Biography

Lalit hails from Delhi, India. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR) in 2003, followed by completing his master’s in pharmacy in medicinal chemistry from the Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MCOPS), Manipal University, in 2006. During his master’s degree, he conducted research at the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), focusing on the synthesis of trioxane as antimalarials. He then served as a lecturer for three and a half years across various pharmacy colleges in the NCR Delhi region.

In 2010, Lalit joined the Ph.D. program at Duquesne University, where he worked under the supervision of Prof. Aleem Gangjee. His research centered on the design and synthesis of classical antifolates for targeted cancer therapy. In 2016, he pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, mentored by Prof. James Cook. During this period, his research concentrated on the design and synthesis of GABAA receptor subtype selective ligands.

In 2022, Lalit became part of Prof. Lori’s research group as an associate research scientist. His current focus revolves around drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases.

Selected Publications

  • Ping, X.; Meyer, M. J.; Zahn, N. M.; Golani, L. K.; Sharmin, D.; Pandey, K. P.; Revanian, S.; Mondal, P.; Jin, X.; Arnold, L. A.; et al. Comparative anticonvulsant activity of the GABAkine KRM-II-81 and a deuterated analog. Drug Dev Res 2023, 84 (3), 527-531. DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22042
  • Golani, L. K.; Yeunus Mian, M.; Ahmed, T.; Pandey, K. P.; Mondal, P.; Sharmin, D.; Rezvanian, S.; Witkin, J. M.; Cook, J. M. Rationalizing the binding and alpha subtype selectivity of synthesized imidazodiazepines and benzodiazepines at GABAA receptors by using molecular docking studies. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022, 62, 128637. DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128637
  • Golani, L. K.; Divovic, B.; Sharmin, D.; Pandey, K. P.; Mian, M. Y.; Cerne, R.; Zahn, N. M.; Meyer, M. J.; Tiruveedhula, V.; Smith, J. L.; et al. Metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and anticonvulsant activity of a deuterated analog of the alpha2/3-selective GABAkine KRM-II-81. Biopharm Drug Dispos 2022, 43 (2), 66-75. DOI: 10.1002/bdd.2313 
  • Cerne, R.; Lippa, A.; Poe, M. M.; Smith, J. L.; Jin, X.; Ping, X.; Golani, L. K.; Cook, J. M.; Witkin, J. M. GABAkines – Advances in the discovery, development, and commercialization of positive allosteric modulators of GABA(A) receptors. Pharmacol Ther 2022, 234, 108035. DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.108035  
  • Witkin, J. M.; Golani, L. K.; Smith, J. L. New and Emerging Antiepileptic Drugs. In Burger’s Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery, 2021; pp 1-30. DOI: 10.1002/0471266949.bmc099.pub3
  • Golani, L. K.; Platt, D. M.; Ruedi-Bettschen, D.; Edwanker, C.; Huang, S.; Poe, M. M.; Furtmuller, R.; Sieghart, W.; Cook, J. M.; Rowlett, J. K. 8-Substituted Triazolobenzodiazepines: In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacology in Relation to Structural Docking at the alpha1 Subunit-Containing GABA(A) Receptor. Front Pharmacol 2021, 12 (528), 625233. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.625233  
  • Golani, L. K.; Islam, F.; O’Connor, C.; Dekhne, A. S.; Hou, Z.; Matherly, L. H.; Gangjee, A. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine as tumor-targeting agents with selectivity for tumor uptake by high affinity folate receptors over the reduced folate carrier. Bioorg Med Chem 2020, 28 (12), 115544. DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115544  
  • Golani, L. K.; Wallace-Povirk, A.; Deis, S. M.; Wong, J.; Ke, J.; Gu, X.; Raghavan, S.; Wilson, M. R.; Li, X.; Polin, L.; et al. Tumor Targeting with Novel 6-Substituted Pyrrolo [2,3-d] Pyrimidine Antifolates with Heteroatom Bridge Substitutions via Cellular Uptake by Folate Receptor alpha and the Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter and Inhibition of de Novo Purine Nucleotide Biosynthesis. J Med Chem 2016, 59 (17), 7856-7876. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00594
  • Golani, L. K.; George, C.; Zhao, S.; Raghavan, S.; Orr, S.; Wallace, A.; Wilson, M. R.; Hou, Z.; Matherly, L. H.; Gangjee, A. Structure-activity profiles of novel 6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine thienoyl antifolates with modified amino acids for cellular uptake by folate receptors alpha and beta and the proton-coupled folate transporter. J Med Chem 2014, 57 (19), 8152-8166. DOI: 10.1021/jm501113m