Prof. Dr. Waheeta Hopper

Professor

Email id: waheeta.h@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in
Area: Microbial Biotechnology, Bioinformatics
Affiliation:Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Kattankulathur Campus, SRM Institute of Science & Technology

Education

Other Details:

Courses

• Cell Biology
• Microbial Biotechnology
• Drug and pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Research Interests

• Drug development
• Antibiotic resistance
• Metabolic engineering

Selected publications

• Dineshkumar K., Aparna V., Hopper W. 2017. Ligand based-pharmacophore modeling and extended bioactivity prediction for salinosporamide A, B and C from marine actinomycetes Salinispora tropica. Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening 20(1):3-19, (IF: 1.04).
• Bhakkiyalakshmi E., Kesavan D., Suresh K., Dornadulla S., Hopper W., Paulmurugan R., Ramkumar K.M. 2016. Pterostilbene-mediated Nrf2 activation: Mechanistic Insights on Keap1:Nrf2 Interface. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 24(16):3378-3386, (IF: 2.923).
• Nirmal C.R., Rao R., Hopper W. 2015. Inhibition of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis: in silico screening and in vitro validation. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 105:182-193. (IF: 4.519).
• Aparna V., Dineshkumar K., Mohanalakshmi N., Velmurugan D., Hopper W. 2014. Identification of Natural Compound Inhibitors for Multidrug efflux pumps of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using in silico High-Throughput Virtual Screening and in vitro validation. PLoS ONE 9(7):e101840, (IF: 3.73).
• Dineshkumar K., Aparna V., Madhuri K.Z., Hopper W. 2014. Biological activity of Sporolide A and B from Salinispora tropica: in silico target prediction using ligand based Pharmacophore mapping and in vitro activity validation on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Chemical Biology & Drug Design 83(3):350-361, (IF: 2.802).
• Tamilvanan T., Hopper W. 2014. Biologically active ligands for Yersinia outer protein H: Feature based pharmacophore screening, docking and molecular dynamics studies. Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening 17(7):579-595, (IF: 2.0).
• Prabakaran P., Hopper W., Rao R. 2013. Comprehensive database of chorismate synthase enzyme from shikimate pathway in pathogenic bacteria. BMC Pharmacology & Toxicology 14: 29-35, (IF: 2.03)
• Ahameethunisa A.R., Hopper W. 2012. In vitro antimicrobial activity on clinical microbial strains and antioxidant properties of Artemisia parviflora. Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 11:30, (IF: 2.19).
• Ahameethunisa A., Hopper W. 2010. Antibacterial activity of Artemisia nilagirica leaf extracts against clinical and phytopathogenic bacteria. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 10:6, (Highly accessed article). (IF: 2.241).
• Kannan P., Petchiammal C., Mohankumar R., Hopper W. 2010. In vitro antifungal activity of Indirubin isolated from a South Indian ethnomedicinal plant Wrightia tinctoria R.Br. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 132:349-352, (IF: 3.055).
• Kannan P., Shanmugavadivu B., Petchiammal C., Hopper W. 2006. In vitro antibacterial activity of Wrightia tinctoria leaf extracts against skin microorganisms. Acta Botanica Hungarica 48 (3-4): 323-329, (IF: 0.589).
• Hopper W., Mahadevan A. 1997. Degradation of catechin by Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Biodegradation 8 (3): 159-165, (IF: 2.49).
• Hopper W., Mahadevan A. 1991. Utilization of catechin and its metabolites by Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 35: 411-415, (IF: 3.81).

Patents

• Hopper W., SP. Palaniappan and J. Thomas A method of preparation of a rhizobial inoculant for achieving enhanced nodulation activity and grain yield in legumes and a composition and medium therefor. Patent No. 181856, 1995.

Papers Presented

• Aparna V., Mohanalakshmi N., Hopper W. Structure-based pharmacophore and virtual screening for bacterial MexB efflux pump inhibitors. International Conf. Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, Singapore. Feb. 2011.
• Mohanalakshmi N., Aparna V., Hopper W. Virtual screening of potential drug-like inhibitors against MexB efflux protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. International Conf. Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, Singapore. Feb. 2011.
• Dinesh Kumar K., Hopper W. In silico anti-cancer activity prediction of secondary metabolites from Salinispora spp. International Conf. Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, Singapore. Feb. 2011.
• Petchiammal C., Hopper W. Virtual screening and molecular docking studies of allontoic acid from Phaseolus vulgaris against nitric acid synthase. International Conf. Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, Singapore. Feb. 2011.
• Hopper W. Identification of efflux protein inhibitors against Gram negative organisms using bioinformatics tools. The 3rd Japan-India Bilateral Symposium on Bioinformatics, Tokyo, Japan. Oct. 2009. 

Academic Experiences

• Asst. Prof & Head, Dept. Biotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University), November 2003 to 2004.
• Professor & Head, Dept. Bioinformatics, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University), 2005 to 2007.
• Professor & Head, Dept. Bioinformatics, School of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University), 2007 to 2016.
• Professor, Dept. Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University), July 2016 to present.

Research Experience

• Post-Doctoral Fellow, 1988-1989, Madurai Kamaraj University
• Senior Research Associate, 1989-1990, Scientist, 1990-1994, Senior Scientist, 1994-1999, Group Leader, 1999-2003, Centre for Biotechnology, SPIC Science Foundation, Chennai, India.

Other Professional Experience

• Member, Board of Studies, Dept. Plant Biotechnology, Loyola College, Chennai; Dept. Biotechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Thirunelveli; Dept. Biotechnology, Stella Mari's College, Chennai.
• Internal Auditor, Quality in Education, Loyola College, Chennai; Stella Maris College, Chennai.
• Member, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Centre for Biotechnology, SSF, 1991-2003.

Achievements and Awards

• National Technology Day Award, Contribution towards Development of plant based drugs against human fungal infections, SPIC Science Foundation, 2002.
• Technology Transfer Award for Protease, SPIC Science Foundation, 1998.
• Research Associate, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), May 89.
• Senior Research Fellowship, CSIR, 1986 - 1988.
• Junior Research Fellowship, Department of Environment, GOI, 1983 - 1985.
• Travel grant:
  • AIST, Japan, The 3rd Japan-India Bilateral Symposium on Bioinformatics, Tokyo, Japan, 2009
  • UNESCO, 11th International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation, Paris, France, 1997.
  • SPIC Science Foundation, 13th International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation, Hamilton, Canada, 2001; 10th International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1995.
  • CSIR, GOI, 8th International Conference on Global Impacts of Applied Microbiology, Hong Kong, 1988.
• Special Prize in Botany in M. Sc.
• Certificate of Merit in Botany in II year M. Sc.

Funded Projects

• Development of drug lead molecules against microorganisms used as bioweapons, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), 2012-2015, P.I.
• Identification of efflux protein inhibitors to gram negative organisms using bioinformatics tools and in vitro analysis and Crystallographic studies of target membrane protein-inhibitor complexes, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), GoI, - INDO-JAPAN Bilateral Project, 2009-2014, P.I..
• Improvement of neem based skin and oral-care products, Contract Research, HENKEL India, 2003, P.I.
• Development of Rapid Molecular Methods for …of Microbial Inoculants - National network 'Integrated Nutrient Management", Department of Biotechnology, GoI, 2001-2002, P.I.
• Regulation of Nodulation in Chickpea, Department of Biotechnology, GoI, 1997-2000, P.I.