Aravindhan Ganesan MSc PhD

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• Dr. Aravindhan Ganesan is Research Assistant Professor at University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy
• He is a leading expert in computational molecular biosciences and drug discovery
• His work bridges molecular pharmacology, computational tool development, and structural biology, with applications in neurodegeneration, cancer, and COVID-19 therapeutics.

Introduction

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Dr. Ganesan’s research focuses on molecular recognition, small molecule therapeutic design, and advanced computational tools for in silico structural biology. His multidisciplinary approach combines molecular dynamics simulations, in silico mutagenesis, and protein-protein modeling to unravel biological events at the molecular level, enabling rational drug design.

Professional Background and Achievements

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Education

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• PhD in Computational Chemistry Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia (2008–2012) Thesis: Structure-property relationships of amino acids.

• MSc in Bioinformatics Annamalai University, India (2002–2007)

Postdoctoral Research

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• German Research School of Simulation Sciences, Jülich, Germany Fellowship: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) (2011–2012)
• Australian National University, Canberra, Australia Fellowship: Endeavour Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2014)

Current Positions

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• Research Assistant Professor University of Waterloo, School of Pharmacy
• Assistant Professor Wilfrid Laurier University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Research Focus

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Key Areas

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1. Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems

   • Computational methodologies for cannabinoid receptor pharmacology.
   • Aggregation of hnRNPA1 proteins in multiple sclerosis.

2. Small Molecule Therapeutics

   • Neurodegeneration, cancer, and COVID-19 drug design.
   • Novel scaffolds (eg 4501-series, N17-series) targeting CTLA-4 and PD-L1 pathways in cancer immunotherapy.

3. Computational Tools for Structural Biology

   • Molecular dynamics simulations and protein-protein modeling.
   • SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors: Identified the role of a lateral pocket in enhancing ligand affinity for antiviral drug development.

Collaborations

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• University of Waterloo: Primary affiliation for research programs.
• Indian Institutions: Pondicherry University, PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, Chettinad Academy of Research & Education.
• Industry: Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation
• Quantum Research: Institute for Quantum Computing.

Awards and Honors

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• German DAAD Research Fellowship (2011–2012)
• Australian Endeavour Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014)
• NSERC Discovery Grant (Cannabinoid receptor pharmacology)
• New Frontiers in Research Fund-Exploration Grant (hnRNPA1 protein aggregation)
• Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF-TQT) (Computational drug discovery)
• Cancer Research Society Operating Grant (Small molecule inhibitors of VISTA for cancer immunotherapy)

Publications

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Patents

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Systems and methods of selecting compounds with reduced risk of cardiotoxicity using cardiac sodium ion channel models

References

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• Aravindhan Ganesan – ResearchGate
• Aravindhan Ganesan – University of Waterloo, School of Pharmacy
• Aravindhan Ganesan – Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology
• Waterloo researchers study coronavirus structure to help design drugs
• Aravindhan Ganesan – Wilfrid Laurier University | LinkedIn