Nayanika Chakraborty

As a postdoctoral research fellow at Tampere Institute for Advanced Study (2025-27), I lead MechanoTargeting, a multidisciplinary project at the nexus of nanotechnology, chemical biology, and cancer mechanobiology. This research addresses a critical challenge in oncology: how matrix stiffness in the tumor microenvironment contributes to drug resistance and alters nanocarrier uptake. Using advanced 3D hydrogel models of breast cancer, the project investigates the biomechanical basis of lipid nanoparticle interactions and their therapeutic efficacy.

This project aligns with global priorities in precision oncology and nanomedicine, offering innovative strategies for matrix-informed therapeutic design and targeted drug delivery.

My research focuses on designing nanoscale therapeutics with spatiotemporal precision to modulate the nano–bio interface. I develop polymeric and hybrid nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery, evaluating their efficacy and safety through microbiological, cellular, and in vivo models.These platforms are specifically engineered to investigate and overcome drug resistance-whether in the form of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or chemoresistance in cancer. Through light-activated therapies such as photothermal and photodynamic approaches, I’ve demonstrated synergistic wound healing and anti-infective effects. Now I'm translating these approaches to investigate how the interplay between micromechanics and cancer stage contributes to chemoresistance in solid tumours.

I experimentally investigate the role of micromechanical properties of the tumor matrix in cellular uptake of nanocarriers and chemotherapy to drive technological innovation in precision medicine.

• Mechanobiology of Chemoresistance using breast cancer 3D cell cultures
• Nanocarrier Design for Targeted Drug Delivery
• Stimuli-Responsive Nanomedicine Platforms

Chemistry, Nanomedicine and Cancer Mechanobiology

Current position

• 21.11.2024-Present: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. 

Academic degrees and titles: 

• 24.02.2024: Ph.D. in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, India and Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases Biology,CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India.  
• 18.11.2017: Master of Science (M.Sc. in Chemistry), Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
• 30.05.2015: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. in Chemistry), Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.

Previous research experience

• 31.10.2023-31.03.2024: Project Associate-II, Nucleic Acid Research Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India

• Nayanika Chakraborty, D.Jha, V.P.Singh, P.Kumar, N.K.Verma, H.K.Gautam, I.Roy, “White-Light-Responsive Prussian Blue Nanophotonic Particles for Effective Eradication of Bacteria and ImprovedHealing of Infected Cutaneous Wounds” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2023, 15, 50765.[Link]
  (IF: 9.5, Citations: 6, press release and highlighted in LKC medicine newsletter, NTU, Singapore [Link])
• Nayanika Chakraborty, D.Jha, I.Roy, P.Kumar, S.S.Gaurav, K.Marimuthu, O.-T.Ng,R.Lakshminarayanan, N. K.Verma, H.K. Gautam, “Nanobitics against antimicrobial resistance: harnessingthe power of nanoscale materials and technologies” J. Nanobiotechnol.,2022, 20, 375.
  (IF:10.2, Citations : 72, Open Access)[Link]
• Nayanika Chakraborty, D.Jha, H.K.Gautam, I.Roy, “Peroxidase-like behaviour and photothermal effect of chitosan-coated Prussian-blue nanoparticles: dual-modality antibacterial action with enhanced bioaffinity” Mater. Adv., 2020, 1, 774.[Link]
  (IF: 5.5, Citations: 14, Open Access)

• S.Sharma, Nayanika Chakraborty, D.Jha, H.K.Gautam, I.Roy, “Robust dual modality antibacterial action using silver-Prussian blue nanoscale coordination polymer”. Mater. Sci. Eng. C, 2020, 113, 110982. (I F :8.45, Citations: 26)[Link]

  Oral presentations (* as Presenting author)

• Nayanika Chakraborty*, I.Roy, H.K.Gautam. (2023) “Dual light responsive chitosan nanocatalyst for photodynamic antibacterial therapy", Rencontres du Vietnam -The First International Symposium of Nano Life Science:Nano Biotechnology, Biosensor, Computation (NanoBiocom2023), ICISE, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh province, Vietnam,17-19 September, 2023.
   
• Granted: IUPAB Travel Award-2023
   
• Poster presentations (* as Presenting author)
• Nayanika Chakraborty*, D.Jha, H.K. Gautam, I.Roy. (2022) “Photo-enhanced singlet oxygengeneration of chitosan coated Prussian blue nano-assembly for white light activated photodynamic antibacterial therapy ", Recent Advances in NanoMedical Sciences (RANMS-2022), at Paintal Memorial
  Golden Jubilee Auditorium, University of Delhi, 22-23 June, 2022.
  Best Poster Award
• Nayanika Chakraborty*, D.Jha, H.K. Gautam, I.Roy. (2020) “Photo-enhanced singlet oxygen generation of chitosan coated Prussian blue nano-assembly for white light activated photodynamic antibacterial therapy ", 2nd INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM via Virtual Platform on Functional
  Nanomaterials in Industrial Applications: Academy –Industry –Clinicians Meet orgainsed by University of Central Lancanshire, 14-16 July,2020.
• Nayanika Chakraborty*, S.Sharma, I.Roy. (2019) “Facile synthesis of photoactive silver Prussian Blue nanoparticle as antibiotic resistant agent” at International Conference on “6th worldcongress on Nanomedical Sciences-ISNSCON-2018, Chemistry-Biology Interface 2019”, 07 -10 January,2019.