Hariharan Annadurai is a third-year PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Houston, where he is co-advised by Professors Jeremy Palmer and Peter Vekilov. His research focuses on computational modeling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand molecular interactions, with a specific emphasis on antimalarial drug discovery and the inhibition of hematin crystals. Hariharan has demonstrated expertise in structure-based virtual screening techniques, molecular mechanics simulations, and coarse-grained modeling of crystalline structures.

Prior to his doctoral studies, Hariharan earned his Bachelor of Technology (Honors) in Chemical Engineering from SASTRA Deemed University, where he worked on nanoparticle synthesis mechanisms in dendrimers using population balance models. His interdisciplinary experience spans molecular dynamics, biosorption kinetics, nanoparticle synthesis, and computational chemistry, contributing to a broad understanding of materials science and chemical engineering.

Throughout his academic journey, Hariharan has been actively involved in mentoring and leadership roles. He serves as the Vice Chair of Student Org Relations for the UH Energy Coalition and has mentored fellow students in research methodologies. His work has been presented at prestigious conferences such as the AIChE Annual Meeting, and he has published research in reputable journals, including Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. Additionally, he has contributed to open-source software projects, providing computational codes for educational tools.