Director of Graduate Programs
Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Education and Training
- B. Pharmacy, RamEesh Institute, U.P.T.U., India
- M.S., Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John’s University, NY
- Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John’s University, NY
- Postdoc, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY
Academic Leadership
As Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies and Director of Graduate Programs at the UAMS College of Pharmacy, Dr. Tiwari is responsible for advancing and expanding the college’s research enterprise, fostering scholarly excellence and strengthening its graduate education programs. He provides strategic leadership to grow research capacity, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and support faculty and trainee development. Dr. Tiwari currently oversees a $9 million research portfolio and leads graduate education across Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Evaluation & Policy, and the joint UAMS/UALR Bioinformatics program, supporting the training of more than 30 graduate students. He works closely with university leadership to enhance research infrastructure, ensure compliance with institutional and federal policies, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration across the health sciences. As a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and member of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, he also directs the Cancer and Systems Therapeutics (CAST) program, advancing cross-disciplinary research that integrates pharmacology, toxicology, and translational science to accelerate therapeutic discovery and innovation.
Research and Scholarly Interests
Dr. Tiwari’s research centers on the fundamental challenge of drug resistance, the leading cause of therapeutic failure in cancer. His laboratory unites medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, systems toxicology, and pharmaceutical engineering to design therapeutics and delivery platforms that bypass classical resistance mechanisms. A key focus is on targeting mitochondrial fission and bioenergetics to induce non-apoptotic, immunogenic cell death in multidrug-resistant tumors. His team has discovered first-in-class, safe agents that activate necroptosis, methuosis, methuophagy, ferroptosis, entosis, and immunogenic cell death, sensitizing resistant cancers to immuno- and radiotherapies. Integrating biomimetic microfluidics, high-content imaging, and AI-driven analytics, his group develops predictive tools to understand and overcome chemotherapy failure. In parallel, they are advancing patented macropinocytosis-based delivery platforms that enhance intracellular transport of siRNAs and proteins. Supported by multiple federal and foundation grants, issued patents, and international collaborations, Dr. Tiwari’s translational program bridges preclinical innovation with therapeutic impact. With over 230 publications, multiple patents, and more than 75 trainees mentored, his work continues to redefine strategies for conquering therapy-resistant cancers
Honors and Awards
SELECTED
- Ambassador Award, Awarded by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, India
- President’s Award for Excellence in Creative and Scholarly Activity, University of Toledo
- Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award, University of Toledo
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award, St. John’s University
- Distinguished Scientist Award, International Association of Pharmacy Professionals
- Outstanding Advisor Award, University of Toledo
Publications
SELECTED PATENT APPLICATIONS
- Tiwari AK, Karthikeyan C, Nyinawabera, A. Necroptosis inducers and autophagy inhibitors in cancer therapy. Issued. US Patent 12,390,467, 2025 ACTIVE
- Raman D, Howard C, Nemunitis J, Brunicardi FC, Liu SH, and Tiwari AK. Targeting LASP1, elF4A1, e1F4B and CXCR4 with modulators And Combinations Thereof for Cancer Therapy. Pub . No .: of WO2020172086A1; 2020-08-27; Pub . No .: US 201962807075 P; US 2020/0018485 W; 2020-08-27; Publication of WO2020172086A1;
- Tiwari AK, Tripathi PN, Chandrabose K and Sood S. Novel Benzo[d]oxazolylamino- and Benzo[d]thiazolylamino-Fused Pyrimidine compositions and their anticancer uses thereof (Provisional filed).
- Tiwari AK, Karthikeyan C, Amawi H, Erhardt P and Trivedi P. Materials and Methods Useful to Induce Cancer Cell Death Via Methuosis Or Autophagy Or A Combination Thereof. ACTIVE (US patent no. US 11,406,626 B2 granted on Aug. 9, 2022; US 201816650986 A;US 201762564018 P;US 2018/0052809 W).