Group Members

PMNC Group Members

Prof. Ramesh Babu

Prof. Ramesh Babu earned his degree from the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) in 1998.

He currently leads the Polymeric Materials and Nanocomposites (PMNC) group at the School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin.

His current research in advanced polymeric materials focuses on addressing global challenges related to functional materials, clean water, biobased polymers from renewable resources, and the production of chemical building blocks using waste as a resource.

Current Members

Jessica De Micco
NXTGENWOOD
MsC
PhD Student
Environmental chemistry, Polymer Composting, Wood Chemistry

Kona Mondal
IMPRESS
PhD
Postdoc/Research Fellow
Biocomposites, Food Packaging, Edible Coating, Active Films, Bionanomaterials

Minu Masliha
NXTGENWOOD
MsC
PhD Student
Organic synthesis, Biorefinery, wood chemistry

Shital Potdar
AMBER industry
Ph.D.
Postdoc/Research Fellow
Sonochemistry, nanomaterial synthesis and characterization, Extraction and Encapsulation of bioactive compounds, flow chemistry

Asli Coban
MAPS/PoSAddive
PhD
Postdoc/Research Fellow
Materials Science, Surface Engineering, Additive Manufacturing

Saranya Ramesh Kumar
AMBER industry
PhD
Research Fellow
Process Technologist, Membranes

Mukesh Pednekar
DPTC
PhD
Research Fellow
Downstream processing, Dairy processing, Wastewater treatment, Bioprocess Technology, Biorefinery, Biocatalysis, Plastic recycling

Siva Ponnupandian
AMBER industry
Dual PhD – Polymer Chemistry & Chemistry
Research Fellow
Polymer Chemistry; Polymer Processing; Biopolymers; Polymer Synthesis; Polymer Modification; Controlled Radical Polymerization; Block Copolymers; Self-Healing Polymers.

Muhammad Saeed Ullah
BIOICEP
PhD
Postdoc/Research Fellow
Polymer Processing, Biopolymers, Development of Polymer Blends and Composites, Compatibilisation, Material Characterisation

Aqlil Meryem
BIOPOST
PhD
Postdoc/Research Fellow
Developing biodegradable polymer composites, characterisation,
compostability and applications

Lakshmi Jayanarayan
DPTC
PhD
Postdoc/Research Fellow
Wastewater treatment, Advanced oxidation processes, Cavitation, Environmental engineering

Prof. Ramesh Babu earned his degree from the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) in 1998.

He currently leads the Polymeric Materials and Nanocomposites (PMNC) group at the School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin.

His current research in advanced polymeric materials focuses on addressing global challenges related to functional materials, clean water, biobased polymers from renewable resources, and the production of chemical building blocks using waste as a resource.

With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in polymer processing, characterization, nanocomposites, bio-based polymers, membranes, sustainable materials, and circular bioeconomy processes.

Prior to joining TCD, he worked in the industry with the Asahi-Kasei Corporation in Japan and Clariant.

Prof. Ramesh Babu has been competitively awarded approximately €10M in research funding from various national, private, and European funding bodies.

He is also a co-founder of two spin-out companies, Bioplastech Limited (CRO No: 467065) and SelfSense Technologies Limited (CRO No: 542477).

Additionally, he is a founding member of the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation (IBF) and has been involved in multiple invention disclosures, technology license transfers, and patent applications in collaboration with the Trinity TTO office.

He is at the forefront of industrial research and represents TCD in various technology centres funded by organizations such as SFI, EI, and IDA.

Prof. Ramesh Babu serves as the principal investigator or funded investigator in several research centres, including AMBER, the Materials Research Centre (www.ambercentre.ie), BiOrbic, the Bioeconomy Research Centre (www.biorbic.com), the Dairy Processing Technology Centre (www.dptc.ie), and Food for Health Ireland (www.fhi.ie).

In recognition of his innovative work, he received the Trinity Innovator Award in 2018.