Vivek A. Kumar
Associate ProfessorDr. Kumar completed his PhD in Bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and trained as a post doc at BIDMC, Harvard Medical School and at Rice University. He began his independent career an Assistant Professor at NJIT, in 2016, Associate tenured in 2022, and moved to UH in 2025. At UH, his group explores computational peptide materials design, drug discovery, development and delivery, biomaterials and tissue engineering with broad interests in inflammation modulation and angiogenesis. He has published over 60 peer reviewed journal articles and 100 conference abstracts with specific interests in understanding the role of small growth factor or cytokine mimics’ ability to signal cognate receptors, primarily funded by the NIH. Dr. Kumar teaches Biomaterials, Biomedical Translation, Entrepreneurship, and grant writing/pitching. He strives to encourage research involvement with undergraduates, graduates and post-doctoral scientists.
For a list of current research projects visit KumarLab.us
Overview: Localization of therapeutic signals using smart materials and delivery strategies.
Biological signals in the body are often transient and diffuse rapidly from sites of administration, leading to off-target effects and therapeutic inefficiency.
We design and test (computationally, in vitro and in vivo) biodegradable, protein based materials that localize, sustain, and tune biological signaling in diverse regenerative and therapeutic contexts. These materials are computationally designed to form dynamic nanostructures that present signaling motifs—mimicking growth factors, cytokines, and receptor ligands—to elicit controlled angiogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, or neurogenic responses.
Translationally, several SAP formulations are advancing toward FDA 510(k)/IND-enabling studies for wound healing and dental applications.
This fusion of computational biology, material science, and translational medicine defines a new frontier—material-based medicines that bridge molecular signaling precision with clinical scalability.
Selected Publications
- For a full list of publications, visit KumarLab.us
- US 10,632,172 B2 - Injectable self-assembling antibacterial peptide hydrogels
- US 11,974,659 B2 - Powered toothbrush with evacuation technology
- US 9,562,762 B1 - Multidomain peptides for promoting angiogenesis
- US 12,329,765 B2 - Targeted nanoparticle for the treatment of traumatic brain injury and other CNS diseases