Page 24 - Tarangini6-1

FACULTY CORNER

Dr. Manoj Manickam, Assistant Professor, Department of chemistry, in active
collaboration with Dr. Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar, a medicinal chemist at University of
Bonn, Germany and Dr. Sangeetha Meenakshisundaram, Sri Krishna College of
Engineering and Technology have published a paper titled “Recent discovery and
development of inhibitors targeting coronaviruses“ in January 2020, in the journal
Drug Discovery Today. They have worked together and found a key enzyme of the
SARS-CoV called Chymotrypsin-like Cysteine Protease (3CLpro) also called the main
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protease (Mpro) by 3D modelling. They used X-Ray crystal structure of a related virus
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TGEV (Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus). This enzyme fits into the virus structure like a lock and key. The
stop of production of this enzyme can inhibit the binding of the virus structure. Their work is also
acknowledged and appreciated by The Hindu Newspaper in their SCI-TECH column.
To find their publication check at:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359644620300416
- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/the-covid-19-virus-and-its
polyproteins/article31375823.ece?homepage=true
Tender Coconut and Tender Heart

I was walking with my eight-year-old son in
the street. My son wanted to have tender
coconut as it was a very hot day. As there is no
one best time to have coconut water, I agreed. A
person was selling fresh tender coconuts in a
rickety cart. I asked one with full water and was
curiously observing how he effortlessly cuts the
c c n t
coconut with a sickle. While he was speaking
o
o
u
incessantly to the neighbouring vendor, he had a
minor cut in his finger and blood started
dripping. He was least bothered about and
wiped it in his lungi. For him, the sale of the
tender coconut counted rather than the minor
cut. As soon as I paid the amount, my son was
d
ready to drink it. I told him to have it later. My
r a y
e
son was puzzled about my firmness in having it
later.
After moving far away from the cart, I saw a
poor man begging on the streets and I gave the
tender coconut to him. He was happy to have it
and blessed us. My son was about to throw
tantrums. I explained to him about the slit in the
coconut seller’s finger and by any chance if the
blood had mixed in the coconut water, there is a
r
i
e
o
s
serious risk of incurable disease. I promised him
s
u
to get another one later that day. Having done
my job as a responsible mother, I continued
walking. My son after a while asked me, Will the
disease not affect the beggar? If it affects him,
how will he get cured without a penny in hand?
Are beggars let to die with diseases? I did not
a
e
have answers for the plethora of questions
h v
thrown at me. Kids teach us life’s lessons with
their tender hearts and noble thoughts.
- Dr. M Devasena
Associate Professor, Civil
PSGiTech | Tarangini 6.1 | November 2020 | Page 23