Dr. M.N.V. Ravi Kumar, Distinguished University Research Professor with The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, is a world-renowned voice in the field of translational science for medicine design. His groundbreaking drug delivery systems have been shown to make more efficacious pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.
Kumar’s passion for bringing together multiple health disciplines to find solutions is infectious and has resulted in the education and training of many scientists from various backgrounds.
One challenge that Kumar’s approach has solved is the poor absorption of some pharmaceutical drugs and nutraceuticals across the lining of the stomach and intestine. He was the first to propose and demonstrate that nanosystems, which target receptors on the intestinal wall without interfering with natural ligands, can carry these drugs into the bloodstream. These nanosystems are vehicles so tiny that an individual one could not be seen with the naked eye.
Their application to human health and diseases opens up a medicines toolbox to combat difficult-to-treat diseases such as lupus and intraocular inflammation. Kumar and his team conduct research through the Laboratory for Rational Design of Drug Delivery Systems, also known as the Kumar Lab.
“My research addresses two current limitations in the field of receptor-mediated drug delivery,” Kumar said. “Namely, the lack of polymer, or excipients, structural versatility, which does not allow optimization of ligand-receptor stoichiometry for maximizing transport efficiency, and out-competition of nanoparticle’s ligands by higher concentration of endogenous ligands.
“The impact of this research goes beyond any individual drug or a disease; rather, it focuses on understanding the biological barriers and developing bespoke nanoparticles to repurpose small molecule drugs to provide customized treatments where existing therapies for chronic diseases are either unavailable or ineffective, and nutraceuticals that will benefit healthy aging.”
Kumar goes on to say that through this innovative technology, he and his team can repurpose existing drugs that would otherwise remain “on the shelf,” minimize drug discovery attrition rates and reformulate nutraceuticals to improve their efficacy.
“Our technology platform has allowed us to engage in active collaborations such as addressing lupus, opioid abuse, HIV, acquired kidney diseases and obesity,” Kumar said.
Earlier this year, The University of Alabama Board of Trustees approved the creation of the department of translational science and medicine in the College of Community Health Sciences. The department’s mission is to provide a rich teaching and research infrastructure for conducting preclinical innovation and therapeutic development in immuno-inflammatory diseases to better understand low-grade inflammation, dysfunctional immune systems and co-existing disease conditions.
“We have been working on creating this department for over three years,” Kumar said. “The structure of this department is to bring all the necessary elements under one roof with people who have the ability to discover new drugs and help formulate them and improve the effectiveness of drugs that might not be available by conventional ways.
“It’s a great opportunity, not just for us, but for the college to help open opportunities for recruiting physician researchers to take the translational element to the next level.”
Kumar and four other faculty members will be part of the new department. Short-term goals include developing a master’s degree program that will launch in fall 2026 with long-term goals including undergraduate and doctoral programs.
“CCHS is proud to welcome the new department of translational science and medicine,” said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the college. “This department represents a significant opportunity for both the college and the University. We are fortunate to have such a talented core group of faculty in this exciting area. I look forward to expanding both the research and academic degree offerings in our new department.”
Kumar’s work has earned him numerous honors including being elected a fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, or AAPS, in 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2020 and National Academy of Inventors in 2023. Last month, he earned the 2024 AAPS Global Leader Award.
“It is an honor to be recognized among such distinguished peers,” Kumar said of his AAPS Global Leader Award. “This honor also presents me with an opportunity to thank my current and former students, peers and collaborators who motivate me to do what I do to improve human and veterinary health. Their insights have been instrumental in the achievements we celebrate today.”
Kandis Snyder in the College of Community Health Sciences contributed to this article.