The Pennsylvania State University Archives

Ms. Seema Rani is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali. Her current research focuses on developing novel 2D metal chalcogenides-based sensors, electronics, and memory devices, aiming to contribute innovative solutions to advance these fields. Her research also extends to micro-electrochemistry methods and micro-electrocatalysis. Over the course of her doctoral studies, she has published more than ten research articles in reputed journals and presented her findings at numerous national and international conferences.

Seema holds a bachelor’s degree in science from BPS Women’s University, Khanpur Kalan, Haryana and a master’s degree in physics from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana. She has been a recipient of various scholarships throughout her academic journey and ranked fifth in her master’s program. Additionally, she qualified in the CSIR-UGC NET examination in physical sciences with an all-India rank of 141 and was awarded the CSIR-JRF fellowship. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, meditation, cooking, and reading.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Seema is aiming at developing advanced biomimetic eye systems with in-sensor computing capabilities, specifically mimicking the functionality of bipolar cells essential for visual processing.

Mr. Nipun Jain is a PhD candidate at the Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. His doctoral thesis focuses on developing a 3D bioprinted lungs-on-a-dish platform to investigate pulmonary fibrosis. He employs extrusion bioprinting and cultures the prepared lung tissue at an air-liquid interface which also incorporates advanced material characterizations to examine cellular structural morphology and functional expression.

Nipun holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. He has completed multiple internship projects offered by the Indian Academy of Sciences prior to joining the PhD program at IISc. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) and has published several research and review papers. He has also participated and presented his work at various national and international conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at The Pennsylvania State University, Nipun is integrating 3D bioprinting with microfluidics to provide more reproducible insights into disease progression for evaluating therapeutic efficacy. The insights gained from his research will contribute to translation of novel drug screening platforms for pulmonary fibrosis and other lung-related disorders. When not in the lab, he can be found reading non-fiction or playing games. He is a music enthusiast, enjoys playing the guitar and is fond of travelling to explore new places for food.