Our Team

Dr. Lakshminath Kundanati

Team Leader

Dr. Lakshminath Kundanati received his bachelor’s degree in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from NIT Tiruchirappalli. He then joined in Materials Engineering Department, IISc to pursue his master’s degree. After a brief stint at TVS Motors Company, he returned to IISc and joined the Biomechanics Lab, Mechanical Engineering Department, to pursue his Doctoral Studies in the field of mechanics of insect-based materials. After receiving his Doctoral degree, he moved to the University of Trento, Italy, and worked as a post-doctoral researcher for 5 years. Prior to joining IITM as faculty, he cofounded a startup (Naturewrks Technologies Pvt. Ltd. ) that works toward developing biodegradable packaging material to replace Styrofoam.

Doctoral Students

Vaibhav Gujar

I have done my polytechnic diploma in mechanical engineering from Purnamal Lahoti Government Polytechnic, Latur. After that, I graduated from the Government college of engineering and research, Avasari in the department of Mechanical Engineering.

My research interest is in the field of Mechanics of biological materials.

Janani N

I pursued B. Tech in Biotechnology from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore. Currently, I have joined direct PhD as an interdisciplinary student at the “Inspired lab”. Research has been my ambition since childhood and I have always wanted to work and develop innovative solutions to biological problems through which I can create some environmental impacts leading to the betterment of living.

Vivek Surendran

I earned my Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Trinity College of Engineering and Technology, followed by a Master's degree in Structural Engineering from Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology, both under APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University in Kerala. I possess 1.5 years of experience as a civil engineer, primarily in a Central government hospital project and nearly one year as Structural Engineer, I contributed to a DRDO project on the 'Variable Wing Morphing System'. Currently, I am pursuing my PhD at IIT Madras, focusing on the development of biomimetic implant material. My passion for biomimicry has driven my research in this area, with the aim of making a meaningful contribution to society and advancing my career.

Smruti B Bhatt

I have joined as an Interdisciplinary PhD student at the Inspired Lab. I have pursued a B. Tech in Biotechnology from SRM Institute of Science and Technology and M. Tech in Biochemical Engineering from IIT (BHU) Varanasi. I'm very passionate about tackling environmental challenges with innovative sustainable solutions.

Post Doctoral Researchers

Dr. Deepak T

I am Deepak T had completed Ph.D. research from the National Institute of Technology Rourkela on developing a novel tissue-engineered biomaterial from a xenogeneic-derived animal model for the treatment of valvular heart disease. I am currently joined as an institute postdoc fellow in INSPIRED LAB at IIT Madras working on developing 3D printable natural biopolymer implants for knee meniscus applications. I am ambitious to become an Indian scientist to solve the healthcare problems of society.

Dr. Abir Saha

I am Dr. Abir Saha, a passionate researcher dedicated to advancing sustainable materials for a better future. I completed my Ph.D. from IIT Guwahati, where I focused on designing and developing bamboo-based bio-composite materials for sustainable structural applications. Currently, I am an Institute Post-Doctoral Fellow at the INSPIRED LAB, IIT Madras, exploring the exciting frontier of 3D-printable natural fiber-based bio-composites for automobile interior applications. My research interests span natural fibers, bio-composites, sustainable design, 3D/4D printing, and bio-piezoelectric materials. Driven by the vision of aligning with global sustainability goals, my mission is to develop innovative green materials that address the challenges of structural and semi-structural applications, paving the way for a more eco-conscious and sustainable world.

Master's students

Visiting students

Past Members

INTERNS:

NEHA KANNA , Institute Of Chemical Technology Mumbai - Indian Oil Odisha Campus Bhubaneswar

MASTER'S STUDENTS:

SANDRA BIBY ROSE, carried out M.Tech thesis work titled "Grown biocomposites: Sustainable alternative to plastic foams".

PHAVITHRA SELVRAJ, carried out M.Tech thesis work titled "Extraction of Meniscus model from MRI data"