Dr. Sekar joined The University of Findlay, School of Pharmacy in July 2007 as an Associate Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Sekar has several years of pharmacy practice experience at the University of Cincinnati hospital, where he provided pharmacy services in both central and decentralized areas of practice. He brings with him over 20 years of research experience in molecular pharmacology. His research expertise is in the area of cell communication, and he has made several important contributions in the area of phosphoinositide signaling.

As he firmly believes that understanding and adapting to this rapidly changing world is critical for both personal and professional success, he has now developed international Advanced Pharmacy Practice Rotation opportunities in both the United Arab Emirates and India that students can pursue in their final year of the Pharm.D. program.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION 

2019          UF’s Dan Allen Teaching Award for Holistic Teaching
2019          Elected Fellow of Indian Pharmacist Association
2019          B.M. Mithal Memorial Award, BITS, Pilani
2018          M.L. Khorana Memorial Award from Indian Pharmacist Association
2016          Invited Spearker at 68th Indian Pharmacy Congress, Visakhapatnam, India
2015          Invited Speaker at Federation of International Student           Pharmacists
2013               Elected Fellow of American Pharmacist Association
2011               ASPET Pharmacology Educator Award
2011               Advisory Board CIMS, Ahmadabad, INDIA
2010               Adjunct Professor, JSS University, Mysore, India
2010-2013       APhA-APRS basic science chair-elect
2009-2012       Elected Member electronic advisory board of APhA
2008               Summer Visiting Scientist, University of Pittsburgh
1994               Marquis Who's Who in Science & Engineering 
1992-1997       National Institute of Health (R29)
1991-1993       American Heart Association, Alabama Affiliate
1989-1990       Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
1988-1990       ADA Research and Development award
1981-1983       University of British Columbia Research Fellowship
1981-1981       British Columbia Heart Foundation Fellowship
1974-1976       University Grants Fellowship

MEMBERSHIPS
 
American Association for Advancement of Science
American Diabetes Association
American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Pharmaceutical Association
American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Ohio Pharmacist Association
Association of Scientists of Indian Origin

LICENSED PHARMACIST

Ohio
Florida

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS [from a total of 40]​

Axon, D.R., Cernasev, A., Desai, M., Connor, S., Jonkman, L.J. Sekar, M.C. (2022). Evaluating students' Covid-19 knowledge, attitudes and practices (COVKAP) during the Covid-9 pandemic. Pharmacy, 10, 46-59.​

Cernasev, A., Desai, M., Jonkman, L.J., Connor, S.E., Ware, N., Sekar, M.C., Schommer, J.C. (2021) Student pharmacists during the pandemic: development of a Covid-19 knowledge, attitudes and practices (COVKAP) survey. Pharmacy, 9, 159-169.

Aruru M., Yerramilli, A., Sekar, M.C. and Sharma, S (2021) Emergency preparedness and response (EP&R) by pharmacy professionals in India: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the way forward. Res. Social Admin. Pharm. 17:2018-2022

Alvarez-Risco, A., Mejia, C.R., Sekar, M.C. et al (2020). The Peru approach against the Covid-19 infodemic: Insights and strategies. The Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 103(2):583-586.

Nagavi, B.G, Sekar, M.C. (2020). Upskilling of Pharmacy Faculty in an accredited institution through modular training in strategic education practices with formative and summative assessments. Indian J. Pharm. Edu. Res. 54(2): S75-S78.

Lopez-Odar, D., Alvarez-Risco, A., Vara-Homa, A., Chafloque-Cespedes, R and Sekar, M.C. (2019).  Validity and reliability of the questionnaire that evaluates factors associated with perceived environmental behavior and perceived ecological purchasing behavior in Peruvian consumers. Social Responsibility J. 16(2):403-417.

Sekar MC  and Allen T ( 2018). Should a course in “medicinal herbs/ alternative medicine” be a mandatory course in pharmacy curriculum? MAPP 2(2): 1-3.

Patel, K., Patel, P. and Sekar MC (2018). Major pharmacy practice challenge for India: irrational fixed dose combinations. IJOPP 10(2): 194-195.

Sarma A., Sharma VP, Sarkar AB, Sekar MC, Samuel K and Geusz, ME (2016). The circadian clock modulates anti-cancer properties of curcumin. BMC Cancer 29; 16 (1), 759-772.

Sekar MC, Shahiwala K, Leloup L and Wells A (2014) Modulation of epidermal growth factor stimulated ERK phosphorylation and cell motility by inositol trisphosphate kinase. J Pharm Sci Pharmacol, 1(2):160-164.

Sekar MC, V. Subramaniam, S.H. Shen, S. Yesquen  A teaching opportunity for pharmacists: understanding uses and risk of dietary supplements. Pharmacy Practice News, June 2011: 38, 1-2.

Sekar, MC (2010). Advanced pharmacy practice rotation in India. Pharmacy Today, 16(11), P15-16.

Sekar, MC. Two different worlds of pharmacy practice and education - United States of America and India Global Health - an Online Journal for the Digital Age, North America, 218 06 2009.

Sekar MC, Scott ED, Sambandam V, Berry RE.  Demonstration of the presence of cyclic inositol phosphohydrolase in human urine.  Biochem Mol Med 1997:62:95-100.

Sekar MC, Sambandam V, Grizzle WE, and McDonald JM.  Dissociation of cyclic inositol phosphate hydrolase activity from annexin III.  J Biol Chem 1996;271:8295-8299.

Chen P, Xie H, Sekar MC, Gupta K and Wells A.  Epidermal growth factor receptor-mediated cell mobility:  Phospholipase C activity is required, but MAP kinase activity is not sufficient for induced cell mobility.  J Cell Biol 1994;127:847-857.

Lanas A, Sekar MC and Hirschowitz BI.  Objective evidence of Aspirin use in both ulcer and non-ulcer upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding.  Gastroenterology 1992;103:862-869.

Sekar MC,  Uemura N, Coy DH, Hirschowitz BI and Dickinson KEJ.  Bombesin, neuromedin B and neuromedin C interact with a common rat pancreatic phosphoinositide-coupled receptor but are differentially regulated by guanine nucleotides.  Biochem J 1991;280:163-169.

Sekar MC, Yang M, Meezan E and Pillion DJ.  Angiotensin II and bradykinin stimulate phosphoinositide breakdown in intact rat kidney glomeruli but not in proximal tubules.  Glomerular response modulated by phorbol ester.  Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1990;166:373-379.
 
Sekar MC, Dixon JF and Hokin LE.  The formation of Inositol 1,2-Cyclic 4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,2-Cyclic 4-Bisphosphate on stimulation of mouse pancreatic minilobules with carbamylcholine.  J Biol Chem 1987;262:340-344.

Rana RS, Sekar MC, Mertz RJ, Hokin LE and MacDonald MJ.   Potentiation by glucose metabolites of inositol trisphosphate-induced calcium mobilization in permeabolized rat pancreatic islets.  J Biol Chem 1987;262:13567-13570.

Sekar MC and Roufogalis BD.  Muscarinic receptor stimulation of polyphosphoinositide breakdown in guinea pig smooth muscle:  Amplification by lithium.  Biochem J 1984;223:527-531.

Ph.D., University of British Columbia
M.S., University of British Columbia

M.Pharm., Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India

B.Pharm., Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India