Hajar Maleki
Also known as: Homa
Imagerie et Stratégies Thérapeutiques pour les Cancers et Tissus cérébraux, Laboratoire Catalyse et Spectrochimie, University of Coimbra, Sharif University of Technology, University of Tehran
Research areas: Materials Science · Materials Chemistry · Aerogels and thermal insulation · Mesoporous Materials and Catalysis · Silk-based biomaterials and applications
0000-0002-2813-4700
About
Dr. Hajar Maleki is a biomaterials scientist whose research spans porous materials, regenerative medicine, and localized cancer therapy. She obtained her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Coimbra, Portugal (2015) as a Marie Curie Fellow, where she focused on the design of mechanically reinforced silica–polymer hybrid aerogels for aerospace applications. During her doctoral studies, she also conducted research at Biocant – Biotechnology Innovation Center (Portugal) on nanoparticle–cell interactions and antibacterial nanomaterials.
In 2016, she was awarded the prestigious FWF Lise Meitner Fellowship from the Austrian Science Fund and joined the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria (2016–2018) as a postdoctoral researcher under Prof. Nicola Hüsing. During this period, she expanded her expertise toward bioinspired porous materials, silk-based aerogels, and biomaterials for tissue engineering and bone regeneration.
In 2019, she moved to the University of Cologne, Germany, where she established her independent research program on Functional Bio-Inspired Porous Materials supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Her work pioneered theragenerative aerogels and hydrogels capable of combining therapeutic and regenerative functions for bone repair, infection control, and cancer treatment. She completed her habilitation in 2023 in the field of biomaterials and regenerative medicine and currently leads an interdisciplinary research group affiliated with the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC).
Dr. Maleki has secured approximately €2.5 million in competitive research funding, authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications (including 35 as senior author), accumulated approximately 6,000 citations (h-index 32), and has been recognized among the World’s Top 2% Scientists in Nanoscience and Materials Chemistry for three consecutive years (2022–2024). She is a Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe (YAE) and was named a 2023 ACS Materials Au Rising Star in Materials Science.
In 2025/2026, she was appointed Chaire de Professeur Junior (CNRS Tenure-Track Professor), France, following a highly competitive national selection process. Her current research focuses on intelligent stimuli-responsive biomaterials, nanoengineered porous materials, and theragenerative systems for pathological microenvironment modulation, localized cancer therapy, and tissue regeneration.
Employment
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Imagerie et Stratégies Thérapeutiques pour les Cancers et Tissus cérébraux Chaire de professeur junior (CPJ) - CNRS Professor2026 - Present
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Laboratoire Catalyse et Spectrochimie Chaire de professeur junior (CPJ) - CNRS Professor2026 - Present
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Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne Associated Junior Group leader2023 - Present
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University of Salzburg Postdoctoral Fellowship (principal investigator) - Austrian Science Fund (FWF) - Lise Meitner2016 - 2018
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Universidade de Coimbra Marie Curie Research Fellow2012 - 2015
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Biocant- Biotechnology Innovation Center Visiting Scholar2011 - 2011
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Qazvin Islamic Azad University Assistant Professor2009 - 2010
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Sharif University of technology Teaching assistant at Organic chemistry (1, 2),2008 - 2011
Education
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University of Coimbra Ph.D.2011 - 2014
- 2006 - 2008
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University of Tehran Bachelor2002 - 2006
Projects & Funding
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Silica-Silk Fibroin aerogels Austrian Science Fund2016 - 2018
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Manufacturing and applications of nanostructured materials SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME OF THE EUROPEAN UNION RESEARCH EXECUTIVE AGENCY FP7-PEOPLE-2010-ITN2012 - 2015
Publications (58)
- Mesoporous Magnetic Nanoparticles Functionalized With Quaternary Ammonium Salts as Targeted Nanocarriers for Doxorubicin Delivery in Breast Cancer Therapy Save
- Advanced Strategies and Innovative Theragenerative Nano/Micro Biomaterials for Bone Cancer Therapy and Bone Tissue Regeneration with a Focus on Osteosarcoma Management Save
- 3D Printing of Biocompatible and Antibacterial Silica–Silk–Chitosan-Based Hybrid Aerogel Scaffolds Loaded with Propolis Save
- Emerging 2D Nanomaterials‐Integrated Hydrogels: Advancements in Designing Theragenerative Materials for Bone Regeneration and Disease Therapy Save
- Diatom-Inspired Silicification Process for Development of Green Flexible Silica Composite Aerogels Save
- Biomimetic Flexible Electronic Materials from Silk Fibroin-MXene Composites Developed via Mussel-Inspired Chemistry as Wearable Pressure Sensors Save
- Self-Assembly-Driven Bi2S3 Nanobelts Integrated a Silk-Fibroin-Based 3D-Printed Aerogel-Based Scaffold with a Dual-Network Structure for Photothermal Bone Cancer Therapy Save
- Aerogels-Inspired based Photo and Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting to Produce Hydrogen Save
- Fabrication of Antibacterial, Osteo‐Inductor 3D Printed Aerogel‐Based Scaffolds by Incorporation of Drug Laden Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microparticles into the Self‐Assembled Silk Fibroin Biopolymer Save
- Smart and Biomimetic 3D and 4D Printed Composite Hydrogels: Opportunities for Different Biomedical Applications Save
- 3D Printing of Antibacterial, Biocompatible, and Biomimetic Hybrid Aerogel-Based Scaffolds with Hierarchical Porosities via Integrating Antibacterial Peptide-Modified Silk Fibroin with Silica Nanostructure Save
- Nacre-Mimetic, Mechanically Flexible, and Electrically Conductive Silk Fibroin-MXene Composite Foams as Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors Save
- Silica-silk fibroin hybrid (bio)aerogels: two-step versus one-step hybridization Save
- Hierarchically Organized Biomimetic Architectured Silk Fibroin–Ceramic-Based Anisotropic Hybrid Aerogels for Thermal Energy Management Save
- Hierarchical Assembly of Surface Modified Silk Fibroin Biomass into Micro‐, and Milli‐Metric Hybrid Aerogels with Core‐Shell, Janus, and Composite Configurations for Rapid Removal of Water Pollutants Save
- Silica Mesoporous Structures: Effective Nanocarriers in Drug Delivery and Nanocatalysts Save
- Directional Freeze‐Casting: A Bioinspired Method to Assemble Multifunctional Aligned Porous Structures for Advanced Applications Save
- The versatile biomedical applications of bismuth-based nanoparticles and composites: therapeutic, diagnostic, biosensing, and regenerative properties Save
- Mechanically Strong Silica-Silk Fibroin Bioaerogel: A Hybrid Scaffold with Ordered Honeycomb Micromorphology and Multiscale Porosity for Bone Regeneration Save
- An environmentally benign route for the development of compressible, thermally insulating and fire retardant aerogels through self-assembling the silk fibroin biopolymer inside the silica structure - An approach towards 3D printing of aerogels. Save