Prof. Dr. Maitreyi Zaveri: Professor and Head of Pharmacognosy and Pharma regulatory Affairs Department at K.B. Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (KBIPER), India
Dr. Maitreyi Zaveri, MPharm, PhD, is a distinguished academic and researcher with over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sciences. Currently serving as the Head and Professor of the Department of Pharmacognosy & Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs at K. B. Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (KBIPER), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, she has made significant contributions in the areas of herbal drug development, regulatory science, and phytopharmacology. Her deep-rooted knowledge of regulatory frameworks, coupled with her practical experience in industry and academia, has made her a leading voice in the Indian pharmaceutical education and research ecosystem.
Online Profiles
Dr. Maitreyi Zaveri has published 36 Scopus-indexed documents, accumulating 323 citations from 295 documents, reflecting a solid and consistent academic contribution in the field of pharmacognosy and regulatory affairs. She holds an h-index of 9, indicating the quality and impact of her work across peer-reviewed journals. Her most impactful research includes the granted patent titled “A Novel Herbal Formula for Treatment and Management of Breast Cancer Using Ethnomedicinal Plants” (Patent No. 523952, granted in March 2024), which showcases her expertise in herbal drug development and the therapeutic application of indigenous medicinal plants. She is also recognized for her cross-disciplinary publications involving phytochemistry, pharmacology, and global regulatory practices
Education
Dr. Zaveri completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1991, Master of Pharmacy (Pharmacognosy) in 1993, and PhD in Pharmacognosy in 2005, all from L. M. College of Pharmacy, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. Her MPharm research was guided by Dr. M. G. Chauhan, while her doctoral research was supervised by Dr. Sunita Jain, focusing on pharmacognostical and pharmacological aspects of medicinal plants. Her strong foundational education has underpinned a career focused on integrating traditional herbal knowledge with modern regulatory and scientific frameworks.
Research Focus
Dr. Zaveri’s primary research interests lie in herbal formulation development, phytochemical screening, phytopharmacology, and analytical method development using in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo models. Her work extends into the domain of pharmaceutical regulatory science, with expertise in dossier compilation and submission (NDA, ANDA, INDA), compliance with GMP, GLP, and global regulatory standards. She also actively works on ethnomedicinal plants, aiming to scientifically validate traditional knowledge and translate it into therapeutic products with commercial potential.
Experience
Dr. Zaveri began her career in the pharmaceutical industry as a Production Executive at Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (1993–1998), followed by academic roles at L. M. College of Pharmacy and Ramanbhai Patel College of Pharmacy. Since 2007, she has been the Professor and Head at KBIPER, where she leads both the Pharmacognosy and Regulatory Affairs departments. She has played a pivotal role in developing the institute’s research ecosystem and has contributed significantly to teaching, curriculum development, training, and regulatory certifications for both students and faculty members.
Research Timeline & Activities
Over her academic career, Dr. Zaveri has successfully guided 10 PhD scholars (with 2 currently enrolled) and more than 100 MPharm students, nurturing the next generation of researchers. She has completed 22 funded research projects, amounting to over ₹42 lakhs, supported by funding agencies like GUJCOST, DST, AICTE, and BIRAC. Her research outputs include 158 peer-reviewed publications, 189 conference presentations, and 3 patents (1 granted and published, 1 granted, 1 under review). She has also authored multiple textbooks and contributed chapters to internationally published books.
Awards & Honors
Dr. Zaveri has received multiple national and international awards for her academic and research excellence. Notable recognitions include the Women Researcher Award (2020), and First Prizes at major conferences such as NiPICON-2018, ISPRA Symposium, and the Indo-American Pharmaceutical Regulatory Symposium. She has also been awarded by GUJCOST for her state-level paper presentations in 2004 and 2008. These accolades reflect her continued excellence in both educational leadership and scientific innovation.
Top Noted Publication
Among Dr. Zaveri’s significant scientific contributions, one of the most prominent is the granted Indian patent (No. 523952) titled “A Novel Herbal Formula for Treatment and Management of Breast Cancer Using Ethnomedicinal Plants”, awarded in March 2024. This innovation demonstrates her commitment to bridging traditional herbal knowledge with modern pharmaceutical applications. In addition to patents, her published work—cited over 1,187 times with an h-index of 16—highlights her impact on the scientific community.
Book Chapter
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Zaveri, Maitreyi, and Bhavita Dhru.
“Regulatory Provisions for Food Supplements in India.”
In Nutraceuticals: Global Regulatory Status and Challenges, Volume 1, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2025.
(Covers Indian regulations related to nutraceuticals and food supplements.)
Recent Journal Articles
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Zaveri, Maitreyi, et al.
“Mechanistic insights into the anti-ulcerative effects of Avipattikar churna: a network pharmacology and experimental approach.”
Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, 2025.
(Integrates network pharmacology with experimental validation of Ayurvedic formulation.) -
Zaveri, Maitreyi, et al.
“Novel gastroretentive formulation of an Ayurvedic churna for peptic ulcers: Optimization and evaluation.”
Journal of Research in Pharmacy, 2024.
(Focuses on the development of a gastroretentive drug delivery system for Ayurvedic medicine.)
Strength for the Best Innovator Award
1. Innovative Research in Ethnomedicinal Drug Development
Dr. Zaveri has consistently focused on blending traditional ethnomedicinal knowledge with modern pharmaceutical techniques. Her innovation is evidenced by multiple patents, including a granted Indian patent for a novel herbal formula to treat breast cancer. This reflects a strong commitment to converting indigenous knowledge into validated, therapeutic interventions—an innovation highly relevant to modern drug discovery.
2. Pioneering Work in Herbal Formulations and Phytopharmacology
Her work in developing novel herbal drug delivery systems, such as gastroretentive formulations for Ayurvedic churnas, showcases her ability to adapt ancient remedies for modern needs using scientific methods like network pharmacology and experimental validation. This positions her as a key innovator in making herbal medicines more effective and accessible.
3. Leadership in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs
Dr. Zaveri is not only an academician but a national leader in pharmaceutical regulatory science. She has led and organized numerous certificate courses, conferences, and faculty development programs under the banner of ISPRA (Indian Society of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs). Her contribution to developing regulatory literacy in India is innovative in bridging academia, industry, and policy.
4. Successful Translation of Research into Patents and Products
With three patents (two granted and one in process) and over 22 funded research projects, Dr. Zaveri has a proven track record of translational research. Her ability to move from lab-scale innovation to intellectual property reflects a deep understanding of applied pharmaceutical research, making her work valuable beyond academia.
5. Mentorship-Driven Innovation Culture
As a guide to over 100 MPharm students and 10 PhD scholars, Dr. Zaveri has created an environment that fosters young innovators. Many of her projects are collaborative and interdisciplinary, emphasizing innovation through team-based learning and real-world problem-solving, especially in herbal and regulatory science.