Bachelor of Technology (BTech), Speciality: Polymer Engineering from Mahatma Gandhi University (2006)

MS, Speciality: Eco-design of Polymers and Composite Materials from Universite de Bretagne Sud (France, 2007)

PHD, Speciality: Interfacial Interactions in flax fiber/polylactic acid biocomposites: from model surfaces to real fibers, from Universite de Bretagne Sud (France, 2010)

26/Nov/2018 to Present - Scientist C, Division of Polymeric Medical Devices, SCTIMST

14/June/2015 to 22/Nov/2018 - Research Associate, New York University (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

24/Feb/2014 to 31/May/2015 - Research Engineer, Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission (cea Grenoble, France)

13/Dec/2010 to 14/Jan/2014 - Postdoctoral Research, Universite catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)

Mahatma Gandhi University 2nd Rank holder in B-Tech Polymer Engineering examination, 2006

Secretary of Polymer Engineering Association, Mahatma Gandhi University, 2005

Prof. Sankar Lal memorial National Seminar competition - 2nd Prize Awarded by the Rubber Technology Center, Indian Institute of Technology - Kharagpur, 2005.

Phd Thesis awarded with mention: Tres Honorable avec felicitation du jury, from Universite de Bretagne Sud, France, 2010

Winner of the Best poster Award during the 2nd Middle Eastern Conference in Materials Science (2018) organized by American Chemical Society, UAE Chapter.

General Research areas: Polymers for medical applications, Surface modification, Adhesion and Interface science, Biomaterials, Supramolecular organization of biopolymers on surfaces and interfaces.

Specialized research areas (hands-on experience): Bioactive composites based on Hydroxy apatite filled polymeric systems, Polylactic acid and polysachharides thin films, Asphaltenes, cellulosic fibers, organic-inorganic hybrid materials, conjugated polymers, Insulated molecular wires, Polyoxometalate-hybrid catalyst, azobenzene photo switches, water desalination membranes.

Techniques (hands-on-experience): Atomic force microscope (AFM), colloidal probe microscope, scanning Tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM), Confocal Raman imaging, Field emission scanning electron microscope, Infra-red spectroscopy, DMA, Surface force tensiometer, Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring, Digital Holography Microscopy.

Systems and phenomena within the scope: Supramolecular assembly of macromolecules on surfaces, Electrical properties of thin organic films, High resolution imaging using AFM and SEM, Probing adhesion and intermolecular forces using AFM. AFM-nanoindentation, Adsorption/desorption studies of macromolecules using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D), Aggregation and adhesion of asphaltenes on metallic surfaces, Combined chemical, adhesion, and stiffness mapping using confocal Raman and AFM.

Prof. Yves Grohens - Universite de Bretagne-Sud (France)

Dr. Eric Balnois - Universite de Bretagne Occidentale (France)

Prof. Eric Gaigneaux - Universite catholique de Louvain (Belgium)

Prof. Christine Dupont - Universite catholique de Louvain (Belgium

Dr. Frederic Chandezon - Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission (France)

Dr. Jerome Faure Vincent - Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission (France)

Prof. Michel Devillers - Universite catholique de Louvain (Belgium)

Prof. Bernard Nysten - Universite catholique de Louvain (Belgium)

Prof. Pance Naumov - New York University Abu Dhabi (UAE)

Dr. Yoshihiro Kikkawa, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Materials (AIST, Tsukuba, Japan)

Running the following Research Program: Universal Airway Device for Lung isolation - TDF Project with Dr. P.R. Suneel, Anaesthesiology, SCTIMST

Providing support for AFM analysis on Biomedical polymers, surfaces and devices.

Life Member of Indian Science Congress Association

Society for Polymer Science India, Thiruvananthapuram Chapter

Universal Airway Device for Lung isolation - TDF Project with Dr. P.R. Suneel, Anaesthesiology, SCTIMST

Development of polymeric composite skull-base defect closure device in transphenoidal neurosurgery - TDF Project with Dr. Prakash Nair, Neuro Surgery Department, SCTIMST

Awareness and Internal Audit Course as per ISO 13485:2016 - Conducted by Mr. M.G. Sathyendra, Ex-Director BIS, at SCTIMST from 02 to 05 April 2019.

Severity Classification and Harm-Benefit Analysis in Animal Experimentation - Organized by SCTIMST on 18th of February 2020.

The Science of Numeric Data: Why, Where, and How to Report - Organized by Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, SCTIMST on 29th and 30th May 2019.

