Kotra group is a multi-disciplinary team, grounded in medicinal chemistry with expertise in
computer modeling, in vitro and in vivo models of disease, leading to preclinical drug discovery and
development. Investigations on drug targets of disease significance, biochemical mechanisms, biomarkers
for animal models of diseases are a part of keen interest, along with the design of novel ligands and
evaluation of small molecule ligands for drug development. Group members enjoy a very intensive,
highly-integrated team environment with a goal to be highly competitive internationally.
Current Group Members
- Melissa Lewis – Scientific Associate and lab manager
- Ewa Poduch - Senior Research Associate
- Rupali Vyavahare - Research Technician
- Arushi Jain - Research Technician
- Adam Koebel - Graduate student (PhD)
- William Yi Yang - Graduate student (direct-entry PhD)
- Justin Ryk – Graduate Student
- Jindian Yang - Undergraduate researcher
Former Group Members
Scientific/Research Associates
- Dr. Angelica Bello - UHN (06/2011 - 12/2015)
- Dr. Pharhad Eli Arslan - UHN (10/2014 - 01/2015)
- Dr. Louise Edwards - UHN (04/2012 - 09/2012) - Scientific Associate
- Dr. William Wei - UHN (Canada), (02/2006 - 10/2013)
- Ms. Melissa Lewis-UHN (Canada) (Sep, 2008 - Aug, 2010)
- Ms. Ashley Ganoe-UNCG (USA) (10/2008 - 07/2009)
- Dr. Angelica Mara-Bello Ramirez - UHN (Canada), (10/2004-07/2008)
Postdoctoral Fellows
- Dr. Sankaran Mathan, (Apr 2017-Feb 2018)
- Dr. Melissa Lewis, (Jan 2016 - Dec 2017)
- Dr. Agusto Motarazzo (May 2016 - Dec 2016)
- Dr. Socrates Cavalcanti (Apr 2015-Mar 2016)
- Dr. Amit Sarswat (2013-2016)
- Dr. Rene Pemha (2014-2015)
- Dr. Sai Kumar Chakka (04/2011 - Aug, 2013)
- Dr. Yogesh Yadav (Nov 2011 - Jun, 2012)(Current Position: PDF, Georgia
State University)
- Dr.
Maria Lopeta Valladares Cisneros (Jul, 2011 - Dec 2011)
- Dr.
Mallinath Hadimani - UNCG (10/2008 - 07/2010) (Current Position:
Research Assistant Professor, Wake Forest University)
- Dr.
Liyakat Fatima (03/2008 - 02/2009)
- Dr.
Chandrashaker Vanampalli - UNCG (09/2007 - 05/2009) (Current Position:
Research Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University)
- Dr.
Elena Meza-Avina - UNCG (12/2006 - 05/2010) (Current Position: Research
Scientist, University of North Carolina at Greensboro)
- Dr.
Musole Guillain (11/2006 - 12/2007) (Current position: Health Canada,
Drugs Directorate)
- Dr.
Venkata Ramana (11/2006 - 09/2007)
- Dr.
Tanushree Bende (08/2005 - 02/2007)(Current known position: Group
Leader, Advinus Therapeutics)
- Dr.
Xiaoyang Wang (08/2004 - 08/2006) (Current position: Director, UHN
Shanghai)
- Dr.
Junquan Wang, (10/2004 - 01/2005) (Current position: Senior Scientist,
TorCan Chemicals, Toronto)
- Dr.
Minghua Wang (co-supervisor: Dr. David Hampson) (2003 - 2006) (Current
position: Director of drug discovery, startup biotech company, Boston,
USA)
- Dr.
Angelica Mara-Bello Ramirez, (07/2003-09/2004) (Current position:
Scientific Associate-University Health Network and Assistant
Professor-Status only, University of Toronto)
- Dr.
William Wei (2001 - 01/2005).
- Dr.
