Rangan (Ronnie) Maitra

Ronnie Maitra, PhD, research focus is on drug discovery and development. He began his academic career at Angelo State University, where he earned a B.S. in Chemistry, and continued at Dartmouth Medical School, receiving a Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Toxicology under the mentorship of Dr. Joshua Hamilton. Dr. Maitra completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Dr. Ira Pastan.

With considerable experience in assay development, pharmacology and ADMET, Dr. Maitra leads the Molecular Pharmacology group at RTI International. His career also includes time spent in the biotechnology sector. He actively collaborates with various investigators, contributing his expertise in early drug-discovery and development.

Dr. Maitra's research focuses on molecular pharmacology enabled drug discovery and related mechanistic studies using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. His work in the apelinergic system, in collaboration with Dr. Scott Runyon, involves the discovery of novel agonists of the apelin receptor (APLNR). He has been instrumental in guiding pharmacological efforts, including characterization and efficacy testing of numerous ligands and peptides targeting APLNR. His research in the endocannabinoid system aims to develop novel second-generation antagonists of the type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor with improved safety profiles for various diseases as well as study of synthetic cannabinoids and their impact on physiological processes. Recently, his lab was funded by NIH to study the role of the MAS1 receptor in depressive disorders. Dr. Maitra has received significant NIH funding for his research, including projects on liver diseases, synthetic cannabinoid exposures, and PTSD. His group also provides preclinical contract services related to drug discovery and development for federal and commercial clients. Dr. Maitra's scientific contributions are reflected in over 50 publications to date along with several patents.

Beyond research, Dr. Maitra is involved in professional activities such as serving as a reviewer for multiple journals and grant reviewer for the NIH and various foundations. His academic and professional honors include the Carr academic scholarship and awards from the American Association for Cancer Research and RTI International. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) and the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS).