Mahavir Chougule

Dr. Mahavir Chougule is an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Mercer University College of Pharmacy, where he leads the BioPharma-engineered Drugs and Biologics Delivery Laboratory (iBD² lab). His research integrates polymer chemistry, nanotechnology, molecular biology, and pharmacokinetics to develop targeted drug delivery systems for cancer, pulmonary disorders, and other diseases.

Dr. Chougule earned his B.S. in Pharmacy from Amravati University (India), followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, and completed postdoctoral training at Florida A&M University. Prior to Mercer, he was affiliated with the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy.

His laboratory develops multifunctional bio-responsive nanocarriers using natural polymers like albumin, gelatin, and chitosan, engineered to selectively deliver therapeutic agents to disease sites while sparing healthy tissues. Key research areas include targeted inhalation delivery for lung cancer and asthma, multi-target combination therapies, tumor-responsive nanocarriers, and immunomodulatory agents for conditions including COVID-19.

Dr. Chougule's publications demonstrate consistent research productivity with recent work focusing on pulmonary drug delivery systems, nanocarrier optimization, and combination therapies. His scholarly output shows increasing emphasis on translational applications and clinical relevance of nanomedicine approaches.

• Koichi and Taniyo Taniguchi Award for Excellence and Innovation (2016)
• AACR Minority-Serving Institution Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Award (2015)
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow award, Florida Department of Health (2010)

As an educator, Dr. Chougule mentors PhD students and teaches courses including Biotechnology, Project Development, and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. His iBD² lab maintains active collaborations with engineering and medical institutions and has developed industry-transferable technologies including dry powder inhaler products adopted by pharmaceutical companies.