Speakers - 2027

Biography

Dr. Vinayak S. Walhekar is an Assistant Professor and researcher in Medicinal Chemistry with expertise in computer-aided drug design, artificial intelligence, and targeted anticancer drug discovery. He received his Ph.D. from Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be) University, Pune, where he focused on the rational design of novel PIM-1 kinase inhibitors. His scholarly contributions include over 30 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals, more than 190 citations, an h-index of 7, and three Indian patents. Dr. Walhekar's research integrates medicinal chemistry, machine learning, and molecular modeling to accelerate lead optimization and the development of innovative small-molecule therapeutics for cancer and other complex diseases.