Mukesh Kumar Gupta
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
Tel: +16152430330 (M), E-mail: mh.gupta@yahoo.co.in
Objective
Seeking a growth-oriented academic position to utilize my experience and skills in
multidisciplinary applied research and development.
Education
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Postdoctoral Research Associate (February 2010 to till date)
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Project title: 1. Stimuli responsive polymeric micelles for drug delivery applications
2. Bioactive vascular patch for embryonic stem cell delivery.
3. Shape memory polymers for vascular patch
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Postdoctoral Research Associate (January 2009 to December 2009)
Laboratoire de Chimie-Physique Macromoleculaire, Nancy, France
Project title: Biodegradable polymer material for application in tendon/ligament tissue
engineering
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Ph.D. (Polymer Chemistry) November 2008
Polymer Science and Engineering Division,
National Chemical Laboratory, (affiliated to University of Pune)
Thesis Title: Photo and Thermo Latent Initiators for Cationic Polymerization
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Master of Science (Organic Chemistry), First class, June 2001
Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
Research Experience & Skills
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Stimuli-responsive polymer synthesis by RAFT polymerization
Ring opening copolymerization of ε-caprolactone and D,L-Lactide/Glycolide
Fabrication of PEG-PCL and PLCL aligned nanofibres by electrospinning and their
degradation and mechanical property assessment.
Externally stimulated (Photo & Thermal) cationic polymerization
Multi-step organic synthesis
Catalytic asymmetric synthesis (Salen based metal (Ti and Al) complexes for
synthesis of chiral hydrobenzoins)
Proficient in carrying out reaction by standard techniques such as break seal, inert
atmosphere and handling of air sensitive compounds
Thermal curing of epoxy monomers
Preliminary experience in cell culture studies
Operational knowledge of GPC, NMR, TGA, DSC, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, DLS,
fluorescence spectroscopy, optical microscopy and confocal microscopy, electro
spinning & UV techniques.
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Good written and oral communication skills.
Research areas & interests
Polymerization methods (Cationic, Anionic, Step growth, RAFT),
synthesis, Drug delivery, Tissue Engineering, Biodegradable polymers.
Organic
Awards\ Fellowships\Certificates
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Five Years Research Fellowship (June 2002) awarded by Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.
Best poster award on National Science Day-2008 organized at National Chemical
Laboratory, Pune.
Holding life membership of Society of Polymer Science (SPS), India.
Holding membership of Society for Biomaterial, USA.
Reviewer for Journals: Tissue Engineering
Outline of current postdoctoral research work
My current postdoctoral research involves synthesis, characterization and use of
polymeric biomaterials for regenerative medicine/tissue engineering applications.
 Oxidation responsive polymer micelles based on PPS-b-PDMA copolymer (by TAGT
and RAFT). This is novel oxidation responsive micellar system which release the drug
selectively under oxidative environment.
 Temperature and oxidation responsive thioketal shell cross-linked micelles based
upon PEG113-b-PHEMA10-b-PNIPAAM136 for drug release response to oxidation and
temperature.
 Use of biodegradable copolymers based on ethylene glycol (PEG), ε-caprolactone
(CL) and carboxyl caprolactone (CPCL) for fabrication of electrospun cardiac patch for
embryonic stem cell delivery to hypertrophic myocardium.
 Use of carboxylic group functional poly(ε-caprolactone) for vascular shape memory
patch.
My previous postdoctoral research involves synthesis, characterization of copolymers
based on L, L-Lactide (LLA)/D, L-Lactide (DLLA) and ε-caprolactone (CL) and their use in
fabrication of scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.
 Kinetics of solution and bulk copolymerization (with different feed ratio of LLA/DLLA
and ε-caprolactone) and study of transesterification reactions by 13C NMR analysis.
 Copolymerization of different feed ratio of LLA/DLLA with ε-caprolactone using
different concentration of catalyst.
 Microstructure analysis of prepared copolymers (by 13C NMR) and determination of
reactivity ratio.
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Synthesis of high molecular weight copolymers of L,L-Lactide/D,L-Lactide with εcaprolactone and fabrication of nanofibres by electrospinning using varying
parameters (such as solvent, concentration, flow rate, voltage, rotation speed,
distance).
My doctoral research deals synthesis and utilization of photo and thermo latent initiators
for cationic polymerization.
