Dr. Smita Jagannath Pawar
Head of Department
The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry forms the core of the pharmacy education programme, covering various aspects of drug discovery and development. The subject plays a pivotal role in shaping students into competent and skilled pharmacy professionals.
The department provides a collaborative research environment, encouraging interaction within the institute and across interdisciplinary domains. This exposure enables students to gain hands-on experience with modern, state-of-the-art research in pharmaceutical and allied sciences—an invaluable foundation for a successful professional career.
Vision:
Emerging as a leading centre of excellence in pharmaceutical chemistry education and research, fostering innovation in drug discovery and development and preparing globally competent pharmaceutical professionals.
Mission:
To impart high-quality education in pharmaceutical chemistry, foster collaborative and interdisciplinary research, develop competent professionals for academia, industry and regulatory sectors, and enhance research output through impactful publications, funded projects, patents and scientific collaborations.
Objectives:
- To impart a strong foundation in pharmaceutical, medicinal, organic, inorganic, and analytical chemistry.
- To equip students with skills in modern drug discovery, analytical method development, and molecular modelling.
- To train postgraduate and research students in advanced experimental and computational approaches.
- To provide state-of-the-art facilities to support impactful research and innovation.
- To engage faculty and students in national and international scientific forums for knowledge dissemination.
- To strengthen research outputs through publications, funded projects, patents, and scientific collaborations.
- To promote a collaborative and interdisciplinary research culture.
Thrust area of research:
- Designing and synthesizing new chemical entities targeting major diseases such as inflammation, epilepsy, microbial infections, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension.
- Analytical method development and validation for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations.
- Standardization and quality evaluation of herbal products, bridging traditional knowledge with modern science through the standardization and scientific evaluation of herbal medicines using sophisticated analytical platforms.
- Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) for development of anticancer and anti-infective scaffolds followed by biological evaluation.
- Structural modification and molecular modelling to improve pharmacological activity and drug-likeness.
Department Highlights:
- M. Pharm in Pharmaceutical Chemistry established in 2004, demonstrating a strong legacy of academic excellence.
- Recognized as a Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research Centre under Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
- Currently has five qualified and recognized Ph.D. faculty members, all serving as postgraduate research guides.
- Faculty members have successfully secured research grants from AICTE, UGC, SPPU, and several other funding agencies, strengthening the department’s research ecosystem.
Seminars organized:
| Sr. No. | Workshop/Seminar Organized | Funded by | Name of Coordinator | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two days state level seminar on QSAR strategies in design of bioactive compounds | BCUD, SPPU | Dr. Smita J. Pawar | 18/12/2009 to 19/12/2009 |
| 2 | Seminar on Advances in Pharmaceutical Analysis | BCUD, SPPU | Dr. V. P. Godase | 24/02/2012 & 25/02/2012 |
| 3 | Faculty Development Program on Innovations in Pharmaceutical Teaching and Research | AICTE | Dr. M. N. Deodhar | 15/04/2013 to 27/04/2013 |
| 4 | Frontiers in Cancer Chemotherapy | AICTE | Dr. R. S. Chavan | 22/07/2014 |
| 5 | Two days seminar on Comprehensive Approach towards Antidiabetic Drug Development | BCUD, SPPU | Dr. R. S. Chavan | 9/02/2018 to 10/02/2018 |
| 6 | Two days State Level Seminar on Advance Techniques of Pharmaceutical Analysis | BCUD, SPPU | Dr. Ganesh Nigade | 8/01/2016 to 09/01/2016 |
Publications & Patents:
| Sr. No | Name of Staff | Publications | Patents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. R. S. Chavan | National: 19, International: 06 | Published: 03, Granted: - |
| 2 | Dr. S. J. Pawar | National: 15, International: 08 | Published: 01, Granted: - |
