Surya K. Mallapragada

Title(s):

Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering, Carol Vohs Johnson Chair
Associate Vice President for Research, Iowa State University Office of the Vice President for Research
Scientist, Ames Laboratory, Division of Materials Science and Engineering

Office

5023 ATRB
2213 Pammel Dr.
Ames, IA 50011-1101

Information

 

Awards

2021 Fellow, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
2018 Foreign Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, India
2018 AIChE Plenary Talk, Division of Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering, Pharmaceutical area (15b)
2017 Fellow, International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE)
2016 Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (NAI)
2016 WiSE Champion, Program for Women in Science and Engineering, Iowa State U.
2014 David R. Boylan Eminent Faculty Award for Research, Iowa State Univ.
2011 Young Alumni Achievement Award, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
2009 Distinguished Service Award, AIChE Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Division
2008 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2007Big 12 “Rising Star” Award, Big 12 Center for Economic Development, Innovation and Commercialization
2007 ISU Foundation Mid-Career Excellence in Research Award
2006 Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)
2003 Global Indus Technovator Award
2002 TR100 Award, MIT’s Technology Review Magazine
2001 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award
2001 ISU Foundation Early Excellence in Research Award
2000 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award

Education

  • Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, 1996
  • B.Tech. Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, 1993

Research Interests

Our research program is focused on designing polymeric biomaterials and bioinspired materials. Our current focus areas are:

  • Smart Polymers for Delivery of Genetic Material: We have designed and synthesized novel smart bioinspired multi-block copolymers that exhibit pH and temperature sensitivity. These polymers are cationic and undergo thermoreversible gelation at body temperatures These cationic polymers exhibit complexation with nucleic acids and serve as excellent injectable sustained delivery vectors of combiantions of miRNA or siRNA with chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer therapies. These copolymers also exhibit selective transfection in cancer cells.
  • Polymers for Vaccine Delivery: This project focuses on developing sustained vaccine delivery devices for single-dose sub-unit vaccines. We have designed virus-mimicking block copolymer-based nanovaccines for influenza that act as effective adjuvants  to stimulate the immune system and confer protection.
  • Bioinspired Nanocomposites: This multi-investigator project focuses on the synthesis as well as the hierarchical self-assembly of nanoparticles into 2D and 3D structures using a combination of stimuli-responsive synthetic block copolymers and biomolecules.
  • Combating Neurodegeneration: Our approach involves utilizing a combination of physical, chemical, biological and electrical cues on polymer substrates to facilitate peripheral nerve regeneration, and control adult stem cell differentiation to combat neurodegeneration. Our recent work has showed that physical cues in the form of micropatterned substrates, in synergy with other cues such as electrical, can control differentiation of adult stem cells. We are also developing strategies to deliver therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier to combat neurodegeneration.

Publications

Selected Recent Publications

  • Nayak, B., Wang. W., Kakkar, P., Zhang, H., Mallick, Z., Zhou, S., Nykypanchuk, D., Mallapragada, S.K., Travesset, A. and Vaknin, D., “Valence-Free Open Nanoparticle Superlattices”, Nature Communications, 17, 1611 (2026).  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68316-4
  • Nethi, S.K., Gunda, V., Natesh, N.S., White, B.M. Mullis, A.S., Narasimhan, B., Batra, S.K., Mallapragada, S.K. and Rachagani, S., “Niclosamide Nanoparticles Enhance Pancreatic Cancer Sensitivity to Gemcitabine via HIF-1 Inhibition”, Iscience, 28, 114088 (2025).  10.1016/j.isci.2025.114088.
  • Simsar, E.G., Cheng, P., Donta, M., Jung, J., Asante, N., Sakaguchi, D.S., Mallapragada, S.K., Kidambi, P. and Uz, M., “Few-Layered Conductive Graphene Foams for Electrical Transdifferentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Schwann Cell-like Phenotypes”, Adv. Healthcare Mater., e02204 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202502204
  • Kakkar, P., Romero, A.J., Mallapragada, S.K. and Travesset, A., “Interaction of Planar Brushes with End-Functionalized Carboxylic or Amine Groups: Water Structure, Hydrogen Bonds and Electrostatic Correlations”, Langmuir, 41, 30582-93 (2025). 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c04329.
  • Siddoway, A.C., Verhoeven, D., Harm, T.A., Wannemuehler, M.J., Mallapragada, S.K. and Narasimhan, B., “Safety and Biocompatibility of a Spray-Dried Influenza Nanoparticle Vaccine”, Regen. Eng. Trans. Med., 1-15 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40883-025-00473-2.
  • Nayak, B., Wang, W., Zhang, H., Ocko, B., Travesset, A., Mallapragada, S.K., and Vaknin, D., “Electrostatically Assembled Open and Checkerboard Superlattices”, Mater. Today Nano, 100734 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtnano.2025.100734.
  • Siddoway, A.C., Van Zanten, A., Verhoeven, D., Wannemuehler, M.J., Mallapragada, S.K., and Narasimhan, B., “Equine Influenza Antigen-based Particle Vaccine Protects Mice Against Homologous and Heterosubtypic Viral Challenges”, Acta Biomat. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2025.07.042.
  • White, B.M, Gunda, V., Nethi, S.M., Nagabhishek, S.N, Mullis, A.S., Sotelo, M.R., North, J., Destache, C., Narasimhan, B., Batra, S., Mallapragada, S.K. and Rachagani, S., “Niclosamide-loaded Polyanhydride Nanoparticles to Combat Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer”, Regen. Eng. Translational Med., 1-14 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40883-025-00394-0.
  • Nayak, B., Batey, J.E., Kim, H.J., Wang, W., Bu, W., Zhang, H, Mallapragada, S.K. and Vaknin, D., “Effect of Grafting Density on the Two-Dimensional Assembly of Nanoparticles”, Appl. Surf. Sci., 690, 162556 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.162556
  • Nethi, S.N., Kothadiya, S., White, B.M., Rachagani, S., Bardhan, R., and Mallapragada, S.K., “Polyanhydride Copolymer-Based Niclosamide Nanoparticles for Inhibiting Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Metabolic Responses and Synergism with Paclitaxel”, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfac., 16, 51, 70362-70377 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c17961
  • Ross, K.A., Kelly, S., Phadke, K.S., Peroutka-Bigus, N., Mallapragada, S.K., Wannemuehler, M.J., Bellaire, B.H., and Narasimhan, B., “Next-generation Nanovaccine Induces Durable Antibody Responses, Generates Antigen-Specific T-Cells and Protects Against SARS-CoV-2 Lethal Challenge in Mice, Acta Biomat., 183, 318-329 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2024.05.048
  • Nayak, B., Zhang, H., Bu, W., Ocko, B., Travesset, A., Vaknin, D., Mallapragada, S.K. and Wang, W., “Ionic-Like Superlattices by Charged Nanoparticles: A Step Towards Photonics Applications”, ACS Appl. Nano Mat., 7, 3220-28 (2024). doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.3c05566.

 

Primary Strategic Research Area

Engineered Medicine

Departments

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