Subhash Annedi (10/2000 - 09/2004),(Last known position: Group leader,
NeuroAxon Inc., Mississauga)
- Dr.
Kanchana Majumder (03/2003 - 07/2004) (Current position: CEO, Zenith
Scientific)
- Dr.
Chris Tan, (Feb, 2002-June 2003; co-supervisor: Dr. Robert Batey) (last
known position: Medical Student, University of Ottawa)
- Dr.
Farooq Biabani, (2001-2003) (last known position: Director of Pharmacy
programs, Toronto Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology)
Graduate Students
- Dr.
Pascal Djiadeu,Ph.D., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Toronto, 2009-2017
- Ms.
Elizabeth Curiel Tejeda, M.Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of Toronto, 2013-2015
- Mr.
Joseph Keca, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Toronto, 2012-2014
- Mr.
Pascal Djiadeu (PhD/flex time, UofT; Co-supervisor: Nades Palaniyar)
(09/2009 - present)
- Dr.
Meena Purohit, Ph.D., University Health Network and Department of
Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Tech and Sci, Pilani, India (08/2008-2/2014)
- Ms.
Erika Loredo Calderon, M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Chemical Sciences,
Autonomous Univ of Nuevo Leon, Mexico), May-Jul, 2011
- Ms.
Molly McDonald, M.Sc., Department of Chemistry, UNCG, 2007-2010
- Mr.
Brian Brown, M.Sc., Department of Chemistry, UNCG, 2008-2010
- Mr.
Jagjeet Singh, Masters thesis, University of Skovde, Sweden, Oct
2007-April 2008
- Dr.
Melissa Lewis, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University
of Toronto, 2006-2008
- Ms.
Catherine Oyiliagu, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of Toronto, 2004-2006
- Ms.
Ewa Poduch, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Toronto, 2004-06
- Ms.
Sishi Tang, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Unievrsity of
Toronto, (2004-2006)
Undergraduate Students
- Ms.
Sophie Berenger, B.Pharm. - Research Exchange Student (Univ of
Montpellier), Apr-Aug, 2017
- Mr.
William Yi Yang, (University of Toronto), May, 2016 - Jun 2017
- Ms.
Junhee Park (Univ of Toronto), May - August 2016
- Mr.
Alef Cleto Almeida (Univ of Toronto/Brazilian exchange student), Science
without borders), May-Aug, 2016
- Mr.
Peiqui Yu, (University of Toronto), Jul - Sep, 2015
- Ms.
Chithra Muthuramu (McMaster University), Sep - Dec, 2015
- Ms.
Hanna Grover (Queen’s University), May - Aug, 2015
- Ms.
Rhonda Tu (PHC489), Sep 2014-Aug 2015
- Ms.
Sophia Tang (PHC489), May - Aug, 2014
- Mr.
Michael F. Saikali, May - Aug, 2014
- Ms.
Caroline Tyrawa (University of Guelph), May - Aug, 2014
- Ms.
Aurelie Muller (Faculty of Pharmacy, Montpollier, France), Jun-Aug, 2013
- Ms.
Monika Kitor (University of Waterloo), Apr-Jul, 2013
- Ms.
Jane Yang (Pharm. Chem. program, Univ of Toronto), May - Aug, 2013
- Ms.
Rita Yucheng Zhao (Pharm. Chem. Program, Univ. of Toronto), May-Aug, 2013
- Ms.
Noruê Salum (Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil),
May-Aug, 2013
- Ms.
Stephanie Hedges (Univ of Montreal), May - Aug, 2012
- Mr.
Joseph Keca (Brock University), May-Aug, 2012
- Mr.
Harneet Bedi (Univ of Toronto), May-Aug, 2012
- Mr.
Yixiong Wu (Univ of Toronto), May-Aug, 2012
- Ms.
Sadia Rehman (Univ of Toronto), Sep 2011 - Apr 2012
- Ms.
Yatong Wang (Univ of Toronto), May-Aug, 2011
- Mr.
