Nithyadevi Duraisamy

Description

Dr. Nithyadevi Duraisamy is an interdisciplinary scientist and educator with a strong academic foundation in nanotechnology, biomaterials, and physics. She currently serves as a Research Scientist in the Department of Excellence and AI at Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York. She joined LIU in 2023 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and was appointed to her current role in 2024. Dr. Duraisamy received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Physics–Nanotechnology (Material Science) from Bharathiar University, India, in 2015. Her academic qualifications include an M.Phil. in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Nanoscience and Technology, an M.Sc. in Physics, and a B.Sc. in Physics. Throughout her academic path, she has demonstrated consistent excellence in bridging physics, material science, and life sciences.

She previously held a research assistant position at the University of Connecticut Health Center from 2019 to 2021, contributing to interdisciplinary projects within the Department of Biomedical Engineering & Orthopedic Surgery. Before relocating to the U.S., she served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Science and Humanities at Builders Engineering College, India (2015–2016), where she taught foundational physics. She has also served as an Adjunct Professor at LIU Post Campus (2024) and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (2013 – 2015) during her doctoral tenure.

Dr. Duraisamy has been recognized for her contributions to academia with several honors, including the Best Faculty Award (2016) by Erode Builders Educational Trust and the prestigious UGC Fellowship for Meritorious Students (2013) during her doctoral studies. In addition to her academic roles, she is actively involved in the scientific publishing and peer review community. She serves as a peer reviewer for several international journals including Bioactive Materials, Journal of Biomaterials Applications, Heliyon, Applied Nanoscience, Journal of Membrane Science, and Journal of Biomimetics, Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering.

Dr. Duraisamy has participated in and contributed to numerous conferences and symposia across interdisciplinary research areas, with particular emphasis on biomaterials, computational biology, and translational nanotechnology. Her scholarly works have been published in peer-reviewed journals, including a highly cited review article in Bioactive Materials.

Research

Dr. Nithyadevi Duraisamy is an interdisciplinary research scientist with over seven years of experience integrating computational modeling and experimental approaches to address critical biomedical challenges. Her expertise spans nanotechnology, immunoinformatics, regenerative medicine, and disease modeling. She is currently a Research Scientist in the Department of Excellence and AI at Long Island University, Brooklyn, where she utilizes advanced facilities including an ISO 9-certified cleanroom and cell culture suite, equipped with 2D/3D systems, ELISA plate readers, live-cell imaging, HPLC, qPCR, and biosafety cabinets. Her research bridges in-silico analysis with experimental validation to deliver translational outcomes.

1. Multiepitope Vaccine Design for Veterinary Viruses:
Dr. Duraisamy leads the design of AI-driven, multiepitope-based vaccines targeting veterinary coronaviruses and influenza. Utilizing tools such as VaxiJen, IEDB, AlphaFold2, and C-ImmSim, she performs antigenicity prediction, immune simulation, and structural epitope mapping. Her approach enables the rational development of safe, highly immunogenic vaccines, with ongoing efforts to translate these in-silico findings into experimental validation and field application.

2. Early-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis: Diagnostics and Flavonoid Therapeutics:
Her research identifies and models key molecular targets—particularly ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS5—associated with early cartilage degradation under biomechanical stress. Using molecular docking and simulations, she evaluates flavonoids and small molecules as potential inhibitors of these enzymes. This work supports the development of diagnostic strategies and targeted therapeutics aimed at halting or reversing osteoarthritic progression at the molecular level.

3. Organ-on-Chip Platforms for Disease Modeling and Drug Screening:
Dr. Duraisamy develops and validates microfluidic organ-on-chip (OoC) systems to replicate liver, cardiac, and neural microenvironments. These systems enable real-time analysis of drug toxicity, fluid dynamics, and cellular responses in a physiologically relevant context. Her research integrates these platforms with computational models to enhance prediction of therapeutic outcomes and improve preclinical screening fidelity.

4. Cancer Research on Metastasis-Associated Protein 1 (MTA1):
In collaboration, Dr. Duraisamy investigates the molecular role of MTA1 in bone metastasis and prostate cancer. The project utilizes genetically engineered mouse models, molecular docking, and ADME-toxicity predictions to explore flavonoids and small molecules as inhibitors of MTA1-driven cancer progression. This research aims to identify novel therapeutic targets and develop natural compound-based anticancer agents with translational potential.

