer patients. So this differentiation is very useful to differentiate the normal and normal. Normal, healthy person and cancer patient.

For example, NAD, NADH and aromatic amino acid fluorescence. So we are clearly able to differentiate the fluorescence emission spectrum between the normal and cancer patient. This is my very early stage of research work in the particular field of cancer diagnosis and therapy application.

Later I moved to. A National Institute of Material Science in that particular particular time, I preferred the silicon quantum dot particularly near infrared region, so that particular quantum dot silicon dots able to penetrate the human tissue. So which means we can track the fluorescence quantum dot outside the body. For example, if you want to deliver the drugs inside the body after. Intravenous injection.

We are able to track the the motion of the truck inside the body from the outside because the because of the near infrared quantum dots. So this is the very good achievement in my career. So later I had a chance with preferred the.

DNA detection like PNP and NPN transistors. So this particular transistor we used a graphene layer as conducting agent so late after dropping the DNA solution on the chip. So we are able to detect the what type of.

DNA present on the membrane and if you drop the single standard DNA you will get the different signal from the chip.

And if you drop this, uh, double stranded DNA, so we can get the different, different signal from the chip. So this is, uh, cheap experience. And recently we had, uh, collaborated with, uh, collaborated with Switzerland institution for the lab on the chip. So they, they proposed. The the cell growth inside the chip.

And then later we injected the drugs and fluorescence probe. This particular chip exactly mimic the human knee joining area. There is some particular area so we can replace using this kind of chip, it's kind of artificial membrane. So this particular research and chip experiment really useful for me and then later we used. Different types of organs on a chips, for example cancer spheroid we can prepare.

Where we prepared the Cancer spheroid inside the chip and then then later we can.

We delivered the drugs particularly 5 fluoroerosil and doxorubicin. So we exactly created the some part of the organs particularly in the knee area. So if someone have some special injury or cancer related problems in particular part so we can create similar.

Their part in the chip and then we can create artificial cells inside the chip and then later we inject injected the nanometreal and then trucks which are connected together or loaded inside the pores, nanopores and then later we check the exactly the argon in the chip. So this particular experiment really useful for this carrier and recently we prepared the metal organic framework which is. With this metal organic.

On the surface and then we can easily load the truck inside of the pores. Then it is really used, really useful for drug delivery application, which is similar to misoporous silica material. In my case, we deliver the boron and boron is the cancer drug delivery for DNCT and another case.

Framework have a lot of pores.

Used toxorubicine and the liquidosome for cancer diagnosis and therapies. So this kind of experience.

Against may be useful for this particular field. Yeah, thank you.

Thank you for sharing your extensive work in cancer diagnostics, drug delivery systems, and organ-on-chip technologies, Professor. Your detailed response highlights a strong foundation in both applied and fundamental research tied to therapeutics and diagnostics. Let’s move to the next skill for verification. Could you discuss your approach to teaching theory and laboratory courses? Specifically, I’m interested in how you design your curriculum to effectively balance theoretical foundations with practical laboratory skills.

Yeah. For example, I had, uh, three to four years, uh, teaching experience and laboratory experience experience in master degree students, uh, and PhD scholars, uh, particularly smart biomaterial and this particular class offer an introduction of how cells interact with biomaterial surface. This particular course uh uh, covers the surface chemistry and physics of selected.

Quantum dots are mesoporous silica materials and recently MOF. And then later we characterize the surface functions modification of biomaterial surface, and later we analyze the quantitative analysis assays of cell behavior in cell culture.

Biosensor and bioimaging and related similar related topics. All the topics this particular topics included biosensor drug delivery.

In the bioimaging, so this particular and the smart biomaterial, uh, topic, uh, the research topic, uh, explores the use of, uh, mesoporous silica and quantum dots to deliver the single-standard DNA to treat the cancer, cancer and allergy therapy. Actually, yeah. And then another course name is it's called the bio nano interaction, uh, both smart biomaterials and bio nano interaction forces.

We designed the syllabus for the Master and PhD students. This Bio Nano interactions courses provides an overview of nano bio interaction between nanoscale materials and biological system including protein, DNA.

Lipids, peptides and other biomolecules for examples in the cells and we have a lot of cellular receptors, so you can easily.

We uh, detect the which receptor absorb the nanomaterial and then later we can think about the drug delivery in the particular spot.

Umm, uh, particularly we used in the human cells directly. This particular Nanobio interaction syllabus covers the study of interaction among the mesoporous silicon nanoparticle, quantum dots, protein and small molecules, uh, using the spectroscopic technique and molecular modeling simulation.

Actually, I set up the whole syllabus and then I teached about the 2022 to 2025, almost four year, yeah.

And also cell culture experiment. This is the two major courses I prepared for the students.

Thank you.

Yes.

Next, let’s focus on your experience in student evaluation and exam duties. How have you structured assessments to accurately measure both theoretical understanding and practical competence in your courses?

For example, theoretical understanding during my class.

