PANAJI
Dr Vidya Desai, an academic researcher in the field of organic chemistry and currently a professor at Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College and Research Centre, Assagao, has recently earned a patent from the patent office, Government of India, for her work on Benzodiazepine compounds having anti-cancer activity and the process of preparing it.
Her work is a novel green process for the synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepines using a biocatalyst and has novel scaffolds of benzodiazepines, which has enhanced anti-cancer activity compatible with standard drug.
Promising drug synergistic studies have been performed and Dr Desai is currently engaged in work towards drug development.
She had graduated from Dhempe College of Arts, Science and Commerce in 1993 and completed her post-graduation at Goa University in 1995 before starting her teaching career the following year. She now heads the DM College's Department of Chemistry and teaches organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry and green chemistry.
After earning a doctorate in 2000 she proceeded for post-doctoral studies to Germany at Muenster Universitaet and Heidelberg Universitaet. Her thrust research areas include synthetic organic chemistry, green chemistry, medicinal chemistry and supramolecular chemistry and her research group focuses on devising green synthesis for bioactive compounds as well as designing enzyme inhibitors as drugs.
