“The first stage of the competition is over and three winners have been declared. These three have now received an extension to further advance their projects before a final winner is chosen.”
Lovely Professional University scientist, Dr. Surendra Nayak, faculty member at LPU School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, has won global acclaim at the Spring Challenge-2016 of Bio-SolveIT, Germany. His anti-cancer drug design proposal has been pronounced among the world’s top 3 proposals from amidst 10,000 entries from across the world. The other top proposals are from prestigious institutions in Italy and Germany. Bio-Solve IT has offered a scientifically recognized ‘Drug Design’ software package, for one year, to further support Dr. Nayak’s research. LPU Chancellor Mr. Ashok Mittal congratulated Dr. Nayak and wished him success in this noble endeavour and all further research.
Bio-Solve IT’s CEO Carsten Detering has shared this information from Germany, “The first stage of the competition is over and three winners have been declared. These three have now received an extension to further advance their projects before a final winner is chosen.”
Dr. Nayak’s work in cancer research is on controlling the interaction between Protein p53 and enzyme MDM2. Explaining it in layman’s language Dr. Nayak said, “Anti-cancer medicines available in the present market have different mechanisms. These not only damage cancer cells but also destroy normal cells of the body during cancer treatment, thus causing several adverse effects. However, our body has sufficient natural protein ‘p53’ which is itself anti-cancer, or a cancer suppressor. This protein cleanses the body internally by removing all unwanted, defective cells from the body and killing cancer cells. An enzyme-protein MDM2 is also found inside the body, which is a negative regulator of the p53 protein. In cancer cells, good protein p53 becomes inactive due to its degradation by MDM2 enzymes, and its anticancer function is blocked. So, the purpose of my research formulation is to protect p53 protein from MDM2, to enhance the self-protecting capacity of the human-body. Thus, blocking the interaction between these two proteins, anti to each other, is my concept under current investigation in oncology drug research.” An elated Dr. Nayak further shared, “We are on the way to find some new drugs which can block the degradation of p53 selectively. These new drugs will not damage the human cell DNA and only increase the level of p53 in cancer cells. We are hopeful this new formulation to be the best treatment for a variety of cancers.”
LPU Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences has many research works to its credit. These include ‘Improved oral targeted drug delivery system’ which is published under US, European, Chinese, Japanese and Indian patents, while ‘Improved coal tar formulation for treatment of dandruff and other scalp diseases and its method of preparation thereof’ and ‘Sugar free Draksha Asava, a Hydro Alcoholic Formulation’ have been applied as Indian patents. One other faculty member of LPU, Dr. Sachin received Bharat Shiksha Ratan Award from the Global Society of Health and Educational Growth, and another, Dr. Navneet Khurana has been awarded with Jewel of India Award by the Indian Solidarity Council. Advanced animal studies are also underway, at LPU, for the welfare of the society.