 A detailed investigation on initiation activity of (xanthenyl, dibenzosuberenyl)
phosphonium salts as thermo-latent initiator in cationic polymerization of epoxy
monomers. The initiator activity was found to depend upon counter anions, phosphine
moiety, ring structure and ring substituents.
 Benzophenone based allylic ammonium salt as one component additionfragmentation-agent (cationic initiator cum free radical source) in photopolymerization
(λ > 290 nm) of cyclohexene oxide, vinyl ethers and n-vinyl carbazole. This is proved
to be an efficient latent cationic initiator without use of radical source.
 Synthesis and use of allylic amide based phosphonium salts as new additionfragmentation-agent in conjugation with photo- and thermal radical initiators in free
radical promoted cationic polymerization. They exhibit enhanced initiation efficiency
as photo and thermo-latent initiator in presence of added radical initiators.
 Diselenides-aromatic nitriles based non-salt photosensitization system in cationic
polymerization of NVC.
 A study on the cure behavior of bisphenol-A-type epoxides by differential scanning
calorimerty (DSC) with phosphonium salts of xanthene and dibenzosuberene having
different counter anions and ring substituents as thermo-latent initiators.
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Publications
1. MK Gupta and RP Singh. “Diphenyldiselenide As Novel Non–salt Photoinitiator for
Photosensitized Cationic Polymerization of N-Vinyl Carbazole” Macromolecular
Symposia 2006, 240, 186–193.
2. S Fernandes, S Correia, MM Marques, S Rana, B Kumar, MK Gupta, RP Singh
“Photodegradation of Ethylene/Propylene/Polar Monomers, Co-, and Terpolymers. II.
Prepared by Ni Catalyst” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2007, 104, 1783-1791.
3. MK Gupta and RP Singh “Cationic Polymerization of Epoxides using Novel Xanthenyl
Phosphonium Salts as Thermo-latent Initiator” Polymer Bulletin 2008, 60, 755–763.
4. MK Gupta and RP Singh “Novel Allylic Phosphonium Salts in Free Radical
Accelerated Cationic Polymerization” Polymer Bulletin 2009, 62, 271-280.
5. MK. Gupta and RP Singh “Xanthenyl Phosphonium Salts as Thermo Latent Initiator
for Cationic Polymerization of GPE” Macromolecular Research 2009, 17(4), 221-226.
6. MK. Gupta and RP Singh “Dibenzocycloheptenyl Phosphonium Salts as Novel
Thermo Latent Initiator in Cationic Polymerization” Journal of Applied Polymer Science
2009, 112, 3707-3713.
7. MK Gupta, RS Mehare and RP Singh “Novel Addition Fragmentation Agent in Photo
Cationic Polymerization” Polymer Bulletin 2010, 65, 25-34.
8. CE Nelson, MK Gupta, EJ Adolph, SA Guelcher, and CL Duvall. siRNA Delivery from
an Injectable Scaffold. Wound Healing Society Year Book (WHSYB) – Advances in
Wound Care 2011. In Press
9. CE Nelson, MK Gupta, EJ Adolph, SA Guelcher,and CL Duvall “Sustained Local
Delivery of siRNA from an Injectable Scaffold” Biomaterials 2011. In Press.
10. MK Gupta, JM Walthal, R Venkataraman, SW Crowder, DK Jung, SS Yu, TK Feaster,
X Wang, TD Giorgio, CC Hong, FJ Baudenbacher, AK Hatzopoulos, and HJ Sung
“Combinatorial Polymer Electrospun Matrices Promote Physiologically-Relevant
Cardiomyogenic Stem Cell Differentiation” PLoS ONE 2011, In Press.
11. SW Crowder, MK Gupta, LH Hofmeister, AL Zachman and HJ Sung “Modular polymer
design to regulate phenotype and oxidative response of human coronary artery cells
for potential stent coating applications” Acta Biomaterialia 2011, In Press
12. MK Gupta, and CL Duvall Novel Amphiphilic Diblock Polymer Micelles for Oxidationdependent Drug Delivery 2012 under review.
13. MK Gupta, J Babin, C Nouvel and JL Six “Biodegradable copolyesters microfibers for
Stem Cells Growth and differentiation” 2012 under preparation.
