Abraham Joy

Abraham Joy is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Bioengineering at Northeastern University, effective January 2024. Previously, he held professorial roles at the University of Akron from 2010–2023, including service as an NSF Biomaterials Program Director (2021–2023). His research focuses on biomaterials for wound healing, antimicrobial strategies, and polymer-based drug delivery systems.

Education: PhD in Chemistry (Tulane University), postdoctoral training at Georgia Tech (charge migration in oligonucleotides) and Rutgers (biomaterials for cellular modulation). Associate Editor of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology.

Research Themes: Design of biodegradable polymers mimicking tissue properties, development of fast-acting medical solutions for bleeding/infection, and biofilm disruption using synthetic polymers. His work bridges polymer chemistry with clinical applications, emphasizing translational medicine.

Key Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles, including breakthroughs in mussel-inspired adhesives, antibiofilm polyurethanes, and 3D-printable biomaterials. Recent work explores light-activated adhesives and biofilm eradication via coacervates.

Awards: AIMBE Fellow (2025), NSF CAREER Award (2014), Burroughs Welcome Award, and 3M Non-tenured Faculty Award. Lab: Biomaterials Innovation and Translation (BIT) Lab focuses on translating biomimetic materials into diagnostic/therapeutic products.