Bharat Poudel
Postdoctoral Appointee
Postdoctoral Appointee
Biography
I am a computational (bio)physicist and (bio)chemist by training, with a research focus on understanding the activation/inactivation mechanisms of G-protein couple receptors (GPCRs), their drug-binding affinities, and downstream signaling pathways. In addition to my work on GPCRs and small toxic molecules such as fentanyl and nitazenes, I also investigate their thermal degradation pathways. Beyond this, I am involved in force field development for ion channels. More recently, I’ve been expanding my wings into into surface chemistry, where I study the role of metal oxides in CO₂ capture.
Education
BS, Physics, Tribhuwan University, Nepal, 2012
MS, Physics, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, 2017
PhD, Material Sciecne, University of Vermont, Burlington, 2023
Research Interests
- Computer Aided Drug Design (CADD)
- Quantum Chemistry
- Surface Chemistry
- Mechano-biology
- Protein-protein interaction
- Membrane mediated activation/inactivation of Ions channels and receptors.
Professional Organizations and Leadership
- Reviewer: Journal of Computational Biophysics and Chemistry
- Royal Society of Chemistry
Publications
- Bharat Poudel, Rajitha, Tatikonda, Juan Vanegas. Mechanical activation produced distinct active-like states in AT1 receptor. Nat. commun., 2023
- Bharat Poudel, Haley L. Monteith, Jason P. Sammon, Joshua J. Whiting, Matthew W. Moorman, Juan M. Vanegas, Susan B. Rempe, Energetics of high temperature degradation of fentanyl into primary and secondary products, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2023
- Bharat Poudel and Juan Vanegas. Structural rearrangement of the AT1 receptor modulated by membrane thickness and tension. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2024.
- Bharat Poudel, et., al. Thermal degradation energetics of fentanyl and its analogues: furanyl fentanyl and ortho-fluoro fentanyl, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2025.
- Bharat Poudel, et., al. Thermal Degradation Energy Landscapes of Fluorofentanyls: Probing the Mechanisms and Energetics of Bond Breaking, under review, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2025