Yazhini
Vinoth Kumar
NERC-funded PhD researcher at the Institute of Infrastructure and Environment, investigating the ecotoxicological effects of nanoplastics at the nano-bio interface.
About
Exploring plastics at the
nanoscale frontier
I am a NERC-funded PhD researcher at the University of Edinburgh's Institute of Infrastructure and Environment, working within the Edinburgh Earth, Ecology and Environment Doctoral Training Partnership (E4DTP). My doctoral research focuses on elucidating the environmental impact of nanoplastics, with particular emphasis on their ecotoxicological effects at the nano-bio interface.
I hold an MSc in Materials Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh — where I was awarded the Chemistry Tercentenary International Masters Scholarship — and a BSc in Applied Science from PSG College of Technology, Anna University, graduating First Class with Distinction (CGPA 9.63).
Beyond the lab, I am passionate about science communication and public engagement as a STEM UK Volunteer, SoapboxScience speaker, and Carbon Literate practitioner.
Research Interests
Outreach & Engagement
Research
Areas of Focus
Ecotoxicological effects of Nanoplastics · Nano-Bio Interface · Polymer Materials · Spectrofluorimetry
Ecotoxicology of Nanoplastics
Investigating the environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of nanoplastic particles — how they interact with ecosystems and living organisms at the molecular level.
Nano-Bio Interface
Studying interactions between nanoscale polymer materials and biological systems to understand uptake, accumulation pathways, and downstream environmental effects.
Analytical Spectroscopy
Applying spectrofluorimetry, solution-state ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and multivariate statistical methods (PCA) for molecular characterisation of environmental samples.
Projects
Research Projects
Assessing Peatland Health on a Molecular Level Using Teabags
PGT Masters Project · University of Edinburgh
Supervised by Dr. Nicholle Bell
Statistically analysed peatland carbon chemistry using non-invasive buried green tea bags to identify molecular markers of peatland health. Molecular composition was characterised by solution-state ¹H NMR spectroscopy combined with principal component analysis across multiple field sites.
Synthesis of Gallium Complexes as Potential Anti-Cancer Agents
Final Year BSc Project · PSG College of Technology
Supervised by Prof. S. S. Subramaniam
Synthesised gallium complexes using various 4-piperidinone ligands and characterised their electrochemical and biological properties, evaluating their potential as anti-cancer drug candidates.
Polyvinyl Alcohol Films for Degradable Packaging
BSc Mini-Project · PSG College of Technology
Supervised by Dr. M. Obulichetty
Prepared polyvinyl alcohol films by solvent casting and systematically studied film solubility across various solvents to assess their viability as environmentally degradable packaging materials.
Education
Academic Background
PhD EngineeringOngoing
2022 – 2026University of Edinburgh
Elucidating the Environmental Impact of Nanoplastics · Institute of Infrastructure and Environment, School of Engineering. Fully funded studentship awarded by the Edinburgh Earth, Ecology and Environment Doctoral Training Partnership (E4DTP), funded by NERC/UKRI.
MSc Materials Chemistry
2021 – 2022University of Edinburgh
Chemistry Tercentenary International Masters Scholarship holder (£31,900 full tuition) — awarded to one outstanding international/EU postgraduate student from the School of Chemistry on academic merit. Modules: macromolecular materials, materials characterisation, crystal chemistry, advanced spectroscopy, computational chemistry.
BSc Applied Science
2018 – 2021PSG College of Technology, Anna University
First Class with Distinction · CGPA 9.63. Triple major in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, specialising in Chemistry. Scored 10/10 CGPA in final project work and viva voce.
Contact
Get in Touch
Open to academic collaborations, outreach invitations, and research discussions. Reach out through any of the channels below.