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Hemachand Tummala

Hemachand Tummala

Title

Department Head/Professor

Office Building

Avera Health and Science Center

Office

255

Mailing Address

Avera Health & Science 255
Pharmaceutical Sciences-Box 2202C
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Biography

Dr. Hemachand Tummala is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has over 20 years of experience in disease biology, immunology, and drug/vaccine delivery. His research interests are in designing various vaccine and drug delivery platforms for cancer, infectious diseases, and intestinal health. He has over 50 publications and presentations, 1 book chapter, six pending patent applications. Dr. Tummala’s laboratory works at the interface of chemistry, drug delivery, and biology and focuses on discovering functional biomaterials to overcome biological or pharmacokinetic barriers for the translation of novel therapeutics to clinical application. The laboratory has discovered a novel bioactive plant-based polymer (TLR-4 agonist), inulin acetate. Using inulin acetate as a material, the team have engineered a “pathogen mimicking vaccine delivery system” (PMVDS). For its innovative approach, PMVDS technology won the national award “2013-American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists- Innovation in Biotechnology”. PMVDS technology is licensed to Medgene Labs., Brookings, SD for commercialization. The research group had also engineered a polymer-based TLR-4 antagonist (Ora-Curcumin) to inhibit inflammation at the colon and other tissue. Ora-Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory polymer that could be delivered to the lumen of the colon without exposing the systemic circulation or delivered to systemic circulation. A US patent has been issued on this technology. It is currently licensed to the Academic Technology Ventures (turmultra) for commercialization. Dr. Tummala teaches pharmaceutics/compounding pharmacy courses to professional pharmacy students and graduate students. He has been a research mentor for 17 undergraduate students, five graduate students, and several post-Doctoral fellows. He has been serving in the editorial board of several journals and serving as a reviewer for various national and international funding agencies. He is the recipient of 2013-Distinguished Researcher, 2014-Student Association Teacher of the Year, 2014-Faculty Scholar, 2015- Excellence in Teaching, 2017-Excellence in Research, Scholarly Activity, 2018 Outstanding Researcher awards from the College of Pharmacy, SDSU, and 2019- F. O. Butler Award for Excellence in Research, SDSU.

Education

EDUCATION
Ph.D., in Pharmaceutical Sciences, (2003)
National Institute of Immunology, New-Delhi, India.
Master of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutics, (1997)
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmacy, (1995)
Kakatiya University, Warangal, India

Academic Interests

Pharmaceutics
Biomaterials
Drug/Vaccine Delivery
Vaccine Adjuvants
Inflammation
Cancer

Academic Responsibilities

Teaching:
For Pharm.D Students
Pharmaceutics-I
Pharmaceutics-II
Non-Sterile Compounding Laboratory
For Ph.D. Students
Advanced Concepts in Pharmaceutics
Topics in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Techniques in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Techniques in Biomedical Sciences

Awards and Honors

2019 "F. O. Butler Award for Excellence in Research", SDSU.
2018 “Outstanding Researcher” the College of Pharmacy, SDSU.
2017 “ Eudragit-North America Award” from Evonik Corp. for innovation of Ora-Curcumin technology
2016 “Excellence in Research and Scholarship Activity Award” from the College of Pharmacy, SDSU
2015 “Excellence in Teaching Award” for innovative teaching from the College of Pharmacy, SDSU
2014 “Teacher of the Year Award” by Student Organizations.
2013 “Innovation in Biotechnology Award ”by the American Association of Pharm. Scientists (AAPS)
2013 “Distinguished Researcher of the Year”, College of Pharmacy, SDSU, Brookings, SD.

