Experience and Education

Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina, January 2019
Postdoctoral Associate, The University of Chicago, 2014-2018
Postdoctoral Associate, Harvard, 2012-2014
PhD, Materials Science, ETH Zurich, 2012
BS and MS, Polymer Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 2003

Research

The Sadati lab will pursue a bottom-up approach to study the structure, dynamics, and self-assembly of soft materials, with an emphasis on anisotropic components capable of leading to new, tunable macroscopic properties. Through systematic studies of self-assembly, topological defects, and real-time structure and rheology, we will engineer responsive materials with unique architectural features designed for a broad range of applications including tissue engineering, actuation, drug delivery, controlled cargo transport, and biosensing.

Theme I: Active Matter in Complex Environments

A common feature among natural microswimmers such a bacteria is the ability to convert energy to motion and regulate their self-propulsion in response to external stimuli. Inspired by the biomechanics of nature, artificial active micromotors are being developed that can transduce the local energy to directed motion and to propulsion. These artificial micromotors have been envisioned for a broad range of applications such as drug loading, controlled release in the vicinity of cells, and water remediation to name a few. In many of these applications, these micromotors have to move in a complex environment. We will explore the micro-rheology of microswimmers in complex environments to design autonomous micromachines that can navigate efficiently in realistic condition of operations.

Theme II: Additive Manufacturing: In-situ Characterization, Process Optimization, and Material Design

Despite the growing interest in the 3D printing of soft materials and polymers, the precise control over the manufacturing process through optimization of structural properties and processing conditions remains essentially unexplored. We will combine 3D printing process with diverse in-situ characterization techniques, including velocimetry and Rheo-optics to develop designer materials for specific applications. In-situ characterization provides fundamental information for material optimization and product design. Moreover, by acquiring precise experimental flow kinematics in complex flows, our work will enable development of theoretical models. Combined experimental and theoretical studies will then be used for rational design of 3D-printed soft materials for tissue engineering, shape morphing systems, and soft sensors.

Selected Publications

• M. Sadati, Y. Zhou, D. Melchert, A. Guo, J. A. Martinez-Gonzalez, T. F. Robert, R. Zhang and J. J. de Pablo, “Spherical Nematic Shell with Prolate Ellipsoidal Core”, Soft Matter, 13, 7455 (2017) (Featured on Cover).
•  M. Sadati, H. Ramezani, W. Bu, E. Sevgen, Z. Liang, C. Erol, M. Rahimi, N. Taheri Qazvini, B. Lin, N. L. Abbott, B. Roux, M. L. Schlossman and J. J. de Pablo, “Molecular Structure of Canonical Liquid Crystal Interfaces”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 139, 3841 (2017).
• H. Ramezani, M. Sadati, M. Rahimi, B., Roux and J. J. de Pablo, “Understanding Atomic-Scale Behavior of Liquid Crystals at Aqueous Interfaces”, Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation, 13, 237 (2017).
• H. Ramezani, M. Sadati, R. Zhang, M. Rahimi, K. Kurtenbach, N. Abbott, B. Roux, J. J. de Pablo, “Water Flux-Induced Reorientation of Liquid Crystals”, ACS Central Science, 3,1345 (2017).
• J. A. Martinez-Gonzalez, X. Li, M. Sadati, Y. Zhou, R. Zhang, P. F. Nealey and J. J. de Pablo, “Directed Self-assembly of Liquid Crystalline Blue-phases into Ideal Single-crystals”, Nature Communications, 8, 15854 (2017).
• M. Sadati, A. Izmitli Apik, J. C. Armas-Perez, J. Martinez-Gonzalez, J. P. Hernandez-Ortiz, N. L. Abbott, and J. J. de Pablo, “Liquid Crystal Enabled Early Stage Detection of Beta Amyloid Formation on Lipid Monolayers”, Advanced Functional Materials, 25, 6050 (2015), (Featured on Cover).
• M. Sadati, A. Nourhani, J. J. Fredberg and N. Taheri Qazvini, “Glass-like Dynamics of Cells and Cellular Collectives”, WIREs: System Biology and Medicine, 6, 137 (2014).
• M. Sadati, N. Taheri Qazvini, R. Krishnan, C. Y. Park and J. J. Fredberg, “Collective Migration and Cell Jamming”, Differentiation, 86, 121 (2013).
• M. Sadati, C. Luap, M. Kröger, B. Lüthi, and H. C. Öttinger, “Application of Full Flow Field Reconstruction to a Viscoelastic Liquid in a 2D Cross-slot Channel”, Journal of Non -Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 192, 10 (2013).
• M. Sadati, C. Luap, M. Kröger, A.A. Gusev, and H. C. Öttinger, “Smooth Full Field Reconstruction of Velocity and its Gradients from Noisy Scattered Velocimetry Data in a Cross-slot Flow”, Journal of Rheology, 55, 353 (2011).
• M. Sadati, C. Luap, M. Kröger, and H. C. Öttinger, “Hard vs. Soft Constraints in the Full Field Reconstruction of Incompressible Flow Kinematics from Noisy Scattered Velocimetry Data”, Journal of Rheology, 55, 1187 (2011).

Honors and Awards

• Swiss National Science Foundation Prospective Researchers Award, 2012
• Swiss National Science Foundation Advanced Postdoc. Mobility Award, 2013