Dr Ali Mohammed

Ali’s research explores sustainable manufacturing systems across materials science, bioengineering, and design. His research focuses on developing low energy, low waste additive manufacturing processes through green chemistry, functional soft materials, and biologically enabled fabrication.

A core strand of Ali’s work investigates sustainable living materials through non-toxic, visible-light activated chemistries for high resolution additive manufacturing. This includes the development of cytocompatible photo-resins that act simultaneously as structural materials and active growth media, enabling in-situ bioprinting and manufacturing with microorganisms.

Ali also leads research into green manufacturing approaches using plant-based enzymes to enable scalable, oxygen free material synthesis in open vessel systems. These methods significantly reduce synthesis time, improve material performance, and remove constraints associated with conventional inert environments, with demonstrated pathways to industrial impact.

A further focus of Ali’s research is material circularity, where he designs soft hydrogel-based systems engineered for biodegradability, live-stock feed, compostability, and biological breakdown after use. Applications include printable synthetic soils for decentralised farming, bioremediation platforms, and closed loop agricultural systems.

Alongside this work, he collaborates across tissue engineering, cancer biology, soft robotics, and biologically driven manufacturing to translate material innovation into real world environmental and medical contexts.

2025: RKE Funding – Visualisation Lab (PI)

Drawing Lines: developing a real-time AI agent that responds to live performers by generating visual, sonic, and spatial cues for live immersive and interactive experiences

2023: Seeds for Success (Co-I)

Development of bioink for cancer research

2022: Institute of Molecular Science and Engineering (IMSE) Seed Funding (PI)

Development of a novel 3D printing technology 

2021: Seeds for Success (PI)

Hassle-free degassing – an enzymatic approach to oxygen free environments

2021: Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Convergence Science Centre (Co-I)

Development of a microfluidics platform to 3D print tumour-specific Extra-Cellular Matrices to improve derivation rates of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer patient-derived organoids

Innovation and Impact Award (2nd Place) (2021)

Outstanding Contribution/Response to COVID-19

Innovation and Consultancy Project of the Year Award (2020)

Development of innovative 3D printing strategies

Bettelheim Award (2019)
International Conference of the Lens

Imperial College Larry Hench Bioengineering & Materials Departmental Prize (2018)

Excellence in a biomaterials related PhD

Thanaa Award (2018)
For Education, Science and Community Development during a PhD

Special Recognition Award (2012)

For efforts in the start-up of the Pearl GTL

Soft robotic actuators for small, minimally invasive surgeries (2025 – current)

In collaboration with University of Surrey and Imperial College London, I am developing a series of 3D printable soft actuators designed for minimally intrusive surgeries of small animals and children.

Development of a bioreactor for applications in biodesign through use of microorganisms (2024 – current)

Alongside alumni Markos Georgiou and the Centre for Materials Science & Culture (CMSC), we are developing a bioreactor designed for multi-microorganism 3D biomaterial fabrication.

Ultra-fast, ultra-efficient and sustainable 3D printing using enzymes and dual-light systems (2023 – current)

Developing oxygen-free 3D printing systems for ultra-fast reaction kinetics, alongside dual-light systems for on/off spatial printing, in collaboration with Imperial College London.

Development of multifunctional novel photoresins for light-based additive manufacturing (2021 – current)

Development of novel photoresins infused with nanoparticles and microparticles, as well as other additives, for enhanced functionality and responsiveness post-printing.

Eco-friendly and sustainable nano-cosmetics (2021 – current)

Development of multi-function cosmetics with advanced green chemistries for targeted skin therapeutics for cosmetic and medical grade skin care, alongside collaborators at University of Surrey and industry partners.

3D printing soil mimics as novel lab models and substrates for indoor farming (2020 – current)

Designing biosynthetic printable soils as lab models for studying plant-microbe-chemical interactions, and for indoor farming, alongside collaborators at Imperial College London and industry partners.

Alongside the research listed above are external collaborative projects with Imperial College London, University of Oxford, University of Surrey, University of Anglia Ruskin, TU Delft, and University of Singapore.

I am open to external collaboration within the U.K and internationally – if you are interested in any of the projects above or looking for expertise in biodesign, please get in touch.

Selected publications

AA Mohammed, C Myant, G Sena et al., (2025), Patterned 3D printed hydrogel as a novel soilless substrate for plant cultivation, Plant Methods, Preprint (bioRxiv).

AA Mohammed, J Jones et al., (2025), Nanocomposite hydrogels reinforced with vinyl functionalised silica nanoparticles, Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology.

C Palomeque, AA Mohammed, A Pinna et al., (2025), Solvent dependent morphology of functional bio-glass: A one pot synthesis of Sr2+ and Ca2+ doped silica nanoparticles, Frontiers in Nanotechnology.

S Li, AA Mohammed, J Jones et al., (2025), Human bone marrow derived stem cell differentiation on 3D printed ICIE16 bioactive glass scaffolds, Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine.

LM Kalossaka, AA Mohammed, CW Myant et al., (2025), Green light vat-photopolymerisation for 3D printing hydrogels with complex lattice structures, Journal of Advanced Material Technologies.

A Pinna, AA Mohammed, AE Porter et al., (2024), Virus-shaped mesoporous silica nanostars to improve the transport of drugs across the blood–brain barrier, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

AA Mohammed, CW Myant, A Pinna et al., (2024), Stable and homogeneous SPION-infused photo-resins for 3D-printing magnetic hydrogels, Applied Materials Today.

JJ Lee, AA Mohammed, A Pullen, CW Myant, WG Proud, (2023), Mechanical characterisation of 3D printed lightweight lattice structures with varying internal design alterations, Materials Today Communications, 106456, ISSN 2352-4928.

