Dr. Sandeep Panikar joins the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an instructor in October 2024. With over a decade of research experience in cancer biology, molecular imaging, drug delivery systems, and nanotechnology, Dr. Panikar specializes in leveraging molecular imaging techniques to advance cancer detection and treatment. His expertise spans Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy [SERS] for bioanalysis and phage display platforms for antibody and peptide generation. Dr. Panikar gained significant experience in radiochemistry and Positron Emission Tomography [PET] imaging during his postdoctoral training at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR), focusing on understanding cancer mechanisms and guiding drug development.
Dr. Panikar’s research contributions have resulted in high-impact publications and prestigious awards in molecular imaging. He is passionate about promoting translational innovation in imaging and therapies for cancer and infectious diseases through multidisciplinary collaborations. His aspiration is to lead an interdisciplinary research team that pioneers innovative molecular imaging tools and translates them into precision diagnostics and treatments. He earned his Ph.D. degree from CIATEJ-Guadalajara in Mexico and also participated as a bilateral PhD student at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Jena, Germany.
Upon completing his Ph.D., he joined the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to undertake postdoctoral research, where he served as a Scientific Officer Level-1 [SNI-1]. His key interests include Drug Discovery, Cancer theranostics, Radiopharmaceuticals, Vibrational spectroscopy and his research is focused on investigating the role of stress-induced ligands on cancer cells treated with radiopharmaceuticals and their impact on eliciting immune surveillance.