Dr. Rajat Pal

Assistant Director - Microbiology and Biotechnology

Post-Doc Research, Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta.

Email: rajat.p@snuniv.ac.in

 E D U C A T I O N 

Post-Doc Research, Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta.

Ph.D. in Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta.

GATE – 2009 in Life Science

M. Sc. In Microbiology, University of Calcutta

M.Sc. in Bioinformatics, Sikkim Manipal University

Post Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics, DOEACC, Govt. of India. JU Campus

B.Sc. (H) in Microbiology, Calcutta University

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

The primary focus of Prof. Pal’s research is studying bioremediation of heavy metal toxicity by microorganisms, and elucidating the molecular mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity (e.g. Antimony) resistance in several plant bodies. Specifically, he studies the genetic makeup and molecular pathways involved in heavy metal resistant bacteria by identifying the responsible genes and the genetic evolution of these genes. Alongside, he is investigating the role of selection pressure on the evolution of the heavy metal resistance in bacteria. The goal of this research is to discover the heavy metal toxicity resistant bacteria mediated protective mechanisms of plants and the evolution of these resistant bacteria.

The Pal lab is also analyzing the formulation and application of novel drug-nanoparticle conjugates, and the efficacy of nanocomposites using animal models. He is looking to identify the mechanisms by which nanocomposites impart protective effects against bacterial and cancer cell growth.

Additionally, Prof. Pal uses bioinformatics tools and computational models to solve molecular structures of nanoparticles and nanocomposite material. Through bioinformatics, he aims to understand the genetic alterations in heavy metal resistant bacteria.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Dr. Pal has 14 years of teaching, 12 years of research experience and three years of industry experience.
• He had been appointed as Examiner for both UG and PG level examinations at many colleges and University.
• He is member of Indian Science Congress, Indian Mycological Society, Microbiologist society, India.
• He has eighteen international journal publications and more than thirty national and international conference publications.
• Recipient of Gold Medal from Department of Botany, Calcutta University.
• Recipient of seven national level awards

R E S E A R C H   G R O U P

• Two Ph.D. students
• Three research trainees
• Two M.Sc. Project trainees
• 12 PG research students
• 24 UG research students

P U B L I C A T I O N S

• 13 Research
• 5 Review Articles
• 2 Book chapters
• 2 Books

T e a c h i n g   A r e a

• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Nanotechnology

Prof. A.N. Lahiri Majumder

INSA HONORARY SCIENTIST - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Post-Doctoral Research from National Institutes of Health, USA (1973-1976) as Fogarty International Visiting Fellow/Associate.

Email:

E D U C A T I O N

DSc in Biochemistry from University of Calcutta, Kolkata.

Post-Doctoral Research from National Institutes of Health, USA (1973-1976) as Fogarty International Visiting Fellow/Associate.

Ph.D. in Botany from University of Calcutta, Kolkata.

M. Sc. in Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata.

B.Sc. (H) in Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata.

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R ES T

Major research contributions are in the area of inositols and phosphoinositides in relation to the biochemistry & molecular analysis, genetics, and biotechnological application of the pathways for attaining a stress-tolerant phenotype. Briefly these involve:

• Molecular identification of the key pathway enzyme inositol synthase as an evolutionarily conserved ancient protein & gene across biological kingdom. Further identification of an evolutionarily conserved pentapeptide as the “core component” at it’s active site domain.
• Identification of salt-tolerant proteins and their genes (PcIno1 & PcIMT1) from wild halophytic rice Oryza coarctata, their indepth molecular studies and generation of homozygous crop plants for attainment of salt-tolerant trait. Studies on the phosphoinositide specific Phospholipase C as a target for stress tolerance.
• Newer extension pathways of the inositol metabolism in wild rice plants and studies of their regulation under adverse environment. Indepth studies on the promoters and cis elements of the different pathway genes as common key for coordinated regulation of inositol pathways under environmental stress.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• He held the positions of a Lecturer, Reader, Professor and Chairman at the Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan (1977-91).
• Professor of Botany, Bose Institute, Kolkata (1991-1995) and as Senior Professor & Head, Plant Molecular and Cellular Genetics/Division of Plant Biology Bose Institute between 1995 -2011.
• He also worked at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA (1979,1980,1982); University of Ohio, USA (sabbatical, 1986-88); University of Arizona, USA (1994,1996,1998,1999); and University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA (2000,2002,2005).
• He was a Raja Ramanna Fellow (2011-2016) and an INSA Senior Scientist (2016-2022).

