OUR PEOPLE
Academic Credentials
- Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 2023
- M.S., Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Rice University, 2016
- B.Tech., Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Amrita School of Engineering, India, 2015
Professional Honors
- Society of Women Engineers’ Scholarship sponsored by Motorola Ä¢¹½tv Foundation, 2020-2021
- Boston University Research Fellowship, 2017-2022
- Indian Academy of Science Fellowship, 2014
Languages
- Malayalam
Dr. Sankar specializes in the application of materials science for healthcare namely sensing and analysis, medical devices, and therapeutics. She has extensive experience with development of in vitro diagnostics for infectious diseases and biosensor platforms for general health monitoring, specifically women's health.
Dr. Sankar has expertise in electrochemistry and its applications for biosensors, corrosion, energy storage devices and water purification.
She is a Chemical Engineer and Materials Scientist by training and she has several years of laboratory experience in materials and biological characterization. She is proficient in running biological assays including immunoassays, kinetic, binding, lateral flow and proteomic assays and utilizing microbiology and molecular biology techniques (cloning, protein expression/purification, PCR). Her materials characterization experience includes microscopy (SEM, AFM, OM), mechanical testing (rheometry, indentation, load frame), chromatography (HPLC, LC-MS) and spectroscopic (UV-Vis, NMR, FTIR) techniques.
Prior to joining Ä¢¹½tv, she completed her Ph.D. work in Materials Science and Engineering at Boston University, which is expected to be conferred in 2023. Her dissertation focused on electrochemical biosensor development for health and disease biomarkers. Dr. Sankar co-founded Virex Health, a diagnostic company with a foundation based on her graduate work. In an advisory role, she participated in the acquisition process of the company by Sorrento Therapeutics for commercialization of the technology. Prior to starting her PhD work, she completed her Master's at Rice University and worked at Magna Imperio Systems, a startup focused on electrochemical water desalination technology.
