Dr. Sanjay Awathale | Neuroinflammation | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Sanjay Awathale |SVKM NMIMS Global University | India

Dr. Sanjay Awathale is a distinguished pharmacology researcher with an academic foundation spanning Diploma, Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. degrees in Pharmacy, complemented by a postdoctoral fellowship in the USA. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, where his work focused on the neurobiology of reward memory and associative learning. Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at SVKM NMIMS Global University, Dhule, he has contributed extensively to neuroscience and pharmacology through his research on addiction, neuroplasticity, mood disorders, and behavioral pharmacology. His scholarly output includes multiple high-impact publications, book chapters, and patents, such as the design of an anger chamber for behavioral studies. Dr. Sanjay Awathale has been the recipient of prestigious fellowships from AICTE, SERB, ICMR, and RFMH, reflecting his academic excellence. He has also presented his work at numerous national and international conferences, establishing himself as an emerging leader in neuropharmacology.

Publication Profile

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Educational Qualifications

Dr. Sanjay Awathale has pursued an extensive academic journey in pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in pharmacology. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra, under the mentorship of Professor Dadasaheb M. Kokare. His doctoral research, titled “Localization of reward memory engrams using positive and negative reinforcement protocols,” was successfully submitted, defended, and awarded. Prior to this, he completed his M. Pharm. in Pharmacology at the same university, supported by an AICTE fellowship, under the guidance of Dr. Dadasaheb M. Kokare. He holds a B. Pharm. degree from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Wardha, with distinction, and a Diploma in Pharmacy from Agnihotri Institute of Pharmaceutical Education, where he excelled academically. Additionally, he qualified the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test and is a registered pharmacist with the Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council.

Research Experience

Dr. Sanjay Awathale has gained rich and diverse research experience in pharmacology and neuroscience through several prestigious fellowships and projects. As a Principal Investigator, he is currently leading a Start-Up Grant from the Department of Health Research, ICMR-DHR, Government of India. He previously worked as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, where he explored the role of the Cannabinoid receptor GPR55 in alcohol addiction using advanced techniques such as GTPγ binding assays, fibre photometry, and confocal microscopy. During his tenure as Senior Research Fellow at ICMR, he investigated neural pathways and neurotransmitter systems underlying reward-related memory. His Ph.D. research at RTM Nagpur University focused on associative reward learning and neuroplasticity, employing operant conditioning and advanced molecular techniques. Earlier, as a JRF and SRF with SERB, he studied the CART peptide’s role in reinforcement, and as a postgraduate fellow, he examined its impact on energy balance and reproductive behavior.

Teaching and Mentorship

Dr. Sanjay Awathale has made significant contributions to teaching and mentorship alongside his active research career. He has been serving as an Assistant Professor at the School of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM NMIMS Global University, Dhule, India, where he is engaged in training and guiding future pharmacists and researchers. During his post-doctoral fellowship at the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in New York, he mentored a research volunteer, providing hands-on guidance in advanced neuroscientific techniques. Earlier, at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, RTM Nagpur University, he played a pivotal role in mentoring twelve postgraduate students and nine doctoral scholars, assisting them in their thesis research work. He also taught pharmacology to undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students, combining theoretical instruction with practical laboratory training. His role as both educator and mentor reflects his commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists and healthcare professionals.

Research Focus

Dr. Sanjay Awathale research primarily focuses on neuropharmacology and behavioral neuroscience, with a special emphasis on the neural mechanisms underlying reward, motivation, and emotion. His work investigates how neuropeptides, neurotransmitter systems, and specific brain regions, including the lateral hypothalamus, medial forebrain bundle, superior colliculus, and nucleus accumbens, regulate reward-seeking behavior, fear extinction, and anger-like responses. He also explores the neurobiological basis of psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and addiction, using both pharmacological and neuromodulation approaches, including deep brain stimulation. Additionally, his research encompasses the therapeutic potential of natural compounds and neuroactive herbal agents in cognitive dysfunction and mood disorders. Dr. Awathale employs a wide range of experimental techniques, including operant conditioning, intracranial self-stimulation, neurochemical assays, immunohistochemistry, and molecular analyses, to dissect complex neural circuits. His work bridges fundamental neuroscience with translational applications in neuropsychiatric therapeutics.

Publication Top Notes

LSD1-BDNF activity in lateral hypothalamus-medial forebrain bundle area is essential for reward seeking behavior
Years: 2021
Citations: 22

Neuropeptide CART modulates dopamine turnover in the nucleus accumbens: Insights into the anatomy of rewarding circuits
Years: 2021
Citations: 13

Denial of food to the hungry rat: a novel paradigm for induction and evaluation of anger-like emotion
Years: 2020
Citations: 12

Neuroplastic changes in the superior colliculus and hippocampus in self-rewarding paradigm: importance of visual cues
Years: 2022
Citations: 10

Neuropeptide S facilitates extinction of fear via modulation of mesolimbic dopaminergic circuitry
Years: 2022
Citations: 8

Neuroactive herbal agents for cognitive dysfunction
Years: 2021
Citations: 7

Lycopene alleviates BCG-induced depressive phenotypes in mice by disrupting 5-HT3 receptor–IDO1 interplay in the brain
Years: 2024
Citations: 6

Pharmaceutical waste: a health risk for humans
Years: 2023
Citations: 5

Conclusion

Dr. Sanjay Awathale is highly suitable for the Research for Best Researcher Award. His strong publication record, patents, international exposure, and leadership in neuropharmacology research position him as a deserving candidate. With continued global collaboration and greater outreach, his contributions can achieve even broader recognition in the scientific community.