Ramkumar Tiruvannamalai Annamalai Ph.D.

Ramkumar Tiruvannamalai Annamalai

Ramkumar Tiruvannamalai Annamalai
Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Ageing; Biomedical Engineering; Histology; Immunology; Inflammation; Lipidic Delivery Systems; Models - cell and animal; Nanoparticles; Progenitor Cells; Proteomics; Stem Cells; Team Science; Transcriptomics; Translational Research

Contact Information
219 Biomedical Research Building
Buffalo, New York 14214-8024
Phone: (716) 645-3308
rtiruvan@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

Ramkumar T. Annamalai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo (UB). He did his postdoctoral training Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan. His research interests span both basic and translational research areas. He is also keen on commercializing reconstructive biomaterials and disease-modifying therapeutics and bringing them to market. His unique interdisciplinary training and education help him to engineer innovative biomaterials, disease models, and immunomodulatory therapies. Dr. Annamalai has been an active member of several academic committees and is committed to teaching and academic service. He is a reviewer in various peer-reviewed journals and serves in journal editorial boards and study sections (NSF (BMMB) and NIH (BMBI)). Also, he serves as faculty mentor for the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the Society for Biomaterials (SFB) student chapters.

The overarching goal of Dr. Annamalai’s research program is to understand the role of immune cells, senescent cells, and matrix mechanics in tissue regeneration and regulate them by engineering immunomodulatory and disease-modifying strategies to restore musculoskeletal tissues impaired by diseases, trauma, and aging. To this end, they work to 1) elucidate immune dysregulation and develop immunomodulatory biomaterials to repair musculoskeletal tissues, 2) study the influence of soft matrix mechanics on immune cell phenotype and function, 3) study the mechanobiology of macrophages and modulate their phenotype towards healing, and 4) develop immunomodulatory strategies and immune-responsive delivery vehicles for tissue regeneration. His research lab is currently supported by research grants through NIAMS R21 and NIGMS COBRE mechanisms

Education and Training:

  • PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University (2014)
  • MS, Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University (2009)
  • BS, Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University (2007)

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • February 2021–February 2024
    Immunomodulatory Therapy for Bone Regeneration
    NIAMS
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $809,586
  • February 2022–December 2023
    Magnetic nanocomplexes-induced immunomodulation for fracture healing
    NIAMS
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $350,000
  • January 2022–August 2023
    A bioinspired strategy to elicit transcriptional control of macrophages for bone regeneration
    Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA)
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $50,000

Journal Articles:

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Contact Information

219 Biomedical Research Building
Buffalo, New York 14214-8024
Phone: (716) 645-3308
rtiruvan@buffalo.edu