Neuroinflammation and Autophagy in Neurodegeneration

Dr. Pukar Khanal, a research fellow at the School of Medicine, Emory University, GA, United States completed his bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Science and master’s degree in Pharmacology from KLE University, Belagavi, India, and obtained his Ph.D. from KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, India. He has been involved in research on neurological, cancer, and endocrine disorders, focusing on identifying potential drug-like small molecules using both computational and experimental approaches, including drug repurposing. He is also interested in utilizing Danio rerio as an alternative animal model and has proposed its use for studying olanzapine-induced weight gain. His current research interests include understanding deregulated metabolic processes in neurodegeneration, particularly glucose and lipid homeostasis in the brain. Dr. Khanal has published research in journals of international repute, serves on the editorial boards of journals such as CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets, Frontiers in Pharmacology, and Pharmacological Research-Reports, and has been honored with Gold Medals twice by the KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research for his academic achievements.

Dr. B. M. Patil, a life member of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Indian Pharmacological Society (IPS), and the Association of Pharmacy Teachers of India (APTI), is currently serving as Senior Professor & Director at Pravara Rural College of Pharmacy, Loni, Maharashtra. With over 35 years of experience in academia and research, Dr. Patil has held various key positions, including Professor, Principal, and Dean at KLE College of Pharmacy, Belagavi and Hubballi, India. Dr. Patil has made significant contributions to pharmacological research, particularly in rodent models of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, endothelial dysfunction, and Alzheimer's disease. His research also emphasizes network pharmacology and drug development. He has been instrumental in guiding 8 Ph.D. candidates and 92 M. Pharm dissertations. His expertise has led to securing major research grants, including AICTE-funded projects and collaborations with the Himalaya Drug Company. His research projects have been funded by organizations such as AICTE and industry partners, focusing on areas like marker-assisted selection for metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Patil's contributions to the field have been recognized through several prestigious awards, including the Best Teacher Award, the Prof. M. L. Khorana Memorial Award, and a Certificate of Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing from Elsevier. In addition to his research, Dr. Patil has actively served on numerous academic committees, including Ph.D. selection and registration committees at institutions such as Sanjay Ghodawat University and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. He has also been a board member for pharmacy education at several universities. 

Dr. Rupesh V. Chikhale is an affiliated scientist with the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre at the University of Cambridge, UK with postdoctoral training from the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Life Sciences, University College London, Dr. Chikhale specializes in structural biology and drug discovery. His research utilizes crystallographic and computational methods to investigate molecular interactions critical to therapeutic development, aiming to identify potential drug candidates in areas where structural data is often limited or challenging to acquire. He has contributed extensively to the field through publications in prominent international journals and collaborative projects in drug discovery. Dr. Chikhale brings expertise in advanced structural biology techniques and data analysis, helping to bridge chemistry and biology innovatively.