Dr. Sanjai Saxena

Dr. Sanjai Saxena

Designation:

Professor

Specialization:

Plant-microbe/animal-microbe interaction, natural product based drug discovery

Email:

ssaxena@thapar.edu

Professional Identity:

LinkedIn

Academic Identities:

Google,Vidwan,Orcid,Scopus,Research gate

ACADEMIC PREPARATION

  1. Ph.D. Biological Sciences, spl. Fungal biotechnology Department of Biological Sciences, Rani Durgavati University (2000)
  2. M.Sc. Biological Sciences spl. Biotechnology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rani Durgavati University (1996)
  3. B.Sc. Hons. Botany, University of Delhi (1992)

PROFESSIONAL SYNOPSIS

Over 16 years of Leadership in the interface of Pharma and Biotechnology involving exploration and exploitation of novel biomolecules from different biological systems and their interaction in the nature. This actually involves development of screening platforms for different biological activities such as anti-microbial, anti- oxidant, anti-cancer or finding novel molecules which interfere in the mechanism of development of diseases such as Alzheimer's Dementia (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Obesity, Anti-gout/arthritic and type II Diabetes.

RESEARCH DOMAINS (Industrial/ Medicinal Biotech):

Drug Discovery; plant-microbe interaction; cellular biochemistry and cell biology; microbial biochemistry; clinical microbiology; enzymology; Food security and Ethnopharmacology.

RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  1. 03 PATENTS (01 US; 02 INDIAN);
  2. SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS COMPLETED: 11.1 million INR (1.11 crore rupees) from Govt. agencies.
  3. DEVELOPED –STATE OF THE ART – ANIMAL TISSUE CULTURE FACILITY FOR RESEARCH & TEACHING
  4. Leading an independent research group in the area of DRUG DISCOVERY, CHEMICAL BIOLOGY & NATURAL PRODUCTS
  5. Scientific contribution includes >50 peer reviewed international publications; 6 Book chapters; 01 book entitled “Applied Microbiology” by Springer India and several presentations in national as well as international conferences
  6. Research networking: Tel Aviv University, Israel; Pontifical Catholic University, Brazil; National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Education (NIPER), India; Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
  7. Intota Expert in providing consultancy in the area of Anti-microbial drugs and Clinical Microbiology (Expert 728374)

R&D SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION

  1. SERVED AS COORDINATOR (HEAD) of CENTRE FOR RELEVANCE & EXCELLENCE (CORE) in AGRO & INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, I have been involved in brandishing the center, expanding the research horizon as per the current industrial scenario, networking with industries like PEPSICO INDIA LTD; McCAIN; TECH MAHINDRA; BILTTREE TECH; looking into financials for it to be a self-sustaining entity; providing technical; infrastructural support to students, researchers (students as well as faculty) within the institute and in the region; submission of grant applications (bilateral/national/ multinational).
  2. WRITING AND SUBMISSION OF GRANTS –BILATERAL / MULTILATERAL
  3. As DEPUTY COORDINATOR, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENUERS PARK (STEP) at Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, I have been instrument in brandishing the Park, for enhancing the concept of entrepreneurship in the area of Agro and Food Biotechnology apart from providing the support in day to day administration in operation of STEP.
  4. Member of Project review committee for competitive research grants in Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India and SERB (Science & Engineering Research Board), Department of Science & Technology.
  5. Expert Member for Biotechnology & Life Sciences Research for S&T Roadmap of 10 (ten) life science laboratories of Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India and for developing collaboration with academia.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