Grants

1. Enhancing the Capacity and Competitiveness of Cancer Research at South Dakota State University”- SD Board of Regents R&D Innovation, FY19 (PI-Dr. Guan; Role: Co-I; Percent Effort-10 %, Years 2018-2019), $278,111.
2. “Development of A Novel Pathogen Mimicking Vaccine Delivery System for Swine Influenza” USDA-AFRI (PI-Dr. Tummala, Co-I; Percent Effort-95 %, Years:2017-2019) $149,970
3. “Business development of Ora-Curcumin Technology”, SBA- i-CORP grant from the State of South Dakota Economic Development (SDED) Office, 2016-2017. In Kind-
creating a product development team and covering their salary and travel expenses directly from the SDED office.
4. “Developing new nutritional supplement based product line for improved colon health”. SDSU-Sanford Profile Company (PI- Dr. Tummala; $75,000; the Year 2016-
2018).
5. “Oral vaccine delivery of subunit vaccines for wildlife diseases”. DHS Phase II SBIR, (PI- Ashley Peterson, Consultant: Dr. Tummala; $750,000; the Year 2015-2016).
6. “Designing a novel formulation for local therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disease” SDSU-Faculty Excellence fund (PI; $8,000; the Year 2015-2016).
7. “Safety and efficacy of Sanford-Profile Diet formula in conjunction with novel anti-cancer drugs for cancer therapy”, SDSU-Sanford Profile Company, (PI; $89.930, Year:
2014-2016).
8. “Development of Inulin-Acetate Based Adjuvant”. NIH-NIAID-Contract, Phase-I SBIR. (PI- Dr. Alan Young, Consultant: Dr. Tummala; $225,000; the Year 2014)
9. “Oral vaccine delivery of subunit vaccines for wildlife diseases”. DHS Phase I SBIR, (PI- Ashley Peterson, Consultant: Dr. Tummala; $99,950; the Year 2014).
10. “Developing a novel methodology for laboratory teaching in pharmacy” SDSU-Faculty Excellence fund (PI; $8,000; 2014-2015).
11. “Developing an in-vivo imaging facility at SDSU” Research & Economic Development, the State of South Dakota. (PI; $100,000. 2014-2016)
12. Research Contract “Polymer Synthesis, Fluorescence Conjugation, and Prep and Characterization of Inulin acetate Nanoparticles”, Medgene Labs, Brookings, SD (Role:
PI; $9,988)
13. Research Bench fee/expenses for a graduate student. The Government of Saudi Arabia, (mentor, $10,000, 2014-2019).
14. “Novel Nanoformulation of Curcumin for Alzheimer’s Disease.” SDSU- Office of Research, (PI; $2,500, Year: 2013)

Patents

1. Muley, P., and Tummala, H.(2016) Compositions and Related Methods for the Treatment of Cancer. (US 62/298731).
2. Kesharwani, S., and Tummala, H.(2016) Site Specific water soluble Curcumin-Polymer Molecular Complexes and Methods of Treating Colon Diseases and inflammation.
(US 62/383,124).
3. Kumar, S, and Tummala, H.(2015) Enhancing the in-vivo efficiency of nanotechnology through non-covalent interaction with RBC surface proteins. (US 14/743717)
4. Kumar, S, and Tummala, H.(2015) Enhancing the cellular immunity using a Pathogen Mimicking Vaccine Delivery System (PMVDS) prepared with a novel bioactive
polymer. (US 62143620)
5. Kumar, S and Tummala, H.(2013) “Inulin and Inulin Acetate Formulations.” (US. PCT/US13/22463). Patent issued in Australia.
6. Kumar, S, and Tummala, H.(2013) Curcumin Formulation with Enhanced Stability & Bioavailability (US patent No. 61/794,967). Patent Issued.

Professional Memberships

Delegate, The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)
The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
The Society for Biomaterials
The World Academy of Young Scientists
Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD)

Work Experience

2014-Present Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
2008- 2014 Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
2006-2008 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis TN, USA.
2005-2006 Research Associate, Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN, USA.
2003-2005 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.

