ProfessorFariba Dehghani

My research endeavours revolve around pioneering new materials, implantable devices, and compounds with the potential to treat and prevent a range of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, viral infections, cancer, osteoporosis, and various other ailments. My primary focus lies in the innovation of biodegradable and elastic polymers, bioglasses, and hybrid materials that possess distinctive attributes for applications in medical devices and tissue regeneration. Additionally, I am dedicated to creating materials tailored for minimally invasive surgical procedures, aiming to overcome current challenges associated with injectable formulations, such as degradability, injectability, and mechanical strength. Successfully addressing these hurdles could substantially revolutionize the development of materials capable of addressing a multitude of health concerns, including heart failure for patients who suffer congenital heart diseases, burn, sports injuries and bone deficiencies.

My current investigations delve into the utilization of these groundbreaking biomaterial categories for both drug delivery and medical implants. Another facet of my research involves exploring the potential of naturally sourced compounds for the creation of nutritious food products or therapeutic applications capable of mitigating risks associated with diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and osteoporosis. I have also partnered with computational modelling experts to delve into virtual high throughput screening and in vitro experimentation, seeking out Senolytics-a classification of drugs known to counteract cellular senescence, a phenomenon linked to numerous chronic and age-related illnesses.

The following outlines a snapshot of my ongoing research objectives:

- Create bioinspired designs for heart valves by computational modelling and improving surface material properties to enhance their biocompatibility

- Devise inventive techniques for modifying surfaces to heighten the biocompatibility of medical instruments, particularly cardiovascular implants

- Engineer miniaturized biosensors for disease diagnosis and the monitoring of food safety and quality

- Formulate intelligent hydrogels tailored for precise drug delivery

- Craft hydrogels responsive to stimuli, allowing for non-invasive procedures and drug administration

- Identify potent compounds and their configurations for combatting viral infections, such as herpes simplex virus infection

- Undertake the biosynthesis of nutritional compounds, including fats

- Develop processes for extracting proteins from natural resources, with an eye towards future food innovation

- Innovate techniques for texturizing proteins to shape the landscape of nutritional food advancements.