Laxmi Tiwari | Chemistry | Best Research Article Award

Dr. Laxmi Tiwari, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States

Dr. Laxmi Tiwari is a highly accomplished synthetic organic chemist with extensive expertise in organometallic and medicinal chemistry. Currently serving as a Research Assistant Scientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, she contributes to innovative drug discovery programs targeting IBD, cancer, and diabetes. Her work bridges synthetic chemistry and nanotechnology for biomedical and environmental applications. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Idaho, focusing on azothioformamide ligands in coordination, catalysis, and biological activity. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed articles, presented at major ACS conferences, and received several prestigious awards. Dr. Tiwari is known for her proficiency in NMR, XRD, MS, and other advanced instrumentation, as well as computational modeling and SAR studies. She is a proactive member of the American Chemical Society and a mentor to young chemists. Her passion lies in transforming laboratory science into real-world therapeutic and sustainable solutions.

Publication Profile

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Education

Dr. Tiwari holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Idaho (2021–2024), where she conducted advanced research under Dr. Kristopher V. Waynant on the synthesis and application of azothioformamide and azoformamide ligands. Her research emphasized coordination chemistry, catalysis, and biological activity, integrating synthetic strategies with metal complex design. She earned her Master of Science in Chemistry from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal (2017–2019), where she deepened her foundation in organic and inorganic synthesis, analytical techniques, and reaction mechanisms. Her undergraduate studies also took place at Tribhuvan University (2012–2016), where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, fostering her interest in structure-activity relationships and organic reaction pathways. Throughout her academic career, she has maintained excellent academic standing, with a Ph.D. GPA of 3.98, while also engaging in workshops, computational chemistry courses, and risk management training in research settings.

Experience

Dr. Tiwari currently works as a Research Assistant Scientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (2025–present), developing synthetic methodologies for analyzing diseases like IBD, cancer, and diabetes. She plays a pivotal role in designing experiments, clinical research protocols, and novel therapeutic compounds. During her Ph.D. tenure at the University of Idaho (2021–2024), she served as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, synthesizing organometallic complexes and optimizing ligands for catalysis and medicinal chemistry. She led undergraduate labs, supervised synthetic procedures, and contributed to projects involving palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and nanomaterial applications. Her multidisciplinary collaborations resulted in multiple publications and recognition through departmental and national travel awards. Dr. Tiwari is experienced in hazardous waste management, laboratory training, and scientific communication. She brings over five years of combined research and teaching experience in advanced organic synthesis, spectroscopy, nanotechnology, and green chemistry applications.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Laxmi Tiwari has been recognized for her academic excellence and scientific contributions through multiple awards. She received the Thomas F. Howland Award (2024) for outstanding research achievements and the Cooley-Jube Outstanding TA Award (2024–2025) from the University of Idaho for excellence in teaching. She earned the ACS DIC Travel Award (2023) to present her work at a national ACS meeting and was granted Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) Travel Awards in both 2023 and 2024 to support conference presentations. These accolades underscore her commitment to research, teaching, and scientific outreach. She has also contributed actively as a volunteer for ACS regional meetings and local events like the Chemical Olympics. Her recognized work in cross-disciplinary areas such as coordination chemistry, catalysis, and nanomaterials further illustrates her impact in the scientific community and her drive to merge synthetic chemistry with real-world applications.

Research Focus

Dr. Tiwari’s research lies at the intersection of synthetic organic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, and nanotechnology. Her primary focus is the design and synthesis of azothioformamide and azoformamide ligands, their coordination with metal centers, and their roles in catalysis, biological activity, and therapeutics. She specializes in palladium- and copper-based complexes used in Suzuki-Miyaura, Mizoroki–Heck, and Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. Her work emphasizes structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, lead optimization, and green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles with antimicrobial and photocatalytic properties. By combining natural product chemistry and metal-ligand design, she targets sustainable applications in biomedicine and environmental remediation. Dr. Tiwari also applies computational modeling (Autodock-vina, Schrodinger-Maestro) and tools like SwissADME for predictive pharmacokinetics. Her interdisciplinary collaborations have enhanced drug discovery processes and led to the development of novel diagnostic tools and materials, advancing the field of sustainable therapeutic chemistry.

Publication Top Notes

• 🧪 Evaluation of azothioformamides and their copper(I) and silver(I) complexes for biological activity
• 🧬 The synthesis and structural properties of a chlorozinc(II) bis(pyrrolidinyl-4-methoxyphenylazoformamido) acetonitriletrichlorozincate coordination complex
• 🧫 Binding mechanisms and therapeutic activity of heterocyclic substituted arylazothioformamide ligands and their Cu(I) coordination complexes
• 🔬 Exploring the electronic influence on coordination complexes formed from appended pyrrolidine azothioformamide ligands and copper(I) salts
• ⚗️ Investigating arylazoformamide ligands in palladium(II) precatalysts through the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction
• 🌿 Synthesis and characterization of copper oxide nanoparticles isolated from Acmella oleracea and study of antimicrobial and phytochemical properties
• 🍃 Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using mentha (mint) leaves: characterization and its antimicrobial properties with phytochemicals screening
• 🌱 Eco-friendly synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticle using Centella asiatica: phytochemical analysis, characterization and antimicrobial activity assessment
• 🌞 Exploring photocatalytic, antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy of green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles
• 🔄 Synthetic and mechanistic evaluation of palladium(II) bis(arylazoformamide) precatalysts in the Sonogashira reaction (in review)