Mikhail Skliar | Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah
Mikhail Skliar | Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah

I am a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah. My educational background is in Chemical and Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. I authored over 100 research papers and patents in diverse areas, including sensor development; automatic control of biomedical treatments and devices, such as MRI- guided ultrasound tumor ablation and control ventricular assist devices; manipulation and characterization of micro- and nanoscale systems, including optical and dielectrophoretic nanoparticle manipulation and the characterization of biomolecular kinetics on a scale of single molecules; stochastic and probabilistic systems; and state and parameter estimation, optimization, and automatic control. I co-founded two start-up companies to commercialize the results of my research.

My laboratory currently focuses on two district areas:

1. biophysical and molecular characterization of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications and
2. the development of ultrasonic sensors and methods for noninvasive characterization of energy conversion components, systems, and other processes, and ultrasound enhancement of transport processes in electrochemical and other processes.

Our broader interests include manipulation and characterization of micro- and nanoscale systems; stochastic processes; sensor development; state and parameter estimation, optimization, automatic control, and sensor development. My role in this project as an Academic PI is to participate with the teams of highly experienced scientists, engineers, and clinicians in joint development an integrated biomanufacturing process to produce extracellular vesicle-based biologics for treating diabetes-associated nephropathies. My technical contribution will be to lead and contribute to the team's effort to develop two platform technologies for biomanufacturing EVs with consistent therapeutic properties:

(a) the asymmetric depth filtration (aDF) for high-purity and yield harvesting, storage, and therapeutic delivery of EVs in a single platform and

(b) label-free fingerprinting of EV samples by the pattern of their retention by increasing dielectrophoretic forces created by a gated insulator-based dielectrophoresis array with light scattering readout for product quality screening of therapeutic EVs. aDF technology has been developed at the University of Utah, which seeks its patent protection:

Skliar, M.; Chernyshev, V. Isolation, Storage, and Delivery of Extracellular Vesicles Using Asymmetric      Depth Filters; Non-Provisional US Patent Application Filed August 25, 2022, August 25, 2022.

The concept of DEP fingerprinting of therapeutic EVs is the subject of the following patent application jointly filed by the Arizona State University and the University of Utah:

Hayes, H., Skliar, M., Porter, M., and Copp, B. Systems and Methods for Non-Destructive Isolation,         Concentration, and Detection for Unbiased Characterization of Nano- and Bio-Particles, PCT Patent    Application, Filed May 24, 2022.

1984-1985       Research Engineer, Department of Artificial Intelligence, Institute of Economics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.

1984-1986       Research Assistant, Department of Industrial and Remote Control, Odesa Technical University.

1986-1988       Junior Scientific Fellow, Department of Industrial & Remote Control, Odesa Technical University.

1990-1991       Lecturer, Department of Mathematical Methods of System Analysis, National Technical University/Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI).

1988-1991       Senior Researcher, Department of Mathematical Methods of System Analysis, KPI.

1992-1996       Research Assistant at NASA Center for Space Environmental Health, University of Colorado.

1996-now        Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah.

2022    Highlighted New Technology, Extracellular Vesicles Technology and Methods Summit, ISEVxTech.

2022    Invited ISEV EVClub presentation.

2021    Keynote Address, Ultrasonics 2021, Caparica, Portugal.

2019    Invited Plenary Lecture at 2019 Composites Convention, Stade, Germany.

2016    Invited Plenary Lecture at SelectBio Conference on Extracellular Vesicles.

2015    Invited Plenary Lecture, Chemical Engineers in Medicine, AIChE Annual Meeting.

2012    Keynote Address, 2012 AFPM Q&A and Technology Forum.

2012    Best Paper, AIChE Annual Meeting, Session on Advanced Gasification Concepts.

2011    Plenary Lecture, I.D.G.A. Image Fusion Summit.

2010   Invited Plenary Lecture, IEEE Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Integration.

2009    ScienceDirect Top 25 Hottest Articles in Material Science, Journal of Electrostatics.

2007    ScienceDirect Top 25 Hottest Articles in Chemical Engineering/Journal of Process Control.

2005    Outstanding new research published in Physics in Medicine and Biology.

2002    American Heart Association Established Investigator Award.

2002    Best Paper, American Control Conference, Modeling & Control of Biological Systems.

1999    NSF CAREER Award.

1997    Best Paper, American Control Conference, On-line Monitoring and Fault Detection.

1986    MSEE with Highest Honors, Odesa Technical University.