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Green nanotechnology
Metal-oxide nanoparticles synthesised using leaf extracts as reducing and capping agents, replacing conventional chemical routes.
Research details →
Instructor · Cyprus International University
Meera Salama.
Researcher and instructor at Cyprus International University. My research applies plant-mediated synthesis to produce metal-oxide nanoparticles for sustainable materials, and my teaching develops interactive laboratories that make the science tangible.
Green synthesis
Bioengineering
Sustainable materials
Interactive teaching
00 / Research and teaching focus
Three areas of work.
My work sits at the intersection of biology, chemistry and teaching — with an emphasis on measurement, reproducibility and clear communication.
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Sustainable materials
Applying green-synthesised nanoparticles in low-energy binding systems, with quantified gains in strength, porosity and durability.
Read the publication →03
Interactive teaching
Biology and bioengineering courses supported by interactive laboratories, from classical experiments to cellular processes.
Teaching and courses →
01 / Research
From pomegranate leaves to nanoparticles.
My first-authored study in PLOS ONE investigates a practical question: can plant extracts replace conventional chemical routes in nanoparticle synthesis?
- Green synthesis — pomegranate (Punica granatum) leaf extract acts as reducing and capping agent for CuO nanoparticles: no toxic solvents and no high energy input.
- Characterisation — UV–Vis, FTIR, XRD, DLS and TEM provide a complete picture of size, shape and stability.
- Application — the nanoparticles reinforce cold-pressed calcareous alkali-activated materials: a low-energy route to stronger, more durable products.
- Open access — all results are freely available to read and reuse on PLOS ONE.
Featured paper · PLOS ONE 2025
Green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles from Punica granatum leaves
Salama, M. & Pwavodi, P. C. (2025) · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0336812
78 nm
particle size
37.3%
stronger at 0.5 wt%
−21 mV
colloidal stability
0.5 wt% was the optimum dosage: +37.3% compressive strength, with reduced porosity and water absorption in the composite.
Selected courses
General Microbiology — the unseen majority: structure, growth, control.
The Cell — prokaryotic architecture, membranes, transport, osmosis.
Lab practice — microscopy, staining, aseptic technique and data recording.
Signature: interactive course laboratories for every unit.
02 / Teaching
Teaching through experiments.
Microscopic processes are difficult to convey through text alone, so each unit is supported by an interactive station: students can reproduce classical experiments in seconds, manipulate cellular processes, and observe the results directly.
Each chapter is a single, self-contained page that runs on a projector, laptop or phone — including offline — and every experiment concludes with a question rather than only an answer.
03 / Interactive course laboratory
Chapter 3 · The Cell — eight interactive stations.
Eight stations turn the chapter into a working laboratory: reproduce the classical experiments on spontaneous generation, observe osmotic processes, examine cell shapes, work through the Gram procedure, model chemotaxis and transport, and test endospore resistance.
Classical experimentsOsmosisShape studio
Gram stainChemotaxisEndospore
TransportCell explorer
Created by Dr. Meera Salama · runs in any browser · free to reuse in your classroom with credit.
04 / About
About.
Dr. Meera Salama is an instructor at the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research at Cyprus International University in Nicosia, where she teaches courses in biology and bioengineering. Her PhD research spans biology, chemistry and materials — plant-mediated nanoparticle synthesis and its application in sustainable materials.
Teaching is the other half of that work: sound science should be demonstrable. Each syllabus unit is therefore developed into an interactive chapter — Chapter 3, The Cell, being the first to be released.
Quick facts
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Instructor — PhDInstitute of Graduate Studies and Research, Cyprus International University
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Research areasGreen nanoparticle synthesis · sustainable materials · bioactivity
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PublicationPLOS ONE (2025) — first author, open access
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Office GE103 · Nicosia, CyprusMeetings by appointment — please email first.