Um so actually I have 45 minutes to one 1.5 hours class. So usually by designed 2 off of my class. After actually 40 every 45 minutes I stop my class and then I interact with the students how they understand my class. I usually ask some small questions or they understand or not. If they they don't understand clearly, I try to explain more detail in.

The first part and then later if everyone answered properly and understanding is properly so I I can proceed the next report. This is my usual way and then after my class we conducted the online quiz program with QR code. So each student scan the QR code and then I already prepared few questions like. I usually prefer 10 to 15 short questions for my syllabus then every.

Uh, every class, umm, after my class, uh, I just to show my QR code and all the students can with the micro smartphones and then they answer immediately. And then I usually used the some particular website for analysis how they understand and how many people understand the answer properly. And I can get the evaluation result through online mode easily recently.

And there are a lot of options to check the students skill through online. So every class I I usually ask their questions directly. Direct interaction and also online QR code, QR code mode interaction and I can receive the analysis.

Analysis graphs from the Internet. How many students understand and how many students answer properly without their personal information. Actually they I don't know who is answer properly who who is answer not properly. Actually I can get the cumulative answer and then later I can interact directly with each students so their understanding is correct or not like that.

I actually preferred the PowerPoint, uh, and sometime directly I can teach you the board. Uh, most of the time I used PowerPoint slides for teaching then. Uh, but practical application is, I have a lot of experience with practical application with master and PhD students. Uh, my practical approach is always, I want, I usually take the small class before experiment. And I made the protocol design for cell cancer experiment and other Biomet.

This is my theoretical part.

Preparation, experiment, everything. First I need to explain in detail with paper and the I, I usually ask the questions, uh, they understand or not, uh, through the paper mode. And then later, only after understanding, only I can allow the students to go to the laboratory to use the chemicals and other things to save the time and chemicals. This is my usually thank you.

Thank you, Professor Shanmugavel, for your detailed explanation of your methods for evaluating student understanding and competence, both theoretically and practically. It highlights your structured and interactive approach to assessment. Next, I’d like to explore your ability to guide student projects and research. Could you share an example of a research project or initiative where your guidance significantly contributed to a student’s learning or success?

Yeah, very good, very good questions. I have a lot of experience in this particular field, particularly PhD students guidance and master, Master degree students guidance and some internship students guidance. So I traveled three to five years with PhD students, usually minimum three years and maximum five years. So initially PhD students. First one year they try to learn the coursework, so in that time.

They are not able to spend the long time in the laboratory. Most of the time they learn the subject and route examination and other things. That time I understand the student student.

Student problems. So initial time I give very small amount of work with proper guidance and then later from second year they completely involve the research project for example. Recently I gave one student.

From my uncle Gujarat, her name is Mahima, She's a biotechnology student in Master. Then after biotechnology course she joined PhD in current laboratory. So I take fully in charge to her. Actually initially I teach to her how to manage in the laboratory, how to behave in the laboratory. How to wear the lab coat and other things. How to behave inside the laboratory?

And outside the laboratory, for example, inside the lab, we are not allowed to drink any things, including water and other cool rings. And this is kind of a basic, basic information. And also we teach to the fire extent how to use firing extinguisher, how to clean the lab. This is regular things. And then later only I give you the actual project. This is the initial stages of.

Things to learn the students.

And then only I allowed to use the research, real research experiment. First three month or two-month they spend their learning time how to behave inside the laboratory. Then we can give the proper experiment. For example, the one student from Gujarat, Mahima, so I teach, I take in church completely to her to teach the biotechnology.

And nanometre preparation. For example, she used carbon quantum dot blue color emitting carbon dots.

For biological application especially we have high high resolution confocal microscope. So she used that confocal microscope for cell imaging using quantum dots. We particularly focus this particular carbon dot is localized inside the mitochondria and other sub organelles like that. So so I teach to her initially. Confocal microscopy and how to stain the cells.

And to view the every argon individually including cell membrane and in cell isosome and nucleus and other organons including mitochondria. This is one student history. Then now she's able to submit the thesis after three Q1 level publications international publication. This is very good. Experience Research experience with the students. Research project experience.

With the students and I have another chance with uh, work with other, uh, another student, her name is UH.

Uh, her name is aroma, aroma from Pakistan. Uh, she used misocorant silica nanoparticles for drug delivery application for asthma and allergy, allergy diseases. So, uh, we struggled a long time, uh, for get the result, first one here, we are not able to get the result using this material.

And then second year we get some good, good example. So I usually motivated her to come up to get the result. And finally she's able to publish one good paper in s s biometrics using mesoporous silicon nanoparticle.

She used actually beso fibrate drug particularly for allergy and asthma related diseases. This is 2 perfect example. The one example is going very good way. Another example.

Will be stuck in between and then we we got the some good result in between and then we reached the goal and both are now able to get the degree in 2026 March. This is 2 PhD student experience research project experience with me. Thank you.

Thank you, Professor Shanmugavel. Your thoughtful guidance in both the foundational aspects of lab work and the advanced stages of research is commendable. It’s clear from your examples that your mentorship has had a lasting impact on your students' success. Next, could you elaborate on your structured approach to teaching and communication, particularly how you simplify complex topics for learners while maintaining their rigor?

