Research Scientist Ph D

Mukul Sonker, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Scientist, Arizona State University

+1-801-***-**** *****.********@*****.*** 1100 N. Priest Dr. #2158, Chandler, AZ 85226 PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

• Interdisciplinary scientist with 13+ years of expertise in developing cutting-edge microfluidic & 3-D printed devices

• Hands-on experience in various bioanalytical techniques and semiconductor processing-based microfabrication, specializing in device conceptualization, fabrication, characterization, yield enhancement, and data analysis

• Co-authored 30+ peer-reviewed publications, four US patents, and 35+ conference presentations and proceedings

• Experience in commissioning & managing cleanroom facilities and designing optimum microfabrication workflows

• 7+ years of leadership experience in administrative and management roles acquired, ensuring laboratory operations, safety compliance, and cleanroom upkeep

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Biochemistry, Brigham Young University (BYU), Provo, UT, USA 2012- 2017

• Research Advisor: Prof. Adam T. Woolley

• Topic: Electrokinetically Operated Integrated Microfluidic Devices for Preterm Birth (PTB) Biomarker Analysis. B.S. Pharmacy, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India 2007 –2011 TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Micro-nanofabrication: Lithography (photo & soft), wet etching, reactive ion etching (RIE), hot embossing, thermal oxidation, plasma oxidation, profilometry (contact & optical), Two-photon polymerization (2PP), 3D printing

• Analytical: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Cryo-TEM, MALDI-Mass Spectrometry, liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry (LC-MS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), capillary/microchip electrophoresis, insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP), fluorescence microscopy, surface treatment & modification, microchip-based solid-phase extraction, monolithic column characterization, UV-polymerization, contact angle goniometry, nano-crystallization, droplet microfluidics, XFEL/Synchrotron crystallography

• Software: AutoCAD, Fusion 360, DeScribe, MATLAB, Origin Pro, LabVIEW, COMSOL, LabChart, ImageJ, JMP PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Assistant Research Scientist, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University 11/2017 - Present

• Managing Class-1000 to 100,000 cleanrooms (ISO 6-8) at ASU's Biodesign Institute core facility.

• Developed lithographic wafer processing protocols and comprehensive training regimens for cleanroom users.

• Created infrastructure, protocols, and workflows for advanced microfluidic device fabrication.

• Designed novel 3D-printed sample delivery tools for X-ray crystallography experiments at XFELs.

• Hands-on "beamtime" experience with 3D-printed devices for X-ray crystallography at LCLS, SLAC National Lab.

• Produced high-resolution 3D-printed microfluidic devices for insulator-based dielectrophoresis applications.

• Designed High-throughput microfluidic devices for size-based iDEP separation of DNA and organelles.

• Contributed to International Space Station microgravity experiments using in-house developed polymer-based protein crystallization devices (SpaceX launches 2023, 2024).

• Skilled in photolithography, soft lithography, etching, profilometry, and advanced imaging techniques.

• Trained 20+ students and postdocs in microfabrication and 3D printing.

• Assisted in drafting NIH and NSF research proposals, securing over $250,000 in funding (>$900,000 pending).

• Secured key instrumentation acquisitions exceeding $1M to date.

• Managed lab resources and procurement with a total budget of over $200,000 to date. Graduate Research Assistant, Brigham Young University 2012 –2017

• Designed, fabricated, and characterized microfluidic devices using elastomeric, and thermoplastic substrates.

• Developed and tested miniaturized monolithic chromatography columns for on-chip sample preparation.

• Pioneered microfluidic methods for on-chip fluorescent labeling and separation of 5 PTB biomarkers.

• Created integrated microdevices achieving 50-fold enrichment through novel solid-phase extraction and separation.

• Combined µCE with immune-affinity extraction for comprehensive PTB biomarker analysis on a single device.

• Optimized LC-MS methods for the separation of 4 model peptides and 3 PTB biomarkers.

