Dr.Kumaran A

 Dr.Kumaran A

Dr. A. Kumaran acquired Ph. D in Natural Product Chemistry from the University of Madras and completed post-doctoral research in Food Science & Technology from National Taiwan University. He is a gold medalist in M. Sc. Chemistry and completed his M. Phil in Organic chemistry. Possess around 23 years of industrial experience in Natural product research and product development. He has experience in Isolation, characterization, scaling up of phytopharmaceuticals from plant sources. He has successfully developed & standardized 16 herbal formulations for various ailments (few products commercialized while in SPIC pharma e.g., Ayurviva for liver diseases, Lovanthin for Hepatitis B, SPIC herbal cough syrup, Spinta cream for pain etc.).  Before joining NIIST, he worked as a Scientist (E3) in HLL R & R&D Centre, HLL Lifecare Limited, Thiruvananthapuram, and was engaged in herbal product development. He has filed several patents & published research articles in peer-reviewed international journals, and presented papers in various conferences. His current research interest is identifying and evaluating potential bioactive molecules or new chemical entities (NCEs) from traditional medicines to be further developed into phytopharmaceuticals with significant pre-clinical support.  Presently, he is leading a team to develop phytopharmaceuticals for Diabetes mellitus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Reproductive health, and Alzheimer’s disease. Further, he is also interested in developing novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) to transport NCEs to improve bioavailability.

Key Profile

  • Scientist possessing 23 Years of Industrial Research Experience in Natural Product Chemistry and product development
  • Phytopharmaceutical/Phytochemical/Nutraceutical/Herbal formulation development
  • Pharmaceutical formulations and Novel Drug Delivery System (NDDS) development

Core competencies

  • Development of phytopharmaceuticals (Isolation, characterization, scale-up and technology transfer)
  • Development of Novel Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS) for improving the bioavailability of various bioactives/drugs
  • Development of New Herbal Formulations/Nutraceuticals for various ailments
  • Development generic/novel pharmaceutical formulations
  • Development of new analytical methods for herbal drugs and validation of methods using sophisticated chromatographic instruments, like HPLC, GC, LC-MS, etc
  • Biotransformation/bioconversion of active constituents using microbes/enzymes
  • Bioactivity-guided Isolation and characterization of biologically active metabolites from natural origins (In-vitro assays and cell culture techniques & spectroscopic techniques like NMR, MASS, UV, IR)
  • Semi-synthetic modification and structure elucidation of lead compounds to enhance the activity
  • Planning & scheduling of routine experiments as well as analysis & interpretation of analytical data
  • A keen learner & researcher with a detail-oriented approach and excellent communication, analytical, leadership and coordination skills
Professional Experience

CSIR-NIIST (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India) - Principal Scientist - Sept’18 - present
Notable accomplishments

  • Established fully-fledged formulation development and quality control lab
  • Signed MoU with Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited for the development of knowledge base on 15 pharmaceutical APIs
  • Developed a nanoemulgel formulation product for the management of rheumatic pain: Rheumaniist
  • Developed a novel and water-soluble sustained-release steam inhalation liquid: NiiSTEAM
  • Developed an alcohol-based herbal hand sanitizer gel: CLEANiiST
  • Developed an indigenous formulation technology for conversion of Ayurvedic medicated oils to modern dosage forms to increase user compliance and efficacy
  • Method development for quality evaluation of Ayurvedic commercial products using HPLC/HPTLC
  • Developing Phytopharmaceuticals for the Selected Therapeutic Targets of Type-II Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, Reproductive health, and Alzheimer’s disease

HLL Lifecare Ltd (Trivandrum, Kerala, India) - Scientist-E2 - Jun’12- Jun’18 (6 years)
Notable Accomplishments

  • Herbal based product development in health care segment (particularly for reproductive health)
  • Development of herbal based commercial products (e.g. Uterine tonic, Stretch mark cream etc.,)
  • Development an herbal based condom for erectile dysfunction, product for PCOS, etc.
  • Succeeded to receive three research grants from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) (Total of Rs. 7.8 crores) as Co.P.I.
  • Developed a herbal based product for Bacterial vaginosis in collaboration with an eminent Scientist G.P. Talwar, Talwar Research Foundation, New Delhi