| 3 | Dr. J. R. Jagtap | National: 01, International: 08 | Published: -, Granted: - |
| 4 | Dr. A. P. Kale | National: 05, International: 10 | Published: 01, Granted: 00 |
| 5 | Dr. G. B. Nigade | National: 02, International: 13 | Published: 12, Granted: 01 |
| 6 | Ms. Pooja Pisal | National: 01, International: 02 | Published: 01, Granted: -- |
| 7 | Ms. Pooja Petkar | National: 00, International: 02 | Published: --, Granted: -- |
| 8 | Ms. Srushti Jadhav | National: 00, International: 01 | Published: --, Granted: -- |
| 9 | Ms. Chopade V.P | National: 07, International: 02 | Published: --, Granted: -- |
Achievements: Received various grants from AICTE, and SPPU
| Name of Staff | Type of Funding | Grant Received (INR) | Sponsor | Project title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. R. S. Chavan | Minor Research project | Rs. 2,00,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune Year: 2008 | Design, Synthesis & Evaluation of Novel Phenothiazines as Neuroleptic Agents |
| Dr. R. S. Chavan | Minor Research project | Rs. 2,30,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune Year: 2013 | Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Newer Thiazolidinediones as TNF-α Inhibitors and Antidiabetic Drugs |
| Dr. R. S. Chavan | Modernisation and Removal of Obsolescence (MODROB) | Rs. 16,66,667 | AICTE Year: 2020 | MODROB |
| Dr. Smita J. Pawar | Minor Research project | 1,00,000 | BCUD, University of Pune Year: 2006 | Development of various analytical methods for estimation of drugs in different dosage forms. |
| Dr. Smita J. Pawar | Minor Research project | 2,00,000 | BCUD, University of Pune Year:2009 | Synthesis, biological evaluation and 2D-QSAR analysis of Benzothiazole derivatives as antimicrobial agents |
| Dr. Smita J. Pawar | Minor Research project | 3,25,000 | UGC Year: 2014 | Synthesis and Biological evaluation of some heterocyclic molecules as antimicrobial agents. |
| Dr. Jayashri Jagtap | Minor Research Project | 1,50,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune 2008 | Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Derivatives of Hydantoin and Valproic Acid as Antiepileptic Agent |
| Dr. Jayashri Jagtap | Minor Research Project | 2,33,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune 2012 | Design, Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of some New Pyrimidine Derivatives |
| Dr. Jayashri Jagtap | Minor Research Project | 1,90,000/- | BOD, SPPU, 2016 | Design, synthesis and evaluation of new heterocyclic molecules as analgesic agents. |
| Dr. Amol Kale | Minor Research project | 1,50,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune Year 2007 | Preclinical evaluation of various plant drug and formulation used in ayurvedic system of medicine for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) |
| Dr. Amol Kale | Minor Research project | 3,00,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune Year 2009 | Design synthesis and evaluation of phthalimide based antiinflammatory agents. |
| Dr. Amol Kale | Minor Research project | 1,50,000/- | BCUD, University of Pune Year 2011 | Synthesis biological evaluation and 2D QSAR analysis of benzothiazole as anticonvulsant agents. |
| Dr. Ganesh Nigade | Minor Research project | 1,90,000/- | BOD, SPPU Year 2016 | Development and validation of chromatographic method for Herbal formulations |
| Dr. Ganesh Nigade | Minor Research project | 3,00,000/- | BOD, SPPU Year 2024 | To develop an analytical method for quantification of bioactive compounds in the immunomodulatory and immune-booster herbal formulation used in COVID 19 pandemic. |
List of Subjects:
| Sr. No. | Class | Name of Subject |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F. Y. B. Pharm | Pharmaceutical Analysis-I, Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry I, Biochemistry |
| 2 | S. Y. B. Pharm | Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry II, Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry III, Medicinal Chemistry I |
| 3 | T. Y. B. Pharm | Medicinal Chemistry II, Medicinal Chemistry III, Quality Assurance |
| 4 | Final Y. B. Pharm | Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Computer Aided Drug Design, Advanced Instrumentation Techniques |
| 5 | F. Y. M. Pharm | Modern Pharmaceutical Analytical Techniques, Advanced Organic Chemistry – I, Advanced Medicinal Chemistry, Chemistry of Natural Products |
| 6 | S. Y. M. Pharm | Advanced Spectral Analysis, Advanced Organic Chemistry –II, Computer Aided Drug Design, Pharmaceutical Process Chemistry |