Sharafudheen P C
Areas of Interest & Expertise
- Organic synthesis
- Polymer chemistry
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical applications
- Chemistry education
Biography
Sharafudheen is an experimental chemist interested in interdisciplinary research involving organic synthesis, functional polymers and nanomaterials for biomedical applications. He is dedicated to teaching chemistry at the undergraduate level, focusing on blending theory with hands-on experimentation to create an effective learning environment. He incorporates his research directly into his teaching, providing students with exposure to current scientific developments.
Before joining Azim Premji University, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher and project coordinator at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany. His research there focused on designing nanocapsules via miniemulsion, encapsulating therapeutic agents, in vivo applications, and developing them as synthetic organelles. He was also responsible for student supervision, laboratory management, and project coordination.
He graduated (BS-MS) with distinction in 2018 from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, India and obtained his PhD degree in Natural Science from the University of Muenster, Germany, in August 2021, within International Max Planck Research School. During his PhD he worked on biodegradable supramolecular polymer nanocarriers for intracellular delivery applications.
Publications
Journal articles
- Wang, Z., Pottanam Chali, S., Nguyen, T. P. D., Kim, S., Mailander, V., Jiang, S., & Landfester, K. (2025). Integrating incompatible tandem photo-biocatalysis in artificial cells enables metabolic modulation of natural cells. Science Advances, 11, eadu4828. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adu4828
- Mazzotta, F., Pottanam Chali, S., Lieberwirth, I., Ferguson, C. T. J., & Landfester, K. (2025). Tailoring reactive handles on the surface of nanoparticles for covalent conjugation of biomolecules. Polymer Chemistry, 16, 433 – 440. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4PY01119H
- Pottanam Chali, S., Kang, J., Fichter, M., Speth, K. R., Mailander, V., & Landfester, K. (2024). Interfacial denaturation at the droplet simplifies the formation of drug-loaded protein nanocapsules to enhance immune response of cells. Advanced Science, 2403668. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202403668
- Pottanam Chali, S., Westmeier, J., Krebs, F., Jiang, S., Neesen, F. P., Uncuer, D., Shelhaas, M., Grabbe, S., Becker, C., Landfester, K., & Steinbrink, K. (2024). Albumin nanocapsules and nanocrystals for efficient intracellular drug release. Nanoscale Horizons, 9 1978 – 1989. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4NH00161C
- Kudruk, S., Pottanam Chali, S., Matos, A. L. L., Bourque, C., Dunker, C., Gatsogiannis, C., Ravoo, B. J., & Gerke, V. (2021). Biodegradable and dual responsive polypeptide-shelled cyclodextrin-containers for intracellular delivery of membrane-impermeable cargo. Advanced Science, 2100694. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202100694
- Pottanam Chali, S., Hüwel, S., Rentmeister, A., & Ravoo, B. J. (2021). Self-assembled cationic polypeptide supramolecular nanogels for intracellular DNA delivery. Chemistry – A European Journal, 27, 12198 – 12206. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202101924
- Pottanam Chali, S., Azhdari, S., Galstyan, A., Gröschel, A. H., & Ravoo, B. J. (2021). Biodegradable supramolecular micelles via host-guest interaction of cyclodextrin-terminated polypeptides and adamantane-terminated polycaprolactones. Chemical Communications, 57, 9446 – 9449. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CC03372G
- Belenguer-Sapiña, C., Pellicer-Castell, E., Pottanam Chali, S., Ravoo, B. J., Amoros, P., Simó-Alfonso, E. F., & Mauri-Aucejo, A. R. (2021). Host-guest interactions for extracting antibiotics with a γ‑cyclodextrin poly(glycidyl-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) hybrid sorbent. Talanta, 232, 122478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122478
- Pottanam Chali, S., & Ravoo, B. J. (2020). Polymer nanocontainers for intracellular delivery. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59, 2962 – 2972. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201907484
- Pottanam Chali, S., & Ravoo, B. J. (2020). Polymernanocontainer für den Transport in das Zellinnere. Angewandte Chemie, 132, 2982 – 2993. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201907484
- Pottanam Chali, S., & Ravoo, B. J. (2020). Adamantane-terminated polypeptides: Synthesis by N‑carboxyanhydride polymerization and template-based self-assembly of responsive nanocontainers via host – guest complexation with β‑cyclodextrin. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 41, 2000049. https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.202000049