December 19, 2024 | Erica Yirenkyi, and Taylor Graves - UConn School of Pharmacy

School of Pharmacy’s Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri Named AIChE Fellow

Bodhisattwa (Bodhi) Chaudhuri, a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Pharmacy, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Institute of Materials Science (IMS), has been named a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

This recognition is AIChE’s highest membership grade and is reserved for professionals who have made exceptional contributions to the field of chemical engineering in the U.S. and overseas. Candidates for this honor are nominated and elected by the AIChE Board of Directors after a rigorous review process.

Chaudhuri’s research group blends chemical, mechanical, and pharmaceutical engineering principles with multi-scale computer modeling and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) techniques to design, optimize, and produce next-generation pharmaceutical manufacturing systems and biomedical drug delivery devices. He has worked extensively on pharmaceutical materials science and various advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing areas, such as the continuous manufacturing of oral and parenteral dosage forms, 3D printing of pharmaceutical tablets with varying mechanical strengths and drug release behaviors, optimizing freeze-thawing cycles of biopharmaceuticals, and model-based guidance for the manufacturing of gene therapy drug formulations. His work has significantly advanced pharmaceutical technology. The numerical models developed by Chaudhuri for complex fluids (e.g., powders, aerosols, suspensions) are currently used by several of his industrial collaborators to optimize processes, conduct risk analyses, troubleshoot issues, and follow the Quality Based Design initiative regulated by the FDA.

“Fellows are an important resource for AIChE, providing experience-based guidance to leadership and members, as well as contributing to the activities of many AIChE entities,” according to the organization’s website.

Chaudhuri, who joined UConn in 2007, has been a leader in academic and industry collaborations. He co-founded QUASIM, a company dedicated to significantly advanced process modeling techniques of the manufacturing of particulates (used in pharmaceuticals, food, construction, agriculture, polymer, cosmetics, battery, and defense-related industries) through quantum computing algorithms.

This recognition adds to Chaudhuri’s long list of accolades, including elected membership in the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE), being highlighted in a U.S. Congressional report, and serving as an expert advisor for the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

AIChE Fellows are instrumental in shaping the future of chemical engineering by mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers and guiding the organization’s activities. Chaudhuri’s election as a Fellow highlights his lasting impact on the field and his commitment to advancing pharmaceutical science and technology.