Dr. Tolou Shokuhfar is an Assistant Professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Technological University since Jan 2012, Adjunct Assistant Professor of College of Dentistry and Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics at University of Illinois at Chicago . Her research experience lies at the interface of biomaterials and nano-biotechnology. She is particularly interested in nanostructured bone/dental implants with enhanced biocompatibility and drug delivery as well as real time Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy of biomolecules and living cells in hydrated conditions with unprecedented resolution. She also investigates bio/nano interactions such as nanoparticle/nanotube endocytosis. Understanding the concepts behind the interaction of living cells with nanomaterials can be used for designing smart bio-nanomaterials with widespread applications in regenerative medicine, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Nanotubes can be used as carriers for targeted drug and gene delivery and as drug-eluting implants.
Dr. Tolou completed her PhD in mechanical engineering at Michigan Technological University (fall 2010). She then was working as a post-doctoral fellow in the Center for Diagnostic Nanosystems, a new interdisciplinary center between Michigan Tech and Marshall University developing minimally invasive nanosensor technology for early detection of human disease that provided her with additional research experience at the interfaces of nanomaterials, nanoelectronics, and human disease biomarkers.
Prior entering to the PhD program at Michigan Tech, she spent a year and half as a principle scientist working on a joint project between University of Aveiro in Portugal, University of Louis Pasteur in France, Henri TudorResearch Center in Luxembourg, and Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The project was mainly focused on developing new bionanocomposite materials for orthopedic applications.
She is currently the director of In-Situ Nanomedicine Laboratory, faculty of MTU-MEEM, MTU-Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Adjunct Assistant Professor of MTU- Biomedical Engineering, member of MTU-Biotech Research Center (BRC), Visiting Assistant Professor of UIC-Physics, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at UIC-College Of Dentistry.
Session Chair: Coatings for Bio-corrosion, Tribo-corrosion, and Bio-tribology at ICMCTF, April 29th to May 3rd 2013 at San Diego, CA, http://www2.avs.org/conferences/icmctf/pages/symposium_d.html