Nonappa Nonappa

I lead a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the intersection of Chemistry, Materials Science, and Biomedical Sciences. My scientific journey has taken me across various disciplines, from organic and supramolecular chemistry to nanoparticle self-assembly, cryogenic electron microscopy, and the design of extracellular matrices for breast cancer models. This diverse background enables me to connect ideas and techniques in unconventional ways, often leading to discoveries that bridge chemistry, biology, and medicine. Our mission is to design, characterize, and engineer advanced materials, devices, and systems that enable precise control and manipulation at the molecular and cellular levels. One of my notable achievements is the development of a 3D hydrogel-based patient-derived breast cancer tissue culture model, which has been validated using over 1,000 patient samples. This innovation is paving the way for next-generation diagnostic tools and drug discovery platforms. We are also developing lab-on-a-chip technologies to model site-specific cancer metastasis, study disease progression, and enable real-time detection of biomarkers. Beyond biomedical applications, our team has pioneered biopolymer optical fibers for short-distance communications, including the first-ever demonstration of quantitative environmental sensing using such fibers. By effectively utilizing material stock and flow, creating a new value chain, and driving innovation in good health and well-being, our research activities support climate-neutral policies, the circular economy, the European Union's Green Deal, the UN´s Sustainable Development Goals, and Europe´s Beating Cancer Plan. For more information, see our Research Page and Publications.

• Breast cancer disease and diagnostic models
• Bio-based materials for optics and photonics
• Precision nanomaterials
• Advanced transmission electron microscopy

Current position

• 03.08.2020-Present: Associate Professor (tenure track) in Nanochemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. 

Academic degrees and titles

• 19.10.2018: Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale (ASN), CHIM/07-Fondamenti Chimici delle Tecnologie, MIUR, Italy.
• 26.05.2017: Title of Docent in Soft Matter Microscopy, School of Science, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Finland
• 13.12.2008: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
• 10.11.2020: Executive Master of Business Administration, Quantic School of Business and Technology, Washington D.C., USA. 

Previous research experience 

• 26.05.2017-31.07.2020: Research Fellow and Docent, Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Finland
• 01.08.2012-25.05.2017: Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Finland.
• 15.02.2009-31.07.2012: Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

Visit our research group page for more details: https://research.tuni.fi/png/