SANMAR Specialty Chemicals Ltd (Hosur, Tamilnadu, India) - Joint Manager - Aug’09- June’12 (3 years)
Notable Accomplishments

  • Biotransformation/bioconversion of biopharmaceuticals using microbes/enzymes (e.g. the conversion of Colchicine to Colchicoside)
  • New product development and Isolation of plant-derived drugs in bulk level (Colchicine, Thiocolchicoside, connesine, etc)
  • Semi-synthetic modification and structure elucidation of plant secondary metabolites using NMR, MASS, UV, IR, LC-MS and GC-MS spectroscopic techniques.
  • Supported the production activities, assigned research projects, follow-up and guidance to subordinates

National Taiwan University (Graduate Institute of Food Science and Technology, TAIWAN) - Post-Doctoral Fellow - Sep’07-Jul’ 09 (2 years)
Notable Accomplishments

  • Bioassay-guided Isolation of active compounds for Alzheimer’s disease from Traditional Chinese Medicines
  • Development of new analytical methods for Chinese Medicines and food products using sophisticated chromatographic instruments, like HPLC, GC, LC-MS/MS, etc.
  • Experience with in-vitro assay methodologies and cell culture techniques (PC12, HepG2, Caco-2 cell lines, etc.)
  • Investigation of metabolites of food products after fermentation with GRAS bacteria/yeasts
  • Documentation of the research work in international journals

SAMI Labs Limited (Organica Aromatics Pvt. Ltd) - (Bangalore, India, an Indian subsidiary of Sabinsa Corporation, New Jersey, USA) - Senior Scientist - Aug’06-Aug’ 07 (1 year)
Notable Accomplishments

  • New product development which leads to flavour and fragrance
  • Isolation and characterization of fragrance constituents from plant sources
  • Synthesis and commercialization of fragrance materials

SPIC Pharmaceuticals Division (R&D Centre, Maraimalai Nagar, Chennai, India) - Senior Research associate - Apr’96-Jul’03 (7 years)
Notable Accomplishments

  • Successfully developed and standardized 16 herbal formulations for various ailments
  • More than 60 phytochemical markers were isolated, characterized and commercialized
  • Involved in the investigations on the pharmacological and taxonomic applications of secondary metabolites and their role as Anti-HIV, Anti-HBV, Anti-HSV, antifungal agents (about 160 plants, 600 fractions were screened)
  • Development of new analytical methods for herbal drugs and validation of methods using sophisticated liquid chromatographic instruments, like HPLC, GC, HPTLC etc.
  • Semi-synthetic modification and structure elucidation of plant secondary metabolites to improve the activity against various ailments
  • Seconded the preparation of SOPs, GMPs and GLPs related documents

SUN Pharma (formerly, Tamilnadu Dadha Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Chennai, India) -  Quality Control Chemist - May’95-Mar’96 (1 year)  
Notable Accomplishments

  • Conducted chemical and Instrumental analyses of raw materials, in-process samples and finished products
  • Involved in development and validation of analytical methods

Annamalai University (Annamalai Nagar, Tamilnadu, India) - Resource Person - May’94-Apr’95 (1 year)
Notable Accomplishments

  • Involved in the teaching of theoretical and practical chemistry to M.Sc. Chemistry students
Achievements & Awards
  • Recipient of Three Vijay Diwas awards from HLL Lifecare Ltd for various achievements
  • Awardee of Two grants from Bill & Melinda Gates-Grant Challenge (as Co-Investigator)
  • Recipient of Post-Doctoral Fellowship by National Science Council, Taiwan
  • Best performance award of the year – 2010 – Sanmar Specialty Chemicals Ltd, India
  • Recipient of Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) by CSIR (India)
  • Gold medal for first rank in M.Sc degree
Patents & Publications

 

Patents:

