Oommen Varghese
I lead the Translational Chemical Biology group within the Macromolecular Chemistry program, where we develop innovative technologies with the potential for clinical translation. Our interdisciplinary team—comprising chemists, biologists, and engineers—works at the interface of chemistry and biology to pioneer novel solutions in biomedical engineering and therapeutics. Our research focuses on two interconnected domains:
Hydrogels for In Vitro Models, Bone/Cartilage Regeneration, and Anticancer Therapy
In the rapidly evolving field of biomedical engineering, 3D printing has revolutionized both cancer research and regenerative medicine. Our group has made significant contributions by developing bioinks based on hyaluronic acid, a key extracellular matrix component. These hydrogels are designed to create precisely controlled microenvironments for in vitro disease modeling and tissue engineering.
- We engineer 3D-bioprinted hydrogels that mimic tumor microenvironments, enabling the study of immunotherapy responses and tumor progression.
- Our team has developed in vitro arthritis models with custom 3D-printed scaffolds that replicate inflamed joint conditions, advancing drug screening and disease understanding.
- In regenerative medicine, we design bioprinted bone-forming matrices capable of healingcritical-size bone defects, offering new hope for orthopedic applications.
Nucleic Acid Therapeutics for Precision Medicine
Our research aims to redefine oligonucleotide-based therapeuticsby enhancing their specificity, stability, and delivery. We develop next-generation precision medicine drugs that minimize off-target effects and optimize intracellular delivery mechanisms via cell-surface receptors.
- We chemically modify short interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) to enhance stability against nucleases and improve intracellular activity.
- Our structural innovations in nucleic acids boost their therapeutic efficacy, addressing key challenges in RNA-based drug development.
- Currently, we are developing nanoparticle-based formulations for targeted delivery of RNA therapeutics to the brain, paving the way for novel treatments of neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors.
Through these efforts, our group is at the forefront of translational chemical biology, bridging fundamental research with real-world biomedical applications.
Group Members
Shima Tavakoli Dehaghi
Hamidreza Mokhtari
Christos Leliopoulos
Rohith Pavan Parvathaneni