People

Team

Nonappa Nonappa

Associate Professor (tenure track)
Material Chemistry, specifically Nanochemistry
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Tampere University
+358504728897
nonappa@tuni.fi

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6804-4128

About me

I am a passionate researcher, dedicated teacher, and inspiring mentor. I have a diverse background spanning multiple fields, including organic and supramolecular chemistry, nanoparticle self-assembly, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and extracellular matrix design for breast cancer tissue culture. What truly inspires me is the remarkable ability of nature to design structures with unparalleled precision and efficiency across different length scales. I lead a team of talented researchers from various disciplines, including Chemists, Physicists, and Biologists. Our research is at the intersection of materials science and biomedical sciences. We focus on developing multifunctional and biocompatible nanomaterials with the highest precision in structure, function, and interaction. We employ cutting-edge nanotechnological characterization techniques, including material fabrication, microfluidics-based lab-on-a-chip platforms, 3D hydrogel scaffolds, and state-of-the-art electron microscopy to achieve our objectives. Our ultimate goal is to develop promising bio-based optical sensors, advanced imaging to study nanoscale dynamics, and in vitro sustainable breast cancer disease models as diagnostics and therapeutic tools. Visit our research page to learn more about our exciting work.

Field of expertise

Precision Nanomaterials
Biopolymer-based optics and photonics
In vitro breast cancer models
Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and electron tomography

Research unit

Material Science and Environmental Engineering

Research career

Current position

03.08.2020-Present: Associate Professor (tenure track) in Nanochemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.

Academic degrees and titles

19.10.2018: Abilitazione Scientifica Nationale (ASN), CHIM/07-Fondamenti Chimici delle Tecnologie, MIUR, Italy.
26.05.2017: Title of Docent in Soft Matter Microscopy, School of Science, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Finland
13.12.2008: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
24.05.2003: Master of Science (M.Sc. in Chemistry), Department of Chemistry, Mangalore University, Karnataka, India.
19.06.2001: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. in Chemistry, Botany, and Pharmacognosy as equal options), Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College, Ujire, Karnataka, India.
10.11.2020: Executive Master of Business Administration, Quantic School of Business and Technology, Washington D.C., USA.
04.05.2019: Fundamentals of Business, Quantic School of Business and Technology, Washington D.C., USA

Previous research experience

26.05.2017-31.07.2020: Research Fellow and Docent, Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Finland
01.08.2012-25.05.2017: Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Finland.
15.02.2009-31.07.2012: Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
15.08.2008-14.02.2009: Visiting Ph.D. student, SITRA fellowship, Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
23.09.2007-22.03.2008: Visiting Ph.D. student, CIMO fellowship, Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Project links

Selected publications

Visit our research group page for more details: https://research.tuni.fi/png/

Bioinspired Functionally Graded Composite Assembled Using Cellulose Nanocrystals and Genetically Engineered Proteins with Controlled Biomineralization. P.Mohammadi, J.-A. Gandier, Nonappa, W. Wagermaier, A. Miserez, M. Penttilä, Adv. Mater. 2021, 33, 2102658 [Link]
Luminescent Gold Nanocluster‐Methylcellulose Composite Optical Fibers with Low Attenuation Coefficient and High Photostability. V. Hynninen, S. Chandra, S. Das, M. Amini, Y. Dai, S. Lepikko, P. Mohammadi, S. Hietala, R. H. A. Ras, Z. Sun, O. Ikkala, Nonappa, Small 2021, 17, 2005205 [Link]
Nanocellulose: Recent fundamental advances and emerging biological and biomimicking applications. K. Heise, E. Kontturi, Y, Allahverdiyeva, T. Tammelin, M. B. Linder, Nonappa, O. Ikkala. Adv. Mater. 2021, 2004349 [Link].
DNA Origami Templated Growth of Multilamellar Lipid Assemblies. S. Julin, Nonappa, B. Shen V. Linko M. A. Kostiainen, Angewandte. Chem. Intl. Ed. 2021. [Link]
Luminescent gold nanoclusters for bioimaging applications. Nonappa, Beil. J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 533–546 [Link].
Atomically Precise Nanocluster Assemblies Encapsulating Plasmonic Gold Nanorods, A. Chakraborty, A. C. Fernandez, A. Som, B. Mondal, G. Natarajan, G. Paramasivam, T. Lahtinen, H. Häkkinen, Nonappa, T. Pradeep. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 6522-6526 [Link].
Polymer Nanowires with Highly Precise Internal Morphology and Topography, Théophile Pelras, Clare S Mahon, Nonappa, Olli Ikkala, André H Gröschel, Markus Müllner, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 12736-12740 [Link]
Hydrogen bonding directed colloidal self-assembly of nanoparticles into 2D crystals, capsids, and supracolloidal assemblies. Nonappa, O. Ikkala, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2018, 28, 1704328 [Link].
Reversible supracolloidal self-assembly of cobalt nanoparticles to capsids and superstructures. Nonappa, J. S. Haataja, J. V. I Timonen, S. Malola, P. Engelhardt, N. Houbenov, M. Lahtinen, H. Häkkinen, O. Ikkala, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 6473-6477 [Link].
Template-free supracolloidal self-assembly of atomically precise gold nanoclusters: From 2D colloidal crystals to spherical capsids. Nonappa, T. Lahtinen, J. S. Haataja, T. –R. Tero, H. Häkkinen, O. Ikkala, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 16035–16038 [Link].

Own links

Latest publications

Golden Plasmophores with Tunable Photoluminescence and Outstanding Thermal and Photothermal Stability

Gharib, M., Yates, A. J., Sanders, S., Gebauer, J., Graf, S., Ziefuß, A. R., Nonappa, Kassier, G., Rehbock, C., Barcikowski, S., Weller, H., Alabastri, A., Nordlander, P., Parak, W. J. & Chakraborty, I., 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) julkaisussa: Advanced Optical Materials.