DR. BAJARANG KUMBHAR

Academic Background

B.Sc: Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 2005

MSc: Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 2007

Ph.D: Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 2013

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor: NMIMS Deemed to be University, July 2021 -Present
• Senior Research Associate, IIT Bombay, 2017 to 2019
• Postdoctoral Fellow: BSBE, IIT Bombay, 2014-2017

Research Interest

Our lab is working in the area of computational structural biology and experimental approach;

CAR-T design: Computational and experimental approach to design an optimized Chimeric Antigen Receptors against the B cell antigens for leukemia

Anti-cancer drug design: Structure based drug design machine learning followed by molecular dynamics simulation used to identify the potential anti-tubulin agents.

Microtubule Severases mechanism: Investing the mechanism of microtubule severing enzymes and their inhibitors

Recent Publications:

• Purva Khodke, Dhananjay Hasurkar, Aakanksha Upadhyay, Aditi Shedge, Rhea Sippy and Bajarang Vasant Kumbhar. (2025) B Cell Antigens: A Key to Optimizing CAR-T Cell Therapy. International Reviews of Immunology, 1-28 https://doi.org/10.1080 /08830185.2025.2515839 (IF:4.8) Q2
• Weronika Hanusiak, Purva Khodke, Jocelyn Mayen, Kennedy Van, Ira Sigar, Balbina J. Plotkin, Amber Kaminski, James Elste, Bajarang Kumbhar*, Vaibhav Tiwari. 3-O Sulfated Heparan Sulfate (G2) Peptide Ligand Impairs the Infectivity of Chlamydia muridarum. Biomolecules 2025, 15, 999. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15070999 (IF: 4.8) Q1
• Vibhuti Saxena, Pruthanka Patil, Purva Khodke, and Bajarang Vasant Kumbhar, 2024, Exploring purine analogues as inhibitors against Katanin, a microtubule severing enzyme using molecular modeling approach. Scientific Report, 14, 32095. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83723-7 (IF:3.9) Q1
• Prem Prakash, Purva Khodke, Muthukumar Balasubramaniam, Benem-Orom Davids, Thomas Hollis, Jamaine Davis, Jui Pandhare, Bajarang Kumbhar and Chandravanu Dash. 2024, Three Prime Repair Exonuclease 1 preferentially degrades the integration-incompetent HIV-1 DNA through favorable kinetics, thermodynamic, structural, and conformational properties. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (7), 107438 https://doi.org/ 10.1016/ j.jbc.2024 . 107438
• Vrinda Salvi, Purva Khodke, Pruthanka Patil, and Bajarang Vasant Kumbhar*, 2024 Identification of a Potential Anti-Viral Drug Targeting allosteric site of Papain-like Protease against Rubella using a molecular modeling approach. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 1-17 https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102. 2024. 2443132. Q2

Teaching

• Bioinformatics
• Biological Data Analysis (NGS)
• R programming in Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Biochemistry

Awards/Honor

• UGC SAP Meritorious Fellow award, Shivaji University Kolhapur 2009-2013