Sandip Kaledhonkar | Drug Discovery and Development | Research Excellence Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sandip Kaledhonkar | Drug Discovery and Development | Research Excellence Award

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | India

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sandip Kaledhonkar is a distinguished scientist whose work spans biophysics, structural biology, cryo-electron microscopy, and molecular microbiology. He currently serves in the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, where he contributes to cutting-edge research, innovative teaching, and academic mentorship. Prior to his current role, he progressed through key academic and research appointments, including his tenure as Assistant Professor at IIT Bombay, a scientific role at the Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing in Mumbai, and an impactful post-doctoral fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. These experiences collectively shaped his expertise in structural dynamics, cryo-EM methodologies, and molecular interactions critical to understanding biological systems.Dr. Kaledhonkar earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Oklahoma State University, where he conducted foundational work on the Structural Dynamics of Photoactive Yellow Protein under the guidance of Dr. Aihua Xie. He further strengthened his academic foundation with an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Pune. His teaching portfolio reflects his multidisciplinary strengths, covering subjects such as Mathematics for Biologists, Experimental Techniques in Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology, cryo-Electron Microscopy, and core undergraduate biology.His research contributions have significantly advanced the field, with notable publications including titles such as In Silico Identification of Potential Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA Gyrase from Phytoconstituents of Indian Medicinal Plants, Cryo-EM Reconstruction of the phiK601 Jumbo Phage Head, VCP/p97, a Host AAA-ATPase Exhibits Bacteriolytic Activity for Clearance of Microbial Infection, Conformational Flexibility Associated with Remote Residues Regulate the Kinetic Properties of Glutamate Dehydrogenase, and Application of Bio-Layer Interferometry for the Analysis of Ribosome-Protein Interactions. Other influential works include Physiochemical Characterization of a Potential Klebsiella Phage MKP-1, Not All Photoactive Yellow Proteins Are Built Alike, and landmark cryo-EM studies such as Late Steps in Bacterial Translation Initiation Visualized Using Time-Resolved Cryo-EM and Key Intermediates in Ribosome Recycling Visualized by Time-Resolved Cryo-Electron Microscopy. His scholarly record also features important methodological contributions, including Single Particle Cryo-Electron Microscopy and A Fast and Effective Microfluidic Spraying-Plunging Method for High-Resolution Single-Particle Cryo-EM.Dr. Kaledhonkar’s excellence has been recognized through numerous honors, including prestigious microscopy, teaching, and research awards, as well as membership in India’s premier scientific academies. His work continues to influence modern bioscience research, inspiring new advancements in structural biology and biomedical innovation.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Feng, X., Fu, Z., Kaledhonkar, S., Jia, Y., Shah, B., Jin, A., Liu, Z., Sun, M., & Chen, B. (2017). A fast and effective microfluidic spraying‑plunging method for high‑resolution single‑particle cryo‑EM. Structure, 25(4), 663‑670.e3.

Chen, B., Kaledhonkar, S., Sun, M., Shen, B., Lu, Z., Barnard, D., & Lu, T. M. (2015). Structural dynamics of ribosome subunit association studied by mixing‑spraying time‑resolved cryogenic electron microscopy. Structure, 23(6), 1097‑1105.

Fu, Z., Indrisiunaite, G., Kaledhonkar, S., Shah, B., Sun, M., & Chen, B. (2019). The structural basis for release factor activation during translation termination revealed by time‑resolved cryogenic electron microscopy. Biophysical Journal, 116(3), 574a‑575a.

Fu, Z., Kaledhonkar, S., Borg, A., Sun, M., Chen, B., Grassucci, R. A., & Ehrenberg, M. (2016). Key intermediates in ribosome recycling visualized by time‑resolved cryoelectron microscopy. Structure, 24(12), 2092‑2101.

Horst, M. A., Stalcup, T. P., Kaledhonkar, S., Kumauchi, M., Hara, M., & Xie, A. (2009). Locked chromophore analogs reveal that photoactive yellow protein regulates biofilm formation in the deep‑sea bacterium Idiomarina loihiensis. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(47), 17443‑17451.

Kaledhonkar, S., Fu, Z., White, H., & Frank, J. (2018). Time‑resolved cryo‑electron microscopy using a microfluidic chip. In Protein Complex Assembly: Methods and Protocols (pp. 59‑71).

Kaledhonkar, S., Hara, M., Stalcup, T. P., Xie, A., & Hoff, W. D. (2013). Strong ionic hydrogen bonding causes a spectral isotope effect in photoactive yellow protein. Biophysical Journal, 105(11), 2577‑2585.

Xiangxuan Zhao | Drug Discovery and Development | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Xiangxuan Zhao | Drug Discovery and Development | Best Researcher Award

Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine | China

Prof. Xiangxuan Zhao is a distinguished cell biologist and an eminent academic leader renowned for his pioneering contributions to the field of natural medicine-derived anti-cancer therapeutics. Serving as Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, and Postdoctoral Mentor, he holds prestigious positions as the Dean of the College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and Director of the Laboratory Animal Center at the Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shenyang, China. With a career dedicated to advancing the frontiers of cancer biology and pharmaceutical innovation, Prof. Zhao has established himself as a leading authority in tumor drug resistance mechanisms, molecular target discovery, molecular targeted drug development, and tumor immunotherapy research.Prof. Zhao’s academic journey reflects a blend of scientific rigor and innovative leadership. Prior to his current roles, he contributed significantly as Deputy Director of the Engineering Technology Center for TCM Innovation at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and as a Researcher at the Health Science Research Institute of China Medical University. His earlier tenure as an Associate Researcher at Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, laid the groundwork for his expertise in translational medicine, fostering a seamless bridge between laboratory research and clinical applications.A prolific scholar, Prof. Zhao has authored and co-authored eighty-four academic papers, including thirty-one SCI-indexed publications with a cumulative impact factor of one hundred eighty-eight. Among these, five papers boast impact factors exceeding ten, with his highest-impact publication reaching an impressive twenty-seven point four. His scientific excellence is further reflected in the thirteen national patents he holds, with four as the first inventor, underscoring his role as a trailblazer in molecular oncology and therapeutic innovation.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Liu, Y., Guo, R., Xue, C., Zhang, X., Xiao, F., Zhao, X., Zhu, Z., & Li, K. (2025). Phytosphingosine suppresses gastric cancer through SFRP4/β-catenin axis-mediated Wnt signaling pathway inhibition. Chemico-Biological Interactions.

Ke, W., Wang, H., Zhao, X., & Lu, Z. (2021). Foeniculum vulgare seed extract exerts anti-cancer effects on hepatocellular carcinoma. Food & Function.

Sun, W., Ren, Y., Lu, Z., & Zhao, X. (2020). The potential roles of exosomes in pancreatic cancer initiation and metastasis. Molecular Cancer.

Ke, W., Zhao, X., & Lu, Z. (2020). Bcl-2 is essential for Foeniculum vulgare seed extract-induced apoptosis in lung cancer. Research Square.