Dr. Sonal Manohar

Areas of Specialization

Cancer Biology

Academic/Research Experience

Dr. Sonal has been working with Sunandan Divatia School of Science from March 2019 and has over 18 years of research experience, which includes over 8 years of industrial experience in anticancer drug discovery. She obtained her Ph.D. in Applied Biology from Piramal Life Sciences Ltd., Mumbai, India, where she delineated molecular pharmacology of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitory drugs in colorectal cancer cells. Further, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India wherein she extensively worked on flow cytometry-based assay development for single cell analysis of adherent cancer cell lines.

Areas of Research

Cancer Biology, Translational Cancer Research, Cell Signaling, Stem Cell Biology

Current academic and non-academic activities

• Teaching Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Immunology, Stem Cell Biology to U.G., P.G. and Ph.D. students of the Biomedical Science and Biological Sciences courses.
• Guiding research work of 2 Ph.D. students
• Member Secretary: SVKM’s Institutional Committee on Stem Cell Research (IC SCR)

Membership of Professional Societies

• Life member of Indian Association for Cancer Research (IACR)
• Life member of The Cytometry Society India (TCS)

Ongoing Research Projects

• To investigate the efficacy and mechanism of action of ONC201 (dual Akt-ERK inhibitor) in combination with standard chemotherapeutic agents in breast cancer cells. Funded by University Grants Commission (UGC), India (2023-2025).
• To investigate the efficacy and mechanism of action of in cervical carcinoma cell lines
• Investigating the efficacy of small molecules in various cancers

Publications

(h-index – 15, Citations – 650+)

Papers

Year 2020-24

• Manohar SM. Shedding Light on Intracellular Proteins using Flow Cytometry. Cell Biochemistry Biophysics 2024; 82(3):1693-1707. Impact factor: 2.6
• Oke A, Manohar SM*. Dynamic Roles of Signaling Pathways in Maintaining Pluripotency of Mouse and Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Cellular Reprogramming 2024; 26(2):46-56. Impact factor 1.6.
• Manohar SM. Botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological profile of the mangrove plant Kandelia candel (L.) Druce. Journal of Medical, Pharmaceutical and allied Sciences 2024; 13(5): 6763-6772.
• Kulkarnii CP, Manohar SM*. A review of botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the mangrove apple Sonneratia alba J. Sm. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 2024; 14(5), 1-11.
• Manohar SM*. At the crossroads of TNFalpha signaling and cancer. Current Molecular Pharmacology 2023; 17, e080923220828. Impact factor 2.7.
• Pathak SO, Manohar SM*. Molecular milieu of autophagy in cervical cancer and its therapeutic implications. Current Cancer Drug Targets 2023; 23 (11), 843-857.  Impact factor 3.
• Manohar SM*, Yadav UM, Kulkarnii CP, RC Patil. An Overview of the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of the Spurred Mangrove Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C. B. Rob. Journal of Natural Remedies 2023; 23(1), 57-72.
• Manohar SM*, Joshi KS. Molecular Pharmacology of Multitarget Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors in Human Colorectal Carcinoma Cells. Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets 2023; 27 (3), 251-261. Impact factor 5.8.
• Ramani S, Samant S, Manohar SM*. The story of EGFR: from signaling pathways to a potent anticancer target. Future Medicinal Chemistry 2022; 14(17), 1267-1288 Impact factor 4.767.
• Manohar SM*. Cyclin-dependent kinases as potential targets for colorectal cancer: past, present and future. Future Medicinal Chemistry 2022; 14(14), 1087-1105. Impact factor 4.767.
• Manohar SM*, Joshi KS. Promising anticancer activity of multitarget cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors against human colorectal carcinoma cells. Current Molecular Pharmacology 2022; 15(7): 1024-1033. Impact factor 3.855.
• Manohar SM*. A Review of the Botany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Mangrove Lumnitzera racemosa Wild. Pharmacognosy Reviews 2021;15(30):107-116.
• Nair A, Manohar SM*. A flow cytometric journey into cell cycle analysis. Bioanalysis 2021; 13(21):1627-1644. Impact factor 1.8.
• Manohar SM*, Shah P, Nair A (2021). Flow Cytometry: Principles, Applications and Recent Advances. Bioanalysis 2021; 13(3):181-198. Impact factor 1.8.

