Sonali Kurup, PhD

Sonali Kurup, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Science
Phone: (231) 591-3158
Email: [email protected]

Education

• PhD, Duquesne University, Medicinal Chemistry
• Postdoctoral training, University of Michigan, Fragment based screening
• BPharm, Mumbai University, Pharmacy

Graduate/Post-Graduate Training

• Postdoctoral training, Research Fellow, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Biography

A pharmacist is the chemical expert of the healthcare team. My background in medicinal chemistry allows me to prepare students to meet this role and relate the chemical properties of drugs to therapeutic decision-making. My teaching style involves lectures and activities incorporating three-dimensional visualization, case-based scenarios, and problem sets. Beyond classroom teaching, I believe student engagement in research helps cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. My research focuses on developing novel dual-targeted molecules as anticancer agents. This involves structure-based drug design, multi-step synthesis for target compounds, and evaluation of their anticancer effects. Students can enroll in a research project in my lab as part of an elective, as research volunteers, or as research assistants.

Publications and Intellectual Contributions

• Conference Proceeding
  Rogers, B., Rohde, N., Mikitaroff, J., Matson, J., Satawa, S., Amissah, F., Kurup, S. (2023). "4-Amino-N-phenylbenzamides as dual-targeted mEGFR and AURK inhibitors and anticancer agents." Cancer Research. 83 (7_Suppl). p. 5339. Philadelphia (PA): In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR.
• Conference Proceeding
  Gesinski, D., Kurup, S. (2023). "Design, synthesis and evaluation of dual-targeted mEGFR and AURK inhibitors as anticancer agents." Cancer Res. 83 In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023; 83(7_Suppl):Abstract 5337.
• Journal Article
  Sakharkar, P., Kurup, S. (2023). "Comparing Efficacy of Erlotinib and Bevacizumab Combination with Erlotinib Monotherapy in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Diseases. 11 (4). p. 146.
• Journal Article
  Cochran, C., Martin, K., Rafferty, D., Choi, J., Leontyev, A., Shetty, A., Kurup, S., Puthanveetil, P. (2023). "Untargeted Metabolomics Based Prediction of Therapeutic Potential for Apigenin and Chrysin." International journal of molecular sciences. 24 (4).
• Conference Proceeding
  Kurup, S., Ding, Q., Amissah, F., Assaad, K., Chandrasekhara, S. (2020). "A meta-analysis comparing therapeutic outcomes for anti-EGFR monotherapy to targeted therapy combinations for non-small cell lung cancer." Journal of Clinical Oncology. 38 (suppl; abstr e21570). J Clin Oncol 38: 2020 (suppl; abstr e21570)
• Journal Article
  Kurup, S., Namasivayam, V. (2020). "Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors(NNRTIs): A brief overview of clinically approved drugs and combination regimens," Current Opinion in Pharmacology. 54 pp. 179-187.
• Journal Article
  Kurup, S., Sakharkar, P. (2019). "Three-Dimensional Visualization of Kinase Inhibitors as Therapeutically Relevant Examples To Reinforce Types of Enzyme Inhibitors," Journal of Chemical Education. American Chemical Society.
• Journal Article
  Namasivayam, V., Vanangamudi, M., Kramer, V. G., Kurup, S., Zhan, P., Liu, X., Kongsted, J., Byrareddy, S. N. (2018). "The journey of HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) from lab to clinic." Journal of medicinal chemistry. 62 (10). pp. 4851-4883. American Chemical Society.
• Journal Article
  Kurup, S., McAllister, B., Liskova, P., Mistry, T., Fanizza, A., Stanford, D., Slawska, J., Keller, U., Hoellein, A. (2018). "Design, synthesis and biological activity of N⁴-phenylsubstituted-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amines as dual inhibitors of aurora kinase A and epidermal growth factor receptor kinase." Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry. 33 (1). pp. 74-84.
• Journal Article
  Kurup, S., Jungsuwadee, P., Sakharkar, P. (2017). "A Team-based Assignment to Integrate Basic Science and Pharmacotherapeutic Principles for Anticancer Agents." American journal of pharmaceutical education. 81 (5). p. 93.

Presentations

• Oral Presentation
  Kurup, S. (Presenter), Research and practice roundtable, College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, "Kurup, S. Dual-targeted mEGFR/AURK inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer," College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, (September 14, 2023).
• Oral Presentation
  Kurup, S. (Presenter), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar Series, Feik School of Pharmacy, University of the Incarnate Word, "Kurup, S. Dual-targeted mEGFR/AURK inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer," University of the Incarnate Word, Virtual, (September 8, 2023).
• Poster
  Gesinski, D. (Author & Presenter), Kurup, S. (Author), West Michigan Regional Undergraduate Science Symposium, Van Andel Research Institute, "Gesinski, D.; Kurup, S. Design, synthesis and evaluation of N-[4-(phenylmethoxy)phenyl]-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amines as mEGFR and AURKB inhibitors," Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, (November 2022).
• Poster
  Rogers, B. (Author & Presenter), Rohde, N. (Author), Mikitaroff, J. (Author), Kurup, S. (Author), West Michigan Regional Undergraduate Science Symposium, Van Andel Research Institute, "Rogers, B.; Rohde, N.; Mikitaroff, J.; Kurup, S. 4-Amino-N-substitutedphenylbenzamides as dual-targeted mEGFR and AURKB inhibitors," Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, (November 2022).
• Oral Presentation
  Gesinski, D. (Author & Presenter), Kurup, S. (Author), HatchEd Innovations Conference, "Gesinski, D. (Presenter), Kurup, S. (Mentor). Microwave chemistry for anticancer drug synthesis," Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan, (February 2022).
• Oral Presentation
  Rohde, N. (Author & Presenter), Mikitaroff, J. (Author & Presenter), Kurup, S. (Author), HatchEd Innovations Conference, "Rohde, N. (Presenter); Mikitaroff, J. (Presenter); Kurup, S. (Mentor). Design and synthesis of novel dual EGFR and AURKB inhibitors," Ferris State University, (February 2022).
• Oral Presentation
  Kurup, S. (Author & Presenter), Great Lakes Regional Meeting, American Chemical Society, "Kurup, S. Dual-targeted EGFR/AURK inhibitors for multi-resistant lung cancer," (June 2021).
• Poster
  Kurup, S. (Author & Presenter), National Meeting, American Chemical Society, "Kurup, S. Teaching drug discovery in the context of COVID-19," American Chemical Society, (April 2021).
• Poster
  Kurup, S. (Author & Presenter), DeJong, K. (Author), Assaad, K. (Author), Matson, J. (Author), Amissah, F. (Author), National Meeting, American Chemical Society, "Kurup, S.; DeJong, K.; Assaad, K.; Matson, J.; Amissah, A. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of dual AURK and EGFR inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer," American Chemical Society, (April 2021).
• Oral Presentation
  Kurup, S. (Author & Presenter), HatchEd Innovations Conference, "Kurup, S. Optimization of dual-targeted EGFR/AURK inhibitors as cell permeable anticancer agents," Ferris State University, (March 2021).