Mohit Verma
Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
PhD, University of Waterloo
msverma@purdue.edu
765-496-3687
BRK 2042
Webpage: https://www.vermalab.com/
Biotechnology
Active Mentor - currently hosting PULSe students for laboratory rotations and recruiting PULSe students into the laboratory; serves on preliminary exam committees
Current Research Interests:
Microbiome: The complex communities of microorganims (i.e. microbiome)—bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa—that reside in and on us determine our health. Our lab is engineering these microbiomes to improve health and prevent diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Nanotechnology: The use of nanotechnology permits us to manipulate biological matter (bacteria, viruses, fungi, mammalian cells) in novel ways. At the nanoscale, matter can have unique properties such as a change in color depending on its size (gold nanoparticles) or superparamagnetism (iron oxide nanoparticles). We harvest these properties to study and engineer microbiomes. User-friendly diagnostics: We are developing biosensors that are low-cost and user-friendly. These biosensors incorporate most of the complexity within the device (e.g. stored reagents) such that the user requires minimal training.
Soft robots: The field of soft robotics has grown tremendously in the last decade. We are applying the soft actuators and robots developed so far to applications in maintaining human health and preventing injuries.
Selected Publications:
Verma, M.S.,§ Fink, M.F.,§ Salmon, G.L., Fornelos, N., Ohara, T. E., Ryu, S.H., Vlamakis, H., Xavier, R.J., Stappenbeck, T.S., and Whitesides, G.M. (2018) A common mechanism links activities of butyrate in the colon ACS Chemical Biology; 13: 1291-1298. DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00073 [featured in the cover].
Belding, L., Baytekin, B., Baytekin, T., Rothemund, P., Verma, M.S., Nemiroski, A., Grzybowski, B. A., and Whitesides, G.M. (2018) Slit tubes for semi-soft pneumatic actuators Advanced Materials; DOI: 10.1002/adma.201704446.
Verma, M.S.,§ Yang, D.,§ Harburg, D., and Whitesides, G.M. (2017) A soft tube-climbing robot Soft Robotics; DOI: 10.1089/soro.2016.0078.
Verma, M.S., Tsaloglou, M.-N., Sisley, T., Christodouleas, D., Chen, A., Milette, J., and Whitesides, G.M. (2018) Slidingstrip microfluidic device enables ELISA on paper Biosensors and Bioelectronics; 99: 77-84.
Ainla, A., § Verma, M.S.,§ Yang, D.,§ and Whitesides, G.M. (2017) Soft, rotating pneumatic actuator Soft Robotics; doi:10.1089/soro.2017.0017.
Yang, D., Verma, M.S., Lossner, E., Stothers, D., Whitesides, G.M. (2016) Negative-pressure soft linear actuator with a mechanical advantage Advanced Materials Technologies; 1: 1600164.
Yang, D., Verma, M.S., So, J.-H., Mosadegh, B., Keplinger, C., Lee, B., Khashai, F., Lossner, E., Suo, Z., and Whitesides, G.M. (2016) Buckling pneumatic actuators as mimics of muscle Advanced Materials Technologies; 1:1600055 [featured in the cover].
Jahed, Z., Shahsavan, H., Verma, M.S., Rogowski, J.J., Seo, B. B., Zhao, B., Tsui, T. Y., Gu, F. X., Mofrad, M. (2017) Bacterial networks on hydrophobic micropillars ACS Nano; 11: 675-683 [featured in the cover].
Rogowski, J.L., Verma, M.S., and Gu, F.X. (2016) Discrimination of proteins using an array of surfactant-stabilized gold nanoparticles Langmuir; 32: 7621-7629.
Rogowski, J.L., Verma, M.S., Chen, P.Z., and Gu, F.X. (2016) A “chemical nose” biosensor for detecting proteins in complex mixtures Analyst; 141:5627-5636.