Prashant Verma (Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Chandigarh), June-July, 2011
- Mr.
Brandon Slater Stead (University of Waterloo), May-Aug, 2010
- Ms.
Tracy Cui (University of Toronto), May-Aug, 2010
- Ms.
Lily Wen Fu (Univ of Toronto), May-Aug 2010
- Ms.
Raevti Bole (Univ of Toronto), May 2009 - May, 2010
- Ms.
Kofo Owolabi (Univ of Toronto), Sep 2008 - Apr 2009
- Ms.
Natalia Mykhaylova (Univ of Toronto), Oct 2007 - Apr 2009
- Ms.
Lili Huang (Univ of Toronto), Oct 2007 - Apr 2007
- Ms.
Sylvia Baglione (York Univ), May 2006-August 2006
- Ms.
Rabab Toubar (Egypt), May 2006-August 2006
- Mr.
Christopher Dyanand (Univ of Toronto), May-August 2006
- Ms.
Paula Hant (Univ of Toronto), May 2004 - Aug, 2004
- Ms.
Shishi Tang (Carleton Univ, Ottawa), May 2004 - Aug, 2004
- Ms.
Catherine Oyiliagu (Univ of Toronto, Scarborough), May 2004 - Aug 2004
- Mr.
Victor Xiao, (Univ of Toronto), May 2004 - August 2004
- Ms.
Katherine Duffield (Dalhousie Univ), May 2004 - August 2004
- Mr.
Sohrob Cohan (Univ. of Toronto), Sep 2003 - Apr 2004
- Ms.
Aasthaa Bansal (Univ. of Waterloo), May 2003 - Aug, 2003
- Ms.
Caroline Weekes (Univ. of Toronto), May 2003- Sep 2003
- Ms.
Praveena Dixit (University of Toronto), May 2003 - Aug 2003
- Mr.
Sam Khalouei (University of Toronto), May, 2002 - Dec, 2002
- Ms.
Nidhi Kanwar (University of Toronto), Sep, 2001 - Apr, 2002
- Mr.
Alexei Baev (University of Toronto), June, 2001 - Dec, 2001
- Mr.
Omar Hayani (University of Toronto), Burroughs-Wellcome Undergraduate
Research Fellow, 2001
Visiting Scienctists/Students
- Mr.
Jorge Enrique Hernandez Gonzalez, University of Havana, Faculty of
Biology, Dec 2013-May 2014
- Mr.
Oliver Martin, Université d’Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, UFR Pharmacie,
Jun-Jul, 2012
- Mr.
Romain Marliac, Université d’Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, UFR Pharmacie,
Jun-Jul, 2012
- Dr.
Amitabh Jha, Acadia University, Feb-Mar, 2009
- Dr.
Raed A. Al-Qawasmeh, Dept of Chemistry, University of Jordan (Jun,
2008-Aug 2008)
- Ms.
Pia Tschische, Sweden (Jan 2006 - Jan 2007)
- Ms.
Maria Novalen, Uppsala University, Sweden (02/2005 - 09/2005)
- Mr.
Husni Fattayer, Uetrecht University, The Netherlands (01/2005 - 11/2005)
- Prof.
Angelica Mara-Bello Ramirez, Universidad autonoma del Estado de Morelos,
Mexico (07/2002-06/2003)
- Mr.
Weiyong Li, Associate Professor, Nankai University, China (2000 - 2001)
- Dr.
Fereshteh Pourmorad, Assistant Professor, Medicinal Chemistry Department,
Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
(12/2001- 06/2002)
Technicians / Part-Time Researchers
- Ashraf
Adbelkhalik, M.Sc. (2016-17)
- Mr.
Sridhar Devalla (2007)
- Mr.
John Tajalli, (2004) Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry
- Ms.
Sheeba Samson (2002-03) - current position: Graduate student, Mcmaster
University
- Ms.
Alpana Ghosh (2001), Research Technician, Dept of Justice, Govt of Ontario.