Year 2010-2019

• Manohar S, Shah P, Biswas S, Mukadam A, Joshi M, Viswanathan G. Combining fluorescent cell barcoding and flow cytometry-based phospho-ERK1/2 detection at short time-scales in adherent cells. Cytometry A 2019; 95(2): 192-200. Impact factor 4.714. (Editor’s pick as a featured article)
• Aware V, Gaikwad N, Chavan S, Manohar S, Bose J, Khanna S, et al. Cyclopentyl-pyrimidine based analogues as novel and potent IGF-1R inhibitor. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 92: 246-256. Impact factor 6.51.
• Godse P, Kumar P, Yewalkar N, Deore V, Lohar M, Mundada R, Padgaonkar A, Manohar S, Joshi A, et al. Discovery of P3971 an orally efficacious novel anticancer agent targeting HIF-1alpha and STAT-3 pathways. Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2013; 13: 1460. Impact factor 2.505.
• Rathos MJ, Khanwalkar H, Joshi K, Manohar SM, Joshi KS. Potentiation of in vitro and in vivo antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin by cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P276-00 in human non-small cell lung cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2013; 13:29. Impact factor 4.4.
• Manohar SM, Padgaonkar AA, Jalota-Badhwar A, Rao SV, Joshi KS. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, P276-00, inhibits HIF-1alpha and indues G2/M arrest under hypoxia in prostate cancer cells. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases 2012; 15:15. Impact factor 5.554.
• Shirsath NP, Manohar SM, Joshi KS. P276-00, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, modulates cell cycle and induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo in mantle cell lymphoma cell lines. Molecular Cancer 2012; 11:77. Impact factor 30.612.
• Rathos MJ, Joshi K, Khanwalkar H, Manohar SM, Joshi KS. Molecular evidence for increased antitumor activity of gemcitabine in combination with a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P276-00 in pancreatic cancers. Journal of Translational Medicine 2012; 10: 161. Impact factor 8.44.
• Patil RC, Manohar SM, Katchi VI, Rao AJ, Moghe A. Ethanolic stem extract of Excoecaria agallocha induces G1 arrest or apoptosis in human lung cancer cells depending on their p53 status. Taiwania: International Journal of Life Sciences, 2012; 57: 89. Impact factor 0.816.
• Manohar SM, Padgaonkar AA, Jalota-Badhwar A, et al. A novel inhibitor of HIF-1alpha P3155 also modulates PI3K pathway and inhibits growth of prostate cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2011; 11:238. Impact factor 4.4.
• Manohar SM, Rathos MJ, Sonawane V, Rao S, Joshi KS. Cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor P276-00 induces apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells by inhibition of Cdk9 and RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription. Leukemia Research 2011; 35: 821. Impact factor 3.715.
• Wagh V, Chile S, Manohar SM, Sharma S, Joshi KS. NPB001-056 specifically inhibits BcrAbl expressing cells by inducing apoptosis and inhibits kinase activity of Bcr-Abl and with T315I mutation. Frontiers in Biosciences June 2011; E3 1273. Impact factor 2.747.
• Yewalkar N, Deore V, Padgaonkar A, Manohar SM, Sahu B, Kumar P, et al. Development of novel inhibitors targeting HIF-1alpha towards anticancer drug discovery. Bio-organic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2010; 20: 6426. Impact factor 2.823.

Patents

• Substituted pyrimidine compounds and uses thereof. Publication number-WO 2013175415 A1. Publication date- November 28, 2013.
• A pharmaceutical combination for the treatment of breast cancer. Publication number - WO 2012069972 A1. Publication date- May 31, 2012.
• Oxadiazole compounds, their preparation and use. Publication number - WO2011104680 A1. Publication date - September 1, 2011.

Book

• Manohar S, Majithiya K, Guralwar P (2024). HIF-1 as potential drug target for solid tumors. Lambert Academic Publishing, London, UK.

Edited Book

• Manohar SM, Gupta PP (2024) (Eds.) Biological Network Analysis and Gene Ontology: a concise guide. Thanuj International Publishers, Tamil Nadu, India.

Book chapters

• Barad R, Manohar SM* (2024). Hematopoietic stem cells: Role, regulation and therapeutic potential. In: Aparna TN, Naik D, Gour P, Khade RG (Eds.) Research and Reviews in Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences (Vol. II) (pp. 70-90). Bhumi Publishing, Maharashtra, India.
• Shelar SS, Mistry VS, Patil SK, Manohar SM* (2024). Pharmaceutical prospects of the mangrove Heritiera fomes: a review. In: Shrivastava MP, Bangar MA, Chachad D, Kumar AR (Eds.) Research and Reviews in Plant Sciences (Vol. II) (pp. 65-76). Bhumi Publishing, Maharashtra, India.
• Rao S, Manohar SM* (2023). Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Unveiling the Regenerative Promise. In: RB Tripathi, G Bhavani, P Ponmanickam (Eds.) Advances in Pharmaceutical and Biosciences Research 2023 (pp. 136-149). Thanuj International Publishers, Tamil Nadu, India.
• Manohar SM* (2020). Insights into the Molecular Drivers of Prostate Cancer. In: HS Watanabe (Ed.) Horizons in Cancer Research (Vol. 76) (pp. 1-84). Nova Science Publishers, New York, USA (Invited book chapter).

* Corresponding author

Awards/Achievements

• DST-SERB International Travel Grant for participation and presentation at European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) congress 2024 held in Rotterdam, Netherlands on June 10-13, 2024.
• Best Poster Award at the 7th Nextgen Genomic, Biology, Bioinformatics and Technologies Conference 2019, Mumbai, India, Sept 30- Oct 2, 2019.
• Best Poster award at the 16th TNF Superfamily Meeting held in Biopolis, Singapore in April 2017.
• B. Kamat award for Best Paper on Post Doctoral Work at the IACR conference held in Amala Cancer Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala in February, 2017 for oral presentation
• Institute Post Doctoral Fellow, IIT Bombay, 2015-2018
• Senior Research Fellow, IIT Bombay, January 2015 to June 2015
• Special recognition award at Piramal Enterprises Ltd for significant contribution to the hepatotoxicity studies for lead molecules in February 2014.
• Special recognition award at Piramal Life Sciences Ltd for significant contribution to the project titled HIF-1alpha inhibitors in September 2009.
• Rambhau Kulkarni award for the best poster presentation by young scientist at the IACR conference, IISC, Bangalore in February, 2009 for poster presentation
• First Prize in Science Quiz held on the Annual Day of Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai in 2006.
• Departmental Scholarship at the Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai in the year 2005-2006.
• Ciba Academic Excellence Scholarship in the year 1999.

Official Email Id

Sonal.Manohar@nmims.edu

Official Phone No.

022-4235-5952