sonu

Sonu Kumar

Associate Professor
sonu.kumar@mahindrauniversity.edu.in

Dr. Kumar is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at École Centrale School of Engineering, Mahindra University, Hyderabad. The research interests of Dr. Kumar underlie at the interface of biogenic and synthetic polymers in order to explore their potential applications towards material sciences and biomedicines. Major focuses of his research activities are to understand the supramolecular self-assembly behaviour of rationally designed biomimetic polymeric conjugates, and to create hybrid ‘smart’ polymer (nano)materials.

Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/s-kumar/home

2011- 2015

  • Ph.D. (2011- 2015): Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India

2006 - 2011

  • Integrated B.S.-M.S.(2006 – 2011): Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, India

2022 - till present

  • Associate Professor (2025 – till present): Mahindra University, Hyderabad, India
  • Assistant Professor (2022 – 2025): Mahindra University, Hyderabad, India

2019 - 2022

  • Assistant Professor (2019 – 2022): Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University), Chandigarh, India

2017–2019

  • Humboldt PostdocFellow (2017–2019): Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

2015–2017

  • Postdoctoral Researcher (2015–2017): Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

2021

  • Kumar, S.* “Synthetic Polymers Derived Single-Network Inks/Bioinks for Extrusion-Based 3D Printing Towards Bioapplications” Materials Advances, 2021, 2, 6928-6941.
  • Kumar, S. ;* Tharayil, A.; Thomas, S. “3D Bioprinting of Nature-Inspired Hydrogel Inks Based on Synthetic Polymers” ACS Applied Polym. Mater., 2021, 3, 3685–3701.

2020

  • Kumar, S. ; Binder, W. H. “Peptide-induced RAFT polymerization via an amyloid-β17-20-based chain transfer agent” Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 6964-6968.
  • Kumar, S. ; Hause, G.; Binder, W. H. “Bifunctional peptide-polymer conjugates based fibers via a one-pot tandem disulfide reduction coupled to a thio-bromo “click” reaction” ACS Omega, 2020, 5, 19020-19028.
  • Kumar, S. ; Hause, G.; Binder, W. H. “Thio-bromo “click” reaction derived polymer-peptide conjugates for their self-assembled fibrillar nanostructures” Macromol. Biosci., 2020, 20, 2000048.

2018

  • Kumar, S. ; Deike, S.; Binder, W. H. “One-pot synthesis of thermoresponsive amyloidogenic peptide-polymer conjugates via thio-bromo “click” reaction of RAFT polymers” Macromol. Rapid Commun., 2018, 39, 1700507.

2015

  • Kumar, S. ;* Bheemireddy, V.; De, P. “Aβ17-20 Peptide-guided structuring of polymeric conjugates and their pH-triggered dynamic response” Macromol. Biosci., 2015, 15, 1447–1456.
  • Kumar, S. ; Maiti, B.; De, P. “Carbohydrate conjugated amino acid based fluorescent block copolymers: their self-assembly, pH responsiveness and/or lectin recognition” Langmuir, 2015, 31, 9422–9431.

2014

  • Kumar, S. ; Acharya, R.; Chatterji, U.; De, P. “Controlled synthesis of β-sheet polymers based on side-chain amyloidogenic short peptide segments via RAFT polymerization” Polym. Chem., 2014, 5, 6039-6050.
  • Kumar, S. ; De, P. “Fluorescent labelled dual-stimuli (pH/thermo) responsive self-assembled side-chain amino acid based polymers” Polymer, 2014, 55, 824-832.
  • Kumar, Y. P.; Das, R. N.; Kumar, S.; Schütte, O. M.; Steinem, C.; Dash, J. “Triazole tailored guanosine dinucleosides as biomimetic ion channels to modulate transmembrane potential” Chem. Eur. J., 2014, 20, 3023-3028.
  • Maiti, B.; Kumar, S.; De, P. “Controlled RAFT synthesis of side-chain oleic acid containing polymers and their post-polymerization functionalization” RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 56415-56423.

2013

  • Kumar, S. ; Acharya, R.; Chatterji, U.; De, P. “Side-chain amino acid based pH responsive self-assembled block copolymers for drug delivery and gene transfer” Langmuir, 2013, 29, 15375-15385.
  • Kumar, S. ; Acharya, R.; Chatterji, U.; De, P. “Controlled synthesis of pH responsive cationic polymers containing side-chain peptide moietiesvia RAFT polymerization and their self-assembly” J. Mater. Chem. B, 2013, 1, 946-957.

2012

  • Kumar, S. ; Roy, S. G.; De, P. “Cationic mathacrylate polymers containing chiral amino acid moieties: controlled synthesis via RAFT polymerization” Polym. Chem., 2012, 3, 1239-1248.

(Note: * denote Corresponding Author)

  • Bioinspired Synthetic Polymers
  • Hybrid Polymeric Nanoconjugates
  • Multifunctional Polymer Materials for Various Applications

Awards

  • Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Germany (2017-2019)
  • DST-INSPIRE Faculty Award, Department of Science & Technology (DST), of India (2016)
  • SERB-National Postdoctoral Fellowship, Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), of India(2016)
  • GIAP’s Best Researcher Award, NCICST 2015, GIAP Journals (2015)
  • Young Scientist Award, NSRACI 2015, Indian Chemical Society (2015)
  • 1st Prize in Oral Presentation, Advances in Sustainable Polymers 2014, IIT Guwahati, India (2014)
  • MRSI Young Scientists’ Award, Young Scientists’ Colloquium, Materials Research Society of India (2013)
  • Best Poster Award, National Symposium on ‘Polymer & Rubber Technology for 21stCentury’, India (2012)
  • Best Poster Award, Symposium on Polymer Science, IISER Kolkata, India (2011)