SOA TO COLLABORATE WITH US COMPANY FOR DEVELOPING DRUGS FROM NATURAL PRODUCTS

Bhubaneswar: Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) is embarking on a research collaboration with THINQ Pharma and Ayurvidya Healthcare Innovations, based in the United States, aimed at developing novel drugs from both natural and synthetic sources to combat challenging diseases.

This partnership was the focal point of a recent meeting between Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, President of SOA, and Dr. Mukund S. Chorghade, a distinguished scientist and the President and Chief Scientific Officer of THINQ Pharma and Ayurvidya Healthcare Innovations. The discussion, attended by other experts, highlighted the joint objective of innovating new drugs and drug products.

The research team will comprise scientists from THINQ Pharma and Ayurvidya Healthcare Innovations along with experts from various disciplines within SOA, including pharmacy, biotechnology, medical sciences, and engineering. Their collective efforts will drive the project forward.

Dr. Chorghade, accompanied by Dr. Debendra Kumar Mohapatra from CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, brings a wealth of experience, being a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS). His expertise spans Drug Discovery and Development, Process Chemistry Derived Medicinal Chemistry, and Traditional Indian Medicine.

Noteworthy among Dr. Chorghade’s contributions is the discovery of chemosynthetic artificial livers, a groundbreaking advancement with applications in drug metabolism, biomass valorization, and environmental remediation.

Dr. Chorghade has held prestigious positions at esteemed institutions globally, including Adjunct Research Professorships or Visiting Fellowships at renowned universities such as Caltech, Harvard, MIT, and University of Chicago in the USA, as well as institutions in Canada, France, and India.

The discussion also saw the presence of key figures from SOA, including Prof. Kulamani Parida, Director of the Centre for Nano Sciences and Nano Technology, Prof. Lala Bihari Sukla, Director of the Bio-fuel and Bio-processing Research Centre, Prof. Hruday Nath Thattoi, Director of the Centre for Industrial Biotechnology, Prof. Gyana Ranjan Rout from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Prof. Sanghamitra Nayak, Head of the Centre for Biotechnology, and several other distinguished professors from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.