2016

  1. Ramadeep Kaur Mehton, Vineet Meshram, Sanjai Saxena and Manmohan Chhibber (2016): Synthesis and Anti- Staphylococcal Activity of 2, 4-Disubstituted Diphenylamines. Journal of Brazilian Chemical Society 27(7): 1236- 1244
  2. Alka Sharma, Vijay Luxami, Sanjai Saxena and Kamaldeep Paul (2016): Benzimidazole Based Quinazolines In Vitro Evaluation, Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship, and Molecular Modeling as Aurora Kinase Inhibitors. Archiv der Pharmazie 349 (3): 193-201
  3. Vineet Meshram, Sanjai Saxena and Karan Paul (2016): Xylarinase: a novel clot busting enzyme from an endophytic fungus Xylaria curta. Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry 31 (6): 1502-1511
  4. Birinderjit Singh, Sanjai Saxena, Maneek Kumar and Vineet Meshram (2016): Mycoherbicidal potential of Phaeoacremonium italicum, a new pathogen of Eichhornia crassipes infesting Harike wetland, India. Mycobiology 44 (2):85-92
  5. Vineet Meshram and Sanjai Saxena (2016): Endophytic Fusarium species from Western Ghats of India and their fibrinolytic properties. Sydowia 68: 119–130
  6. Vineet Meshram and Sanjai Saxena (2016): Fibrinolytic potential of endophytic Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae from Western Ghats of India 3Biotech 6(1):1-9
  7. Renu Narain, Sanjai Saxena and Achal Goyal (2016): Cardiovascular Risk Prediction: A Comparative study of Framingham and Quantum Neural Network based approach. Patient Preference and Adherence 10: 1259—1270
  8. Vineet Meshram, Sanjai Saxena, Karan Paul, Mahiti Gupta and Neha Kapoor (2016): Production, purification and characterization of a potential fibrinolytic protease from endophytic Xylaria curta by solid substrate fermentation. Applied Biochemistry & Biotechnology ( Online Published : )
  9. Neha Kapoor and Sanjai Saxena (2016): Xanthine oxidase inhibitory and antioxidant potential of Indian Muscodor Species. 3Biotech 6: 248
  10. Birinderjit Singh, Sanjai Saxena, Vineet Meshram and Maneek Kumar (2016): First report of Botryosphaeria species as a pathogen on Water hyacinth in Harike wetland, India. Journal of Biopesticides 9(2): 180-188

2015

  1. Mahiti Gupta, Sanjai Saxena and Dinesh Goyal (2015): Potential pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of an endophytic Penicillium species. Journal of Enzyme Inhibitors and Medicinal Chemistry 30(1):15-21
  2. Sanjai Saxena, Vineet Meshram and Neha Kapoor (2015): Muscodor tigerii sp. nov., a volatile antibiotic producing endophytic fungus from North-eastern Himalayas. Annals of Microbiology 65: 47-57
  3. Jaspreet Kaur Boparai, Sanjai Saxena and Vineet Meshram (2015): In vitro antimicrobial potential of Indian Muscodor species. Journal of Basic and Applied Mycology 11(I &II): 22-25
  4. Meshram V., Gupta M. and Saxena S. (2015) Muscodor ghoomensis and Muscodor indica: new endophytic species based on morphological features, molecular and volatile organic analysis from Northeast India. Sydowia 67: 133– 146
  5. Divya Singhal and Sanjai Saxena (2015): Screening and Toxicity Analysis of Catechin Isomers against Fem A Protein: a possible target for drug development. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 77 (6): 758-763

REVIEWER/ EXPERT FOR REPUTED JOURNALS

  • Indian Journal of Pharmacology
  • Letters in Applied Microbiology
  • Journal of Ethnopharmacology
  • Pharmaceutical Biology
  • Journal of Basic Microbiology
  • Journal of Food Biochemistry
  • Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology
  • BMC Complimentary & Alternative Medicine
  • Sydowia
  • Canadian Journal of Microbiology
  • BMC Microbiology
  • Crop Protection

AWARDS

  • Eminent Microbiologist Award (2014, AABS, Dharwad, Karnataka)
  • Bharat Jyoti Award (2012, IIFS, New Delhi)
  • Fellow, FABS (2013, AABS, Dharwad, Karnataka)
  • M.J. Thirumalachar Best Poster (2012, MSI, Amravati)
  • Marquis Who’s Who World (2010, USA)
  • Marquis Who’s Who Asia (2006, USA)
  • ICSU-INSA Travel Award (2001)
  • Best Paper Award-Oral (1999, Osmania University, Hyderabad)
  • Junior Research Fellow (ICFRE, Dehradun 1997-2000)
  • T.D. Dharmadhikari Gold medal/ Certificate of Merit (1996, Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur)
  • GATE (1996,MHRD, GoI)

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

  1. Association for Advancement of Biodiversity Science ● International Society of Fungal Conservation
  2. Society for Basic and Applied Mycology, India ● Mycological Society of India (MSI), Chennai
  3. Association for promotion of DNA fingerprinting and other related technologies (ADNAT), Hyderabad
  4. Member, American Nano Society
  5. Council Member (2017-2019), Mycological Society of India (MSI), India

ACADEMICS

  1. Teaching predominantly undergraduate (BTech) and graduate ( MTech and MSc) students subjects like; Biochemistry; Bioenergetics and Intermediary metabolism; Applied Microbiology; Biomanufacturing; Industrial Enzyme technology; Pharmaceutical Microbiology; Drug Discovery and Design.
  2. Guided > 45 postgraduate dissertations (MSc Biotechnology/ M.Tech Biotechnology/ MSc Microbiology)
  3. Supervised >5 doctoral dissertations (03 ongoing) in the area of drug discovery from plant and microbial systems for their use as antimicrobial, anti-obesity, anti-hyperuricemia and thrombolytic agents.