Overview
Background
Amal specialises in investigating the therapeutic aspects of focused ultrasound assisted gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. He completed his PhD (2016-2020) at CAI/AIBN (UQ) under Prof. Kristofer Thurecht, studying the effect of different ligand densities on the distribution of nanocarriers in vitro and in vivo. He joined Prof. Terry Rabbitts’s lab at the Institute of Cancer Research London as a Postdoctoral Fellow (2020-2022), working on an intracellular antibody-assisted small molecule discovery project funded by Blood Cancer UK and by the Kay Kendall Leukemia Fund. His current research focuses on the therapeutic aspects of focused ultrasound-mediated gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases funded by the FightMND Foundation, in collaboration with Professor Kris Thurecht, Dr. Kara Vine-Perrow, Prof. Justin Yerbury, and Prof. Anthony White at the University of Queensland and the University of Wollongong.
Availability
- Dr Amal Jayakumar Sivaram is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Biotechnology, Kerala University
- Masters (Research) of Nanotechnology, Amrita University
- Doctor of Philosophy of Nanomedicine, University of Queensland
Research interests
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Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Gene Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Investigating novel therapeutic approaches combining focused ultrasound technology with gene delivery systems to treat neurodegenerative conditions. Current research focuses on developing targeted delivery strategies to overcome the blood-brain barrier and enhance therapeutic efficacy. This work aims to establish new treatment paradigms for conditions like ALS through precise control of gene delivery using MR imaging.
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Nanocarrier Design and Biological Distribution
Understanding the relationship between ligand density and nanocarrier distribution in biological systems. Research involves both in vitro and in vivo studies to optimize drug delivery vehicles for enhanced therapeutic outcomes. This work contributes to understanding how nanocarrier surface modifications influence their biological behaviour and therapeutic efficiency.
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Antibody Guided Drug Discovery
Development of innovative approaches in targeted drug discovery using antibodies for cancer treatment. Work involves identifying and validating novel therapeutic targets through antibody-assisted high-throughput screening, advancing our understanding of cancer treatment strategies.
Research impacts
Developing ultrasound-mediated drug delivery strategies for neurodegenerative diseases using nanocarriers.
Works
Search Professor Amal Jayakumar Sivaram’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Lipid nanoparticles and transcranial focused ultrasound enhance the delivery of SOD1 antisense oligonucleotides to the murine brain for ALS therapy
Ediriweera, Gayathri R., Sivaram, Amal J., Cowin, Gary, Brown, Mikayla L., McAlary, Luke, Lum, Jeremy S., Fletcher, Nicholas L., Robinson, Liam, Simpson, Joshua D., Chen, Liyu, Wasielewska, Joanna M., Byrne, Ella, Finnie, John W., Manavis, Jim, White, Anthony R., Yerbury, Justin J., Thurecht, Kristofer J. and Vine, Kara L. (2025). Lipid nanoparticles and transcranial focused ultrasound enhance the delivery of SOD1 antisense oligonucleotides to the murine brain for ALS therapy. Journal of Controlled Release, 378, 221-235. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.11.074
2020
Journal Article
Effect of chain‐end chemistries on the efficiency of coupling antibodies to polymers using unnatural amino acids
Sivaram, Amal J., Wardiana, Andri, Preethi, S. S. Hema, Fuchs, Adrian V., Howard, Christopher B., Fletcher, Nicholas L., Bell, Craig A. and Thurecht, Kristofer J. (2020). Effect of chain‐end chemistries on the efficiency of coupling antibodies to polymers using unnatural amino acids. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 41 (21) 2000294, e2000294. doi: 10.1002/marc.202000294
2020
Journal Article
Controlling the biological fate of micellar nanoparticles: balancing stealth and targeting
Sivaram, Amal J., Wardiana, Andri, Alcantara, Sheilajen, Sonderegger, Stefan E., Fletcher, Nicholas L., Houston, Zachary H., Howard, Christopher B., Mahler, Stephen M., Alexander, Cameron, Kent, Stephen J., Bell, Craig A. and Thurecht, Kristofer J. (2020). Controlling the biological fate of micellar nanoparticles: balancing stealth and targeting. ACS Nano, 14 (10) acsnano.0c06033, 13739-13753. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06033
2020
Other Outputs
Design and synthesis of nanomaterials as combination therapeutics
Jayakumar Sivaram, Amal (2020). Design and synthesis of nanomaterials as combination therapeutics. PhD Thesis, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2020.836
2018
Journal Article
Recent advances in the generation of antibody-nanomaterial conjugates
Sivaram, Amal J, Wardiana, Andri, Howard, Christopher B, Mahler, Stephen M and Thurecht, Kristofer J (2018). Recent advances in the generation of antibody-nanomaterial conjugates. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 7 (1) 1700607. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201700607
2017
Journal Article
Development of drug delivery systems for taxanes using ionic gelation of carboxyacyl derivatives of chitosan
Skorik, Yury A., Golyshev, Anton A., Kritchenkov, Andreii S., Gasilova, Ekaterina R., Poshina, Daria N., Sivaram, Amal J. and Jayakumar, Rangasamy (2017). Development of drug delivery systems for taxanes using ionic gelation of carboxyacyl derivatives of chitosan. Carbohydrate Polymers, 162, 49-55. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.025
2016
Journal Article
Integration of in silico modeling, prediction by binding energy and experimental approach to study the amorphous chitin nanocarriers for cancer drug delivery
Geetha, P., Sivaram, Amal J., Jayakumar, R. and Gopi Mohan, C. (2016). Integration of in silico modeling, prediction by binding energy and experimental approach to study the amorphous chitin nanocarriers for cancer drug delivery. Carbohydrate Polymers, 142, 240-249. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.01.059
2016
Journal Article
Combinatorial nanomedicines for colon cancer therapy
Anitha, A., Maya, S., Sivaram, Amal J., Mony, U. and Jayakumar, R. (2016). Combinatorial nanomedicines for colon cancer therapy. WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology, 8 (1), 151-159. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1353
2015
Journal Article
Nanogels for delivery, imaging and therapy
Sivaram, Amal J., Rajitha, P., Maya, S., Jayakumar, R. and Sabitha, M. (2015). Nanogels for delivery, imaging and therapy. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology, 7 (4), 509-533. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1328
2015
Journal Article
Radiofrequency ablation of drug-resistant cancer cells using molecularly targeted carboxyl-functionalized biodegradable graphene
Sasidharan, Abhilash, Sivaram, Amal J., Retnakumari, Archana P., Chandran, Parwathy, Malarvizhi, Giridharan Loghanathan, Nair, Shantikumar and Koyakutty, Manzoor (2015). Radiofrequency ablation of drug-resistant cancer cells using molecularly targeted carboxyl-functionalized biodegradable graphene. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 4 (5), 679-684. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201400670
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Amal Jayakumar Sivaram is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Amal Jayakumar Sivaram directly for media enquiries about:
- Cancer Nanomedicine
- Drug Delivery
- Motor Neuron Disease
- Nanomedicine
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