Melika Farzam

Ph.D

Chemical Engineering

Tulane University

Research Assistant

- Designed and developed innovative equipment for both rotational photolithography and shear molding techniques to fabricate biomimetic microhooks with precise control over the size and mechanical properties of the structures. - Demonstrated exceptional anisotropic gripping, achieving a gripping force 2.5 times greater than the sliding force, with an adhesion force of 0.6 N/cm2 to artificial skin, offering promising applications in wearable devices and patches. - Pioneered groundbreaking research in superhydrophobic polymers with a primary focus on their water-repellent properties, elastic modulus, and toughness for versatile applications in a collaborative project with Intralox LLC. - Fabricated a biomimetic artificial knee meniscus prototype using porous PDMS, achieving high lubricity (coefficient of friction approximately 0.1) in a rabbit animal model, funded by a $50,000 grant from Tulane Innovative Institute. - Efficiently managed a $1M laboratory, mentoring 6 undergraduate students, facilitating their skill development in molding, photolithography, tribology, and mechanical testing resulting in 3 students advancing to master’s Programs. - Collaboratively innovated a force-based technique with ±1 μN sensitivity to measure friction forces between water drops and polymers, enhanced accuracy by 15-65% compared to optical methods in determining sliding angles.