Rate My Professor Azam Ali

Professor Ali's research interests encompass biomaterials and biomedical engineering, with a focus on biofabrication, medical devices, tissue engineering, and regeneration of soft and hard tissues such as dental pulp, skin, bone substitutes, intervertebral discs, heart valves, and neural tissues. He has led over 30 major research projects, attracting nearly NZ$13 million in funding, supervised more than 68 postgraduate students to completion, and authored over 190 peer-reviewed publications alongside 12 book chapters. His innovations include 24 granted patents, notably for wool keratin wound care products (US Patent 7732574), biocomposite biomaterials (US 7767756), and bone void fillers (US 8142807), with six medical devices commercialized in 23 countries. Recognized with awards such as Bayer Innovator of the Year in 2010, University of Otago Supervisor of the Year in 2018 and 2024, and honors from the Pierre Fauchard Academy, Ali delivered his Inaugural Professorial Lecture, "Journey of wool: From concept to clinic," in October 2025. He edits the Journal of Materials Science and Engineering, serves on editorial boards, reviews for journals and funding agencies, and holds memberships in Medtech CoRE, New Zealand Controlled Release Society, International Association for Dental Research, and Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering.