Dr. Aijaz Ahmad
Aijaz obtained his Ph.D. from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India in 2012; on effect of eugenol and its derivatives on growth and pathogenicity markers of Candida albicans, with a focus on comparative and combination study of natural antimicrobial essential oil compounds and conventional antifungal drugs against drug susceptible and drug resistant Candida strains. His research interest is to explore the complexity of microbial systems with special emphasis on their growth and pathogenesis and identification of drug targets in infectious pathogens and development of antimicrobial agents. Soon after his Ph.D. Aijaz joined Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-USA funded project as a Research Officer in Department of Microbiology All India Institute of Medical Sciences and International Clinical Epidemiology Network (InClEN), New Delhi, India; determining the direct and indirect protective effect of influenza vaccination in Indian children by Real Time- PCR, HA & HAI and virus isolation and culturing. Currently, he is working as a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa with Prof. Alvaro M Viljoen. His research seeks to investigate the biological actions of various bioactive molecules isolated from indigenous medicinal plants of South Africa. He is attracted to understand the mechanism of action of the bioactive molecules against various pathogenic microbes and in particular to explore the synergistic interaction of the phytochemicals. He is also working on the efflux pumps, quorum sensing and pathogenicity modulations in various infectious pathogens at basic as well as at genetic levels. From his research experience of last six years, he published a complete book, a book chapter and 26 peer reviewed research papers. He also presented his work in several international and national conferences and seminars by oral or poster presentations and is recipient of several best paper awards. With his research expertise he is currently reviewing for 7 journals of
Dr. Deepak Kumar Semwal [MSc-PhD]
Dr. Semwal is currently working as Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria) since February 2013. He received his B.Sc. degree in 2003 with Zoology, Botany and Chemistry as major subjects. In 2005, he received his M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry and in 2009, he obtained his Ph.D. in Phytochemistry from HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, India. During the PhD, he worked on the chemistry of selected plants of Central Himalaya having antidiabetic and antitubercular properties.
In 2005, he was appointed as Lecturer (on contract) at the Department of Chemistry, HNB Garhwal University, India. During 2010, he was worked as R&D scientist for an India based pharmaceutical industry and his key roles were method developments and technology transfer for various herbal products. In 2010, he received prestigious Dr DS Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship from University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India. He did his postdoctoral work in the Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and his research was based on the investigation of antidiabetic principles from selected plant species from Indian origin.
He published his quality research in various journals of international repute and also presented his work in many conferences. He received many prestigious awards including young scientist for his research and academic performance. His current research interests are phytochemistry, phytomedicine, drug discovery and development, drug delivery, Natural dyes and semi-synthesis.
Dr. Ruchi Badoni Semwal [MSc-PhD]
Dr. Ruchi Semwal is working in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa in the capacity of Postdoctoral Fellow, since February 2013. She completed her graduation in 2004 with Chemistry, Zoology and Botany as main subjects. In 2006, she received her master degree in Organic Chemistry. She also specialised her M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry in 2007. In 2011, she received her Ph.D. in Natural Products Chemistry from HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar (A Central University), India. Her PhD research area was isolation of bioactive constituents from selected Indian medicinal plants.
In 2008, she was selected as Junior Research Fellow in a University Grant Commission sponsored project based on essential oil research in the Department of Chemistry, HNB Garhwal University, India. Simultaneously, she taught graduate classes in the department of biotechnology and biochemistry in the capacity of guest faculty. She received prestigious Dr DS Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship from University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India in 2011 and she did her postdoctoral work in the Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. During her PDF period, she explored various plants for their dyeing and mordanting properties.
She published her research work in various internationally reputed journals and also presented her work in several conferences. Her current research interests are Natural products chemistry, phytomedicine, Natural dyes, essential oils, fatty acids, drug discovery and development.
Dr. Deepak M Kasote
Dr. Kasote is currently working as a Post-Doctoral Fellow with Prof. Alvaro Viljoen at Tshwane University of Technology. He did his B.Sc. in Chemistry and M.Sc. in Biochemistry from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, MS, India. After completing post-graduation, he joined as a lecturer at Department of Biochemistry, Gogate-Jogalekar College, Ratnagiri, MS, India. Later he moved to Interactive Research School for Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune, MS, India as a Senior Research Fellow on national repute project ‘NAIP-ICAR-component-3, Flax and medicinal plant intervention’. Simultaneously while working on project, he completed his Ph.D. from University of Pune, MS, India in Chemistry. After completion of doctorate, He joined Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, MS, India as a Post-Doctoral Research associate. His research interests are in the field of pharmacology, food and natural product chemistry.
