Experience Highlights

Technical Advisor, Cantor Colburn LLP, 2019-present

Principal Scientist, Melinta Therapeutics, 2010-2018

Associate Research Scientist, Yale University, 2008-2010

Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University, 2005-2008

Postdoctoral Associate, Rutgers University, 2003-2005

Publications

PUBLICATIONS:

1. Somenath Chowdhury; Jianmin Mao; Jacek Martynow; He Zhao; Erin Duffy; Yusheng Wu; Vinay Thakur; Gopal Sirasani; Yuanqing Tang; Florine Collin; Sandra Sinishtaj; Ashoke Bhattacharjee “Diastereoselective Scalable Synthesis of 2, 6-trans-Piperidines using an aza-Michael Reaction” Tetrahedron Lett. 2019, 60, 371-374.

2. Mariela Bollini, Robert A. Domaoal, Vinay V. Thakur, Ricardo Gallardo-Macias, Krasimir A. Spasov, Karen S. Anderson, and William L. Jorgensen “Computationally-Guided Optimization of a Docking Hit to Yield Catechol Diethers as Potent Anti-HIV Agents” J. Med. Chem. 2011, 54, 8582-8591.

3. William L. Jorgensen, Mariela Bollini, Vinay V. Thakur, Robert A. Domaoal, Krasimir A. Spasov, and Karen S. Anderson “Efficient Discovery of Potent Anti-HIV Agents Targeting the Tyr181Cys Variant of HIV Reverse Transcriptase” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 15686-15696.

4. Kehinde Ajayi, Vinay V. Thakur, Robert C. Lapo, and Spencer Knapp, “Intramolecular alpha–Glucosaminidation: Synthesis of Mycothiol” Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 2630-2633.

5. Cheryl S. Leung, Jacob G. Zeevaart, Robert A. Domaoal, Mariela Bollini, Vinay V. Thakur, Karen S. Anderson, William L. Jorgensen “Eastern extension of azoles as non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV 1 reverse transcriptase; cyano group alternatives” Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2010, 20, 2485-2488.

6. S. E. Nichols, R. A. Domaoal, Vinay V. Thakur, J. Tirado-Rives, K. S. Anderson, and W. L. Jorgensen, “Discovery of Wild-type and Y181C Mutant Non-nucleoside HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Using Virtual Screening with Multiple Protein Structures” J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2009, 49, 1272-1279.

7. J. G. Zeevaart, L. Wang, Vinay V. Thakur, C. Leung, J. Tirado-Rives, C. M. Bailey, R. A. Domaoal, K. S. Anderson, and W. L. Jorgensen, “Optimization of Azoles as Anti-HIV Agents Guided by Free-Energy Calculations” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 9492-9499.8. Vinay V. Thakur, A. S. Paraskar and A. Sudalai, “Asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(–)-baclofen via asymmetric dihydroxylation.” Indian Journal of Chemistry: Section B, 2007, 46B, 326-330.

9. Vinay V. Thakur, Joseph T. Kim, Andrew D. Hamilton, Christopher M. Bailey, Robert A. Domaoal, Ligong Wang, Karen S. Anderson and William L. Jorgensen, “Optimization of Pyrimidinyl- and Triazinyl-amines as Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase.”  Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2006, 16, 5664-5667.

10. Vinay V. Thakur, Spencer Knapp, Machender R. Madduru, Krishnan Malolanarasimhan, Gregori J. Morriello, George A. Doss, “Short Synthesis of Octosyl Nucleosides.” Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 1335-1337.

11. Vinay V. Thakur and A. Sudalai, “Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)--Arylpropionic Acids via Pd-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of Secondary Alcohols.” Indian Journal of Chemistry: Section B, 2005, 44B, 557-562.

12. Iliyas A. Sayyed, Vinay V. Thakur, Milind D. Nikalje, Gajanan K. Dewkar, S.P. Kotkar and A. Sudalai, “Asymmetric synthesis of aryloxypropanolamines via OsO4-catalyzed asymmetric dihydroxylation.” Tetrahedron 2005, 61, 2831-2838.

13. Vinay V. Thakur, N. S. C. Ramesh Kumar, A. Sudalai, “Sulfilimine Palladacycles: Stable and Efficient Catalysts for Carbon-Carbon Coupling Reactions.” Tetrahedron Lett. 2004, 45, 2915-2918.

14. Vinay V. Thakur, T. Siva Kumar, A. Sudalai, “Transition Metal-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Aminobromination of Olefins using TsNH2 and NBS as Nitrogen and Bromine Sources.” Org.  Lett. 2003, 5, 861-864.

15. Vinay V. Thakur, Milind D. Nikalje, A. Sudalai, “Enantioselective synthesis of (R)-(–)-baclofen via Ru(II)-BINAP catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.” Tetrahedron Asymmetry 2003, 14, 581-586.

16. Vinay V. Thakur and A. Sudalai, “WO3-30% H2O2-cinchona alkaloids: a new heterogeneous catalytic system for asymmetric oxidation of sulfides and kinetic resolution of racemic sulfoxides.” Tetrahedron Asymmetry 2003, 14, 407-410. 
Included in Catalysts for the Fine Chemical Synthesis, 2007, Volume 5, 288-293, Regio- and Stereo-Controlled Oxidations and Reductions, Stanley M. Roberts (Editor), John Whittall (Editor).

17. Vinay V. Thakur and A. Sudalai, “N-Bromoamides as versatile catalysts for aziridination of olefins using Chloramine-T.” Tetrahedron Lett. 2003, 44, 989-992.

18. Vinay V. Thakur, Arumugam Sudalai, Suresh B. Waghmode, Subramanian Sivasankar, “Efficient liquid phase acylation of alcohols over basic ETS-10 molecular sieves.” Tetrahedron Lett. 2001, 42, 3145-3147.

19. Vinay V. Thakur, Suresh Iyer “The Novel Use of Ni, Co, Cu and Mn Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Heck Reaction.” J. Mol. Cat. A Chemical, 2000, 157, 275-278.

PATENTS:

1. A. Bhattacharjee, E. M. Duffy, Z. F. Kanyo, S. Chowdhury, V. Thakur, L. Wan, “Antimicrobial compounds and methods of making and using the same,” WO 2016/145417 A1 (2016).

2. G. K. Dewkar, V. V. Thakur, A. Sudalai, S. A. Pardhy, S. Devotta, “Catalytic Process for the Chlorination of Alkanes, Alkenes and Arenes.” US 6,825,383 (2004).

3. G. K. Dewkar, V. V. Thakur, S. A. Pardhy, A. Sudalai, S. Devotta, “Process for conversion of phenol to hydroquinone and quinones.” US 6,872,857 (2005).

4. G. K. Dewkar, V. V. Thakur, S. A. Pardhy, A. Sudalai, S. Devotta, “Catalytic process for region specific chlorination of alkanes.” Indian Pat. Appl. IN 2003DE01177 (2005). 

5. G. K. Dewkar, V. V. Thakur, S. A. Pardhy, A. Sudalai, S. Devotta, “Process for the production of hydroquinone and quinones from phenol.” Indian Pat. Appl. IN 2003DE01180 (2005).