Ashok KUMAR
Professor Ashok Kumar is a globally awarded researcher and academician and pioneer in bioengineering. He is currently an Endowed Chair Professor of Bioengineering at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), where he also leads the IIT Kanpur-La Trobe University Research Academy and acts as the Head of Environmental Science and Engineering. He is a lso coordinator of newly established Centre of Excellence for Materials in Medicine at School of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT Kanpur. He is also an associated faculty at the Mehta Family Centre for Engineering in Medicine, IIT Kanpur and adjunct faculty at the department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Jammu. He also served as visiting professor at several universities internationally, including Aalto University, Finland; Lund University, Sweden and Miyazaki University, Japan. Besides these academic engagements, he is also holding the presidentship of the Society of Biomaterials and Artificial Organs, India.
Prof. Kumar obtained his doctorate from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 1994 after finishing his master’s in Biochemistry from University of Kashmir. A few years later, in 1997, he moved to Sweden to start working at Lund University, where his research focused on polymer technologies. Prof. Kumar was also able to visit Nagoya University in Japan, where the focus of his research shifted more towards a biomedical domain. The research time spent in Japan with background of expertise attained in Sweden was the starting point for the work that Kumar is still doing. In 2004, Kumar returned to India to work at IIT Kanpur, where he strongly contributed to the development of the bioengineering department.
Prof. Kumar has been recognized nationally and internationally. He has been conferred with honorary doctorate of science in technology by Aalto University, Finland. He is elected fellow of biomaterial science and engineering (FBSE) by IUSBSE, fellow of biomaterials and artificial organs, India (FBAO) and fellow of International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (FIAMBE). He has received global research outreach (GRO) Samsung award, Korea, TATA Innovation Fellowship from DBT, Govt. of India for outstanding research contributions. He serves as an expert member and chairperson for several committees in science and technology ministries of Government of India.
Prof. Kumar has contributed significantly to the research domain of biomedical engineering and regenerative medicine and has transferred several technologies to biomedical companies. He has founded a start-up companies Regenmedica Pvt. Ltd. India and Polybiomatrix HB, Sweden that is developing antibiotic loaded bioactive ceramics for treating bone infection and haemostatic gels for trauma care. He has published over 300 peer reviewed research papers and edited 06 books, and hold many granted patents on novel biomaterials, and biomedical technologies.
Abstract
Engineering the Future: Biomaterials Driving Breakthroughs in Biomedical Research
Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, UP, INDIA Email: ashokkum@iitk.ac.in
Biomaterials have emerged as a powerful tool in developing innovative therapeutic strategies for chronic diseases. This research presents multifaceted approaches utilizing biomaterials to address liver disease, bone degeneration, nerve regeneration, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). For liver disease, exosome-functionalized scaffolds using 3D bioprinting technology have shown significant improvements in liver function and the reversal of fibrosis. A targeted exosome delivery platform has demonstrated improved hepatoprotection and liver regeneration in animal models of liver injury. In bone disease treatment, advanced composites delivering antibiotics and bioactive factors have shown promise in treating osteomyelitis and osteoporosis in both small-scale lab settings and larger animal models. For nerve tissue engineering, diverse scaffolds ranging from aligned cryogels, "Electroband" nerve wraps, to engineered exosome therapeutics have been developed to address various aspects of nerve trauma, including critical nerve gap injury, diabetic neuropathy, and spinal cord injury. In the context of IBD, thermos-responsive copolymers and cationic dendrimers have been engineered to target inflamed tissues, promote mucosal healing, and restore gut microbiota balance. These multifaceted therapeutic approaches highlight the transformative potential of biomaterials in developing cutting-edge therapies for chronic diseases, offering promising avenues for improving patient outcomes and demonstrating their critical importance in the future of biomedical research and healthcare.
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