Dr. Dinesh Kumar [M.Pharm. (PhD)]
Dinesh kumar, male, Pharmacognosist and Phytochemist, was born in the foot of Himalyas at village Dhamrol, Dist. Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India on May 4, 1982. He has got his initial education from GHS Kuthera and GSSS (boys) Hamirpur, H.P, India. He did diploma in pharmacy from drug and control department of Karnataka Government, India in 2002. He is graduated from Shivalik college of Pharmacy, Punjab Technical University- Jalandhar, Punjab, India, in 2006, post graduated from Dr. DY Patil IPSR, Pune-18, University of Pune India in 2009, He has awarded Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical sciences (Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry) in 2012, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. He worked as lecturer for Punjab college of Pharmacy, Ferozpur in 2006-07 and as Asst. professor for Rayat Institute of Pharmacy-Railmajara, Punjab, India in 2009-10. He is registered pharmacist in India. He had worked as Research associate (SMPF) in 2012-2013 at Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. Currently he is working as a Postdoctoral fellow in Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia Campus, Pretoria-0001, South Africa since Feb 2013. He is consultant for various herbal and Biotech industries in India and abroad. Now he has published more than 54 International papers, 02 accepted, 01 book chapter with cumulative Impact factor more than 35 and got more than 10 items of awards (INSA, CSIR, KU etc.). He is editorial board member and reviewer of various internationally reputed journals. He has visited SARC countries for various conferences on natural medicines. In recent year he focused on the Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry of traditional South African medicine. His major area of research is Herbal drug development, standardization and evaluation, traditional drug evaluation, standardization and drug discovery from nature. He has expertise in Isolation and Characterization of natural molecules, Preclinical evaluation, Development of HPTLC, UPLC-MS/MS, NMR Fingerprints, Interpretation of secondary molecules with the help of physical, chemical, spectoscopical and chromatographically data. Moreover he has dynamic experience herbal/ natural
Dr Maxleene Sandasi
Maxleene holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Biochemistry (First Class) from the University of Zimbabwe (2002), a Bachelor of Technology in Pharmaceutical Sciences (cum laude) from TUT (2007), a Master of Technology in Pharmaceutical Sciences (cum laude) from TUT (2009) and a Doctor of Technology degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from TUT (2013). Maxleene served in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences as a part time facilitator (Student Assistant) from 2007 – 2012 during her postgraduate studies. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the same department under the Claude Leon Foundation fellowship. She is actively involved in research as a member of the multidisciplinary niche area: Natural products in drug development. Her research interests and publications cover the quality control of herbal products with a focus on developing novel methods and techniques for the quality assessment of herbal preparations. Maxleene has published 9 peer-reviewed articles in internationally accredited journals and participated in a total of 12 national and international conferences. She has been awarded numerous young scientist awards for her work at both Masters’ and Doctoral levels. Her current research work focuses on investigating the potential application of hyperspectral imaging as a quality control technique for the non-destructive analysis of herbal raw materials and products.
Dr Debabrata Acharya
Debabrata Acharya is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Tshwane University of Technology. He graduated with a BSc (Biology) from CSJM University, Kanpur, India in 2002 followed by MSc (Biochemistry) in 2005 from University of Allahabad, India. He obtained his PhD in Pharmacy (Specialisation – Pharmacognosy) in 2009 from Universite de Bourgogne, Dijon, France with High Honors. Prior to joining TUT, Dr. Debabrata Acharya was working in Industry like Synthite Industries Limited, India and Piramal Lifesciences Ltd., India where he handled several projects in Research and Development as a Scientist dealing with product development of several commercially successful products. His research interest lies in the discovery of bioactive natural products, phytochemistry, process development and advanced chromatographic (UPLC, HSCCC, FLASH chromatography) and analytical techniques (viz. NMR, UPLC-MS, GC-GC-MS, MIR, NIR, HPTLC and HPLC) in natural product chemistry. He has presented his work at several national and international conferences and has published in accredited journals. Dr. Debabrata Acharya has been awarded with IFCPAR – Fellowship to pursue his PhD.
Hamid-Reza Adhami (PharmD – PhD)
Hamid-Reza Adhami graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences with a Pharm.D degree under the supervision of
Prof. Abbas Shafiee.
He started his experience in health care service as a director of a health center. Since he has been interested in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), he has studied and experienced some fields of CAM, such as homeopathy, energy medicine, and herbal medicine. He was the secretary of the division of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the National Research Center for Medical Sciences of Iran (NRCMSI).
In addition he worked as the executive manager in the Pharmaceutical Incubator of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. He was also the secretary of the Pharmaceutical Research Network in the Ministry of Health.
Oct. 2008 he started his Ph.D study at the Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna under the supervision of Prof. Liselotte Krenn and obtained his PhD degree in 2012.
At the moment he is a post-doctoral fellow at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa in the group of Prof. Alvaro Viljoen with the focus on isolation of secondary metabolites from natural products by counter-current chromatography.
Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: adhamisite.com
