Nanotechnology (Cancer drug delivery)
Academic Qualification
- Ph. D. in Science: Chemistry. Awarded in 1999, University of Delhi, India.
Title of Ph.D. Dissertation – Studies of nanometer size hydrogel particles as drug delivery systems.Bachelor of Science
- Master of Science (M.Sc.): Chemistry, Awarded in 1994, University of Delhi, India.
B.Sc.: Honours in Chemistry, Awarded in 1990, Utkal University, India.
Academic positions
- Scientist E, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar – 2016 to till date
- Scientist D, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar – 2010- 2015
- Scientist C, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar – 2007- 2010
- Scientist B, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar – 2005 – 2007
- Research Associate, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA- July 2004 to June 2005
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Omaha, NE, USA.- September 2001 to June 2004
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow, JSPS Postdoctoral fellow, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan- August 1999 to August 2001
- Scientist, Dabur Research Foundation. Dabur India Ltd., India- March 1999 to August 1999
- Research Fellow, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, U. K.- January 1998 to March 1998
Awards and Recognition
- Awarded International Fellowship for Young Biomedical Scientists in 2008 from ICMR for four months in 2008 to work at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
- Awarded travel grant from the School of Pharmacy in 1998 from University of London to attend the 3rd International symposium on Polymer Therapeutics from Laboratory to Clinical Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of London, UK.
- Awarded Postdoctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association (AHA), United States of America (2002-2004).
- Awarded Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellowship from the Government of Japan (1999-2001).
- Senior Research Fellowship (SRF, 1998-1999), University Grant Commission, Government of India.
- All India Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) in 1996
- Junior Research Fellowship (JRF, 1996-98), University Grant Commission, Government of India.
Membership of Professional Associations / Societies
- Section Editor (Cancer), Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
- Member, Editorial Board, Current Nanomedicine
- Member, Editorial Board, Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology
Reviewer of Scientific Journals:
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Biomacromolecules, Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, Drug Discovery Today, Export Opinion in Drug Delivery, Asain Journal of Pharmaceutics, Biomedical Materials, Future Nanomedicine, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, Nanotechnology, Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, Biomaterials, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, Current Nanosciences, Pharmaceutical Research, Journal of Controlled Release, Biomacromolecules, Journal of Ameican Chemical Scociety, Small, Europian Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Therapeutic Delivery, Tumor Biology, Chinise Medicine, future Oncology, Nanotechnology, Journal of Biomaterials Application, Cancer research, Macromolecular Biosciences, ACS Nano, Advanced Healthcare Biomaterials, Oncotarget
Nanomedicine mediated targeting of Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Chemoresistance and cancer relapse marks the significant challenges in cancer management and are attributable in part to the presence of cancer cells subpopulations termed as cancer stem cells or tumor initiating cells. Although their mode of generation and biological properties has been explored in diverse array of cancer types, our understanding of the biology of the CSCs remains superficial. Due to their extraordinary characteristics, CSCs are thought to be the basis for tumor initiation, development, metastasis and recurrence. Researchers have identified multiple potential therapeutic targets to CSCs, including the ABC superfamily, anti-apoptotic factors, detoxifying enzymes, DNA repair enzymes and distinct oncogenic cascades (such as the Wnt/β-catenin, hedgehog, EGFR and Notch pathways) which are used preferentially or uniquely by these cells. Evidences exists indicating that non-CSCs in the tumor can spontaneously and stochastically turn into CSCs de novo, undermining the efficacy of therapeutic strategy that only targets CSCs. Hence, it becomes crucial to eliminate both CSCs and non-CSCs simultaneously for effective cancer therapy. Our group is thus working on combinational approach for effective cancer treatment. We have focused our studies based on dual drug delivery systems targeting CSCs specific signaling pathway and simultaneously targeting non-CSCs to get rid of cancer relapse and metastasis in both in-vitro and in-vivo models. |
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Magnetic nanoparticles as a theranostic tool in cancer therapy
Development of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as a theranostic agent in cancer therapy has growing importance due to their application both as a drug delivery agent for therapeutic purpose and imaging agent for diagnostic purpose. The role of MNPs as a contrast agent for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gained significant attention in cancer therapy as early diagnosis of cancer has always remained a challenge. Further, the therapeutic applications of magnetic nanoparticles account for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents and also another upcoming therapeutic mode of treatment for cancer i.e, hyperthermia. MNPs in presence of alternating magnetic field can induce heat that can kill the cancer cells and may enhance the therapeutic index of the chemotherapeutic drugs and also may help in eliminating the cancer stem cells that are the major cause of relapse of cancer. However, the majority of research in this area is still at the bench side and clinical translation is restricted by instability of the MNPs. Thus, development of aqueous dispersible magnetic nanoparticles having sufficient magnetization is necessary that can be used for different biomedical applications like drug delivery, contrast agent for MRI, hyperthermia, cell separation etc. In this regard, we have synthesized an aqueous dispersible highly stable polymer coated magnetic nanoparticle formulation (Indian Patent Application No 779/KOL/2009 of 21/5/2009 and International PCT Application No.PCT/IN09/000639 of 12/11/2009). Our lab is extensively using the above MNPs formulation for different biomedical applications for cancer management.
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