Researcher

Biography

Dr Dorna Esrafilzadeh is a Scientia Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA fellow at the School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW, Sydney. She leads the Materials and Fabrication research group, focusing on advanced materials chemistry, nanotechnology, and additive manufacturing for environmental and biomedical applications. Her research is particularly recognised for pioneering work in electromaterials and liquid metal-based systems, including their use...view more

Dr Dorna Esrafilzadeh is a Scientia Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA fellow at the School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW, Sydney. She leads the Materials and Fabrication research group, focusing on advanced materials chemistry, nanotechnology, and additive manufacturing for environmental and biomedical applications. Her research is particularly recognised for pioneering work in electromaterials and liquid metal-based systems, including their use in electrocatalysis, CO₂ conversion, and flexible bioelectronics.

Dr Esrafilzadeh completed her PhD at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI), University of Wollongong, in 2014 where she developed electroactive 3D fibrous-based electrode structures for various applications. She subsequently held research fellowships at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) and the Faculty of Engineering at RMIT University, collaborating on multidisciplinary projects to develop flexible electrodes derived from a wide range of liquid metals and semiconductors for bioelectronics, catalysis, and CO₂ conversion systems.

Her translational research has led to IP development and industry partnerships with Chevron, Cochlear, Ha Tech Ltds, securing over $6.4M in competitive funding and the development of prototype technologies. She is also the co-founder of LM⁺, a spin-out company focused on commercialising liquid metal innovations for sustainable technologies.

Dr Esrafilzadeh is a recipient of prestigious fellowships, including the ARC DECRA and UNSW Scientia. Her works have been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications and Nature Electronics and featured in global media outlets. She is deeply committed to training the next generation of engineers and scientists, as demonstrated through her teaching and HDR supervision activities. She has supervised numerous PhD, honours, and undergraduate students, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry. She is an active member of national and international professional bodies, including the American Chemical Society (ACS), and contributes to science outreach, peer review, and policy development.


My Grants

 

  • ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), DE230101617, Sole CI, “Re-engineering metallic-based nanostructures for carbon dioxide conversion”, 2024-2027, $434,395
  • UNSW Scientia Fellowship (second round), Sole CI, 2024-2027, Development and collaboration support fund 150,000
  • ARC Linkage Grant, LP230100108, Co-CI, “Portable biosensor for rapid detection of viral contamination in food” with Ha Tech Ltd., 2024-2027, $521,516
  •   NHMRC Ideas Grant, APP2002282, Co-CI, "Re-engineering the future of electrophysiological measurements and brain-machine interfaces using a novel multi-optrode array", 2021-2024, $731,557
  • Chevron Corporation Industry Contract, Co-CI, "Carbon dioxide conversion using liquid metals", 2020-2021, $100,000
  • ARC Linkage Grant, LP190101139, Co-CI, "Understanding platinum dissolution in biomedical stimulating electrodes" with Cochlear Ltd, 2019-2022, $704,384
  • Minor Research Equipment Grant (MREG) at Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Lead CI, Faculty of Engineering, UNSW, 2019, $17,000 
  • Academic Start-up Funding (ASUF), Sole CI, Faculty of Engineering, UNSW, 2019-2022, $98,000
  • UNSW Scientia Fellowship, Sole CI, 2019-2023, Development and collaboration support fund, $120,000 
  • CASS-Foundation Medicine/Science Grant, Co-CI, "Investigating the impact and removal of biofilm for infection control", 2018, $100,000
  • Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowship, RMIT University, Sole CI, 2017-2020, Support Fund, $30,000
  • The Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM) for Gold Grant, University of Wollongong, Lead CI, 2015, $10,000

My Qualifications

 

  • 2010-2014, PhD in Materials Engineering, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI), ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), The University of Wollongong, Australia

My Awards

 

