Tanaji Talele, Ph.D.

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." This maxim has guided Tanaji Talele, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences throughout his career.

Born and educated in India, Dr. Talele earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in medicinal chemistry there. Determined to make every minute count, he began his postdoctoral fellowship a mere three days after receiving his doctorate. Explaining how he managed to do this, he said, “early on, I learned that the most effective way to achieve things was by transforming dreams into concrete goals. This strategy has served me well.”

The postdoctoral fellowship was with the UMD-New Jersey School of Medicine to conduct research on HIV AIDS and antifungal diseases.  

Dr. Talele’s lifelong interest in cancer stems from a pivotal family tragedy. “My sister died from a then-untreatable form of cancer when she was only in the third grade,” he explained. (Dr. Talele was in the first grade.) “Her untimely death is the driving force behind my work and fuels my dream of one day developing a molecule that can be harnessed to create a drug to treat cancer.”

In 2005, while working at the renowned Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, Dr. Talele came across an advertisement for a tenure-track professor at St. John’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The position intrigued him, especially because if he got it, he would be able to flex his teaching muscles at an outstanding university. Invoking his goal-oriented strategy, he applied and was hired within two weeks.  

“I was absolutely thrilled to be offered the job,” he said. “Not only does the College of Pharmacy have an outstanding reputation, but I was also attracted by the University’s Vincentian mission. It is an orientation that I share since I have always tried to use my skills to help those in need.”

In his deliberate and thorough way, Dr. Talele took the time before the term began to read studies on the art of teaching. This helped him think about how he would balance his teaching and research responsibilities; how to incorporate student-friendly technology into the classroom and how to motivate students. “The most essential thing I learned was the value of presenting abstract theories by always linking them with actual work I am doing in the lab.”

The five Faculty Recognition Awards Dr. Talele has so far received testify to how effective this preparation was. They are conferred annually on the basis of quality of teaching, number of grants and publications and nature and extent of service.

He has also made time to deliver food to disabled members of the Sisters of Charity and to serve on the Graduate Council where he is involved in committees looking into curriculum and policy issues.

His ability to inspire students can be seen in the decision of Maulik Patel ‘12Ph.D., to alter his plans and pursue a doctorate. “I started working with Dr. Talele,” he said, “when I was in the master’s program — he was my mentor. His enthusiasm for his work was infectious and now I am partnering with him on a study on the behavior of HIV strains towards a magic bullet.”

The study is being funded by the National Institute of Health and by the University.

During the past four years, Dr. Talele has produced 25 publications, received coveted   research grants, delivered 15 lectures and presented more than 20 abstracts at outside institutions. “My goal,” he said, “is to excel as a teacher, while also contributing to the University’s reputation for cutting-edge scientific research.”

“Dr. Talele is an outstanding researcher, teacher and colleague,” said Robert A. Mangione, Ed.D., R.Ph. and Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “His innovative and important contributions to the field of medicinal chemistry are matched by his infectious enthusiasm for his subject matter. I am delighted and proud that he is a member of our faculty.”