CV
RESEARCH INTREST & SKILLS
Polymer Synthesis & Functionalization
• Organic synthesis of polymer, functionalization and synthesis of functional monomers
• Processing of polymers, polymeric nanoparticles, composites and blends
• Synthesis of cellulosic co-polymers by oxidation, oximation and imination reactions
• Synthesis of carbohydrate derivatives and their anchoring on polymers
Natural Polymers and Biomass
• Isolations of nanocellulose and functionalisation
• Pretreatments of biomass
• Fractionation of biomass into pure cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and their isolations
• Use of Ionic liquids for cellulose dissolution and modifications
• Synthesis of cellulose esters and value added products from biomass
Enzyme production from biomass
• Production of carbon source for hydrolytic enzymes such as cellulase and xylanase
Biomaterials Development
• Biocompatibility: Carbohydrate-polymer interactions, Biodegradation, Antimicrobial activity
Analysis and Characterization
• Spectroscopy: Hands on: FTIR, UV-Vis, NMR
• Thermo-mechanical: Hands on: DSC, TGA, DMA, Tensile
• Chromatography: Hands on: GPC, HPLC, GC
• Morphology: Hands on: SEM Familiarity: TEM, AFM, XRD, Confocal microscopy and Helium Ion spectroscopy
Communication and computer skills
• Excellent written & oral communication skills demonstrated by technical reports, project proposals and presentations
• Data interpretation and Software Skills: WINDOWS, MS Office, Specview, Origin, Chem Office, Chem Window, TA
Universal Analysis
EMPLOYMENT
• Post Doctorate Fellow: Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (http://www.tcd.ie)
February 2011 –November 2011
Exploratory research on commercialisation of the biodegradable polymers (mcl-PHA), and their composites and blends
• Senior Research Fellow: Polymer Science & Engineering Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune,
(http://www.ncl-india.org), India
April 2007 – January 2011
Worked on synthesis of partially oxidised cellulose and bagasse cellulose, characterization and their application study
for Ph.D degree
• Project Assistant: Polymer Science & Engineering division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-411008, India
October 2002 – March 2007
Worked on projects entitled “Biodegradable polymers from agricultural wastes: cellulose esters based on bagasse
derived cellulose” and “Establishment of semi-commercial facility for validation of the steam explosion based
fractionation process of sugar cane bagasse to cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin” sponsored by CSIR, India.
EDUCATION
Ph. D. Chemistry (February 2011)
National Chemical Laboratory (http://www.ncl-india.org), Govt. of India- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) Laboratory, Pune, India
M.Sc. (Organic Chemistry, 2002)
University of Pune, Pune, India with first class
AWARDS
• Senior Research Fellowship (April 2007)
Prestigious Ph.D. grant was awarded by Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Govt. of India
• Qualified PAT (Ph.D. Aptitude Test) examination for Ph.D admission conducted by university of Pune, 2006
PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCES
• Amongst 25 selected members Internationally by ICS-UNIDO (International Center for Science and High Technology-
United Nations Industrial development Organization) to attend the training program on “Next generation biofuel and
biobased chemicals from agricultural waste and non food biomass” at Bologna, Italy, September, 2009
• 6th European symposium on biopolymers, September 27-29, 2011 at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland,
• Poster presented on “Oxidised cellulosic biodegradable copolymers obtained from agricultural biomass” in Bologna,
Italy, 2009
• MACRO 2009: National conference on polymers for advanced technologies, December 12-15, 2009 held at National
Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
• Poster presented on “New aspect of lignin-carbohydrate complex from bagasse in SPS symposium in National
Chemical Laboratory, 2007
• International workshop on Sustainable plastics in India and Asian countries, December 14-16, 2006, held at National
Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
• MACRO 2006: National conference on polymers for advanced technologies, December 17-20, 2006 held at National
Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
PUBLICATIONS
1. Enhanced enzymetic hydrolysis of cellulose by partial modification of its chemical structure.
H. Shaikh and A. J. Varma, Carbohydrate Polymers 86, 962-968, 2011
2. Utilization of sugarcane bagasse cellulose for producing cellulose acetate: Novel use of residual hemicellulose as a
plasticizer.
H. Shaikh, K. V. Pandhare, G. Nair, A. J. Varma, Carbohydrate Polymers, 76, 23-29, 2009 (Most accessed article
within this journal during, 2009, placed at 10th position among top 25)
3. Enzymatic hydrolysis of delignified bagasse polysaccharides.
M. G. Adsul, J. E. Ghule, R. Singh, H. Shaikh, K. B. Bastawde, D. V. Gokhale and A. J. Varma, Carbohydrate
Polymers, 62 (1), 6-10, 2005 (Most accessed article within this journal during 2006, placed at 13th
position among top 25)
4. Polysaccharides from Bagasse: Applications in Cellulase and xylanase production.
M. G. Adsul, J. E. Ghule, R. Singh, H. Shaikh, K. B. Bastawde, D.V. Gokhale and A. J. Varma, Carbohydrate
Polymers, 57(1), 67-72, 2004(Most accessed article within this journal during 2005, placed at 5th position
among top 25)
5. Synthesis and characterization of partially oxidized cellulose and its derivatives (Manuscript ready for submission).
H Shaikh and A. J. Varma.
6. Alpha cellulose from agricultural waste: Isolations, characterizations and applications (Review in preparation).
H. Shaikh and A. J. Varma