  • Franklin Women’s Award, 2025, $1000
  • Scientia Fellowship, University of New South Wales, 2024-2027
  • Promoting High-Quality Research Papers Scheme (PHQRP) Award, UNSW DVCR, 2023, $1000
  • Dean of Engineering Staff Research Excellence Award, Faculty of Engineering, UNSW, 2020
  • Promoting High-Quality Research Papers Scheme (PHQRP) award for Nature Electronics paper, UNSW DVCR, 2020, $1,500
  • Australian Nanotechnology Network (ANN) travel award, 2020, $500
  • Promoting High-Quality Research Papers Scheme (PHQRP) award for Nature Communications paper, UNSW DVCR, 2019, $1,500
  • Monash Engineering Future Women Leaders award, UNSW/Monash University, 2019 
  • Scientia Fellowship, University of New South Wales, 2019-2023
  • Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowship, RMIT University, 2017-2020
  • Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (ASBTE) travel award, 2012
  • Faculty of Science travel award, University of Wollongong, 2012, $1000

My Research Activities

 

  • Liquid metals chemistry and systems
  • Electrocatalysis
  • Design and synthesis of stimuli-responsive materials
  • Nanomaterials
  • Flexible electrodes 
  • Capture and conversion processes in renewable energy systems
  • Biomaterials and bionic devices
  • Smart textiles
  • Additive fabrication technologies (e.g., 3D printing, electrospinning, wet spinning, etc.)

My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

 

  There are PhD scholarships available for outstanding applicants to study one of the following topics:

  • Design and synthesis of stimuli-responsive materials
  • Biomaterials, tissue engineering, bionic devices
  • Nanomaterials
  • Flexible electrodes
  • Capture and conversion processes in renewable energy systems
  • Nanomaterials
  • Smart textiles
  • Additive fabrication technologies (e.g., 3D printing, electrospinning, and wet spinning, etc.)

  Interested PhD applicants should provide the following documents when contacting me:

  • CV
  • Transcripts (undergraduate and postgraduate)
  • English test result for international applicants

 

  Postgraduate Scholarship Opportunities

  Research Assistant positions are available at specific time. 

  To prospective PhD and current undergraduate students, please contact d.esrafilzadeh@unsw.edu.au for more info.

 


Currently supervising

 

  • Dr Farzaneh Moradnia, Research Officer (2025)
  • Zixiyi Zhang, PhD candidate, primary supervisor (2024-present)
  • Moqaddaseh Afzali Naniz, PhD candidate, primary supervisor (2022-present)
  • Wenlu DuanPhD candidate, co-supervisor (2022-present)
  • Sahar Nazari, PhD candidate, joint supervisor (2021-present)
  • Dr Shuqian Wan, primary supervisor (2021, alumni)
  • Dr Chengchen Zhang, joint supervisor (2019, alumni)
  • Dr Junma Tang, joint supervisor (2019, alumni)
  • Daniel Tjoe, Undergraduate research student, (2022, alumni) 
  • Aditi Nitturkar, Undergraduate research student, (2022, alumni)
  • Benjamin Nguyen, Undergraduate research student, (2021, alumni)  
  • William Zhang, Undergraduate research student, (2021) 
  • Dr Dharshika Kongahage, Research Officer, (2020)
  • Xuguo Wang, Undergraduate research student, (2020) 

My Teaching

 

 Dr. Esrafilzadeh has contributed to the teaching at UNSW and RMIT University for the following courses:

 

  • Mass Transfer in Medicine (BIOM9311), Course Coordinator & Lecturer, 2025
  • Engineering in Medicine and Biology (BIOM1010), Course Coordinator & Lecturer (2020-2023) 
  • Semiconductor Device Fabrication (EEET2155), Co-Lecturer, 2018
  • Semiconductor Device Fabrication (EEET2045), Co-Lecturer, 2018
  • Micro Nano Engineering Fundamentals (EEET2428), Co-Lecturer, 2018
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Location

Room 1005, level 1, Biological Sciences Building (South, E26), UNSW SYDNEY, NSW 2052

Videos

Researchers have used liquid metals to turn carbon dioxide back into solid coal, in a world-first breakthrough that could transform our approach to carbon capture and storage.