Verma, M.S., Tsuji, J.M, Hall, B., Chen, P.Z., Forrest, J., Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2016) Towards point-of-care detection of polymicrobial infections: rapid colorimetric response using a portable spectrophotometer Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research; 10: 15-19.
Verma, M.S., Wei, S.-C., Rogowski, J.L, Tsuji, J.M, Chen, P.Z., Lin, C.-W., Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2016) Interactions between bacterial surface and nanoparticles govern the performance of “chemical nose” biosensors Biosensors and Bioelectronics; 83:115-125.
Gu, J., Chen, P.Z., Seo, B.B., Jardin, J.M., Verma, M.S., Jahed, Z., Mofrad, M.R.K, Gu, F.X., and Tsui, T. (2015) Adhesion characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus bacterial cells on funnel-shaped palladium-cobalt alloy nanostructures. The Journal of Experimental Nanoscience; 11: 480-489.
Verma, M.S., Chen, P.Z., Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2015) Controlling “chemical nose” biosensor characteristics by modulating gold nanoparticle shape and concentration Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research; 5: 13-18.
Verma, M.S., Rogowski, J.L., Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2015) Colorimetric biosensing of pathogens using gold nanoparticles. Biotechnology Advances; 33:666-680.
Liu, S., Chang, C.N., Verma, M.S., Hileeto, D.,Muntz, A., Stahl, U., Woods, J., Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2015) Phenylboronic acid modified mucoadhesive nanoparticle drug carriers facilitate weekly treatment of experimentally-induced dry eye syndrome. Nano Research; 8:621-635.
Chan, T.,§ Verma, M.S.,§ and Gu, F.X. (2015) Optimization of polydiacetylene-coated superparamagnetic magnetite biosensor for colorimetric detection of biomarkers. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology; 15:2628-2633.
Verma, M.S.,§ Chen, P.Z.,§ Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2014) “Chemical nose” for the visual identification of emerging ocular pathogens using gold nanostars. Biosensors and Bioelectronics; 61: 386-390.
Verma, M.S.,§ Chen, P.Z.,§ Jones, L., and Gu, F.X. (2014) Branching and size of CTAB-coated gold nanostars control the colorimetric detection of bacteria. RSC Advances; 4:10660-10668.
Jahed, Z., Lin, P., Seo, B.B., Verma, M.S., Gu, F.X., Tsui, T.Y., and Mofrad, M. (2014) Responses of Staphylococcus aureus bacterial cells to nanocrystalline nickel nanostructures. Biomaterials;35: 4249-4254.
Davidson, D., Verma, M.S., and Gu, F.X. (2013) ¬¬Controlled root targeted delivery of fertilizer using an ionically crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel matrix. SpringerPlus; 2: 318.
Verma, M.S. and Gu, F.X. (2012) Microwave-enhanced reductive amination via Schiff’s base formation for block copolymer synthesis. Carbohydrate Polymers; 87: 2740-2744.
Verma, M.S.,§ Liu S.,§ Chen Y., Meerasa A. and Gu F.X. (2012) Size-tunable nanoparticles composed of dextran-b-poly(D,L-lactide) for drug delivery applications. Nano Research; 5: 49-61.
Lehtovaara B.C.,§ Verma, M.S., § and Gu F.X. (2012) Multi-phase ionotropic liquid crystalline gels with controlled architecture by selfassembly of biopolymers. Carbohydrate Polymers; 87: 1881-1885.
Lehtovaara B.C., Verma, M.S., and Gu F.X. (2012) Synthesis of curdlan-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) and formulation of doxorubicin loaded core-shell nanoparticles. Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers; 27: 3-17.
Rosen, J.E., Yoffe, S., Meerasa, A., Verma, M.S., and Gu, F.X. (2011) Nanotechnology and diagnostic imaging: new advances in contrast agent technology. Journal of Nanomedicine & Nanotechnology; 2: 1000115.
- Faculty Profile