AA Mohammed, J Miao, I Ragaisyte, AE Porter, CW Myant, A Pinna, (2023), 3D printed superparamagnetic stimuli-responsive starfish-shaped hydrogels, Heliyon, Volume 0, Issue 0, e14682.

AA Mohammed, S Li, T Sang, JR Jones, A Pinna, (2023), Nanocomposite Hydrogels with Polymer Grafted Silica Nanoparticles, Using Glucose Oxidase, Gels 2023, 9(6), 486.

AA Mohammed, N Groth Merrild, S Li, A Pinna, JR Jones, (2022), Double-Network Hydrogels Reinforced with Covalently Bonded Silica Nanoparticles via 1‑Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide Chemistry, ACS omega, 2022, Vol: 7, 48, 43904–43914.

FN Barrak, S Li, AA Mohammed, C Myant, JR Jones, (2022), Anti-inflammatory properties of S53P4 bioactive glass implant material, Journal of Dentistry, Vol: 127, Page: 104296, ISSN: 0300-5712

AA Mohammed, LM Kalossaka, G Sena, L Barter, C Myant, (2021), 3D printing nanocomposite hydrogels with lattice vascular networks using stereolithography, Journal of Materials Research, 36, pages 4249–426, ISSN: 0884-2914

S Li, F Tallia, AA Mohammed, MM Stevens, JR Jones, (2020), Scaffold channel size influences stem cell differentiation pathway in 3-D printed silica hybrid scaffolds for cartilage regeneration, Biomaterials Science, Vol: 8, Pages: 4458-4466, ISSN: 2047-4830

AA Mohammed, A Pinna, S Li, T Sang, JR Jones, (2020), Auto-catalytic redox polymerisation using nanoceria and glucose oxidase for double network hydrogels, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, Vol: 8, Pages: 2834-2844, ISSN: 2050-750X

X Liao, ND Falcon, AA Mohammed, YZ Paterson, AO Saeed. (2020), Synthesis and Formulation of Four-Arm PolyDMAEA-siRNA Polyplex for Transient Downregulation of Collagen Type III Gene Expression in TGF-β1 Stimulated Tenocyte Culture, ACS omega, 2020, Vol: 5, Pages1496−1505, ISSN: 2470-1343

AA Mohammed, J Aviles Milan, S Li, JJ Chung, MM Stevens, TK Georgiou, JR Jones, (2019), Open vessel free radical photopolymerization of double network gels for biomaterial applications using glucose oxidase, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, Vol: 7, Pages: 4030-4039, ISSN: 2050-750X

A El Ghamrawy, F de Comtes, H Koruk, AA Mohammed, JR Jones, JJ Choi, (2019), Acoustic streaming in a soft tissue microenvironment, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, Vol: 45, Pages: 208-217, ISSN: 0301-5629

Exhibitions

Imperial Lates (Future Food), Imperial College, London 2023

Imperial Lates (Look up), Imperial College, London 2022

Stories of Wonder, V&A, London (2022)

Great Exhibition Road Festival, London (2022)

Norwich Science Festival, Norwich (2019)

International conferences

World Biomaterials Congress WBC (Daegu, South Korea) – Oral presentation (2024)

Stable and Homogeneous SPION-infused Photo-Resins for 3D-Printing Magnetic Hydrogels

Global Young Scientists Summit GYSS (Singapore, Singapore) – Invited attendee (2024)

Materials Research Society MRS (Boston, USA) – Oral presentation (2023)

Oncological engineering: The development of 3D printed metamaterial implants for patients with bone tumours in end-of-life-care

Materials Research Society MRS (Boston, USA) – Oral presentation (2023)

3D printed hydrogels as novel substrates for soilless cultivation

Innovation Think Tank Certification Program (London, UK) – Participant (2022)

Run by Innovation Think Tank, Siemens Healthineers

Global Young Scientists Summit GYSS (Singapore, Singapore) – Invited attendee (2022)

13th Annual Undergraduate Research Experience Program Competition – Panel member (Doha, Qatar) (2021)

Invited Judge in the panel for students’ presentations and posters

International Conf. on Additive Manufacturing ICAM (Anaheim, USA) – Oral Presentation (2021)

Nanocomposite double network hydrogels – from bulk photopolymerization to stereolithography

Materials Research Society MRS (Online) – Co-presenter (2021)

Hydrogel 3D Fabrication to Introduce Vascular Networks Using Digital Light Processing

International Conference of the Lens (Hawaii, USA) – Invited Speaker (2019)

Fabrication of Implantable IOLs Using 3D Printing Technology

Global Young Scientists Summit GYSS (Singapore, Singapore) – Poster Presentation (2018) Nominated to attend the summit amongst specially selected 200 young scientific scholars

European Society of Biomaterials ESB (Athens, Greece) – Oral presentation (2017)

Sol-gel derived lithium-releasing glass for cartilage regeneration

United Kingdom Society of Biomaterials UKSB (London, UK) – Poster presentation (2016)

Enhanced Photopolymerization Kinetics and Conversion of two Biocompatible Polymers’

World Biomaterials Congress WBC (Montreal, Canada) – Oral presentation (2016)

Nanocomposite Double Network Hydrogels, with Silica Nanoparticles as Macro-Crosslinkers

Materials Research Society MRS (Boston, USA) – Oral presentation (2016) Improving conversion of open vessel free radical photopolymerization for biomaterial applications using glucose oxidase

Sol-Gel (Kyoto, Japan) – Poster presentation (2014)

Facile Synthesis of Hybrid Double Network Hydrogels with Nanocomposite Structures for Cartilage Tissue Engineering Applications

Annual Research Conference ARC (Doha, Qatar) – Poster presentation (2013)

Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Nanocomposite Polymers for Bone Regeneration