Papireddy Kancharla is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, and the recipient of the 2024 Research Faculty Award.
Dr. Kancharla received his PhD in Chemistry from Acharya Nagarjuna University, India, in 2010, focusing on isolation and synthesis of various natural products of therapeutic importance. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Prof. Kevin Reynolds laboratory at PSU, he investigated biosynthetic pathways of various intricate natural products that were isolated from soil and marine bacteria, and subsequently developed them as novel antimalarial drug leads with a collaboration of Dr. Jane Kelly at PSU. He developed several highly efficient, robust, and cost- effective synthetic strategies for the generation of various novel antimalarial chemotypes.
In 2019, Dr. Kancharla began his career as a Research Assistant Professor with a primary goal of facilitating translation of recent advances in basic science to novel therapeutics. He successfully established collaborations with various world-renowned researchers in the US and abroad. He has been a successful Principal Investigator/Co-Investigator on many interdisciplinary research projects funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other funding agencies, has published more than 30 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact scientific journals, and serves as ad hoc reviewer for many scientific journals and NIH Study Sections.
Dr. Kancharla’s current research focuses on discovery and development of new, safe, and affordable medicines for the prevention and treatment of various human diseases (primarily malaria, leishmania and bacterial) from synthetic and natural sources.
Theresa McCormick, Chair of the Department of Chemistry, says: "Dr. Kancharla's career at PSU has been marked by a relentless dedication to advancing the field of medicinal chemistry, particularly in the context of developing new, safe, effective, and affordable medicines for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, with a primary focus on malaria, a leading global health challenge. ... Despite his role primarily focusing on research, Dr. Kancharla has been instrumental in mentoring individual students, fostering a culture of academic growth, and actively participating in institutional equipment grants and scholarship review committees. His unwavering dedication to the academic community at PSU is a testament to his commitment to the institution's mission and values."