Dr. Ranjana Bhandari

Qualification              : PhD and qualified Patent Agent (PA-5714) & Trademark Agent-(TMA/2356)

Specialization            : Interdisciplinary research focus with specialization in drug delivery, & formulation development in                                           general which includes special focus on brain-targeted delivery, PK-PD and neuropharmacology.                                             Specializes in research in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Neuropathic Pain.

Email                          : ranjana.bhandari@nmims.edu

Phone                         : 022-42332000 (Extn-   2029   )

Experience                 : 6 years post PhD

Dr. Ranjana Bhandari is a life-scientist specializing in pharmaceutical sciences with an H-index of 21 and citations worth 1350, with a focused expertise in novel and innovative drug delivery systems for neurological disorders. She is the founder and scientific lead of AKB INNOVANT HEALTHCARE PVT. LTD., an R&D startup that has garnered over INR 70 lakhs in funding from prestigious national and international organizations, including BIRAC, DBT, RUSA, DST, International Brain Research Organization, and Pfizer-IIT Delhi CSR. Her startup focusses on development of novel delivery systems, super-generics, drug-repurposing and neutraceuticals. She received MHRD-SPARC project worth 77 Lakhs in collaboration with Prof. Andrew Lawrence, Director, Florey Institute of Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Australia for unraveling the difference in reward circuitary in autistic addicts vs normal addicts. Dr. Ranjana had received the prestigious visiting fellowship from International Society of Neurochemistry for conducting collaborative research with Prof. Andrew Lawrence, in the domain of autistic addicts. She has also received number of international travel awards for presenting her research.

Interest areas:

• Neuropharmacology
• Development of Brain-targeted Delivery System
• In-silico Computer Aided Drug Design (CADD)
• Molecular Docking
• Pharmacokinetics/IVIVC & Biopharmaceutics
• Development of Novel Drug Delivery Systems
• PK/PD
• RT-PCR/Western Blot/Electrophysiology/Stereotaxy
• Well versed with pre-clinical animal studies & animal model development
• Cell-culture
• QbD (Quality by Design) using Design Experts; MODDE & SIMCA
• Python & Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Data Analysis
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• IPR- Patent & Trademark

Research

• Publications –International- 55
• Book Chapters- 15
• Patents- 1 Indian Patent granted ; 2 Published ; 1 Australian Patent granted
• Presentations- International- 10  , National-   6   
• Government funded projects – Total number 4
• International Project -1

Completed

• Research projects ongoing

• Research projects completed

Conferences/Workshops/Seminars attended- 20

Academic activities

She has guided 7 no. of M.Pharm. students for their research projects.

Key-Awards:

• BIG-BIRAC INNOVATION GRANT -50 LAKHS
• International Society of Neurochemistry (ISN-ITS) grant 2023 worth 4000 USD
• PFIZER-IIT DELHI IP AWARD
• International Society of Neurochemistry Award 2022 –ITS Support to work in lab of Andrew Lawrence, Addiction Lab , Florey Institute of Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Australia.
• Early Career Research Award-2020 of 5000 USD by International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) for project entitled Brain-targeted nanocarriers for Autism Spectrum Disorders
• International Society of Neurochemistry Award 2022 –ITS Support to work in lab of Andrew Lawrence, Addiction Lab , Florey Institute of Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Australia.
• Short-Stay Award by IBRO in
• Received various international grants and travel
• Awarded RIKEN BRAIN SCIENCE SUMMER FELLOWSHIP to work at RIKEN BRAIN SCIENCE INSTITUTE, JAPAN in 2015

Membership of  Professional  Societies

• Indian Pharmacological Society- Life Member (LR-309)
• Indian Pharmacy Graduates' Association (LM-6688)
• Indian Academy of Neurosciences (LB-97)
• International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)- (Member ID: 37988)
• American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS ID: 261407)
• Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI)
• International Society of Neurochemis

Recent Publications

1) M Varma, R Bhandari, A Sarkar, M Jain, JK Paliwal. Exploring astrocytes involvement and glutamate induced neuroinflammation in chlorpyrifos-induced paradigm of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Neurochemical Research, 2024, 49(9): 2573-2599

2) Varma, M., Bhandari, R. & Kuhad, A. Repurposing Niclosamide as a plausible neurotherapeutic in autism spectrum disorders, targeting mitochondrial dysfunction: a strong hypothesis. Metab Brain Dis 39, 387–401 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-023-01247-

3) Sihag, M., Varma, M., Bhandari, R., Lawrence Andrew. Drug delivery strategies for the treatment of relapse behavior in substance use disorder- A systematic review. Metab Brain Dis 40, 104 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-024-01492-8

4) Ranjana Bhandari, Niharika Goswami, Yuvraj Patidar, Pritiman Pothal, Jyoti K Paliwal, Anurag Kuhad. Development & Validation of a Simple, Sensitive, Robust, Reproducible & Economical Spectrofluorimetric Method for Estimation of Taurine in Novel Chewable Gel. IBRO. Neuroscience Reports, 2024, ISSN 2667-2421 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.11.010.

5) R Bhandari, JK Paliwal, A Kuhad - Enhanced Bioavailability and Higher Uptake of Brain-Targeted Surface Engineered Delivery System of Naringenin developed as a Therapeutic for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Current Drug Delivery, 2023, 20(2): 158-182