Meet The Team

I received my PhD in chemistry from the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and the School of Chemistry at Tel-Aviv University (June 2012).

My research expertise, particularly in the design and fabrication of nanostructures, provides major opportunities for collaboration and commercialisation with industry partners in nanobiotechnology and related disciplines.

Embracing the wisdom of Kenneth G. Wilson, I believe that “The hardest problems of pure and applied science can only be solved by the open collaboration of the worldwide scientific community.” Together, we can achieve ground-breaking impacts.

Dr. Ali-Reza Shokouhi, a recent PhD graduate of 2023, with a thesis titled “Engineered Nano–Bio Cellular Interfaces: Nanostructural-Electroporation Platform for Intracellular Delivery”. Ali is currently contributing his expertise to Symex Labs, a spin-off company focused on the development of an innovative wearable device for the continuous tracking of fertility hormones.

Dr. Yaping Chen, was a Research Fellow at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who earned her Ph.D. in Immunology from Monash University in 2017. Yaping’s research has significantly advanced the field of Bio-Nano technology, focusing on the creation of novel nano–bio interfaces for genetic modification and cellular immunotherapy.

In 2024, Yaping embarked on a new journey, establishing her own lab at the Oujiang Laboratory in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China, furthering her pioneering work.

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Stella, a physicist with a profound foundation in Microelectronics-Optoelectronics obtained from the University of Crete, following her BSc (Hons) degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Since embarking on her PhD journey at Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in March 2017, Stella has focused her research on “Engineering Vertical Silicon Nanostructures for Delivering Bioactive Molecules to Mammalian Cells”.

Having completed her first postdoctoral position at the University of Melbourne, she is now undertaking her second postdoc at the Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies ITT, Italy, continuing her impactful research.

Marina, a luminary with a Master’s degree in Photobiology and Photochemistry from Cairo University, Egypt. Her foundational studies in Biotechnology and Biomolecular Chemistry set the stage for her recent PhD triumph in 2023. Her dissertation, titled “Design and fabrication of nanostructured surfaces for mammalian and bacterial cellular manipulation,” positions her at the forefront of innovation in her field.

Hao Zhe Yoh, completed his PhD in 2023 with a focus on Engineered vertically-aligned polymeric nanostructures for intracellular delivery to mammalian cells. Hao Zhe has transitioned seamlessly from academia to industry, currently excelling in a spin-out company associated with the University of Melbourne, where he continues to apply his ground-breaking research to real-world challenges.

Dr. Esther, an accomplished PhD graduate from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University in 2023. Her ground-breaking research focused on Engineered nano-bio cellular interfaces, particularly vertically aligned silicon nanowire arrays for human cell manipulation and neuronal progenitor cell differentiation.

Esther’s academic journey is marked by her impressive dual honors in Law and Biomedicine from Monash University, reflecting her broad and interdisciplinary research interests. Transitioning from a strong academic career to the legal dimensions of innovation, Esther is currently channelling her expertise as a Patent Attorney at FB Rice in Melbourne, where she bridges the gap between cutting-edge scientific advances and intellectual property law.

I am proud to hold a Master’s degree in Biochemistry with high distinction from Islamic Azad University – Science and Research Branch, Iran. My academic pursuits are centered around the innovative field of nanomedicine, particularly the delivery of various biomolecules such as drug molecules, antibiotics, proteins, and genetic material like DNA and RNA.

Currently, as a PhD candidate at Monash University, my research is dedicated to use the non-viral nanoinjection platform for cellular manipulations.

Yuan has completed his honours program in 2023, at MIPS, Monash, in which he probed the intracellular delivery of nucleic acids using silicon nanowires and attempted to apply this technique to cell reprogramming of human dermal fibroblasts.

Jann joined the team in 2023 as a postdoctoral research fellow in the context of a Feodor Lynen stipend. He works on nanoneedle-mediated cargo delivery to human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). His multidisciplinary training began with studying physics, focusing on semiconductors and lasers. He concluded his Bachelor’s and Master’s with cross-disciplinary theses, which also comprised biological aspects such as surface patterning for guided cell adhesion and patch clamping for electrophysiological readout of murine primary neurons.

During his PhD, he further broadened his skill set by exploring the topographical impacts of nanoneedle arrays on neuronal hiPSC differentiation, including examining their functional integrity. Another integral part of his PhD involved testing the capability of 3D-printed microscaffolds to facilitate the growth of guided hiPSC-derived neuronal networks. He fabricated these versatile scaffolds using direct laser writing via two-photon polymerization.