Hajar Maleki

Dr. Hajar Maleki is a Privatdozent (Habilitand) and Junior Research Group Leader at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne. She also serves as an Associated Junior Research Group Leader and Career Advancement Group Leader at the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC). Her research focuses on developing bio-inspired porous materials, particularly aerogels for biomedical, environmental, and energy-related applications.

Dr. Maleki earned her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Tehran University in 2006, followed by a Master's in Organic Chemistry from Sharif University of Technology in 2008. She completed her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Nanomaterials at the University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2014, where she developed mechanically reinforced polymer-silica aerogels for aerospace thermal insulation. In May 2023, she completed her Habilitation in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Cologne with her thesis titled 'Multifunctional Bio-inspired Silk-based Hybrid Porous Materials: Rational Design and 3D Printing for Theragenerative Applications.'

Dr. Maleki's research centers on the rational design of bio-inspired, self-assembled, and sol-gel-derived nanomaterials as theragenerative systems that combine therapy and regeneration. Her group develops smart, multifunctional biomaterials (hydrogels and aerogels) by hybridizing self-assembled biopolymers like silk fibroin with surface-engineered nanoparticles. They utilize advanced fabrication techniques including 3D printing, directional freeze casting, and microfluidics to create innovative bulk and micro aerogels with enhanced properties for bone tissue engineering, cancer therapy, and environmental applications. Recent work has focused on 4D-printed 'black' bioceramics for addressing osteosarcoma and bone defects in the craniomaxillofacial region through minimally invasive methods.

Analysis of Dr. Maleki's recent publications reveals a strong focus on theragenerative materials that combine bone regeneration with cancer treatment. Her work consistently integrates silk fibroin biopolymer with various functional nanoparticles to create multifunctional aerogel scaffolds. The research spans multiple disciplines including biomaterials science, nanotechnology, tissue engineering, and cancer therapy, with applications extending from biomedical fields to environmental remediation and energy conversion.

• 2023 ACS Materials Au Rising Star in Materials Science
• Top 2% Most Influential Scientists Worldwide in Nanoscience & Materials Chemistry (2022-2024)
• FWF Lise Meitner Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Marie Curie Ph.D. Fellowship
• Multiple DFG and DLR research grants
• Career Advancement Group Awardee of CMMC (2024)

Dr. Maleki has mentored over 30 students and early-career researchers, including Ph.D. candidates and postdocs. Her research has been supported by approximately 1.5 million euros in independent funding from sources including the German Research Foundation (DFG), German Aerospace Center (DLR), and Chemical Industry Fund. She serves on editorial boards of Scientific Reports, Smart Materials and Methods, and Frontiers in Biomaterials Science, and is a Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe (FYAE).

Dr. Maleki leads a dynamic interdisciplinary research group at the University of Cologne's Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, with laboratory facilities at Greinstrasse 6. Her team collaborates closely with the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC) to conduct in vitro cell-based studies on synthesized biomaterials. The group's work spans both biomedical applications (bone tissue engineering, cancer therapy) and non-biomedical directions (thermal insulation, environmental remediation, and energy conversion).