Visited National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan (laboratory of Dr. Yoshihiro Kikkawa) for training in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) imaging of polycyclic aromatic molecules adsorbed at solid/liquid interface (2016)

Attended the Witec Academy Course on ???Advanced instrument operation training for Confocal Raman Imaging???, at WITech GmbH, Ulm Germany on 10th November 2017

Attanded the training on "Quartz Crystral Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring" at Biolin Scientific, Gothenburg, Sweden on 9-10 May 201718 on 9,10 May 2017

2nd Rank holder in B-Tech Polymer Engineering Examination (Mahatma Gandhi University, 2006)

Winner of Prof. Sankar Lal memorial National Seminar competition, Awarded by Rubber Technology Center, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (2005)

Secretary of Polymer Engineering Association of Mahatma Gandhi University College of Engineering (2005)

American Chemical Society (ACS) Best Best Poster Award during the Second Middle-Eastern Materials Science Conference, Organized by ACS UAE Chapter and New York University Abu Dhabi (2018)

PhD Thesis Awarded with the mention: Tres honorable avec felicitations du jury, by Universite de Bretagne Sud, France (2010)

Developing biocompatible, bioactive polymeric composites for the closure of skull base defcets in transphenoidal neurosurgery

Developing a Universal Airway device for the selective isolation of left or right lung in general anesthesia.

Organization committe member of SCTIMST Open Day 2020 held on 6th March 2020. The event was attended by about 2000 people.

Represented SCTIMST at the Proud of India Exhibition pavilion at the 107th Indian Science Congress in Bangalore on 3-7th January 2020. The event was attended by about 1 lakh people.

Mr. Azhar K. S., Project Assistant

Direct Observation of Asphaltene Nanoparticles on Model Mineral Substrates (Oral) Gijo Raj, Alain Lesimple, Jamie Whelan, and Pan??e Naumov PetroPhase 2017, Carr?? des Docks Le Havre, Normandy, France. June 11 - 15, 2017

Special session on Asphaltene 2017 sample: Direct Observation of PetroPhase 2017 Asphaltene Nanoaggregates on Model Mineral Substrates (Poster) Gijo Raj, Alain Lesimple, Jamie Whelan, and Pan??eNaumov PetroPhase 2017, Carr?? des Docks Le Havre, Normandy, France. June 11 - 15, 2017

Supramolecular organisation in organic-inorganic heterogeneous hybrid catalysts formed from polyoxometalate and zwitterionic polymer: an AFM investigation (Oral) Gijo Raj, ColasSwalus, MichaelDevillers, Eric M Gaigneaux 15th International Conference on Nanoscience & Technology (ICNT-2012), Paris France

Supramolecular organisation of polyoxometalate-DODA inorganic-organic hybrid materials on solid inorganic surfaces: role of hydrophobic/hydrophilic interactions (poster) Gijo Raj, Colas Swalus, Michel Devillers, Eric M Gaigneaux 2nd International Conference on Advanced Complex Inorganic Nanomaterials (ACIN 2013), Namur, Belgium.

Hybridization strategy to obtain highly dispersed polyoxometalates on hydrophobic surfaces (poster) Gijo Raj, Josefine Schnee, S Bourdoux, Colas Swalus, Michel Devillers, Eric M Gaigneaux Conference PREPA11 Symposium (Scientific Bases for the Preparation of Heterogeneous Catalysts) 2014, Louvain la Neuve, Belgium.

"Probing Structure of Insulated Molecular Wires using Conducting Atomic Transport Properties" at the 2019 NanaoScientific Symposium Asia organized by Park Systems and National University of Singapore (NUS), at NUS on the 25th September 2019.

"Probing interfacial adhesion in flax/PLA biocomposite using Colloidal Probe Microscopy" at the 2019 NanaoScientific Symposium Asia organized by Park Systems and National University of Singapore (NUS), at NUS on the 25th September 2019.

"Probing Material properties at the Nanoscale using Atomic Force Microscopy" at the National Seminar on Emerging Frontiers in Materials Chemistry (EFMC-2019) on 28th and 29th November 2019, sponsered by the Directorate of Collegiate Education, Kerala and organizd by the Department of Chemistry, B.J.M. Govt. College, Chavara, Kerala.

