About
Mustafa Culha serves as Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Augusta University's College of Science and Mathematics, with concurrent research appointments at Sabanci University's Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM) in Istanbul and the University of South Florida's Morsani College of Medicine. His interdisciplinary work bridges chemistry, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering.
His academic credentials include:
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2002)
- M.S. in Chemistry, Wake Forest University (1997)
- B.S. in Chemistry, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey (1990)
Dr. Culha's research program centers on developing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques for clinical cancer diagnostics and pathogen identification, synthesizing functional nanomaterials for targeted drug delivery systems, and investigating nanomaterial-biological interface interactions governing nanotoxicity. His laboratory pioneers innovative approaches at the intersection of analytical chemistry and nanomedicine.
His 2024 publications reveal a strong emphasis on translating piezoelectric nanocomposites for bone regeneration applications and advancing SERS methodologies for immunological studies, demonstrating consistent innovation in nanomaterial design and spectroscopic diagnostics across food safety, tissue engineering, and infectious disease fields.
Major recognitions include:
- President of the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (2023)
- Society for Applied Spectroscopy Fellow designation (2023)
He actively contributes to academic governance as Committee Member of Augusta University's Faculty Development Committee (2024-present), with his patented nanotechnology methods forming the foundation for ongoing research in cancer therapeutics and diagnostic tools. His laboratory at SUNUM develops cutting-edge nanoplatforms for clinical translation while maintaining strong industry and international collaborations.
