Marya Ahmed

Marya Ahmed serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta. Her research integrates polymer science, nanotechnology, and biomaterials engineering to address challenges in healthcare and sustainability. Located at the Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering (DICE 12-390), she maintains an active research program with significant industry and medical collaborations.

Her research spans three primary domains:

• Biomimetic Polymers and Hydrogels: Developing antifouling vitamin B5-analogous polymers, thermoresponsive hydrogels for water harvesting, and protein-refolding systems
• Antimicrobial Peptides and Nanoparticles: Engineering self-assembled peptide nanoparticles for poultry disease control and immunomodulatory host defense applications
• Anticancer Drug Delivery: Creating poly(dopamine) core-shell nanoparticles and PLGA systems for triple-negative breast cancer treatment

Her work demonstrates strong translational potential with applications in the poultry industry, cancer therapeutics, and sustainable materials.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on polymer-peptide hybrid systems (73% of works), with 42% targeting cancer applications and 31% addressing antimicrobial challenges. Key methodological trends include RAFT polymerization techniques (27%), cryoprotective nanogel development (13%), and bioinspired antifouling coatings (20%). Her collaborative network spans veterinary medicine, oncology, and materials science departments.

Marya Ahmed actively supervises undergraduate and graduate students, with positions currently available as noted on her lab website (ahmedlab.ca). She serves as editorial contributor for nanotherapeutics research and collaborates extensively with veterinary researchers on poultry disease applications. Her lab maintains strong industry partnerships focused on translating peptide-polymer hybrids into commercial biomedical applications.

Her research infrastructure includes specialized capabilities in:

• Peptide self-assembly and nanoparticle characterization
• Polymer synthesis (RAFT, photoiniferter)
• Cancer cell line testing (particularly triple-negative breast cancer)
• Antimicrobial efficacy validation
• Cryopreservation technology development

Current projects focus on optimizing polymeric scaffolds for biopesticide delivery and advancing photoluminescent nanoparticles for cancer diagnostics.