A W A R D S   &  H O N O U R S

• Elected Fellow, Indian National Science Academy (FNA), Indian Academy of Science (FASc), National Academy of Sciences (FNASc), National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS), West Bengal Academy of Science & Technology (FASc&T)
• Elected Member, Guha Research Conference 2001)
• SB Saksena Award from the Indian National Science Academy (2008)
• Sadakharaswamy Endowment Lecture Award, SBC(I) (1994/1995)
• Parija Memorial Award, Utkal University (2001)
• S N Pattnyak Memorial Oration Award, Bhubaneswar University (2017)
• J C Sengupta Endowment Award, West Bengal Academy of Science & Technology, 2018.
• Foundation Day Award, Bose Institute (1998).
• Career Development Award, UGC (1980-83).
• Fogarty International Center Visiting Fellowship/Associateship, NIH, USA (1973 – 1976)
• Sir Rashbehari Ghosh Travelling Fellowship, Calcutta University (1982).
• Rockefeller Biotechnology Career Fellowship (1998-2003)

Dr. S. T. Choudhury

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND HEAD - Biotechnology

Ph.D in Biochemistry, Calcutta University

Email: somsubhra.tc@snuniv.ac.in

E D U C A T I O N

Ph.D in Biochemistry, Calcutta University

GATE – 2010 in Life Science

M.Sc. in Microbiology Calcutta University

B.Sc. in Microbiology Calcutta University

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Prof. Thakur Choudhury is involved in research on two major areas. Drug delivery system deals with the delivery of a therapeutic agent to the specific site in our body. The therapeutic agents or drugs have long been used to improve our health, to fight against the diseases and providing us an extended life. But the majority of the therapeutic agents face some major drawbacks like toxicity, resistance and poor bioavailability. In this respect, the drug delivery technology has opened a new avenue to improve the therapeutic efficacy of the drug.

Prof. Thakur Choudhury’s research interest is to explore the drug delivery field specifically liposomal and nanoparticulated drug delivery. Primarily he wants to develop new formulations of conventional drugs to improve their therapeutic efficacy. In future, the prime objective will be to develop target specific delivery of cytotoxic drugs for critical diseases like cancer.

Diagnosis of a disease is very important for proper and timely medication. In recent years a major thrust in the field of research is to develop an easy as well as efficient diagnostic tool for detection of disease. His objective is to develop easy, field adaptable diagnostic kits with higher sensitivity and specificity for the early detection of different infectious diseases as well as for different neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Prof. Thakur Choudhury has 2 years of teaching and 8 Years of Research experience.
• He has 10 international journal and several conference publications.

R E S E A R C H G R O U P

• One Ph.D. student
• Three UG research students

T E A C H I N G   A R E A

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Drug Designing and Drug Delivery

R E S E A R C H   A R E A

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Cancer Biology
• Molecular Diagnostic

Dr. Sudipta Saha

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph. D. from CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur University

Email: sudipta.s@snuniv.ac.in

Dr. Sudipta Saha has 22 years of research (from Ph. D.) including more than 5 years of teaching experience along with a very short stint in industry. He is a Ph.D. from CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He received JRF/SRF/RA fellowships from DST, Lady Tata Memorial Trust, ICMR, CSIR along with CSIR-SRA (Pool Scientist Position). His Post Doctoral research is from Chang Gung University, Taiwan. He received DST-SERB-Startup Research Grant of about Rs. 30 Lakhs during his tenure as Assistant Professor (III) at Amity University, Noida. He had been appointed as External Examiner for both UG and PG level examinations at many Colleges and Universities. He is a Life Member of Indian Science Congress Association, Society of Biological Chemists, India. He is the recipient of “Biotech Idea to Innovation Award 2007” from British Council, New Delhi and “India Innovation Pioneers Challenge Award 2009” from Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, DST-India and Intel. He is also the recipient of two Best Poster Awards in International Conferences like International Congress on Gamete Biology 2006 and Bangalore India Bio 2011. He has international research exposures in Taiwan, USA and UK. He has 14 Journal Publications, 3 Review Articles, 4 Book Chapters, e-Books, 1 Granted Patent and 5 Press Mentions. His research interests are in the area of Reproductive Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Proteomics and Bioinstrumentation.