Distinctions & Awards

• Publication: Co-authored highly cited review in Bioactive Materials Journal (>173 citations).
• Best Faculty Award (2016) – Erode Builders Educational Trust Engineering College, India
• Award: UGC Fellowship for Meritorious Students – 2013

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Nithyadevi Duraisamy, Abid Ullah Shah, Mohd Yasir Khan, Mohammed Cherkaoui, Hemida MG.. 2025. Artificial Intelligence-Guided Design of some Pan-H5N1-clade 2.3.4.4b Mosaic DNA-based vaccines to combat the circulating HPAI in birds. Vaccines. 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6711963/v1.
• Mohd Yasir Khan, Abid Ullah Shah, Nithyadevi Duraisamy, Mohammed Cherkaoui and Hemida MG.. 2025. In silico design/repurposing of some Nucleoside analogs as Antiviral inhibitors targeting some Key Proteins of the Avian H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b Using Molecular Docking and Simulation. (Viruses).
• Khan MY, Shah AU, Duraisamy N, ElAlaoui RN, Cherkaoui M, Hemida MG. Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Gene Expression Analysis to Identify Some Potential Bovine Coronavirus (BCoV) Receptors and Host Cell Enzymes Potentially Involved in the Viral Replication and Tissue Tropism. Int J Mol Sci. 2025;26(3).
• Machine learning tools used for mapping some immunogenic epitopes within the major structural proteins of the bovine coronavirus (BCoV) and for the in silico design of the multiepitope-based vaccines, Nithyadevi Duraisamy 1, Mohd Yasir Khan 1, Abid Ullah Shah 2, Reda Nacif Elalaoui 1, Mohammed Cherkaoui 1, Maged Gomaa Hemida 2, Front Vet Sci, DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1468890.
• Graphitic carbon nitride for electrocatalysis, Nithyadevi Duraisamy a, Thangavelu Kokulnathan b, Ganesh Kesavan c, Nanoscale Graphitic Carbon Nitride, Synthesis and Applications, Micro and Nano Technologies, 2022, Pages 193-224, https://doi.org/10.1016, B978-0-12-823034-3.00014-5
• An electrochemical platform based on yttrium oxide/boron nitride nanocomposite for the detection of dopamine, Thangavelu Kokulnathan a, Tzyy-Jiann Wang a, Elumalai Ashok Kumar a, Nithyadevi Duraisamy b, An-Ting Lee a, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Volume 349, 15 December 2021, 130787, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2021.130787
• Hierarchical nanoarchitecture of zirconium phosphate/graphene oxide: Robust electrochemical platform for detection of fenitrothion, Thangavelu Kokulnathan a, Tzyy- Jiann Wang a, Nithyadevi Duraisamy b, Elumalai Ashok Kumar a, An-Ni-Sung a, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Volume 412, 15 June 2021, 125257, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125257
• Bioactive polymeric materials and electrical stimulation strategies for musculoskeletal tissue repair and regeneration, Bryan Ferrigno b 1, Rosalie Bordett b 1, Nithyadevi Duraisamy b, Joshua Moskow b, Michael.R. Arul b, Swetha Rudraiah b c, Syam P. Nukavarapu a b, Anthony T. Vella d, Sangamesh G. Kumbar a b, Bioactive Materials, Volume 5, Issue 3, September 2020, Pages 468-485, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2020.03.010
• Protein synthesis and characterization, Shobhit Kadakeri a, Michael. Arul b, Rosalie Bordett b, Nithyadevi Duraisamy b, Hemantkumar Naik c, Swetha Rudraiah d, Artificial Protein and Peptide Nanofibers, Design, Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications, Woodhead Publishing Series in Biomaterials 2020, Pages 121-161, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102850-6.00006-1
• Growing a backbone – functional biomaterials and structures for intervertebral disc (IVD) repair and regeneration: challenges, innovations, and future directions, Matthew D. Harmon,ab Daisy, M. Ramos,ab D. Nithyadevi,b Rosalie Bordett,b Swetha Rudraiah,c Syam P. Nukavarapu,abd Isaac L. Mossb and Sangamesh G. Kumbar, Biomater. Sci., 2020,8, 1216-1239, https://doi.org /10.1039/C9BM01288E.
• Ag/TiO2 (Metal/Metal Oxide) Core Shell Nanoparticles for Biological Applications, D. Mangalaraj, D.Nithyadevi, In book: Recent Trends in Materials Science and Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics book series (SPPHY, volume 189)pp.9-17, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-44890-92.
• Improved microbial growth inhibition activity of bio-surfactant induced Ag–TiO2 core shell nanoparticles, D. Nithyadevi a,P.Suresh Kumar b, D. Mangalaraj a, N. Ponpandian a, C. Viswanathan a, P. Meenac,Applied Surface Science, Volume 327, 1 February 2015, Pages 504-516, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.11.169
• Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of TiO2-SnO2 composite nanoparticles, D Nithyadevi a, RT Rajendrakumar - Advanced Materials Research (Volume 678), 373-377, 2013, https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.678.373