DR. SONAL MANOHAR

Academic Background

BSc: Life Sciences, St. Xaviers College, University of Mumbai, 2004

MSc: Life Sciences (Biotechnology), University of Mumbai, 2006

PhD: Applied Biology, University of Mumbai, 2015

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor, NMIMS Deemed to be University, 2019- till date
• Postdoctoral Fellow, IIT Bombay, 2015-2018
• Research Associate, Pharmacology (NCE unit), Nicholas Piramal India Ltd., 2006-2014

Research Interest

Our group works in the area of translational cancer research and basic biology of stem cells.

• Efficacy and molecular pharmacology of targeted drugs against various cancers
• Understanding context-specificity of cell signalling pathways in cancer
• Delineating role of cell signalling pathways in regulation of autophagy in cancer cells and pluripotent stem cells

Recent Publications:

• Pathak SO, Manohar SM. 2025. ONC201 (dordaviprone) induces integrated stress response and death in cervical cancer cells. Biomolecules, 15, 463. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15040463. (IF:4.8) Q1.
• Manohar SM, Joshi KS. 2023. Molecular pharmacology of multitarget cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors in human colorectal carcinoma cells. Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets 27, 251-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/14728222.2023.2199924. (IF: 6.7) Q1.
• Manohar SM, Joshi KS. 2022. Promising anticancer activity of multitarget cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors against human colorectal carcinoma cells. Current Molecular Pharmacology 15, 1024-1033. https://doi.org/ 2174/1874467215666220124125809. (IF 3.85) Q2.
• Manohar S, Shah P, Biswas S, Mukadam A, Joshi M, Viswanathan G. 2019. Combining fluorescent cell barcoding and flow cytometry-based phospho-ERK1/2 detection at short time-scales in adherent cells. Cytometry Part A 2019; 95(2), 192-200. (IF 4.7) Q1. (Editors pick as featured article).

Teaching

• Cancer Biology
• Stem Cell Biology
• Immunology
• Cell Biology
• Clinical Research

Awards/Honor

• International travel grant (DST-SERB), 2024 for poster presentation at EACR 2024, Netherlands.
• Best Poster and Oral presentation awards at several International scientific conferences.
• Special recognition awards for significant contribution in anticancer drug discovery projects.