The biological/non-biological interface system is an important cornerstone for the fabrication of a wide range of biomedical devices. Platforms as diverse as lab-on-chip and point-of-care diagnostics, 3D tissue culture scaffolds, organs-on-chips, implants and antimicrobial surfaces all rely on the effective interaction of cells and/or bio-recognition elements (proteins/peptides, enzymes, oligonucleotides, etc.) with non-biological surfaces. Design and engineering of micro/nano engineered interfaces provide powerful tools to study biological phenomena at micro and nano scale and to develop novel technologies for diagnostics, therapeutics and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. I will present an overview of our research on micro/nano-scale design of novel surfaces and coatings and their integration into in vitro systems such as lab on chip, flexible sensing interfaces and antimicrobial coatings as well as in vivo applications to develop efficient medical devices such as anti-thrombogenic and antimicrobial catheters and vascular grafts.
Dr. Tohid Didar holds Canada Research Chair (CRC) in NanoBiomaterials and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) at McMaster University. Before joining McMaster in January 2016, Dr. Didar was a postdoctoral fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. Since joining McMaster in 2016, he has established a world class interdisciplinary research platform on smart, multifunctional nano-biomaterials, and has fostered strategic industry collaborations within the biomedical and food sectors. Due to his contributions to this field, he was awarded the Ontario Early Researcher Award in 2019 and the Engineering Innovation Award of the Year by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers in 2020. In 2019, Dr. Didar co-invented a nanotechnology-based pathogen repelling coating (RepelWrap). This technology won the 2020 Grand Prize for the Create the Future Design Concept by Tech Briefs magazine. Dr. Didar has also co-founded FendX (a McMaster spin off) to commercialize pathogen repellant and antimicrobial coatings. Dr. Didar has published over 60 journal papers, over 15 patent applications and has presented over 40 national and international invited talks and keynote speeches.
He is now leading his own lab at McMaster University: Didar Lab.
The biological/non-biological interface system is an important cornerstone for the fabrication of a wide range of biomedical devices. Platforms as diverse as lab-on-chip and point-of-care diagnostics, 3D tissue culture scaffolds, organs-on-chips, implants and antimicrobial surfaces all rely on the effective interaction of cells and/or bio-recognition elements (proteins/peptides, enzymes, oligonucleotides, etc.) with non-biological surfaces. Design and engineering of micro/nano engineered interfaces provide powerful tools to study biological phenomena at micro and nano scale and to develop novel technologies for diagnostics, therapeutics and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. I will present an overview of our research on micro/nano-scale design of novel surfaces and coatings and their integration into in vitro systems such as lab on chip, flexible sensing interfaces and antimicrobial coatings as well as in vivo applications to develop efficient medical devices such as anti-thrombogenic and antimicrobial catheters and vascular grafts.
Dr. Tohid Didar holds Canada Research Chair (CRC) in NanoBiomaterials and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) at McMaster University. Before joining McMaster in January 2016, Dr. Didar was a postdoctoral fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. Since joining McMaster in 2016, he has established a world class interdisciplinary research platform on smart, multifunctional nano-biomaterials, and has fostered strategic industry collaborations within the biomedical and food sectors. Due to his contributions to this field, he was awarded the Ontario Early Researcher Award in 2019 and the Engineering Innovation Award of the Year by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers in 2020. In 2019, Dr. Didar co-invented a nanotechnology-based pathogen repelling coating (RepelWrap). This technology won the 2020 Grand Prize for the Create the Future Design Concept by Tech Briefs magazine. Dr. Didar has also co-founded FendX (a McMaster spin off) to commercialize pathogen repellant and antimicrobial coatings. Dr. Didar has published over 60 journal papers, over 15 patent applications and has presented over 40 national and international invited talks and keynote speeches.
He is now leading his own lab at McMaster University: Didar Lab.