Creative Activities

PUBLICATIONS
1. Kesharwani, S.S., Ahmad, R., Bakkari, M.A., Rajput, M. K. S, Dachineni, R., Valiveti, C.K., Kapur, S., Bhat, G.J., Singh, A.B., and Tummala, H. (2018) Site-Directed Non-
covalent Polymer-Drug Complexes for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD): Formulation Development, Characterization, and Pharmacological Evaluation. J Controlled
Release, 290:165-179.
Journal Ranking: 05/215 in Pharmaceutical Sci. (Top 3%) Impact Factor: 7.8
2. Rajput, M. K. S.; Kesharwani, S. S.; Kumar, S.; Muley, P.; Narisetty, S.; Tummala, H. (2018) Dendritic Cell-Targeted Nanovaccine Delivery System Prepared with an
Immune-Active Polymer. ACS-Applied Materials & Interfaces. 10(33):27589-27602.
Journal Ranking: 12/88 in Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (Top 14%) Impact Factor: 8.1
3. Kumar, S., Kesharwani, S.S., Bhimanna. K., Bakkari M.A., and Tummala, H. (2017) Pathogen-Mimicking Vaccine Delivery System Designed with a Bioactive Polymer
(Inulin Acetate) for Robust Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses. J Controlled Release. 261:263-274.
Journal Ranking: 05/215 in Pharmaceutical Sci. (Top 3%). Impact Factor: 7.8
4. Kumar, S., Kesharwani, SS., Kuppast, B., Rajput, M., Bakkari, MA., and Tummala, H. (2016) Discovery of inulin acetate as a novel immune-active polymer and vaccine
adjuvant: synthesis, material characterization, and biological evaluation as a toll-like receptor-4 agonist. J. Material Chemistry- B, 4, 7950-796.
Journal Ranking: 28/407 in Biomedical Engineering (Top 7 %) Impact Factor: 4.8
5. Kumar, S., Kesharwani, S.S., Mathur, H., Tyagi, M., Bhat, J.G., Tummala, H. (2016) Molecular complexation of curcumin with pH-sensitive cationic copolymer enhances
the aqueous solubility, stability, and bioavailability of curcumin. European J. Pharm. Sci., 20 (86) 86-96.
Journal Ranking: 27/215 in Pharmaceutical Sci (Top 13 %) Impact Factor: 3.53
6. Muley, P., Kumar, S., Kourati El, Fadoua, Kesharwani, S.S., Tummala, H. (2016) Hydrophobically modified inulin as an amphiphilic carbohydrate polymer for micellar
delivery of paclitaxel for intravenous route. International J. Pharmaceutics. 500 (1- 2), 32–41.
Journal Ranking: 20/215 in Pharm. Sci (Top 10 %) Impact Factor: 3.91
7. Muley, P., and Tummala, H. (2015) 2-Deoxyglucose induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis independent of its glycolysis inhibition. Nutrition and Cancer. 67(3):514-522.
Journal Ranking: 52/124 in Nutrition and Dietetics (Top 43 %) Impact Factor: 2.3
8. Kumar, S., and Tummala, H. (2013) Development of soluble inulin microparticles as a potent and safe vaccine adjuvant and delivery system. Molecular Pharmaceutics,
10, 1845-1853.
Journal Ranking: 10/215 in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Top 5 %) Impact Factor: 4.7

Publications as Co-author

9. Kesharwani S.S., Kaur S., Tummala H., and Sangamwar A.T. (2018) Overcoming multiple drug resistance in cancer using polymeric micelles. Expert Opinions in Drug
Delivery. 15(11):1127-1142. Impact Factor: 4.84
10. Kesharwani, SS., Kaur, S, Tummala, H., and Sangamwar, AT. (2018) Multifunctional approaches utilizing polymeric micelles to circumvent multidrug resistant tumors.
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 173:581-590.
Impact factor: 4.3
11. Hansen, D.J., Tummala, H., Jensen-Bender, W, Meyer, B.A., Ngorsuraches, S. (2018) Evaluating Student Performance and Perception of a Workshop Integrating Pharmacy
Practice and a Pharmaceutics Lab. Innovations in Pharmacy Vol. 9, No. 3, Article 7.
12. Dachineni, R., Kumar, D.R., Kesharwani, S., Callegari, E., Seefeldt, T., Tummala, H. and Bhat, G.J. (2017). Salicylic Acid Metabolites and Derivatives Inhibit CDK Activity: A
Novel Insight into Aspirin’s Chemopreventive Effects against Colorectal Cancer Int J Oncol. 51(6):1661-1673.
Impact factor: 3.1
13. Sadhu. S., Wang, S., Dachineni, R., Averineni, R.K., Seefeldt, T., Xie, J., Tummala, H., Bhat, G.J., and Guan. X. (2017) In-Vitro and In-Vivo Anti-metastatic Effect of
Glutathione Disulfide Liposomes. Cancer Growth and Metastasis, 10, 1179064417695255.
14. Ai, G., Dachineni., R., Muley, P., Tummala, H. and Bhat, G.J. (2016). Aspirin and salicylic acid decrease c-Myc expression in cancer cells: a potential role in
chemoprevention. Tumor Biology, 37, 1727-1738. Impact factor: 2.9
15. Dachineni, R., Ai, G., Kumar, D.R., Sadhu, S.S., Tummala, H. and Bhat, G.J. (2016). Cyclin A2 and CDK2 as novel targets of aspirin and salicylic acid: A potential role in
cancer prevention. Molecular Cancer Research, 14; 241-252.
Impact factor: 4.5

Area(s) of Research

Research:
Vaccine Adjuvants and Delivery Systems
Drug Delivery Systems for Inflammatory Diseases
Nanotechnology for Cancer Drug Delivery
Pharmacokinetics of nanoparticles
Colo-Rectal Cancer Prevention

Department(s)