Dr Asha Mathew is a Vice-Chancellor Postdoctoral Research Fellow for Women in STEMM discipline at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). Dr Asha Mathew has 10 years of experience in the field of biomaterials, especially in the area of bio-fabrication, drug delivery, antibiotic coating on polymeric scaffolds, developing antimicrobial nano-textured surfaces on 3D printed metallic and polymeric implants and for other industrial applications. Asha began her research career completing a master's degree project work in Prof Abhay Pandit’s Laboratory at National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). Upon acquiring the prestigious Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) PhD scholarship, Asha pursued her PhD within Prof Pandit’s group at NUIG. Primary focus of her PhD was to develop a novel ex-vivo model multiple sclerosis (MS) using non-viral gene delivery approach. Upon completing her PhD in 2013, Asha worked as a postdoctoral research fellows Griffith University and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Asha was awarded Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship (AQIRF) in 2019 for developing antimicrobial surfaces for 3D printed personalized orthopedic and soft tissue implants. Asha has hands on experience in 3D printing, solution spinning, melt-electro writing, drug delivery, antibacterial surface modification techniques such as hydrothermal synthesis, wet etching anodization, material physical, chemical and biological characterization, mechanical testing, various cell culture techniques for various cell types, organotypic brain slice cultures, culturing cell sheets from different parental cell lines and MSCs from iPSC generated from different cell lines, bacteria culture and its characterization.

Grant/Fellowships

• 2022 - MMPE ECR Catalyst Grant

Amount awarded: $20,000, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2021 - Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF)

Amount awarded: $479,362.00, Role: Australian Project Co-Investigator

• 2021 - Women's Research Assistance Program Application (WRAP)

Amount awarded:$20,800, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2018 - Advanced Queensland Industry Research Fellowship

Amount awarded:359,166.67, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2017 - IHBI Early Career Research Development Scheme

Amount awarded: $9882, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2017 - Australian Dental Research Foundation (ADRF)

Amount awarded: $10,528.50, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2015 - Griffith University New Research Grant

Amount awarded:$14000, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2015 - DOH Research Grant

Amount awarded: $6000, Role: Principal Investigator

• 2011 - NUIG Enterprise Ireland Innovation

Amount awarded: €5000, Role: Principal Investigator

If you wish to discuss a suitable project/ collaboration/ opportunity, please drop a message with your contact details and she will connect. She is based in Springfield at the School of Engineering.