Medicinal Chemistry (or Pharmaceutical Chemistry) is a discipline at the intersection of chemistry (organic and natural product chemistry), pharmacology and various other biological specialties. Research in medicinal chemistry requires an in-depth knowledge of synthetic chemistry along with focus on information about drug-receptor interactions. It allows for collaboration with other scientists in finding new drugs. The students pursuing M.S.(Pharm.) Med. Chem. degree are exposed towards fundamental and practical knowledge of the design and synthesis of pharmaceutically active compounds or drugs. Altogether, well-trained medicinal chemists put on their fundamental and practical knowledge of chemistry to the process of synthesizing new designed molecules or pharmaceuticals. The faculty in the Med. Chem. department are engaged in various levels of research activities with emphasis on identification of novel pharmaceutically active agents for various diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, type-II diabetes, obesity, pulmonary and neurodegenerative diseases.
Targeting Sphingoshine (SP) receptor for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and P-glycoprotein to discover new anticancer agents for prostate cancer, Multi drug resistant (MDR) cancer
Development of new process for API/KSM and Flow Chemistry
Development of novel inhibitors of Sortase A for attenuating the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus”
Semi-synthesis of Indolizine, Pyrrolo Quinoline/Isoquinoline based natural product hybrids via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition
N2 Fixation by Heterobimetallic Complexes under Visible Light for the Access of Organonitrogen Compounds as Potential Biological Targets
Live cell fluorescent labelling of Withaferin A targeted protein and their proteomics analysis
Oligonucletide, RNA, DNA and solid phase synthesis eureka
Natural Products is a very specialized and widely used discipline that involves the exploration of various natural sources towards the identification of new compounds useful as biomarkers and/or disease therapeutics. It integrates various scientific and technological disciplines like botany and chemistry. It allows for collaboration with other scientists in finding new drugs or therapeutics for various diseases of unmet need. The students pursuing M.S. (Pharm.) Natural Products degree are exposed towards fundamental and practical knowledge of the nature-inspired drug discovery encompassing the natural products isolation, characterization and semisyntheis (natural product chemistry). Altogether, well-trained natural products graduate/scientists put on their fundamental and practical knowledge of natural products isolation, characterization and chemistry to the process of nature-inspired drug discovery. The faculty in the Natural Products department are engaged in various levels of research activities with emphasis on isolation and characterization of novel pharmaceutically active natural products for the potential treatment of various diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, type-II diabetes, obesity, pulmonary and neurodegenerative diseases.
Natural products drug discovery (bioactive natural products)
Extraction, isolation, identification, structural modification (synthesis), bioactivity and mode of action of pharmaceutically important natural products
Bioassay guided approach
Metabolomics of medicinal plants
Development of bioassays for screening plant extracts and isolated compounds
Genome Analysis (transcriptome, proteome, metabolome)
Metabolite Profiling
Herb-Drug Pharmacokinetic interaction
Standardization of Phytopharmaceuticals using LC-MS, HPLC
Drug Metabolism of Phytopharmaceuticals
The NIPER Kolkata offers a two-year full-time M.S. (Pharm.) program in Pharmacology & Toxicology from 2018 onwards. The Department is equipped with advanced instruments for preclinical research on various disease areas but not limited to Diabetes mellitus, Non alcoholic Steatohepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological disorders. Department is also working on proving scientific evidence for our traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha etc. in collaboration with several Institutes under the Ministry of AYUSH and West Bengal State Government. Department has established Caenorhabditis elegans facility for basic studies on disease pathology and toxicity studies.
Development of animal models for human diseases such as Diabetes mellitus, Non alcoholic steatohepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological disorders
Scientific evidence for Indian traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha, etc.
Toxicity studies of phtochemicals and synthetic molecules using C. elegans as assay system and rodents
Exosomes as disease markers and drug delivery agents against various cancer models
Gene and protein expression studies
Diabetes and Diabetic complications
Chemotherapy induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Trauma induced Peripheral Neuropathy
The NIPER Kolkata offers a two-year full-time M.S. (Pharm.) program in Pharmacoinformatics from 2007 onwards. The Department of Pharmacoinformatics is highly collaborative with medicinal chemist, synthetic chemist, biologist, etc. We based on computational tools model and analyze the structures, functions of macromolecular targets (DNA, enzymes, receptors) as well as analyze molecular interactions of medicinally important molecules with these targets.
Target identification
Virtual screening of natural compounds and chemical databases against important targets for hit identification
Ligand-based techniques
QSAR
3D-QSAR
Ligand based pharmacophore mapping
Structure-based techniques
Homology modelling
Docking
Target based pharmacophore mapping
Molecular dynamic simulation
ADME prediction
Electronic structure analysis
Quantum chemical studies of metabolic reaction pathways
Quantum chemical studies of organic reactions (Computation of transition state, energy of reaction, energy of activation)
Machine learning and deep learning approaches
The Department of Pharmaceutics is started from the academic year 2020-2021 with an objective of imparting quality education in the area of pharmaceutical product development and to produce the future entrepreneurs and it has qualified faculty. The department will engage in research in Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems, and polymeric amorphous dispersions. This apart the department also explores several areas of interdisciplinary investigations related to development of reliable of 3D in vitro models for drug development using 3D bioprinting, novel strategies for manufacturing and process control of pharmaceuticals and development of medical devices. The department is currently working on establishment of “Centre of Excellence for Product Development” with the following objectives
Development of conventional dosage forms including parenteral, biologics for domestic market and later for regulated international markets.
Cater the analytical needs of small scale pharmaceutical industries through its well-developed analytical service facility.
Light activated dual drug delivery systems.
Novel formulations for delivering of drugs to back of the eye .
Microneedles for delivery of biomolecules .
The major objective of the M Tech program in medical devices is to support the national ecosystem with respect to development, and clinical translation of innovations in medical devices and to build capacity workforce for the sector. An extensive network of collaborations between regulatory agencies, industries, clinicians, and scientists is envisaged.
The practice of modern medicine being extensively relying on technological innovations is the major driving force for the course.
Characterization of novel biomaterials from natural biowastes
Fabrication of customized implants
Hydrogel and medical textiles for wound healing and hemostasis
Surface modification, antimicrobial coating of medical devices
Bone, skin and cartilage tissue engineering
In vitro diagnostics (IVD) based on fluorescent probes and enzyme immobilization
Micro/nanodevices for drug delivery, cancer theranostics, live cell imaging
3D Bioprinting and Electrospinning
Piezoelectric nanomaterials for neo-tissue regeneration
Drug-Device combination products
Electrospinning machine
Contact angle tensiometer
Texture analyzer
Florescence spectrophotometer
Infusion pumps
Gel Permeation Chromatography
Oscilloscopes
Coating machine