Dr. Monika 

Dr. Monika is a Medicinal chemist with an experience of over eight years of research. She graduated in Pharmacy from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, and M. Pharmacy from Jay Pee University of Information Technology, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. During her M. Pharmacy, she worked on “Synthesis of C-3 aromatic esters of pentacyclic triterpenoid lantadenes as NF-kB inhibitors”. Her accomplishments by getting a Gold Medal in Medicinal Chemistry in 2014 made her stand out from her peers. She is GPAT qualified and joined the University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University-Chandigarh, for her higher studies after receiving DST-INSPIRE Fellowship in 2015. In her Ph., she worked on “Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Lantadene Derivatives as Potential Anticancer Agents.” Her research work has been filed for an Indian patent against Application No.: 202111005035, and research outcomes have also been recognized in more than 25 peer-reviewed international publications and book chapters.

Dr. Monika has more than eight years of research and 1.5 years of teaching experience. Before joining UPES, Dr. Monika worked as a DST-INSPIRE Fellow at the University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University-Chandigarh, India.

The area of her research work includes isolation of secondary metabolites from the plants; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) inspired designing & synthesis of novel medicinal compounds; molecular docking; absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) predictions, Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) development, hit identification and biological evaluation against squamous cell carcinoma.

Dr. Monika used to assist every student daily, and she believes engaging herself in open communication with students helps identify what techniques work for students, where the material is challenging, and how she can modify her approach to best support their learning. Dr. Monika keeps open communication with students by showing that she is approachable and giving them many opportunities to be involved in open discussions in person. Being a medicinal chemist, she used to prefer problem-solving activities in the classroom. She constantly challenged them to refine their thoughts on various topics and encouraged them to generate their ideas, imagination, and self-confidence.

Dr. Monika has taught Medicinal Chemistry-1 (Theory & Practical), Medicinal Chemistry-II & III (Practical), Organic Chemistry-III (Theory), Organic Chemistry I & II (Practical), and Pathophysiology at B. Pharm level. She has also taught B.Sc & Int. M.Sc Clinical Research subjects viz. Ethics in Clinical Research, Fundamentals of Clinical Research and Pharmacovigilance.

• Bharat Shiksha Gaurav Puraskar for outstanding achievements and remarkable contribution in pharmaceutical education by KTK foundation at New Delhi on 14th May 2023.
• Second best poster presentation award at the ICONICA-2020, held in Panjab University, India.
• Second best poster oral presentation award at the CHASCON-2019, held in Panjab University, India.
• Best article of the issue. QSAR-based molecular signatures of lantadenes underlying anticancer potency against 549 cell lines. Acta Scientific Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2018,2(11), 41-54.
• Forth best poster presentation award at the IBRO APRC-2017, held in Panjab University- Chandigarh, India.
• DST-Inspire Fellowship (IF-150722) 2014, DST-Inspire Program, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India.
• The University gold medalist in M. Pharmacy (Medicinal Chemistry)-2014, at Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Dr. Monika has participated in and presented at several national & international conferences. Dr. Monika has published over 25 research articles and book chapters in Scopus/SCI-indexed journals.
Patent
Lantadene ethers of formula (i), the process for their preparation, and a pharmaceutical composition thereof. Indian Patent Application No. 202111005035, Filed on: 05/02/2021. Publications

• Monika, Zahid Ahmad Dhar, Varun Gorki, Sonia Sharma, Ashwani Koul, Shashi Bala, Ramandeep Kaur, Sukhbir Kaur, Manu Sharma, and Neelima Dhingra. Exploration of the anticancer potential of lantadenes from weed lantana camara: synthesis, in silico, in vitro and in vivo studies. Phytochemistry. 2022, 206(2): 113525-113548.
• Surabhi Mangal, Tamanna Dua, Monika, Neelima Dhingra, Sanjay Chhibber, Vasundhara Singh, and Kusum Harjai. Design, synthesis, and quorum quenching potential of novel catechol–zingerone conjugates to find an elixir to tackle Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the trojan horse strategy. Frontiers in chemistry. 2022, 23(10): 175-187.
• Parveen Kaur, Swati Sihag, Monika, Neelima Dhingra, Navneet Agnihotri, Ramandeep Kaur, and Vasundhara Singh. Synthesis and in vitro analysis of 1?deoxysphingolipid ceramide analogs via ugi reaction as potential anti?cancer agents. Chemistry Select.2022, 7(2): 62- 74.
• Gowsia Jan, Swati Bhat, Monika, Devinder Kumar Dhawan, Neelima Dhingra, and Vijayta Dani Chadha. Target specific uptake of a newly synthesized radiolabeled 5?- reductase inhibitor “Tc-99m-17-Oxo-17a-Aza-D-Homo-5-Androsten-3?-yl phenoxy acetate (Tc-99m-17a-Aza Steroid)” in rat prostatic neoplastic lesions. Indian Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2022, 37(2): 133-142.
• Neha Sylvia Walter, Varun Gorki, Monika, Neelima Dhingra, and Sukhbir Kaur. Sinigrinin combination with artesunate provides protection against lethal murine malaria via falciparum-3 inhibition and immune modulation. International Immunopharmacology. 2021, 101(1): 108320-108335.

chauhan.monika@ddn.upes.ac.in