Santosh Kumar Email & Phone Number

Kumar group has been investigating the molecular mechanisms of drug abuse-induced HIV pathogenesis, their response to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). His group has also been actively engaged in finding precision and targeted therapy for HIV neuropathogenesis and HAND using nanomedicine approaches. These studies are being performed from the funding obtained from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and UTHSC. Over the past 12 years, the Kumar group has published substantially (>80 papers) in this field that has helped to establish a connection between drug abuse, HIV, and potentially neuroAIDS, via drug-metabolic cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and EVs/exosomes. Overall, Dr. Kumar has published ~120 papers, 7 book chapters, and over 100 abstracts, in addition to presenting over 50 invited talks. Dr. Kumar has mentored/ is currently mentoring ten graduate students and five post-doctorate fellows, along with numerous other trainees. In addition to research, Dr. Kumar participates significantly in course and curriculum development, scholarship in teaching and student success, and classroom teaching to both professional pharmacy students and graduate students. As assistant dean of scholarly integration and collaboration, Dr. Kumar has developed theme teams within the college of pharmacy. These theme teams are: Drug Abuse Disorders and Therapeutics (SUDT), Teaching, Learning, and Student Success (TLSS), and Health Disparity and Equity Promotion (HDEP). Through these theme teams, Dr. Kumar has been helping to build collaborations within the college and mentoring several faculty members. Finally, Dr. Kumar is actively engaged in serving many professional societies, scientific journals, and NIH study sections. Among these, the most notable is serving the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology as Secretary and President-elect of the society. As a result of his distinguished contributions to research, teaching, mentoring, and service, Dr. Kumar received numerous honors, awards, and national recognitions. The most notable awards are: 1) Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi (Non-resident Indian (NRI)) Samman (Honor), 2) “Teacher of the Year award” award, 3) Outstanding Service and Support Award, 4) Postdoctoral Fellow Outstanding Junior Mentoring Academy Award, 5) Phi Delta Chi (PDC) “Professor of the Year Award”, 6) UT Alumni Association “Outstanding Teacher Award”, and 7) The Student Government Association Executive Council (SGAEC) “Excellence in Teaching Award”.

Listed skills include Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Higher Education, University Teaching, and 2 others.