Apurva Patel, PhD
Education
I was born and raised in Surat, India. I completed my Master’s and Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University. During my Ph.D. dissertation, I identified and isolated a herbal drug from the medicinal herb Tribulus terrestris called 'Nautigenin.' This compound demonstrated potent anti-cancer properties against breast cancer cells. Our research revealed that the mode of action of Nautigenin on breast cancer cells involves triggering intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Notably, we found that the docking efficiency of Nautigenin was significantly higher than the standard drug doxorubicin.
Bio
I am enthusiastic about contributing to research that illuminates therapeutic avenues for life-threatening diseases. In Dr. Mangalam's Laboratory, I currently serve as a Postdoctoral Research Scholar, focusing on a project aimed at determining the pro and anti-inflammatory activity of progesterone. Additionally, we are investigating its ability to modulate the anti-inflammatory activity of estrogen. This research project aims to answer the question of whether progesterone induces a pro-inflammatory response, potentially predisposing individuals to neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis.