Ajay Bommareddy, Ph.D.

Biography

Ajay Bommareddy, Ph.D serves as an Associate Professor of Pharmacology, joined the department of Biomedical Science in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU in 2022. Dr. Bommareddy received his professional pharmacy degree from Osmania University, India and Ph.D in Pharmaceutical Sciences from South Dakota State University. Dr. Bommareddy’s research focuses on exploring naturally occurring phytochemicals and their role in prevention and/or treatment of different cancers. Specifically, Dr. Bommareddy employs various tumor cell lines and pre‐clinical models to investigate the chemopreventive effects of various natural compounds. Dr. Bommareddy teaches Pharmacology for medical students in the College of Medicine.

Education

• 2000: B.Pharm., Osmania University, India
• 2007: Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA

Work History

• 2007‐ 2009: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Biology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2009‐2015: Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University, Wilkes‐Barre, PA
• 2015‐2022: Associate Professor of Pharmacology (tenured), Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University, Wilkes‐Barre, PA
• 2022‐Present: Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida

Scholarly Activity

Research

• Cancer prevention and treatment research employing naturally occurring phytochemicals and different tumor models
• Cell culture and preclinical animal models
• Cell cycle and cell signaling pathways
• Apoptosis and Autophagy

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications 

• Bommareddy A, Oberlin J, Blankenhorn K, Hughes S, Mabry E, Knopp A, VanWer A, Dwivedi C, Pinkerton I Gutierrez L. Alpha-santalol, a derivative of sandalwood oil prevents development of prostate cancer in TRAMP mice. Phytomedicine Plus. 4 (1), 2024, 100523.
• Schwarztrauber M, Edwards N, Hiryak J, Chandrasekaran R, Wild J, Bommareddy A. Antitumor and chemopreventive role of major phytochemicals against breast cancer development. Nat Prod Res. 2023 Aug 30:1-21.
• Walters C, Reed M, Bartholomew S and Bommareddy A. Autophagy induction by aα‐santalol in human prostate cancer cells. Anticancer Res. 2021 Mar;41(3):1197‐1202.
• Franko TS 2nd, Shah V, Hong KL, Bommareddy A. Evaluation of long‐term retention and utilization of the situation, background, assessment, recommendation (SBAR) communication technique. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2021 Feb;13(2):122‐126.
• Wenner C, Stewart R, McCabe A, Pepe J, Oberlin J, Van Wert A and Bommareddy A. Role of autophagic response induced by major phytochemicals in cancer prevention and treatment. J Cancer Metastasis Trat. 2020; 6:33, 1‐17.
• Hontz D, Hensley J, Hiryak K, Lee J, Luchetta J, Torsiello M, Venditto M, Lucent D, Terzaghi W, Mencer D, Bommareddy A, VanWert AL. A Copper(II) Macrocycle Complex for Sensing Biologically Relevant Organic Anions in a Competitive Fluorescence Assay: Oxalate Sensor or Urate Sensor. ACS Omega. 2020 Jul 27;5(31):19469‐19477.
• Bommareddy A, McGlynn D, Lewis M, Lockus L, Seward J, Hong KL, VanWert AL, Dwivedi C. Akt/survivin pathway inhibition enhances the apoptotic cell death‐induced by alpha‐santalol in human prostate cancer cells. Fitoterapia. Fitoterapia. 2020,143:104552.
• Bommareddy A, Brozena S, Steigerwalt J, Landis T, Hughes S, Mabry E, Knopp A, VanWert AL, Dwivedi C. Medicinal properties of alpha‐santalol, a constituent of sandalwood oil, Nat Prod Res. 2019, 33(4):527‐ 543.

Honors and Awards

• 2003 “Zora Colburn Scholarship” for Academic excellence: $2,000, Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences, College of Family & Consumer Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings SD
• 2004 University second place for sigma xi graduate research proposal contest South Dakota State University Sigma Xi Chapter, Brookings, SD
• 2005 University first place for sigma xi Ph.D graduate research proposal contest, South Dakota State University Sigma Xi Chapter, Brookings, SD
• 2007 University first place for sigma xi Ph.D paper presentation contest, South Dakota State University Sigma Xi Chapter, Brookings, SD
• 2009 University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Director’s award for scientific excellence: University of Pittsburgh Cancer institute, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2012 Nominated for “outstanding new faculty award”, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University, Wilkes‐Barre, PA
• 2016 Nominated for “alumni mentor award”, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University, Wilkes‐Barre, PA
• 2017 Awarded “Outstanding advisor” award, Teacher Recognition and Effectiveness Committee, Wilkes University, Wilkes‐Barre, PA
• 2018 Nominated for “President’s outstanding mentor award” Wilkes University
• 2018 Awarded “Overall Teacher of the Year” award, nominated by students Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University
• 2020 Honorary membership, PLS Pharmacy Leadership Society, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University
• 2021 Nominated for “President’s outstanding mentor award” Wilkes University
• 2022 Awarded “Carpenter Award”, Wilkes University’s highest award for teaching and student mentoring, Teacher Recognition and Effectiveness, Wilkes University, Wilkes‐Barre, PA
• 2022 Awarded “Outstanding scholarship award”, Teacher Recognition and Effectiveness Committee, Wilkes University
• 2022 Awarded “Overall Teacher of the Year”, nominated by students, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Wilkes University
• 2023 Awarded “Outstanding Lecturer Award”, nominated by students, Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University

Professional Societies

• PLS Pharmacy Leadership society
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
• American Association for Cancer Research
• Rho Chi Honor Society
• Sigma Xi Research Society