  • A. Kumaran, Anand Ganapathy A. K, V.M. Hari priya, C.Alisha Valsan. Sustained release liquid dosage form for steam inhalation (submitted for filing, acknowledged)
  • M.S. Premila, P.B. Janardhan and A. Kumaran, WO 00/56347, An enriched fraction prepared from Pyllanthus amarus for the treatment of hepatitis and the preparation thereof
  • M.S. Premila, P.B. Janardhan and A. Kumaran, IP339/MAS/99, An enriched fraction prepared from Pyllanthus amarus for the treatment of hepatitis and the preparation thereof
  • M.S. Premila, P.B. Janardhan and A. Kumaran, IP579/MAS/99, Active fractions prepared from the plant Pyllanthus amarus for the treatment of hepatitis
  • L. Ragupathy, A Kumaran and G Rajmohan, PCT/IN2014/000711, Graphene based polymer composites for producing condoms with high heat transfer, improved sensitivity and capacity for drug delivery
  • L. Ragupathy, A Kumaran and V Suvekbala, 2319/CHE/2014, Producing poly(glycerol sebacate) condoms
  • L. Ragupathy and A Kumaran, 4256/CHE/2014, Poly(glycerol sebacate) based materials for food packaging applications
  • V. Suvekbala, L. Ragupathy and A. Kumaran, 633/CHE/2015, Developing a graphene (oxide)-based chemiluminescence (and/or) Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay diagnostic technology, and kit for determining the precise concentration of Anti-Müllerian Hormone, present in human serum
  • V. Suvekbala, L. Ragupathy and A. Kumaran, 512/CHE/2015, Developing a graphene (oxide)-based chemiluminescence (and/or) Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay diagnostic technology, and kit for determining the precise concentration of Lutenizing Hormone, present in human serum
  • V. Suvekbala, L. Ragupathy and A. Kumaran, 513/CHE/2015, Developing a graphene (oxide)-based chemiluminescence (and/or) Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay diagnostic technology, and kit for determining the precise concentration of Follicule Stimulating Hormone, present in human serum

Publications:

  • A. Anand Ganapathy, V.M. Hari Priya, Alaganandam Kumaran* Medicinal plants as a potential source of Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors: A review, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, (Elsevier publication), (2020) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113536
  • K. Mathiyazhagan, Alaganandam Kumaran and Pandian Arjun “Isolation of Natural Naphthoquinones from Juglans regia and In Vitro Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Studies of Naphthoquinones and the synthetic Naphthofuran derivatives”, Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry (Elsevier publication), (2018) 44, 346- 353.
  • Vijayakumari Mahadevan Haripriya, Karuppusamy Dhamotharan, Santosh Kumar Shukla,
    Vemparthan Suvekbala, Lakshminarayanan Ragupathy, and Alaganandam Kumaran* “Aphrodisiac properties of hydro?alcoholic extract of Cassia auriculata flower in male rats, Andrologia 51 (2), e13180.
  • Alaganandam Kumaran*, Cheng Chang Ho and Lucy Sun Hwang., “Protective effect of Nelumbo nucifera extracts on beta amyloid protein induced apoptosis in PC12 cells, in vitro model of Alzheimer’s disease”, Journal of Food and Drug Analysis (Elsevier publication), (2018) 26, 172-181.
  • Wen-Chien Lu, Wei-Ting Huang, Alaganandam Kumaran, Chi-Tang Ho and Lucy Sun Hwang “Transformation of proanthocyanidin A2 to its isomers under different physiological pH conditions and common cell culture medium” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (ACS Publications), (2011) 59, 6214-6220.
  • Cheng Chang Ho, Alaganandam Kumaran and Lucy Sun Hwang “Bio-assay Guided Isolation and Identification of Anti-Alzheimer Active Compounds from the Root of Angelica sinensis” Food Chemistry (Elsevier publication), (2009) 114, 246-252.
  • Kumaran and R. Joel Karunakaran “In vitro antioxidant activities of methanol extracts of five Phyllanthus species from India” Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und -Technologie/Food Science and Technology (Elsevier publication), (2007) 40, 344-352.
  • Kumaran* and R. Joel Karunakaran “Antioxidant activity of Cassia auriculata flowers’’ Fitoterapia (Elsevier publication), (2007) 78, 46-47.
  • Kumaran and R. Joel Karunakaran “Activity-guided isolation and identification of free radical-scavenging components from an aqueous extract of Coleus aromaticus” Food Chemistry (Elsevier publication), (2007) 100, 356-361.
  • Kumaran and R. Joel Karunakaran “Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenols from Phyllanthus debilis Klein ex Willd” Journal of Natural Remedies, (2006) 6, 141-146.
  • Kumaran and R. Joel Karunakaran “Antioxidant Activities of the Methanol Extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum” Pharmaceutical Biology (Taylor & Francis Ltd), (2006) 44, 146-151. A. Kumaran* and R. Joel Karunakaran “Nitric oxide radical scavenging active components from Phyllanthus emblica L.” Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Springer publication) (2006) 61, 1-5 (*corresponding author).
  • Kumaran* and R. Joel Karunakaran “Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of an aqueous extract of Coleus aromaticus” Food Chemistry (Elsevier publication), (2006) 97, 109-114 (*corresponding author).
  • K. Vasanth Kumar and A. Kumaran “Removal of methylene blue by mango seed kernel powder” Biochemical Engineering Journal (Elsevier publication), (2005) 27, 83-93.
Academic Qualification
  • Ph. D, (Natural Product Chemistry) 2003-2006, Madras University Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
    Thesis: “Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Isolation of Active Constituents from Selected Indian Plants”.
  • M. Phil, (Organic Chemistry) 1993-1994, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India.
    Dissertation: “1H-NMR Spectral study on 6,8-diaryl-5,9-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dithia-7-azocylclononane-1,1,4,4-tetroxides”.
  • M. Sc., (Chemistry), 1991-1993, Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu, India.
    Project: “Investigations on the reactions of aniline with Iron and Manganese sulphate”.
  • B. Sc., (Chemistry), 1988-1991, Madras University Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Group
Haripriya Mrs. Hari Priya V.M
Funding agency: ICMR
Fellowship details: Senior Research Fellow
Ph: 8848672168
Email: haripriyavm2012@gmail.com
Project Topic: Phytosome based targeted delivery and therapeutic evaluation of Phytopharmaceutical for the treatment of erectile dysfunction
Anand Mr. Anand Ganapathy A
Funding agency: ICMR-DHR
Fellowship details: Young Scientist
Ph: 9746615842
Email: anandganapathy018@gmail.com
Project Topic: An integrated target specific inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase, Phosphodiesterase-5 and Amyloid-beta aggregation for Alzheimer’s disease through phytotherapeutic approach
Muhammed Mr. Muhammed Jasim A
Funding agency: UGC
Fellowship details: Junior Research Fellow
Ph: 9633989791
Email: a.jasi006@gmail.com
Project Topic: Screening of selected Indian medicinal plants for their anti-diabetic potential and bioactivity guided isolation of active constituents
Aswathy Ms. Aswathy Krishna A
Funding agency: CSIR
Fellowship details: Junior Research Fellow
Ph: 7012957083
Email: aswathykrishnaa008@gmail.com
Project Topic: Bioactivity guided isolation of active anti-inflammatory agents from selected medicinal plants and development of phytopharmaceuticals for the pain management of rheumatoid arthritis
Abhirami Mr. Abhirami B. L.
Funding agency: UGC
Fellowship details: Junior Research Fellow
Ph: 9633607610
Email: abhiramibl159@gmail.com
Project Topic: Development of Phytopharmaceuticals for the Selected Therapeutic Targets of Type II Diabetes mellitus
Vimal Mr. Vimal S
Funding agency: KSDPL (Industry)
Designation: Senior Project Associate
Ph: 9895512787
Email: 88.vimal@gmail.com
Project Topic: Development of Knowledge Base on Pharmaceutical Formulations
Aparna Dr. Yagnambhatla Gangadhar Aparna
Funding agency: ICMR
Fellowship details: Research Associate
Ph: 8125635040
Email: bhargavasaaparna@gmail.com
Project Topic: Bioactive lead Identification of traditional medicinal plants Hiptage madablota and Acacia chundra for their target specific antidiabetic studies
Research Interest

Phytopharmaceutical development, New herbal formulations, Analytical method development, Screening of medicinal plants for various ailments, Bioactivity-guided isolation of phytomolecules, Pharmaceutical formulations and Novel Drug Delivery System (NDDS) development….