The research activities in our laboratory involve organic/inorganic synthesis, enzyme mimetic studies and multidisciplinary approaches in the area of biomedical research. Our recent efforts are directed toward understanding the antioxidant activity of synthetic compounds in mammalian cells, the thyroid hormone metabolism and thyroid related disorders, development of molecular probes for the detection and quantification of reactive oxygen species in the cells and oxidative stress biomarkers. We have successfully established a chemistry laboratory for the organic/inorganic synthesis, characterization and in vitro activity based on UV-VIS, Fluorescence and LC-MS assays and a chemical (molecular) biology laboratory for protein expression, purification and cell-based studies. We created a unique multidisciplinary group for an efficient collaboration within the laboratory and outside to undertake challenging contemporary problems at the chemistry-biology interface.

Representative Publications

• Vacancy-Engineered Nanoceria: Enzyme Mimetic Hotspots for the Degradation of Nerve Agents
  Vernekar, A. A.; Das, T.; Mugesh, G
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55, 1412 - 1416
   
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201510355
• Structure Elucidation and Characterization of Different Thyroxine Polymorphs
  Mondal, S.; Mugesh, G
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 10833 - 10837
   
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201505281
• Selenium-mediated Dehalogenation of Halogenated Nucleosides and its Relevance to the DNA Repair Pathway
  Mondal, S.; Manna, D.; Mugesh, G
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 9298 - 9302
   
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201503598
• Highly Efficient Glutathione Peroxidase and Peroxiredoxin Mimetics Protect Mammalian Cells against Oxidative Damage
  Bhowmick, D.; Srivastava, S.; D'Silva, P.; Mugesh, G
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 8449 - 8453
   
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201502430
• Remarkable Effect of Chalcogen Substitution on an Enzyme Mimetic for Deiodination of Thyroid Hormones
  Raja, K.; Mugesh, G
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 7674 - 7678
   
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201502762
• An Antioxidant Nanozyme that Uncovers the Cytoprotective Potential of Vanadia Nanowires
  Vernekar, A. A.; Sinha, D.; Srivastava, S.; Paramasivam, P. U.; D'Silva, P.; Mugesh, G
  Nature Commun. 2014, 5, 5301
   
  DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6301
• Regioselective Deiodination of Thyroxine by Iodothyronine Deiodinase Mimics: An Unusual Mechanistic Pathway Involving Cooperative Chalcogen and Halogen Bonding
  Manna, D.; Mugesh, G
  J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012,  134, 4269 - 4279
   
  DOI: 10.1021/ja210478k
• A Chemical Model for the Inner-Ring Deiodination of Thyroxine by Iodothyronine Deiodinase
  Manna, D.; Mugesh, G
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2010,  49, 9246 - 9249
   
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201005235
• Anti-Thyroid Drugs and Thyroid Hormone Synthesis: Effect of Methimazole Derivatives on Peroxidase-Catalyzed Reactions
  Roy, G.; Mugesh, G
  J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2005,  127, 15207 - 15217
   
  DOI: 10.1021/ja054497u
• Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx)-like Antioxidant Activity of the Organoselenium Drug Ebselen: Unexpected Complications with Thiol Exchange Reactions
  Sarma, B. K.; Mugesh, G
  J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2005, 127, 11477 - 11485
   
  DOI: 10.1021/ja052794t