Arun Ghosh

My research group is involved in multidisciplinary research projects in the areas of synthetic organic, bioorganic and medicinal chemistry. Of particular interest, we are investigating:

Synthesis and biological studies of Bioactive Natural Products
Design and synthesis of Molecular Probes for Bioactive Peptides and Proteins
Structure-based Design of Enzyme Inhibitors for Alzheimer's Disease and AIDS
Development of Asymmetric methodologies (Catalytic and Stoichiometric)
Multicomponent Reactions (MCR) for Highly Functionalized Products

The total synthesis and exploration biology of various medicinally important natural products are important parts of my group's research. These interests include the development of new synthetic methodologies, general strategies for synthesis and the study of important structure-function relationships. In this context, we are investigating the chemistry and biology of anticancer agents laulimalide, amphidinolides, peloruside A and opioid receptor antagonist salvinorin D.

Another important research area in my group is the design and synthesis of molecular probes and nonpeptidal turn-mimics for biologically active peptides and proteins. We are currently studying critical ligand-binding site interactions of various proteolytic enzymes. This includes, memapsin 2, a very significant target for Alzheimer's disease as well as, HIV protease whose clinical effectiveness for the treatment of AIDS has been well recognized. Furthermore, we are involved in the development of asymmetric reactions based upon various intermolecular or intramolecular metal chelations. Of particular interest, we are investigating a variety of asymmetric syntheses including syn - and anti- selective aldol, hetero Diels-Alder, conjugate addition and multicomponent (MCR) reactions.

Education

• BSc (Honors), Calcutta University, 1979
• MSc, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 1981
• Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1985
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University, 1988

Awards

• Elected Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, 2024
• Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Chemistry, 2022
• Professor S. Chandrasekaran Endowment Award Lecture, Mohali, India, July 2022, 29th CRSII-NSC Conference IISER, Mohali, Chandigarh, 2022
• U. R. Ghatak Endowment Award Lecture, Indian Institution of Cultivation of Science, Calcutta, India, 2018
• John R. Topliss Award Lecture, University of Michigan, Chemistry department, 2017
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015
• Herbert Newby McCoy Award Recipient, Purdue Research excellence Award, 2015
• The American Chemical Society Medicinal Chemistry Division Hall of Fame, 2013
• The Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI medal), IIT Bombay, India, 2012
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) MERIT Award, 2011
• Novartis Chemistry Lectureship Award (2010-2011), 2011
• IUPAC-Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry, Brussel, Belgium, 2010
• American Chemical Society’s Arthur C. Cope Senior Scholar Award, 2010
• Jeananne D. and James B. Chaney Research and Scholarship Achievement Award, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, 2010
• Thomson Reuters Award in Medicinal Chemistry, 2010
• Mathias P. Mertes Memorial Award, University of Kansas, 2009
• Ian P. Rothwell Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry; Department Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, 2009
• Distinguished Alumnus Award, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, 2009
• The American Chemical Society Robert Scarborough Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry Award, 2008
• The Seed for Success Award, Purdue University, 2006
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2005
• Scientific Advisory Board, Channel Island Alzheimer’s Research Institute, 2005
• Distinguished Faculty Award, University of Illinois, Illinois, 2005
• University Scholar, University of Illinois, Chicago (1998-2001), 1998
• Sigma Xi Scientific Society, Pittsburgh, Research Excellence Award, 1985
• National Scholar, Ministry of Education, Government of India (1979-1981)
• K.S Memorial, Excellence in Chemistry, University of Calcutta, 1979
• National Merit Scholar, University of Calcutta, Government of India (1975 - 1979)

Publications

List of publications