• Served as Bruce Furnace tool owner, training new users and troubleshooting in the BYU cleanroom. PATENTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND CONFERENCES PRESENTATIONS US Patents

• Cyclic olefin copolymer screening device for protein crystallization, US Provisional Patent, 2024

• Microfluidic device for crystallization in microgravity, US Provisional Patent, 2024

• Droplet Injector for Time-Resolved Crystallography with XFELs, US Patent 18665475, 2024

• Modular 3D-printed Devices for Sample Delivery, US Patent 11485632, 2022 Selected Publications (Total = 30+, First author = 10+)

• Manna, A; Doppler, D; Sonker, M. et al. Sample Delivery Methods for Protein X-ray Crystallography with a Special Focus on Sample Consumption, 2025 (Under review in Nature Communications)

• Doppler, D; Sonker, M. et al. Minimized Sample Consumption for Time-Resolved Serial Crystallography Applied to the Redox Cycle of Human NQO1, bioRxiv, 2024 (Under review in Nature Communications)

• Ansari, A; Sonker, M. et al. Liquid nano-sheet sample delivery for femtosecond solution X-ray scattering, Biophysical Journal, 2025

• Manna, A; Sonker, M. et al. Cyclic Olefin Copolymer-Based Fixed-Target Sample Delivery Device for Protein X-ray Crystallography, Analytical Chemistry, 2024

• Bu, S; Sonker, M. et al. On the Behavior of Sub-Micrometer Polystyrene Beads Subjected to AC Insulator-based Dielectrophoresis, Electrophoresis, 2024

• Doppler, D; Sonker, M. et al. Modular Droplet Injector for Sample Conservation Providing New Structural Insight for the Conformational Heterogeneity in the Disease-Associated NQO1 Enzyme, Lab Chip, 2023

• Koh, D; Sonker, M. et al. Numerical Modeling Reveals Improved Organelle Separation for Dielectrophoretic Ratchet Migration, Electrophoresis, 2023

• Jernigan, R; Sonker, M. et al. Room-temperature structural studies of SARS-CoV-2 protein NendoU with an X-ray free-electron laser, Structure (Cell Press), 2023

• Sonker, M. et al. Electrically stimulated droplet injector for reduced sample consumption in serial crystallography, Biophysical Reports, 2022

• Doppler, D; Sonker, M. et al. Co-flow Injection for Serial Crystallography at X-Ray Free Electron Lasers, J. Appl. Crystallography. 2022

• Ortiz, R; Sonker, M. et al. A Continuous High Throughput Insulator-based Dielectrophoresis Device for Size-based Organelle Separation, Electrophoresis, 2021

• Sonker, M. et al. Surface coating for microfluidics-based biomedical devices, Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications, Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications, Woodhead Publishing, 2021 Selected Conference Presentations (Total = 30+, First author = 10+)

• Droplet Injection Facilitates Minimized Sample Consumption for Time-Resolved Serial Crystallography at XFELs and Synchrotrons, LCLS Users’ Meetings, Menlo Park, CA 2024

• Time-Resolved Structure Elucidation Enabled by 3D-Printed Droplet Microfluidics for Reduced Sample Consumption during Serial Femtosecond Crystallography, LCLS User Meeting, Menlo Park, CA 2023

• Modular Droplet Injectors for Sample Conservation Providing New Structural Insight for the Conformational Heterogeneity in the NQO1 Enzyme at LCLS, BioXFEL, San Juan, PR 2023

• Conventional and 3D-Printed Microfluidic Devices for Dielectrophoretic Separations, HPLC, San Diego, CA 2022

• High-resolution 3D-printed Insulator-based Dielectrophoresis Devices Towards Manipulation of Bioanalytes, MSB 2021 and DEP 2021 (virtual presentations)

HONORS AND CERTIFICATES

• Six Sigma Certified (White Belt; Yellow Belt in preparation)

• Co-PI, 2024 NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) proposal for a new 2PP-3D-printer (>$900,000 pending)

• Co-organized sample delivery methods workshop at LCLS users’ meeting 2024 (Menlo Park, CA)

• Completed NSF I-Corps Hub: Desert and Pacific Region program for commercialization of technologies (2023)

• Joe Wong Outstanding Poster Award, LCLS User meeting 2023, SLAC National Accelerator Lab, Menlo Park, CA

• BioXFEL Cross-Training Scholarship ($5000) for learning X-ray Crystallography experiments at LCLS, 2020

• Review Editor, Frontiers in Chemistry and Frontiers in Lab on a Chip Technologies Journals, 2023- Present

• Outstanding graduating Ph.D. student, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, BYU, 2016-17

• Roland K. Robins graduate research fellowship ($27,000), BYU, 2017

• Published multiple cover page articles in Analytical Methods, Electrophoresis, and Analytica Chimica Acta journals

• Spotlighted on university and local news webpages for groundbreaking research (Link1) (Link2)

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