Manoj Prasad
Dr. Manoj Prasad is an accomplished chemist, biochemist, and educator whose work integrates high-impact biomedical research with innovative STEM education. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), where he leads an active research program focused on steroid biochemistry and its role in metabolic disorders, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Beyond his laboratory research, Dr. Prasad is nationally recognized for advancing innovative, student-centered STEM education in chemistry and biochemistry through curriculum design, immersive technologies, and interdisciplinary training.
Dr. Prasad earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Delhi (New Delhi, India), with a specialization in bio-organic chemistry, and completed postdoctoral training at Mercer University (Georgia, United States) on National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded R01 projects. He has published extensively in high-impact journals and presented his research at national and international conferences, establishing expertise in mitochondrial metabolic disorders. His research program at NCCU also includes studies on neurodegenerative diseases, with an emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Dr. Prasad began his formal teaching career at Savannah State University (SSU), GA, United States, after developing and teaching a graduate-level M.S. Biomedical Sciences course at Mercer University (GA, USA). He has secured external funding from the NIH, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and the U.S. Department of Education to support interdisciplinary research and student training. At SSU, he led the development of chemistry, biochemistry, and forensic science virtual reality (VR) teaching tools that modernized curricula and expanded access to high-quality STEM education, earning him the President’s Faculty Research Excellence and Innovation Award.
At NCCU, Dr. Prasad is deeply committed to mentoring students, cultivating supportive research environments, and translating laboratory research into meaningful educational and societal impact.