About Dr Praveen Bhugra
I am a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology. I teach Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, and Therapeutics on many graduate courses related to allied health including MPharm.
I gained an MSc (Pharmacology) from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India and PhD (Medical Pharmacology) from The Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidhyanagar, India.
I have actively taught in the academic field since 1989 and was nominated as a Member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, India, in 2000. The award is considered an honour to acknowledge one’s achievement in his/her profession. Members are permitted to add the suffix MAMS after their name.
During my career I have taught at Pramukswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India, Shrimati B.K. Shah Medical Institute and Research Centre, Wagodia, Gujarat.
I authored a popular and well-recognised book entitled 'MCQ`s in Pharmacology' published in 2000 in India and available worldwide. The book is used by medical and allied health students to date.
I have taught at the University of Sunderland since 2006.
Teaching and supervision
I am module leader for:
- The Healthy Patient: Fundamental Principles of Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology.
I have supervised one PhD student (Mr Thomas Cherian) who completed his PhD entitled 'A functional study of the ureter: Relevance of myogenic and neurogenic functions and the role of post-synaptic alpha1 and alpha 2 adrenergic receptors in ureteral motility' and was awarded the PhD by Existing Published Works in 2014.
Interests
Research inclination towards cardiovascular, central nervous system and autonomic pharmacology (receptor up and down regulation) in relation to various disease state conditions.
Research
Having worked in the field of pharmacology for several years, I have developed a research inclination towards cardiovascular, central nervous system, and autonomic pharmacology (receptor up and down-regulation) in relation to various disease state conditions.
I have developed expertise in experimental pharmacology, molecular pharmacology (cell culture, study of intracellular Ca2+ fluxes), and biochemical pharmacology which is justified by my research publications, presentations, and awards.
For my research work, I was invited to the Institute of Cardiovascular Research, St Boniface Hospital and Research Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada as a Visiting Scientist on Fellowship for one year (September 2000 to August 2001).
Further information
Awards
1) Jaipur Prize given by the Indian Pharmacological Society for the best paper published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology 1985–1986.
2) C.L. Malhotra Research Prize in Pharmacology and Allied Sciences 1994, given by the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India, received at the 40th Annual Conference of the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India held at Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar on 24 December 1994.
3) Ahmedabad Branch Prize 1998 given by the Indian Pharmacological Society (Ahmedabad Branch) for the best research paper published from Gujarat State during 1996.
4) Nominated as a Member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, India, in 2000. Received the Degree in the 42nd Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) held at M.G. Medical College, Indore, from September 5–7, 2003.
5) Merit Certificate awarded as a co-author for the R. K. Desai best paper for “Body mass index and central obesity in 132 consecutive hypertensive patients in a rurally based teaching hospital” at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Association of Physicians of Gujarat, January 2001.
6) Medal of Merit awarded at the XVII World Congress of ISHR held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 2001, for research in experimental cardiovascular pharmacology.
7) Ahmedabad Branch Prize 2001 given by the Indian Pharmacological Society (Ahmedabad branch) for the best research paper published from Gujarat State during 2001.
Conference presentations
1) Bhugra P, Hemavathi KG, Gulati OD. A study of nitrogen oxide-containing vasodilators on the guinea pig trachea, a non-vascular smooth muscle. Presented at the Sixteenth Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society at JLN Medical College, Ajmer, December 1983.
2) Bhugra P, Gulati OD, Hemavathi KG. Apomorphine - induced inhibition of response to 5 - hydroxytryptamine in rat isolated anococcygenus muscle. Presented at the Asian Congress of Pharmacology at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi, January 1985.
3) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Interactions of calcium channel blockers with some agonists and antagonists on the rat isolated ventricle. Presented at the 26th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society held at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, November 1993.
4) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Modulation of some agonist responses by calcium channel blockers in the rat isolated ventricle. Presented at the Decennial Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society, Gujarat Chapter, at the Department of Pharmacology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, January 1994.
5) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Interaction of calcium channel blockers with noradrenaline and phenylephrine in the aorta from normal and hypertensive rats. Presented at the 40th Annual Conference of the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India held at Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, November 1994.
6) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Interaction of calcium channel blockers with different agonists in the aorta from normal and diseased rats. Presented as a guest lecture in the Prize Session at the 40th Annual Conference of the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India held at Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, November 1994.
7) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Interaction of calcium channel blockers with histamine and 5-hydroxy-tryptamine in aorta from normal and diseased rats. Presented at the 11th All Gujarat Annual Meeting of the Indian Pharmacological Society at the Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Surat, July 1995.
8) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Modulation of histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine responses by calcium channel blockers in the rat isolated aorta. Presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society held at the Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala, November 1995.
9) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. The influence of chronic treatment of rats with isoprenaline and calcium channel blockers on the response of the isolated right ventricle to noradrenaline. Presented at the 12th Gujarat State Conference of Pharmacologists held at Pharmacy Department, M. S. University of Baroda, Baroda, March 1996.
10) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Modulation of cardiac responses to noradrenaline by chronic treatment of rats with isoprenaline and calcium channel blockers. Presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society held at Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, December 1996.
11) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Modulation of beta agonist responses by atenolol in the rat isolated ventricle. Presented at the 13th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society (Gujarat Chapter) held at K.B. Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Gandhinagar, March 1977.
12) Bhugra P, Gulati OD. Interaction of atenolol with beta agonist in the rat isolated ventricle. Presented at the Tridecennial Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society held at Government Medical College, Jammu, November 1997.
13) Bhugra P. A preliminary report on awareness of AIDS in people of Anand District. Presented at the VI Annual Conference of the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (Gujarat Chapter) at Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, July 1998.
14) Bhugra P. Unbiased preliminary survey of the teaching faculty of Pharmacology in the Medical Colleges and Pharmacy Colleges of the Gujarat state: To study the knowledge and skills needed in Pharmacology by the graduates and postgraduates in employment. Presented at the 15th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society (Gujarat Chapter) held at Ahmedabad, August 1999.
15) Bhugra P. Knowledge and skills needed in Pharmacology by the graduates and postgraduates: survey of the teaching faculty of Pharmacology in Medical and Pharmacy colleges of the Gujarat state. Presented at the International Congress on Frontiers in Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the 21st century, held at New Delhi, December 1999.
16) Joshi A, Bhugra P, Lakhani JD, Desai SV, Kaila B, Khumari T. Body mass index and central obesity in 132 consecutive hypertensive patients in a rurally based teaching hospital. Presented at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Association of Physicians of Gujarat, held at Sardar Patel Memorial Auditorium, Karamsad, January 2001.
17) Bhugra P, Xu Y-J, Rathi S, Dhalla NS. Effect of exogenous phosphatidic acid on vascular smooth muscle cells. Presented at the XVII ISHR World Congress of the International Society for Heart Research held at Winnipeg, Canada, July 2001.
18. Xu Y-J, Bhugra P, Rathi S, Dhalla NS. Mechanism of the in vivo positive inotropic effect of lysophosphatidic acid in rats. Presented at the XVII ISHR World Congress of The International Society for Heart Research held at Winnipeg, Canada, July 2001.
19) Bhugra P, Xu Y-J, Rathi S, Elimban V, Dhalla NS. The effect of exogenous phosphatidic acid in vascular smooth muscle cells. Presented at the 34th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society held at Nagpur, January 2002.
20) Bhugra P, Rastogi S, Xu Y-J, Rathi S, Dhalla NS. Protein phosphatase alteration during ischemic preconditioning in the rat heart. Presented at the 36th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society, Delhi, December 2003.
21) Joshi AS, Bhugra P, Desai SV, Lakhani JD. A study on the antihypertensive drug prescribing pattern and impact of antihypertensives on quality of life (QOL) in hypertensive patients at a tertiary care teaching hospital, Karamsad. Presented at the 18th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society (Gujarat Chapter) held at Anand, February 2004.
22) Hawley -Jones ET, Bhugra P: Relationship between alcoholism and the youth population. Presented at the British Pharmacological Society Winter Meeting 2011 in London, December 2011.
Societies
- Member of British Pharmacological Society, UK
- Member of Health Action International, Europe
- Life member of the Indian Pharmacological Society, India
- Life member of the Indian Society of Hypertension, India.