Mahesh Lakshman

Professor

Main Affiliation

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Areas of Expertise/Research

  • Chemical Methodologies
  • Metal Catalysis
  • Nucleoside Chemistry
  • Organic Synthesis

Building

Marshak Science Building

Office

1235

Phone

212-650-7835

Fax

212-650-6107

Email

mlakshman@ccny.cuny.edu

Website

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=_uRkde4AAAAJ

MKL

Mahesh Lakshman

Profile

Prof. Lakshman obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma and did postdoctoral work as a Fogarty Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK).  He then took up an industrial position as Senior Scientist before returning to academia 1998.  Prof. Lakshman started his academic career at the University of North Dakota before joining CCNY. From 2008-2011, Prof. Lakshman was the Executive Officer for the CUNY Ph.D. program in Chemistry and from 2013-2017 he served as one of two Vice Chairs for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.

Education

B.Sc. University of Bombay
M.Sc. University of Bombay
MS University of Oklahoma
Ph.D. University of Oklahoma
Postdoctoral Research at the National Institutes of Health

Courses Taught

Chemistry 261 (Undergraduate, Organic Chemistry 1, lecture)
Chemistry 262 (Undergraduate, Organic Chemistry 1, laboratory)
Chemistry 210 (Undergraduate, Applied Chemistry for Biomedical Engineers, lecture, partial)
Chemistry B5000 (Masters, Organic Mechanisms, lecture)
Chemistry B5100 (Masters, Organic Synthesis, lecture)
Chemistry B5200 (Masters, Spectroscopy and Structural Proof in Organic Chemistry, lecture)
Chemistry Chem75000 (Ph.D., Advanced Organic Chemistry I, lecture)
Chemistry Chem75100 (Ph.D., Advanced Organic Chemistry II, lecture)
Chemistry Chem80511 (Ph.D., Organic Seminar)

Research Interests

Prof. Lakshman's research is in organic chemical synthesis pertaining to questions of biological interest. The program has many facets but can be broadly divided into the following areas.
 

A. Nucleoside Modifications. Nucleosides are highly important biomolecules that are ubiquitous in living systems. They figure prominently at the forefront in the treatment and/or control of viral diseases and cancer. We are developing new metal-catalyzed, uncatalyzed, and hypervalent iodine reagent-mediated routes for access to novel nucleoside structures. We also assess reaction mechanisms and the biological values of the new compounds that are obtained via our new routes.

B. Synthesis of Novel Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. Some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are involved in DNA damage after metabolic activation while others are interesting compounds for the development of novel materials. In order to study both structural and biological effects of DNA damage by environmental pollutants as well as for development of novel materials, we are involved with developing syntheses of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

C. Approaches Towards Indole Core Structures. Recently, we have been developing a new approach to the indole motif that can be found in a variety of natural products and synthetic compounds such as pharmaceuticals.

D. New Chemical Methodology. New methods to create molecules, and new physiologically important molecules are developed, via new approaches.

Research is conducted with the idea that fundamental understanding drives new chemistry. Thus, every aspect of our chemical methodology and synthesis developments aims to obtain a sound understanding of mechanistic organic chemistry, as this is integral to furthering the research projects.

Our research programs have been funded by The National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) and The National Science Foundation.

We also maintain several active collaborations in the US and internationally, to support our research activities.

Publications

Awards and Honors

  • 2024: Teacher of the Year Award from the City College Academy for Professional Preparation
  • 2021–2022: Fulbright Scholar Awardee (travel and research in 2022 and 2023 due to the pandemic)
  • 2019: City University of New York Graduate Center Award for Excellence in Mentoring
  • 2018: One of two recipients of The City College of New York President's Award for Excellence
  • 2018: F1000 Faculty Member, Chemical Biology (Small Molecule Chemistry)
  • 2016: Elected Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry
  • 2014: In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements and Contributions to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge  Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York
  • 2014: Recipient of a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship
  • 2013: Visiting Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, September-November
  • 2012: In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements and Contributions to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge Certificate of Recognition from the City University of New York
  • 2011: The City College of New York President's S.T.A.R. (Service, Teamwork, Action, and Results) Award
  • 2011: Excellent Service to the Editors and Authors of EurJOC European Journal of Organic Chemistry Certificate of Recognition from Wiley-VCH and ChemPubSoc Europe
  • 2007: In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge Certificate of Recognition from the City University of New York
  • 2007: Certificate of Appreciation from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for Commitment to Advancing Underrepresented Minority Students in Mathematics, Science and Engineering and for Partnering with the Foundation's Minority Program
  • 2007: Profiled in the June 1 issue of India Abroad
  • 2006: For Securing Major Institutional Grant Funds in 2005 Certificate of Recognition from the City University of New York
  • 2004: In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York
  • 2003: Outstanding Mentor Award The City College of New York
  • 2002: In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York
  • 2001: In Honor of Outstanding Scholarly Achievements to the Creation and Transmittal of Knowledge Certificate of Recognition from The City University of New York

