Speaker:  Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy, Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-NCL, Pune

Abstract:
Our research group at CSIR-NCL, Pune focuses mainly on total synthesis of biologically active compounds and medicinal chemistry with an ultimate aim of discovering drugs. We have accomplished the synthesis of ~25 natural products which include cell-adhesion inhibitors, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer agents, sex pheromones and insect repellents. In the medicinal chemistry front, several programs have been initiated with collaborations from academia and industry. In particular, significant progress has been made using a new concept called “Silicon-incorporation approach”. This is relatively a new concept in drug discovery and very few companies and academic groups are working on this. Our findings in pre-clinical species with the silinezolid series suggest that silicon incorporation is highly useful in improving brain exposures.