Siva Panda, PhD 
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Research Summary
Dr. Siva S. Panda, an esteemed Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is a recognized authority in drug development and discovery. Possessing a Master's degree in Medicinal Chemistry from Manipal University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Delhi University, India, Dr. Panda brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role at Augusta University's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. With prior experience as a senior scientist at Sigma-Aldrich, USA, and a background in postdoctoral research at the University of Florida, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing the field. Dr. Panda boasts an impressive publication history, including over 130 research articles in peer-reviewed journals, along with four book chapters, three patents, and four pending patents. His unyielding dedication to drug discovery and development continues to drive his active involvement in ongoing research endeavors.
In our laboratory, our primary focus is on the development of small drug-like molecules that draw inspiration from natural product scaffolds. We integrate the principles of medicinal chemistry, Molecular hybridization, and a rational drug design approach to formulate a comprehensive and effective strategy for drug discovery. This approach enables us to create a robust foundation for identifying and developing potential therapeutic compounds.
The process of drug discovery for complex diseases such as cancer, inflammation, infections, and aging has encountered substantial challenges due to the limitations of the traditional "one molecule - one target" drug discovery paradigm. This inadequacy is primarily attributed to resistance and lack of selectivity. In response to this, molecular hybridization (MH) has emerged as a potent strategy in drug discovery. MH serves as an effective and efficient tool for developing new multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) to overcome these limitations. It involves the rational design of new ligands or prototypes by combining pharmacophoric moieties, thereby creating hybrid architectures that retain pre-selected characteristics of the original templates and act as multitarget ligands. These hybrid molecules incorporate two or more distinct pharmacophores from different drugs into a single structure and have the ability to bind/inhibit two or more targets simultaneously, thus enhancing the therapeutic potential of the compound through a polypharmacological approach. Furthermore, they mitigate the development of drug resistance, often observed in single-targeted regimens. This approach holds promise in the design of multifunctional drug candidates and offers potential solutions to the problems associated with current drugs.