Federal Grant Awards

NSF Logo

  • CHE-0130787 (De-facto Principal Investigator): Purchase of a Circular Dichroic Spectrophotometer for Research and Teaching
  • CHE-0210295 (Principal Investigator): Acquisition of a 500 MHz NMR Spectrometer for Research and Teaching
  • CHE-0314326 (Principal Investigator): Novel Avenues to Nucleoside Modification by Palladium Catalysis
  • CHE-0520963 (Principal Investigator): Acquisition of a Mass Spectrometer for Research and Teaching
  • CHE-0640417 (Principal Investigator): Novel Avenues to Nucleoside Modification via Catalysis Methods
  • CHE-1265687 (Principal Investigator): Catalysis Chemistry Involving Nucleosides and Related Heterocycles
  • CHE-1953574 (Principal Investigator): Novel Approaches to Modifications of Nucleosides and Related Heterocycles

NIH logo

  • R15CA094224 (Principal Investigator): Regio and Stereochemically Defined Diol Epoxide Adducted Ras
  • S06GM008168-24S1 (Principal Investigator): Palladium Catalyzed C-N, C-C, and C-O Bond Formation: Novel Nucleoside Structures
  • S06GM008168-27 (Principal Investigator): Synthesis and Studies of Site-Specific Carcinogen-DNA Lesions
  • R21AI094545 (Principal Investigator): Synthetic Methodology to Access Novel Antivirals

 

Service to Community (selected)

Editorial Board Member
  • Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
  • Current Organic Synthesis
  • Molecules
  • Chemistry Biology Interface
  • Current Chemical Biology
  • Acta Chimica Slovenica.

Ad hoc and Panel Reviewer for Federal and International Agencies

  • The National Institutes of Health
  • The National Science Foundation
  • The American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund
  • Royal Society Research Fund (UK)
  • National Center of Science and Technology (Kazakhstan)
  • Czech National Foundation

Reviewer for National and International Journals

• ACS Catalysis • ACS Omega • Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis • Angewandte Chemie International Edition • Archiv der Pharmazie • Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry • Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters • Carcinogenesis • Catalysis Communications • ChemCatChem • Chemical Communications • Chemical Research in Toxicology • Chemical Reviews • Chemistry An Asian Journal • Chemistry A European Journal • ChemistryOpen • European Journal of Organic Chemistry • Inorganic Chemistry • Journal of the American Chemical Society • Journal of Medicinal Chemistry • Journal of Physical Chemistry • Medicinal Chemistry Communications • Nature Protocols • Nature Scientific Reports • New Journal of Chemistry • Nucleosides and Nucleotides • Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry • Organic Chemistry Frontiers • Organic Letters • RSC Advances • Synlett • Synthesis • Synthetic Communications •Tetrahedron • Tetrahedron Letters • The Journal of Organic Chemistry

Administrative Service

  • Vice Chair, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The City College of New York
  • Member, Graduate Admissions Committee
  • Executive Officer, The City University of New York Ph.D. Program in Chemistry
  • Chair, Masters Program Committee
  • Chair, Search Committee for a Lecturer in Organic Chemistry
  • Chair, Search Committee for a Faculty Member in Organic Chemistry
  • Member, Outstanding Teaching/Mentoring Award Committee
  • Member, Search Committee for a Faculty Member in Organic Chemistry
  • Member, Search Committee for Organic and Biochemistry Technicians
  • Member, Executive Committee of the Chemistry Department
  • Member, Search Committee for NMR Facility Manager