We are a diverse, interdisciplinary group of chemists and engineers, committed to sustainability and scientific excellence.
Professor Jason Hallett
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Professor Jason Hallett
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Description
Jason Hallett is Professor of Sustainable Chemical Technology and holds a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies within the Dept. of Chemical Engineering. He holds a BS from the University of Maine and a PhD from Georgia Tech, where he was later a Postdoctoral Fellow. He joined Imperial (Chemistry) as a Marshall-Sherfield Postdoctoral Fellow in 2006. His research focuses on the development of emerging sustainable technologies, with 9 spin-out companies translating the group’s research into commercial practice. He also serves as co-Director of the UKRI Supergen Bioenergy Hub.
Honorary Senior Research Fellow
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Dr. Amir Al Ghatta
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Description
Dr. Amir Al Ghatta holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering by Imperial College, working on the synthesis of furan-based compounds. Here he conceived and developed a new surfactant technology called Ecosaf and formed the spin-out company Bioataraxis which is now leading. The company has raised a total of £1.3 million in the pre-seed round and established global partnerships for product scale up and launch. He has published 15 papers with 1 review article and 2 patents, and has been recognized as highly commended with the Sir William Wakeham by the Imperial College ChemEng Dept.
Research Associates
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Dr. Amir Dezashibi
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Description
Dr. Amir Dezashibi is a scientist and entrepreneur with expertise in advanced materials and separation technologies. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and has developed patented technology for vanadium extraction from complex sources. His work focuses on the sustainable recovery of critical elements using ionic liquids, with applications across energy and manufacturing sectors. He is currently the director of Vanadion Ltd, leading innovation at the intersection of chemistry and industrial scalability. Outside of work, he enjoys car tuning and also directs Secret Doctor Ltd.
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Dr. Antonio Ovejero
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Description
Dr. Antonio Ovejero is a Chemical Engineer that holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering by Complutense University of Madrid. He has been in the group since August 2023. His research focuses on the use of ionic liquids for different separation processes, ranging from hydrocarbons separation to, especially, biomass fractionation and valorisation. He has experience in both experimental work and modelling/simulation, studying process design, economic feasibility and environmental impact. In his free time, he enjoys climbing—mostly boulder—playing guitar, video games and reading.
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Dr. Cariny Polesca
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Description
Dr. Cariny Polesca holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering (2020) from the Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil. She earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering (2025) from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, where she focused on the valorisation of chicken feather waste for keratin recovery and the development of biomaterials. She joined our group in February 2025 and is currently working with the IonoSolv process to produce high-purity cellulose pulps and design innovative biomaterials. In her free time, she enjoys running, exploring new places, cooking, and watching movies.
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Dr. Giacomo Damilano
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Description
Dr. Giacomo Damilano holds a PhD in Organic and Green Chemistry from KU Leuven and an MRes in Green Chemistry from Imperial College London. His research spans the synthesis and application of ILs, circular process design, and solvent systems for metal recovery and polymer processing. He combines experimental chemistry with strong coding skills (BASH, Python, MATLAB) and has applied machine learning for data analysis and process optimisation. His interdisciplinary experience includes research in Belgium, Germany, Finland, and the UK, as well as industrial strategy and EU project management at RINA Consulting.
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Dr. Pedro Nakasu
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Description
Dr. Pedro Nakasu received his PhD in Chemical Engineering (2019) from the State University of Campinas (Brazil) and joined our group in 2021. His current work entails lignocellulosic biomass, shellfish and plasterboard waste fractionation with ionic liquids for applications in biorefinery. Additionally, he holds special attention on a more holistic utilisation of all fractions. In his free time, he loves going to the gym, singing, playing board games and learning new languages.
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Dr. Perrakis Bistis
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Description
Dr. Perrakis Bistis is a Chemical Engineer with an Engineering Doctorate in Formulation Engineering, with a focus on hard surface cleaning. His expertise lies in cleaning applications, surfactants, and home/personal care formulations. Currently, he is working on the development of a new biobased surfactant. Originally from Greece, Dr. Perrakis Bistis has been based in the UK since 2017. In his free time, he likes to play tennis, board games, and travel.
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Dr. Ryan O'Shea
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Description
Dr. Ryan O'Shea is a researcher and scientific consultant in sustainable chemical technologies and process systems engineering for the circular economy. His work covers organic and inorganic waste recycling, biorefineries, and renewable energy. He holds a Ph.D. from the Centre for Environmental Policy, where he applied decision science and biological engineering techniques to offshore Multi-use Settings. He worked in industry as a Research Scientist specialising in cell culture processes. Outside work, he enjoys scuba diving, training in BJJ, and learning Italian— piano, piano .
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Dr. Xuantong Sun
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Description
Dr. Xuantong Sun obtained her PhD in Materials from the University of Manchester in 2023, with a project focusing on textile waste separation using ionic liquids. After taking a year out, she joined the Hallett Group and carried on her research in ionic liquids and circular textiles. Her current project involves polycotton separation, dye removal and reuse, and electrochemical bleaching. Outside of work, she is a cat parent, JRPG gamer, and scuba diver.
Research Assistant
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Dr. Priyanka Kumar
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Description
Dr. Priyanka Kumar recently earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering in our group, with a focus on protein-enriched biomass valorisation using ILs to fractionate brewer’s spent grain into protein, carbohydrates, and lignin. Her biorefinery design aims to optimise protein recovery and explore converting fractionates into bio-based chemicals and materials, including protein–cellulose composite films as alternatives for plastic packaging and lignin-derived carbon fibres for electrodes. Outside the lab, she enjoys boxing workouts, reading, and exploring new food spots.
