Scientific achievements
Professor Vignesh Kumaravel of the International Center for Research on Innovative Bio-based Materials (ICRI-BioM) at Lodz University of Technology is a leading expert in functional nanomaterials, antibacterial coatings, photocatalysis, and sustainable environmental technologies, with applications in public health, indoor air quality improvement, and biomedical fields. His scientific output includes over 75 papers in renowned JCR-listed journals and scientific monographs.
Research profile and research directions
His research focuses on stimuli-responsive biomaterials, hydrogels, CO₂ capture and utilization, and advanced biorefinery strategies for converting waste into valuable products, including biopolymers and bioactive compounds. To combat antibiotic-resistant infections associated with medical implants, he has developed near-infrared (NIR)-active smart coatings effective against both antibiotic-sensitive and resistant bacteria. He has engineered hydrogels composed of graphene quantum dots (5–10 nm) with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to address chronic oral infections. He has developed thermally stable titanium dioxide with antibacterial properties for indoor building materials and healthcare environments, as well as liquid titanium dioxide spraying systems capable of removing indoor air pollutants and microbial contaminants under ambient lighting conditions. He has developed self-cleaning fabrics and photocatalytically active, superhydrophobic coatings for glass surfaces, utilizing a scalable spraying technique. He has managed several research grants financed by the National Science Centre (Opus lap, M.ERA-NET) and the National Centre for Research and Development (SBEP, and Water4All).
Honours and recognition from the scientific community
He serves on the editorial board of the journal Scientific Reports, as a guest editor of the journal Results in Engineering, and on advisory committees for international conferences. He is an external reviewer for prestigious research grant proposals submitted to EU and Polish funding agencies.