Tayalia, P « Biosciences and Bioengineering

Dr. Prakriti Tayalia

Assistant Professor

Phone: +(91-22) 2576 7797
Fax: +(91-22) 2572 3480
E-mail: prakriti [at] iitb.ac.in
Location: Room No. 602, BSBE Building

Research Interest

Materials have the ability to direct cell response in a variety of ways, for example modulate immune response, direct lineage specific differentiation, guide cell migration or direct programmed cell death. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying their ability to manipulate the cells is not completely understood. Recent progress in this interdisciplinary field of materials science and biology has allowed us to design and fabricate material platforms that will improve our understanding of these processes. We would like to utilize engineering tools, state of the art characterization techniques and biological assays to develop physiologically relevant material systems that would support multicellular culture in a more controlled fashion.

Use a combination of microfabricated and naturally occuring 3D matrices to dilneate the role of biochemical cues (density, type, gradient) from physical cues (stiffness, degradation, architecture) affecting cell adhesion and migration in 3D as a model for understanding cell motility in body.
Develop physiologically relevant model systems with precise control over nutrient availability, cell-cell interaction and cell-matrix interaction to understand and functionally mimic complex tissues.
Develop material platforms to program the cells for applications involving activation of immune system, prevention of tumor growth and recruitment & differentiation of stem and progenitor cells

Academic Background

B.Tech. (1999): IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India
M.S. (2002): University of Delaware, Delaware, USA
Ph.D. (2009): Harvard University, Cambridge, USA

Professional Experience

Assistant Professor (2011 – present): Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India
Postdoctoral Fellow (2009 – 2011): Harvard University, Cambridge, USA

Honors and Fellowships

Awarded Graduate Student Fellowship at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
Awarded Medal for M.S. research work at the 47th International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition (ISS&E).
Recipient of National Talent Search Scholarship awarded by NCERT, New Delhi.
Secretary, SAMPE (UDel Student Chapter) (2002)

Publications

Tayalia P, Mooney DJ, Mazur E, “Controlled architectural and chemotactic studies of 3D cell migration”, Biomaterials, 32 (10), 2634-2641 (2011).
Lukacs-Kornek V, Malhotra D, Fletcher AL, Acton SE, Elpek KG, Tayalia, P, Collier A, Turley SJ, “Regulated release of nitric oxide by nonhematopoietic stroma controls expansion of the activated T cell pool in lymph nodes”, Nature Immunology 12 (11), 1096–1104 (2011)
Tayalia P, Mendonca CR, Baldacchini T, Mooney DJ, Mazur E, “3D cell migration studies using two-photon engineered polymer scaffolds”, Advanced Materials, 20 (23), 4494-4498 (2008).
Tayalia P, Mooney DJ, “Controlled growth factor delivery for tissue engineering”, Advanced Materials, 21 (32), 3269-3285 (2009).
Correa DS, Tayalia P, Cosendey G, Santos DS, Aroca RF, Mazur E, Mendonca CR, “Two-Photon Polymerization for Fabricating Structures Containing the Biopolymer Chitosan”, Journal of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, 9, 5845-5849 (2009).
Mendonca CR, Correa DS, Marlow F, Voss T, Tayalia P, Mazur E, “Three-dimensional fabrication of optically active microstructures containing an electroluminescent polymer”, Appl. Phys. Lett, 95, 113309 (2009).
Mendonca CR, Correa DS, Baldacchini T, Tayalia P, Mazur E, “Two-photon absorption spectrum of the photoinitiator Lucirin TPO-L”, Appl. Phys. A, 90, 633-636 (2008).
Mendonca C, Baldacchini T, Tayalia P and Mazur E, “Reversible birefringence in microstructures fabricated by two-photon absorption polymerization”, J. Appl. Phys., 103, 013109-1-013109-4 (2007)
Tayalia P, Heider D, Gillespie JW, “Characterization and Theoretical Modeling of Magnetostrictive Strain Sensors”, Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 111 (2-3), 267-274, 2004