"Adhesion in bio-composites probed by AFM" Y.Grohens, G.Raj, E.Balnois,First International Conference on Nanostructured Materials and Nanocomposites Kottayam, India, 6-8 April 2009

"Interfaces in Biocomposites: Colloid forces measurements betweencellulose and PLA" G.Raj, E.Balnois, C.Baley, Y.Grohens, 7th International Symposium on Polymer Surface modification, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA July 12-15, 2009

"Adhesion au sein des bio composites hautes performances: interet d'une approche multi-echelle modelle" G.Raj, E.Balnois, C.Baley, Y.Grohens, JEDNC, Rouen, France 18, 19 mai 2009

"Interfacial studies of PLA/FLAX biocomposite: from model surfaces to fibre treatment" G.Raj, E.Balnois, C.Baley, Y.Grohens, 15??me Journ??es JADH 2009, Giens, France 1-2 octobre 2009

"Colloidal force measurements between Cellulose and Polylactic acid tomimic interfaces adhesion in biocomposites" G.Raj, E.Balnois, C.Baley, Y.Grohens, Second Conference on Recent Advances in Polymer Technology, Jalgaon, India, 28,29 December 2009.

Performed a Science Magic Show during National Science Day Celebrations on 28th February 2019, and 2020.

"Medical Device Development at SCTIMST" during the session "Smart Materials" held as part of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham's Multinational tech fest Vidyut held at Kollam on 30, 31st January 2020.

"Did you know Science can be fun?" at TIMed, SCTIMST on 15 February 2020

Supramolecular Organization of Model Polycyclic AromaticMolecules: Comparison of 2D and 3D Assemblies. Gijo Raj,Yoshihiro Kikkawa, Luca Catalano, RenuPasricha,Yasuo Norikane, and Pance Naumov ChemNanoMat 2020,6, 68-72. https://doi.org/10.1002/cnma.2019004155

Efficiently Self-healing Boronic Ester Crystals P Commins, MB Al-Handawi, DP Karothu, G Raj, P Naumov. Chemical Science, 2020, 11, 2606-2613. DOI: 10.1039/c9sc05640h

Structure-Mechanical Relationships in Polymorphs of an Organic Semiconductor (C4-NT3N). Published as part of a Crystal Growth and Design virtual special issue Remembering the Contributions and Lifeof Prof. Joel Bernstein Chiara Cappuccino,Luca Catalano,Francesco Marin, GhadaDushaq, Gijo Raj, Mahmoud Rasras, Rachid Rezgui, Massimo Zambianchi, Manuela Melucci, PancceNaumov, and Lucia Maini. Crystal Growth Design, 2020, 20, 884-891. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.9b01281

In situ monitoring of the inhibition of asphaltene adsorption by a surfactant on carbon steel surface. Gijo Raj, Edward Larkin, Alain Lesimple, Patrick Commins, Jamie Whelan, Pance Naumov Energy and Fuels. 2019, 33, 2030-2036. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.8b04246

Mechanical and Crystallographic Analysis of Cholesterol Crystals Puncturing Biological Membranes Marieh B Al-Handawi, Patrick Commins, Durga Prasad Karothu, Gijo Raj, Liang Li, Pance Naumov. Chemistry-A European Journal, 2018, 24, 11493-11497. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201802251

Turning on Solid-State Fluorescence with Light. Stefan Schramm, Durga Prasad Karothu, Gijo Raj, Sergey P Laptenok, Kyril M Solntsev, Pance Naumov. AngewandteChemie International Edition. 2018, 57, 9538-9542. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201803424

Encapsulation of Plant Viral Particles in Calcite Crystals. Marieh B Al-Handawi, Patrick Commins, Sourabh Shukla, Pascal Didier, Masahiko Tanaka, Gijo Raj, Frank A Veliz, RenuPasricha, Nicole F Steinmetz, Pance Naumov. Advanced Biosystems, 2018, 2, 1870041. https://doi.org/10.1002/adbi.201700176

Interference of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles with beta2-microglobulin oligomeric association Cristina Cantarutti, Gijo Raj, Federico Fogolari, Sofia Giorgetti, Alessandra Corazza, Vittorio Bellotti, PanceNaumov, Gennaro Esposito. Chemical Communications. 2018, 54, 5422-5425. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CC01053F

Direct Observation of Photoinduced trans-cis Isomerization on Azobenzene Single Crystal Chia-Yun Lai, Gijo Raj, Ieva Liepuoniute, Matteo Chiesa, and Pance Naumov. Crystal Growth and Design, 2017 17, 3306-3312. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.7b00288

Direct Observation of Asphaltene Nanoparticles on Model Mineral Substrates. Gijo Raj, Alain Lesimple, Jamie Whelan, and PanceNaumov. Langmuir 2017, 33, 6248. DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b00866

