Chinmaya Panda
Guwahati, Assam| Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships |
| Project Title: | Total chemical synthesis of biosurfactant surfactin-inspired amidine peptides for anti-amyloid and anti-microbial applications |
| Field of Study: | Chemistry |
| Home Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam |
| Host Institution: | Iowa State University , Ames, IA |
| Grant Start Month: | September 2025 |
| Duration of Grant: | Nine months |
Brief Bio:
Mr. Chinmaya Panda is a PhD candidate and a Prime Minister’s Research Fellow at the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam. His doctoral research focuses on using surfactants, surfactant-derived small peptides, and plant extracts as bioexcipients to reduce insulin aggregation. He utilizes various biophysical and biochemical techniques, alongside in silico simulations and in vitro cell culture assays, to assess the bioexcipient-mediated insulin aggregation inhibition.
Chinmaya holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from the National Institute of Technology Patna and a master’s degree in biological engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat. During his master’s, he was awarded a DAAD fellowship to investigate the impact of Alzheimer’s tau-PHF6 peptide aggregates on inflammasome and autophagy assembly at RWTH Aachen, Germany.
As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at Iowa State University, Chinmaya is exploring the use of natural lipopeptide-derived peptide moieties to reduce the physicochemical parameters-induced aggregation propensity of insulin. His research employs solid-phase peptide synthesis together with other characterization techniques, emphasizing the development of novel bioderived excipients to enhance the stability and effectiveness of insulin formulation, with the goal of benefiting the pharmaceutical industry and the millions of diabetes patients worldwide. Chinmay enjoys trekking and cycling along trails that delve into the dialectology, heritage, culture, and local cuisine of different regions.