Faculty + Staff

Dr. Shashi Murthy

Assistant Professor B.S. (Chemical Engineering), Johns Hopkins University, 1999 Ph.D. (Materials Science and Engineering), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, 2003-2005 Contact: Phone: 617.373.4017 Email: smurthy@coe.neu.edu Website: http://www.coe.neu.edu/~smurthy

Research Focus/Background

The primary focus of my research is the use of microfabrication technology for biological applications. Using technology originally designed for the semiconductor industry, it is possible to design fluidic channels that have dimensions in the micron size scale or smaller. Biological applications of these microfluidic systems have attracted considerable interest in recent years because of their ability to manipulate individual cells in carefully controlled environments. Specific topics of interest include microfluidic cell separation systems and nanoscale probes to study cell-ligand interactions.

The second focus area of my research is the development of biopassive and bioactive surface coatings for neurological implants. Neural prostheses are a special class of implants that are under development for the treatment of various neurological disorders (such as stroke, paralysis, and Parkinson's disease). These prostheses are small, silicon-based integrated circuit devices that can send and receive electrical signals to and from neurons in the central nervous system. An important challenge in the design of these implants is the protection of the electronic circuitry from the ambient body environment. Another area of interest is the modification of the implant surfaces to encourage the adhesion and proliferation of neurons in order to improve the performance of the implant. My research aims to address both of these issues by designing novel, polymeric thin films that can perform both functions.

Research Areas:

• Microfluidic Cell Separation Systems
• Nanoscale Probes to Examine Cell-Ligand Interactions
• Biopassive and bioactive coatings for neurological implants

Publications:

"Synergistic Effect of Immobilized Laminin and Nerve Growth Factor on PC12 Neurite Outgrowth," A.K.H. Achyuta, R. Cieri, K. Unger, and S.K. Murthy. Biotechnology Progress 2008 (in press).

"Microfluidic Depletion of Endothelial Cells, Smooth Muscle Cells, and Fibroblasts from Heterogeneous Suspensions," B.D. Plouffe, M. Radisic, and S.K. Murthy. Lab on a Chip 8, 462 (2008).

"Nanoparticles in Modern Medicine: State of the Art and Future Challenges," S.K. Murthy. International Journal of Nanomedicine 2, 129-141 (2007).

"Peptide-Mediated Selective Adhesion of Smooth Muscle and Endothelial Cells in Microfluidic Shear Flow," B.D. Plouffe, D.N. Njoka, J. Harris, J. Liao, N.K. Horick, M. Radisic, and S.K. Murthy. Langmuir 23, 5050 (2007).

"Size-Based Microfluidic Enrichment of Neonatal Rat Cardiac Cell Populations," S.K. Murthy, P. Sethu, G. Vunjak-Novakovic, M. Toner, and M. Radisic, Biomedical Microdevices 8, 231 (2006).

"Micro- and Nano-technology in Cell Separation," M. Radisic, R.K. Iyer, and S.K. Murthy. International Journal of Nanomedicine 1, 3 (2006).

"Enrichment Using Antibody Coated Microfluidic Chambers in Shear Flow: Model Mixtures of Human Lymphocytes," A. Sin, S.K. Murthy, A. Revzin, R.G. Tompkins, and M. Toner. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 91, 816 (2005).

"Effect of Flow and Surface Conditions on Human Lymphocyte Isolation Using Microfluidic Chambers," S.K. Murthy, A. Sin, R.G. Tompkins, and M. Toner. Langmuir 20, 11649 (2004).

"Peptide Attachment to Vapor Deposited Polymeric Thin Films," S.K. Murthy, B.D. Olsen, and K.K. Gleason. Langmuir 20, 4774 (2004).

"Vapor Deposition of Biopassivation Coatings for Neuroprostheses." S.K. Murthy, D.J. Edell, and K.K. Gleason. In Neuroprosthetics: Theory and Practice, K.W. Horch and G. Dhillon, Editors; World Scientific Publishing: Singapore (2004).

"Effect of Filament Temperature on the Chemical Vapor Deposition of Fluorocarbon-Organosilicon Copolymers." S.K. Murthy, B.D. Olsen, and K.K. Gleason. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 91, 2176 (2004).

"Making Thin Polymeric Materials Including Fabrics Microbicidal and also Water-Repellent," J. Lin, S.K. Murthy, B.D. Olsen, K.K. Gleason, and A.M. Klibanov. Biotechnology Letters 25, 1661 (2003).

"Fluorocarbon Dielectrics via Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition," K.K.S. Lau, S.K. Murthy, H.G. Pryce Lewis, J.A. Caulfield, and K.K. Gleason. Journal of Fluorine Chemistry 122, 93 (2003).

"Initiation of Cyclic Vinylmethylsiloxane Polymerization in a Hot-Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition Process," S.K. Murthy, B.D. Olsen, and K.K. Gleason. Langmuir 18, 6424 (2002).

"Fluorocarbon-Organosilicon Copolymer Synthesis by Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition," S.K. Murthy and K.K. Gleason. Macromolecules 35, 1967 (2002).