Amal Narayanan
Assistant Professor
Research Focus
The mission of Narayanan Lab is to translate fundamental discoveries in the cellular states of matter into developing new human-health-centric technologies with synthetic polymers. In this process, we seek to learn new biology, synthesize advanced polymer materials, and discover emergent physical phenomena. Our main areas of focus are biomimicry with minimal polymer designs, interfacing synthetic polymers with cellular biomacromolecules, and quantitative frameworks with imaging and high-throughput polymer designs.
Education and Training
2021–2024: Postdoctoral research associate, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University (lab of Prof. Cliff Brangwynne)
2015–2021: Ph.D. Polymer Science, The University of Akron (lab of Prof. Abraham Joy)
2010–2015: B.S. and M.S. Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata
Selected Awards
HHMI LSRF Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022)
Alan Gent Award (2021)
Selected Publications
Vishwakarma, A.; Narayanan, A.; Kumar, N.; Chen, Z.; Dang, F.; Menefee, J.; Dhinojwala, A.; and Joy, A. Coacervate dense phase displaces surface-established Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2024, 146, 26397-26407.
Rana, U.; Xu, K.; Narayanan, A.; Walls, M.T.; Panagiotopoulos, A.Z.; Avalos, J.L.; and Brangwynne, C.P. Asymmetric oligomerization state and sequence patterning can tune multiphase condensate miscibility. Nature Chemistry 2024, 16, 1073-1082.
Narayanan, A.; Menefee, J.R.; Liu, Q.; Dhinojwala, A.; and Joy, A. Lower critical solution temperature-driven self-coacervation of nonionic polyester underwater adhesives. ACS Nano 2020, 14, 8359-8367.