Ph.D awarded to GITAM scholar for research on Dengue virus

The GITAM (Deemed-to-be University) has awarded Ph.D in Chemistry to Venkatanarayana Chowdary M for his thesis 'Design, Docking Inhibitors and Synthesis of Oxindole Derivatives as a New Inhibitors of Dengue Virus NS5 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase' submitted under the guidance of Dr Rambabu Gundla, Research Supervisor and Professor, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, GITAM, Hyderabad. Dengue virus infection causes an acute febrile disease in humans that can turn fatal.

The virus is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes and rapidly replicates in the human host.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 390 million dengue infections occur worldwide per year. In the thesis described the sequential development of Non-nucleoside Inhibitors (NNIs) of dengue virus.

Structure-based designing was carried out to generate the new congeneric series of antiviral compounds against dengue RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). In initial efforts, they have identified hit compound, which have been used for further hit optimization followed by lead optimization resulted lead compounds with increased biological active decreased cytotoxicity.

In this development, a total of 65 Thiazole linked Oxindole sulfonamide derivatives were synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and MS analysis. Finally achieved two lead none nucleoside inhibitors of dengue virus with no cytotoxic effect. All this work was filed an international patent.

Prof N Siva Prasad, Pro Vice-Chancellor, GITAM, Hyderabad, DVVSR Varma, Resident Director, Prof G A Rama Rao, Principal, School of Science, Dr Surendra

Babu, M S, HoD, Department of Chemistry and Heads of various engineering and basic science departments and faculty appreciated Venkatanarayana on his achievement.