Saranya Pullanchery

Dr. Saranya Pullanchery is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, holding the Harthcock Chemistry Faculty Fellowship. She specializes in interfacial science, leveraging nonlinear optical techniques and analytical chemistry to study molecular structures at interfaces. Her research explores soft matter systems, focusing on phenomena such as charge-induced hydration asymmetry and interfacial water dynamics.

Dr. Pullanchery earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Pennsylvania State University (2018), an M.S. from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (2013), and completed postdoctoral research at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (2019–2024). Her work bridges chemistry, physics, and materials science, with a particular emphasis on lipid membranes, nanodroplets, and ion-lipid interactions.

Her research group employs advanced spectroscopic methods like vibrational sum frequency scattering to probe interface-selective properties. Recent studies include pH-driven electron density fluctuations in liquid surfaces and the structural impact of divalent cations on lipid bilayers.

Publications highlight contributions to understanding interfacial water structure, charge effects on lipid systems, and plexciton dynamics. While no awards are explicitly noted here, her extensive publication record reflects significant academic engagement.

Her lab focuses on advancing interface-selective spectroscopy tools and their applications in biological and materials systems. Collaborations span theoretical modeling to experimental validation, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches.