Dr. Laxmi Tiwari | Medicinal Chemistry | Best Researcher Award
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States
Author Profiles
🎓 Educational Background
Dr. Laxmi Tiwari is currently completing her Ph.D. in Chemistry with an impressive GPA of 3.98 at the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID (Aug 2021 – Dec 2024), under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kristopher V. Waynant. Her research focuses on the “Synthesis and Applications of Azothioformamide and Azoformamide Ligands in Coordination, Catalysis, and Biological Activity.” She earned her M.S. in Chemistry from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal (May 2017 – July 2019), and completed her B.S. in Chemistry from the same institution (Aug 2012 – July 2016), laying a strong academic foundation in chemical sciences.
đź§Ş Professional Experience
Dr. Tiwari began her postdoctoral journey as a Research Assistant Scientist in January 2025 at the Pharmacological Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Robert J. DeVita. Here, she is involved in designing and synthesizing organic molecules targeting diseases such as IBD, cancer, and diabetes. Her responsibilities include conducting clinical research, computational modeling, and developing new methodologies and instrumentation for medical applications. She actively contributes to research through hypothesis development, data evaluation, and publishing scientific findings, all while ensuring strict safety and contamination protocols are maintained. Previously, she served as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant at the University of Idaho (Aug 2021 – Dec 2024). Her work included retrosynthetic design, metal-ligand complex formation, and the development of palladium-catalyzed C–C and C–N coupling reactions. She also led efforts in drug synthesis, SAR analysis, and fluorescence sensing using heteroleptic cuprous complexes. She played a key role in student training, lab safety compliance, and instruction of both general and organic chemistry courses, including CHEM 101, 111, 112, 278, and 378.
đź§ Technical Skills & Expertise
Dr. Tiwari possesses advanced instrumentation skills, including NMR (1D & 2D), FT-IR, Mass Spectrometry, UV-Vis, SEM, and electrochemistry. She is proficient with software tools like ChemDraw, Topspin, Mnova, Schrodinger-Maestro, SwissADME, and AutoDock Vina. Her lab expertise includes flash column chromatography, crystallization, hazardous waste management, and more. She is also recognized for her problem-solving abilities, analytical thinking, communication skills, and attention to detail, all essential traits for thriving in complex research environments.
🏆 Awards & Honors
Dr. Tiwari has been honored with several prestigious awards including the ACS DIC Travel Award (Fall 2023), GPSA Travel Awards (2023 & 2024) from the University of Idaho, the Thomas F. Howland Award (2024), and the Cooley-Jube Outstanding TA Award (2024–2025). These recognitions reflect her academic excellence, research contributions, and dedication to teaching.
👩‍🔬 Professional Membership
She is an active member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) since 2021, which underscores her commitment to professional development and collaborative scientific advancement.
Notable Publications📝
📝Exploring Photocatalytic, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Efficacy of Green-Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Sabina Shrestha, Laxmi Tiwari, Sujan Dhungana, Jasana Maharjan, Devendra Khadka, Allison A. Kim, Megh Raj Pokhrel, Janaki Baral, Mira Park, Bhoj Raj Poudel
Journal: Nanomaterials
Year: 2025
📝Exploring the Electronic Influence on Coordination Complexes Formed from Appended Pyrrolidine Azothioformamide Ligands and Copper(I) Salts
Authors: Laxmi Tiwari, Zachariah M. Heiden, Kristopher V. Waynant
Journal: Journal of Molecular Structure
Year: 2025
📝Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Using Mentha (Mint) Leaves Characterization and Its Antimicrobial Properties with Phytochemicals Screening
Authors: Janaki Baral, Neena Pokharel, Sujan Dhungana, Laxmi Tiwari, Devendra Khadka, Megh Raj Pokhrel, Bhoj Raj Poudel
Journal: Journal of Nepal Chemical Society
Year: 2025
📝Synthesis and Characterization of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Isolated from Acmella oleracea and Study of Antimicrobial and Phytochemical Properties
Authors: Sujan Dhungana, Anusa Gauli, Laxmi Tiwari, Devendra Khadka, Surendra Kumar Gautam, Megh Raj Pokhrel, Janaki Baral, Bhoj Raj Poudel
Journal: Amrit Research Journal
Year: 2024
📝Investigating Arylazoformamide Ligands in Palladium(II) Precatalysts through the Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction
Authors: Laxmi Tiwari, Elliott B. Hulley, Kristopher V. Waynant
Journal: The Journal of Organic Chemistry
Year: 2024