Yeah, actually.

I try to give a lot of example for complex topics.

For example, initially I explained the quantum dots to public without who who don't know the science. So for example if sunlight.

Pass directly to the moon surface. The moon is able to reflect the wake light.

So similar again if they are this presence in between, we are not able to get the light from moon reflected light. So similar concept. I used quantum dots. When UV light exposed to the quantum dots, the quantum dot will emit the colors and then then we turn off the UV light. The quantum dot is not able to give the fluorescence light. So same similar.

A similar thing I used sunlight and moon to understand the normal people or without who don't know science actually like that. So same concept I used for students. So initially I tried to explain with very simple experiment like practical experiment then only I go to very deep level experiment for example.

When I start with quantum dots nanostructure, the students are not able to understand what is mean by quantum dots like that.

So quantum dot I, I answer like that quantum dot is very small type of uh, nanoparticle. Uh, for example, less than 10 nanoparticle, we are not able to see by eyes. We need a transmission microscope or scanning electron microscope like that. Then only they are able to understand such a small particle like that. Then I try to take some students to the transmission electron microscope. I showed directly to the electron microscope to see if quantum dot is uh.

This small type, this is 1 physical characterization example, then students understand practically, and then I used the fluorescent spectrometer how this particular nanoparticle emit the light which give the perfect excitation light. This is my practical approach. I directly show the answer to the student by visual.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor Shanmugavel, for illustrating your approach to simplifying complex scientific concepts. Your ability to use relatable analogies and blend them with practical demonstrations shows a clear strength in making advanced topics accessible and engaging for learners. Let us now move forward. Can you elaborate on your experience with publishing in reputed journals and any noteworthy research or findings that you’ve shared through such publications?

Yeah, actually we have several publication and maybe quantum dot is my major publication actually particularly NIR emitting silicon quantum dots for biological imaging, particularly in the near infrared field, first biological window and 2nd biological window. This particular quantum dot is the major achievement for my research. It's really useful for.

Diagnosis the cancer cell in the early stage and we can.

Target the cancer cell using surface modification. Quantum dot have a lot of surface area, so we can modify the surface with hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules. Yes.

Yes.

Thank you, Professor Shanmugavel. Your work on NIR-emitting silicon quantum dots and their application in cancer diagnostics reflects significant contributions to the field. Let’s now proceed to discuss your industry project experience or consultancy work. Could you provide insight into any collaborations or projects with industries, if applicable?

Yeah, yeah, yes, I have very good uh, uh, experience with industry. Uh, the name is called the TAE life science. This particular life science company located in California. So I, I, I heard two years complete 225 month experience with this company and that particular company provided 2,00,000 uh, dollar, umm. 20,200 thousand U.S. dollars per every year for this cancer related project.

Boron drug delivery for cancer patients, it's called boron neutron capture therapy. So actually we loaded boron inside the nanoparticle and this nanoparticle delivers the boron on the cancer site. Then later we used neutron beam.

In this particular project I've used.

To heat up the boron molecule and then after neutron beam irradiation, this particular.

Boron divided into two parts, so then after dividing our splitting, this divided things divided helium and lithium produce lot of heat and this heat generate heat killed the cancer cell DNA. After this particular heating the cancer cell DNA destroyed or damaged completely. This is that company offer this particular project to us to treat, we used chicken egg model. Mouse model.

And also the human trial is later in the particular company, this particular company located in it's called biotechnology company in Santa Monica, USA, the Mandarin. This particular project is the development of boron loaded mesoporous silicon nanoparticle for DNCT cancer therapy. The role, my role is in this project, I prefer the boron loader.

Silica nanoparticle and for chicken, egg and mouse cancer model by utilizing neutron source in Kumaturi, Japan nuclear reactor.

Umm, that is very good experience. Actually this project particularly we utilize the mesoporous silicon nanoparticle for bulk and drug delivery. It's enabling to the cancer site without being trapped in the liver. This is my major things because usually, uh, nanoparticles stuck inside the liver, but in our case, we avoided the liver, uh, uh, liver capturing nanoparticle we have completely avoided. So our preferred nano.

They can directly take the all the material towards the cancer site. This is my very good experience with the TAE life science biotech biotechnology company in Santa Monica, CA and also we published 23Q1 journal paper using this particular concept that company offer like boron drug delivery. So still they are treating with cancer blood of cancer patient in that particular company using the mini neutron.

Factor and that neutron beam reactor interact with.

The boron, particularly the focus about the head and neck cancers. Yes. So I have very good experience with the industry experience in this particular company. Yeah, actually two years experience. I have very good experience. Thank you.

OK.

Could you briefly reaffirm your highest academic qualification—your PhD specialization—and the institution where you completed it?

Yeah, my highest academic qualification is PhD. In my PhD thesis title is like delivery of anti cancer drug and behavior analysis of the drugs by using the optical character of the carriers. This is my thesis topic. I spent my PhD in Anna University, Chennai. I joined 2014 in Anna University initial stage.

1st 2 Two years. I learned so many things in paper only.