Dr. Rao joined the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) 50 years ago and has served as chair of its Organic Chemistry Department since 1977. Dr. Rao is now Senior Vice President of Research for Evestra, Inc., a for-profit company spun off from SFBR’s Organic Chemistry department. He holds 17 patents in steroid hormone synthesis and the immunoassay methodologies that have had a marked impact on physicians’ abilities to diagnose and effectively treat reproductive disorders and various forms of cancer. He and his research team also have made significant contributions in the development of novel steroid hormones that inhibit the action of progesterone, which plays a major role in breast and ovarian cancer and endometriosis. Proellex™, a drug his team developed at SFBR in collaboration with the NIH and licensed to a Houston-based company, Repros, is currently undergoing late-stage human clinical trials and showing great promise in treating endometriosis and shrinking fibroid tumors without surgery. Other steroid compounds synthesized and patented by Dr. Rao have shown significant anti-cancer activity by interfering with the blood supply to the tumor, with potential application to the treatment of breast and prostate cancer.
Previously, Dr. Rao served as the Senior Scientist and Chairman of the Organic Chemistry Department at Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. He was raised and educated in India and received his Ph.D. in 1954 from Calcutta University. In that same year, he came to the United States as a recipient of a Fulbright Post-doctoral Research Fellowship at the University Of Rochester School Of Medicine in Rochester, New York. He was twice sponsored by the United Nations as a visiting scientist to India for technology transfer and establishing collaborative research projects with Indian scientists.
At the invitation of Dr. Nathan Wortheson in 1958, he came directly to San Antonio to work with Dr. Leonard Axelrod in the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry. Later, in 1977, he became Chairman of the Organic Chemistry Department.
For his distinguished contributions in the scientific field, he was awarded the Maltese Cross in 1995, a symbol of intellectual acuity, and bestowed the highest honor of the title of Senior Scientist by the Board of Trustees of Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. In November of 2004, he was inducted into the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) first hall of fame for his significant contributions that have had a positive impact on humankind.
Dr. Rao has published over 100 research articles as author and co-author in peer reviewed professional journals and presented several invited lectures at National and International Conferences. He holds many patents in steroid hormone synthesis and various immunoassay methodologies. Dr. Rao has over 40 years of professional experience in the field of organic synthesis, natural products chemistry (particularly steroids and terpens), synthesis of polycyclic hydrocarbons, synthesis of radiolabeled steroids and other related products. He is currently active in the synthesis of potential antifertility compounds, selective progesterone receptor modulators, steroid metabolism, and the development of highly specific radio and enzyme immunoassay procedures for a variety of steroid hormones, as well as overall supervision of research within the Department of Organic Chemistry.
Professional Profile Archives » |
