ABOUT Dr. SANTRA
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Discipline/Specialization:
• Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry.
• Nanomedicine, Nanosensor.
• Cancer Therapy, Infectious Diseases.
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Dr. Santra was born in east Midnapur, West Bengal, India, in a small family with mixed culture
of chemical and agricultural sciences. He completed his undergraduate (BS) studies from
Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, University of Calcutta, India. He
received his Master of Science (MS) degree in Organic Chemistry from Banaras Hindu
University (BHU), Varanasi, India, with distinction. After qualifying all-India-based GATE and
NET-CSIR exams, he got selected in the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), the
best technology institute in India, for pursuing doctoral degree. At IIT-B, he joined Professor
Anil Kumar’s organic synthesis and synthetic polymer chemistry laboratory in the department of
chemistry. His doctoral research was focused on the multistep synthesis of amino acid-based,
biologically important small molecules and biodegradable dendritic (hyperbranched and
dendrimer) polymers for drug delivery. After defending his Ph. D. thesis in 2006, Dr. Santra
immediately joined Dr. J. M. Perez’s lab at the Nanoscience Technology Center,
University of Central Florida (UCF) as a postdoctoral research associate. He was promoted to
the rank of Research Assistant Professor in 2010. Formulation of various metallic and polymeric
nanomedicines for cancer treatment and nanosensors for the timely detection of infectious
diseases were the important goals of his research. During this time, he has mentored a group of
MS and Ph.D. students working in the lab. In April, 2013, Dr. Santra joined the Pittsburg State
University, Pittsburg, Kansas as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Currently, his research
group is working on the inhibitor-based nanomedicines for cancer therapy and activatable
nanoprobes for infectious diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.
Academic Profile
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Education
2000 - 2006 Ph. D. in synthetic polymer chemistry and organic chemistry. Department of Chemistry,
Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-Bombay), Mumbai, India. Advisor: Prof. Anil Kumar.
1998 - 2000 M. Sc. in Organic Chemistry. Department of Chemistry (2nd topper), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India. 1995- 1998 B. Sc. in Chemistry. Ramakrishna Mission College-Narendrapur. University of Calcutta, India. -
Employment Profile
2018 - Present Associate Professor. Department of chemistry, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas, USA.
2013 - 2017 Assistant Professor. Department of chemistry, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas, USA.
2015 Visiting Assistant Professor. Department of chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA.
2010 - 2012 Research Assistant Professor. Nanoscience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.
2007 - 2009 Postdoctoral Research Associate. NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA -
Teaching
- CHEM 215: General Chemistry I
- CHEM 216: General Chemistry I Laboratory
- CHEM 225: General Chemistry II
- CHEM 226: General Chemistry II Laboratory
- CHEM 360: Introduction to Polymer Science and Technology
- CHEM 325: Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 326: Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
- CHEM 625: Polymer Synthesis and Characterizations
- CHEM 626: Polymer synthesis laboratory
- CHEM 687: Polymers in Nanotechnology
- CHEM 720: Advanced Polymers
- CHEM 850: Inorganic and Architecturally Unusual Polymers
- CHEM 887: Advanced Biopolymers and Nanotechnology
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Collaborators
Missouri State University
National Institute of Health
Michigan State University
University of Kansas Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
IIT-Bombay, India
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Kansas University Medical Center
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of science and technology
Missouri State University
Oklahoma State University
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Services
- Member of Council for Research And Creative Endeavors (CRaCE)
- Chair of Chemistry Curriculum Committee
- Graduate Advisor of Polymer Chemistry Program
- Member of Polymer Chemistry Curriculum committee
- Member of the College of Arts and Science (CAS) "Honors Committee"
- Member of the CAS Faculty Excellence Awards Selection Committee
- Member of Graduate Council
- Member of student health fee committee
- Member of in-house symposium and summer school organizing committee for student recruitment.
- Member of the 2013-2014 session of "Leadership PSU".
- Member of Masters thesis committee.
- Member of University "Host Family" and "Moving Crew".
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