Flexibility in a Molecular Crystal Accomplished by Structural Modulation of Carbohydrate Epimers Manas K Panda, Kumar Bhaskar Pal, Gijo Raj, Rajesh Jana, Taro Moriwaki, Goutam Dev Mukherjee, Balaram Mukhopadhyay, Pance Naumov. Crystal Growth & Design. 2017, 17, 1759-1765. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.6b01749

Insulated molecular wires: sheathing semi-conducting polymers with organic nanotubes through heterogeneous nucleation G. Raj, A. Boulaoued, J. Lacava, L. Biniek, P. J. Mesini, M. Brinkmann, J. Faure-Vincent, J.M. Guenet, Advanced Electronic Materials. 2017, 3, 1600370. https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201600370

Understanding the growth of RuO2 colloidal nanoparticles over a solid support: An atomic force microscopy study. Camila Fernandez, Chiara Pezzotta, Gijo Raj, Eric M Gaigneaux, Patricio Ruiz. Catalysis Today, 2016, 259, 183-191. DOI:10.1016/j.cattod.2015.06.026

In situ quartz crystal microbalance monitoring of the adsorption of polyoxometalate on a polyampholyte polymer matrix. Gijo Raj, Colas Swalus, Marie Delcroix, Michel Devillers, Christine Dupont-Gillain, Eric M. Gaigneaux. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 2015, 445, 24-30. DOI:10.1016/j.jcis.2014.12.035

Controlling the dispersion of supported polyoxometalate heterogeneous catalysts: impact of hybridization and the role of hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity balance and supramolecularity. Gijo Raj, Colas Swalus, Eglantine Arendt, Pierre Eloy, Michel Devillers, Eric. M. Gaigneaux. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 2014, 5, 1749-1759. DOI:10.3762/bjnano.5.185

Study of mesoporous CdS-quantum-dot-sensitized TiO2 films by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and AFM. Mohamed N. Ghazzal, Robert Wojcieszak, Gijo Raj, Eric. M. Gaigneaux. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 2014, 5, 68-76. DOI:10.3762/bjnano.5.6

Supramolecular Organization in Organic-Inorganic Heterogeneous Hybrid Catalysts Formed from Polyoxometalate and Poly(ampholyte) Polymer. Gijo Raj, Colas Swalus, Alain Guillet, Michel Devillers, Bernard Nysten, Eric. M. Gaigneaux. Langmuir, 2013, 29, 4388-4395. DOI:10.1021/la400055t

Measuring adhesion forces between model polysaccharide films and PLA bead to mimic molecular interactions in flax/PLA biocomposite. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Marie-Aline Helias, Christophe Baley, Yves Grohens. Journal of Materials Science, 2012, 47, 2175-2181. DOI:10.1007/s10853-011-6020-8

Role of polysaccharides on mechanical and adhesion properties of flax fibres in Flax/PLA biocomposite. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Christophe Baley, Yves Grohens. International Journal of Polymer Science, 2011, 2011, 503940. DOI:10.1155/2011/503940

Adhesion force mapping of raw and treated flax fibres using AFM Force-Volume. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Christophe Baley, Yves Grohens. Journal of Scanning Probe Microscopy, 2009, 4, 66-72. DOI:10.1166/jspm.2009.1010

Probing cellulose/polylactic acid interactions in model biocomposite by colloidal force microscopy. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Christophe Baley, Yves Grohens. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2009, 352, 47-55. DOI:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2009.09.048

Investigations of the use of a mussel-inspired compatibilizer to improve the matrix-fiber adhesion of a biocomposite. Alain Bourmaud, Juliette Riviere, Antoine Le Duigou, Gijo Raj, Christophe Baley. Polymer Testing, 2009, 28, 668-672. DOI:10.1016/j.polymertesting.2009.04.006

Colloid force measurements between cellulose and polylactic acid. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Christophe Baley, Yves Grohens. Revue des Composites et des Materiaux Avances, 2008, 18, 177-183. DOI:10.3166/RCMA.18.177-183.

Probing interfacial interactions in natural fibre reinforced biocomposites using colloidal force microscopy. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Christophe Baley, Yves Grohens. RSC Green Chemistry, Volume 1, 2012, Pages 183-203 ISSN: 17577039

Interfacial Interactions in Flax Fibre/Pla Biocomposite. Gijo Raj, Eric Balnois, Yves Grohens. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012, ISBN-10: 9783659151095.