Book Chapter and Patent
1. MK Gupta and RP Singh “Cationic initiators in photocuring applications” edited by J.
P. Fouassier and X. Allonas, Basics and Applications of Photopolymerization
Reactions, Vol.1, Page 23, 2010 Research Signpost, France.
2. HJ Sung, SW Crowder, MK Gupta, LH Hofmeister, AL Zachman, SS Yu, DK Jung,
“Synthesis and Characterization of new Terpolymers, x% polycaprolactone (PCL)-coy% carboxylated PCL-b-z% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and methods of use of thereof
of” International Patent Application No. PCT/US2011/040708.
Conferences
1. MK Gupta and RP Singh “Diselenides as novel non salt initiator for photosensitized
cationic polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole”, poster presented in “IP-2005” an
international symposium on Ionic Polymerization (Under the auspices of International
Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry-IUPAC), October 2005, held at Goa, India.
2. MK Gupta and RP Singh, “Dibenzosuberenyl phosphonium salts as thermally latent
initiators for cationic polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether” poster presented in
“Macro-2006” an international conference on polymers for advanced technologies,
December 2006, held at National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-India.
3. C Duval, MK Gupta, C Nouvel, J Babin, JL Six, “From biodegradable copolyesters
used in tissue engineering to biodegradable/biocompatible grafted glycopolymers” oral
presentation in “The second Sino-France Tissue Engineering Symposium, October
2009, held at Wuhan, China.
4. C Duval, MK Gupta, TL Nguyen, C Nouvel, J Babin, C Vaquette, X Wang, N Tran, JL
Six “Biodegradable copolyesters microfibers for Stem Cells Growth” poster presented
in “3rd International NanoMedicine Conference 2011”, July 2011, Sydney, Australia.
5. MK Gupta, DK Jung, AK Hatzopoulos, and HJ Sung “Multi-functional nanofiber patch
to tune embryonic stem cell delivery onto hypertrophic myocardium” poster presented
in “BMES-2010” October 2010, held at Austin, Texas, USA.
6. MK Gupta, DK Jung, J M Walthall, R Venkataraman, SW Crowder, SS Yu, CL Duvall,
FJ Baudenbacher, AK Hatzopoulos, HJ Sung “Multi-functional electrospun polymer
patch to tune embryonic stem cell delivery onto hypertrophic myocardium” poster
presented in “TERMIS-2010” December 2010, held at Orlando, Florida, USA.
7. MK Gupta, JM Walthal, R Venkataraman, SW Crowder, DK Jung, SS Yu, TK Feaster,
X Wang, TD Giorgio, CC Hong, FJ Baudenbacher, AK Hatzopoulos, and HJ Sung
“Development of Bioactive Cardiac Patch for Delivery of Embryonic Stem Cells to
Hypertrophic Myocardium” poster presented in “3rd Annual Cardiovascular Research
Day 2011”, held at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
8. MK Gupta, JM Walthal, R Venkataraman, SW Crowder, DK Jung, SS Yu, TK Feaster,
X Wang, TD Giorgio, CC Hong, FJ Baudenbacher, AK Hatzopoulos, and HJ Sung
“Combinatorial design of polymer patch to optimize delivery and differentiation of
embryonic stem cells onto hypertrophic myocardium” oral presentation in “SFB 2011”,
April 2011, held at Orlando, Florida, USA.
9. CE Nelson, MK Gupta, EJ Adolph, SA Guelcher, and CL Duvall. “Sustained Local
Delivery of siRNA from an Injectable Scaffold” oral presentation in “SFB 2011”, April
2011, held at Orlando, Florida, USA.
10. MK Gupta, and CL Duvall ‘Novel Amphiphilic Diblock Polymer Micelles for Oxidationdependent Drug Delivery’ poster presented in “BMES 2011” October 2011, held at
Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
11. MK Gupta, JM Walthal, R Venkataraman, SW Crowder, DK Jung, SS Yu, TK Feaster,
CC Hong, FJ Baudenbacher, AK Hatzopoulos, and HJ Sung “Combinatorial Polymer
Electrospun Matrices Promote Physiologically-Relevant Cardiomyogenic Stem Cell
Differentiation” oral presentation in “BMES 2011”, October 2011, held at Hartford,
Connecticut, USA.