Pouya Rezai
George Mason University, VA·Engineering
Bacteria and viruses can contaminate drinking water, food and medical spaces. Many tools for detecting or removing them rely on fragile biological parts, such as antibodies, that are costly and can fail outside a controlled laboratory.
- Fields
Engineering
Materials Science
Biomedical Engineering
- Topics
molecularly imprinted polymers
superabsorbent polymers
hydrogels
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Jul 2029
What they work on
- Relate the composition and structure of bio-imprinted superabsorbent polymers (BioISAPs) to their swelling and fluid-transport behavior through systematic synthesis and characterization.
- Quantify how pathogen-related biomarkers bind to, stay in and release from BioISAPs under still and flowing conditions, using microfluidic experiments and transport-reaction modeling.
- Develop explainable machine learning models that combine experimental and computational fluid dynamics data to predict and optimize BioISAP capture efficiency, selectivity and release.
More about the research
This project develops sturdy synthetic materials that can capture, concentrate and release markers of disease-causing microbes. The materials do two things at once. Like a lock fitting a key, they recognize a specific target. Like a sponge, they soak up and move fluid so that more of the target reaches the binding sites.
Why it matters
Low-cost, durable materials that selectively capture pathogen markers could improve water purification, food safety screening, disease monitoring and medical diagnostics. They could also help with biodefense in settings where fragile biological detectors fail. Predictive design models could shorten development of such materials for water utilities, food processors and healthcare.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
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The school
George Mason University: 15 labs on PI Pages, $282M a year on research, 297 research doctorates a year.
Reach out
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