Santanu Maitra

Dr. Santanu Maitra is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Fresno State University, specializing in medicinal, agricultural, and bioorganic chemistry. He joined Fresno State in 2008 after 9 years in the pharmaceutical industry. His research focuses on Alzheimer’s drug discovery, agricultural pest repellents, and antifungal agent exploration. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Research Highlights:

• Alzheimer’s drug discovery: Developed lead compounds via in vitro/in vivo studies, securing patents and publications.
• Pest repellent research: Investigated DEET analogs using NMR techniques, discovering entropy-enthalpy compensation and magnetism effects. Identified compounds effective against Spotted Wing Drosophila.
• Antifungal agents: Collaborating with Prof. Alija Mujic to address Valley fever and other fungal diseases.

Grants & Patents:

• NIH NIGMS Grant ($558,847) for Alzheimer’s drug discovery targeting ABCA1/LDLR.
• NSF RUI Grant ($251,000) for atmospheric chemistry studies of isoprene.
• Patents include methods to inhibit apolipoprotein E expression via small compounds.

Education & Mentorship: Mentored numerous students who have pursued academia, industry, or returned to Fresno State as lecturers. Courses include Chem 8, 128A/B, and advanced topics in organic chemistry.