Background

Prof. Lakshman obtained the PhD degree from the University of Oklahoma and did postdoctoral work as a Fogarty Fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK). He then took up an industrial position as Senior Scientist before returning to academia 1998. Prof. Lakshman started his academic career at the University of North Dakota before joining CCNY. From 2008-2011, Prof. Lakshman was the Executive Officer for the CUNY PhD program in Chemistry.

Research

Prof. Lakshman's research is in organic chemical synthesis pertaining to questions of biological interest. The program has many facets but can be broadly divided into the following areas.

A. Nucleoside Modifications. Here new metal-catalyzed as well as uncatalyzed routes are being invented, to enable nucleoside modification. Because nucleosides are highly important in biochemistry, biology, and in medicine, many new methodology is developed and compounds are being synthesized to address biological questions such as design of antiviral and anticancer agents.

B. Studies on Environmental Pollutants. In this area, structural and biological effects of DNA modification by environmental pollutants are studied. In addition, new chemical methodology to create model systems for studying metabolic activation processes of environmental pollutants are being developed.

C. New Chemical Methodology. New chemical methods to create novel molecules, and new physiologically important molecules are developed.

Thus, development of chemical methodology and synthesis of novel molecules require a sound understanding of mechanistic organic chemistry, as being integral to the research.