PhD students
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Amarthya Achmadi
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Description
Amarthya Achmadi is from Indonesia and joined the group in February 2025. Her research focuses on isolating cellulose nanocrystals from biomass using ionic liquids and mild bleaching conditions, with a focus on processing them into food-grade bioplastics. She is also interested in conducting LCA studies as part of her project. In her free time, Amarthya enjoys reading, cooking, and exploring new foods.
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Bo Gu
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Description
Bo Gu is a second-year PhD student and holds an MEng in Chemical Engineering from Imperial, graduating in 2023. His research focuses on developing novel biobased surfactants for home and personal care applications in collaboration with Bioataraxis. He is passionate about sustainable chemistry and creating practical solutions for everyday products. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing tennis and exploring new countries.
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Cristiana Darie
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Affiliations
Cristiana Darie obtained her MSci degree in Chemistry from Imperial College London in 2024, where she focused on the use of deep eutectic solvents to facilitate dehydrogenation reactions of N-heterocyclic compounds. She also completed a UROP project on the design and synthesis of liquid crystalline porous organic cages and have industry experience as a Product Development Scientist intern at Puraffinity. Her PhD, under the supervision of Prof. Jason Hallett and Dr. Charles Romain, focuses on the synthesis of original monomers derived from lignocellulosic biomass to generate high-value chemical products as well as degradable polymers for use as sustainable bioplastics. Outside of the lab, Cristiana enjoys reading and immersing in musical culture, as well as travelling for landscape photography.
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Fauzi Abdilah
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Description
Fauzi Abdilah is a PhD student working on ultralight metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and cellulose-based MOF composites, focusing on materials for gas storage and separation. His work involves material design, synthesis, characterisation, and performance testing for sustainable engineering applications. Outside the lab, he enjoys exploring the city, playing sports, and spending time with friends. He also appreciates quiet moments—sometimes, he just sits by himself and takes in the vibes around him.
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James Strain
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Description
James Strain is a first-year PhD student with a background in Chemistry, also at Imperial. He focused on Green Chemistry at MRes level, using Ionic Liquids for dye dissolution studies. Now, he translated his knowledge to precious metal extractions from automotive e-waste, also using Ionic Liquids. He enjoys most of all being outdoors, whether that's sport, surfing, or long walks with his dog.
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Juliana Cumming
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Description
Juliana Cumming holds an MChem in Chemistry with Biological and Medicinal Chemistry (2021) from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. Her research focused on the synthesis of thermoresponsive polymeric nanoparticles. She joined our group in October 2022, where she is exploring sustainable materials, in particular biodegradable elastomers suitable for the function of a balloon. In her free time, she likes to paint, attend gigs, play music and explore the outdoors.
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Phuthiphong Ouitrakoon
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Description
Phuthiphong Ouitrakoon is a PhD student in Chemistry, affiliated with the research teams of Brandt‑Talbot and Hallett. His work focuses on the design of lignin‑based carbon fibres, exploring ionic liquid–assisted lignin extraction, fibre‑spinning techniques, and carbonisation processes to enhance mechanical properties. He investigates the structural interplay between lignin chemistry and final carbon‑fibre quality, contributing to sustainable and renewable‑material solutions. His expertise includes biomass valorisation, advanced materials processing, and sustainable chemistry.
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Ruihua Luo
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Description
Ruihua Luo is a third-year PhD student. She received her master's degree in Environmental Engineering from Tsinghua University in 2023. Her research focuses on the sustainable production of cellulose nanomaterials from biomass, using ionic liquid pretreatment, electrochemical bleaching, and ultrasonic defibrillation. She is particularly interested in developing green, tuneable processes for material applications in sustainable packaging.
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Sasha Rabiner
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Description
Sasha Rabiner is a third year PhD student focusing on platform chemicals and materials derived from cellulose obtained using the Ionosolv process. Before starting her PhD, she undertook a master’s degree in our group where she focused on composite chitosan-ZnO films for wastewater treatment applications. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, hiking and spending time around London with her friends.
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Shadrach Ibhafidon
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Description
Shadrach Ibhafidon works on formulating and characterizing bio-based surfactants as corrosion inhibitors for steel, aiming to reduce dependence on petrochemical-based materials. He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Industrial Chemistry. His research interests are aligned with "waste to wealth" strategies in chemical research and development. Outside research, he enjoys playing the piano, reading, reflective thinking, and listening to Black contemporary gospel music.
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Suhaib Nisar
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Description
Suhaib Nisar is a third year PhD student working with Professor Jason Hallett, Dr Agi Brandt-Talbot, and Professor Benoit Chachuat on developing digital tools to supplement experimental research in ionic liquid-based biomass fractionation. He holds a MEng and a MRes from Imperial College London. Outside work, he enjoys sports, particularly Formula 1, cooking and reading.
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Susiana Melanie
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Description
Susiana Melanie holds an MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Indonesia. Her PhD research focuses on chitosan extraction and its application in electrospun composite nanofibres. She is also affiliated with the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), with previous research experience in marine and fisheries product processing as well as biotechnology. Outside of her academic and research work, she enjoys travelling, watching movies, and swimming.