Dr. Pathak received his undergraduate degree (B.Sc.) in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Rajasthan and a master's degree (M.Sc.) in Chemistry from the Jiwaji University Gwalior. In the year 2006, he enrolled for a Ph.D. degree in the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay under the supervision of Prof. C. P. Rao. During his Ph.D. tenure from 2006 to 2011, he worked on the synthesis and bio-interaction aspects of protein/enzyme mimic supramolecular system, such as calix[4]arene in a pathological context. He then moved to the United States and joined Nanotherapeutic Lab at the University of Georgia as a postdoctoral fellow. There he worked on the design, synthesis, and therapeutic aspects of platinum-based prodrugs, polymeric NPs, and mitochondria-targeted formulations against various cancers. In continuation of his interest and to gain further expertise in the aspects of translational therapeutics, he joined the Ohio State University in 2015 and was awarded the prestigious Pelotonia Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Comprehensive Cancer Center for transitioning from a postdoc Fellow to an independent researcher. In the year 2017, Dr. Pathak joined the Department of Chemical Sciences at IISER Berhampur as Assistant Professor and established a Laboratory of Biological Chemistry and Nanomedicine in this new and evolving Institute. In 2018, Dr. Pathak was awarded the prestigious Ramanujan Fellowship, early career research award by SERB-DST. During Aug-2024-July 2025, Dr. Pathak worked as Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Vanderbilt University, Nashville Tennessee, USA. In 2025, Dr. Pathak was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.
Dr. Pathak’s current research interests align with the interfaces of synthetic inorganic & organic chemistry, biology, and nanotechnology. His research objectives are the design, synthesis, and characterization of medicinally important chemical compounds and their nanoformulations for targeted delivery in cancer.