Dr. Fatema Calcuttawala

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D in Molecular Microbiology, NICED, Kolkata. Post Doctoral Research, Bose Institute

Email:

E D U C A T I O N

Post Doctoral Research, Bose Institute

Ph.D in Molecular Microbiology, NICED, Kolkata

GATE – 2010 in Life Science

ICMR-JRF 2010

CSIR-UGC NET 2010 (SPM Fellow)

M.Sc. in Biochemistry Calcutta University (Gold-medalist)

B.Sc. in Microbiology Calcutta University

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Soil-dwelling actinomycetes are the most relevant class of microorganisms to expand one’s knowledge on antimicrobial substance production. Most clinically important antibiotics originate from them. However, multidrug resistance is threatening the future continual use of antibiotics. Hence there is a need to develop alternative environmentally friendly processes of nanoparticle synthesis which involves utilization of biological systems as nanofactories thereby promising an environmentally clean, nontoxic and economical process. Dr. Calcuttawala’s research interest is directed at sampling the soil actinomycetes of East Kolkata Wetlands (EKWs) and screening them for antimicrobial substances and nanoparticle production against a wide panel of phytopathogens. The EKWs have been designated as "wetland of international importance" under the Ramsar Convention in 2002. Microbial richness of this region is its hidden asset. Soil samples collected from the wetlands are expected to show the presence of various new strains of Actinomycetes which are not only ecologically important but also have commercial value. Furthermore, the nanoparticles synthesized may exhibit a synergistic effect with the antimicrobial substances produced by them and can serve as effective tools in overcoming the roadblock of controlling those phytopathogens which are difficult to eradicate using the conventional agricultural methods.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Prof. Calcuttawala has 2 years of teaching and 8 Years of research experience.
• She has 4 international journal and several conference publications.

R E S E A R C H G R O U P

• Three UG research students
• One Project Trainee

T E A C H I N G   A R E A

• Molecular Biology
• Virology
• Microbial genetics
• Recombinant DNA Technology
• Medical Microbiology and Immunology

R E S E A R C H   A R E A

• Bacteriology
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Virology

Dr. Anindita Banerjee

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D. in Microbial Technology from Jadavpur University. Post-Doctoral Research from NTNU Trondheim, Norway.

Email: anindita.ba@snuniv.ac.in

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Dr. Banerjee’s main focus of research is on integrated bioprocess technology for synthesis of bio-fuel with special reference to bio-aviation fuel through microbial aerobic as well as anaerobic fermentation route and understanding the complexity of microbial communities and their metabolic processes for optimisation of downstream product development. Her study also focuses on simultaneous development of strains, bioproduction of value added- metabolites and product purification along with model-based bioprocess automation.

Besides, she also has key interest in wastewater treatment using immobilized microbial biomass and recovery of the adsorbate for cost-effective recycling of the biomaterials for application at industrial scale. Precisely, multiparameter process optimization based on statistical design of experiments (DOE) for maximization of bio-removal process is one of the key attentions of her study.

Dr Banerjee concurrently has keen interest in bioprospecting of novel enzymes required for broad spectrum biotechnological applications, their characterization and expression at molecular level.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Dr. Banerjee has 1 year of teaching and 15 years of research experience.
• She has mentored B. Tech, M. Tech, M.Sc and Ph.D students in several National Universities.
• She has ten international journal research publications and more than ten national and international conference publications.
• Recipient of four national level awards.

R E S E A R C H   G R O U P

• 2 M.Sc. Project trainees
• 5 PG research students
• 10 UG research students

T E A C H I N G  A R E A

• Environmental Microbiology
• Biostatistics

P U B L I C A T I O N S

• 10 Research Article
• 10 Conference Publications

Dr. Asis K. Jana

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. Post-Doctoral Research from University of Oklahoma, United States.

Email:

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Dr. Jana is involved in research to understand the structure, dynamics, and thermodynamics of complex biomolecular systems at atomistic resolution using theory and computational tools.  One of the major focusses is to understand the self-assembly pathways of the intrinsically disordered proteins, which is linked to a variety of "protein aggregation disorders" such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, and the modulation of their aggregation pathways with suitable nanomaterials and ligand binding using computer simulation techniques.

Since last year, Dr. Jana is also investigating SARS-COV-2 induced amyloid formation as a way to explain some of the long-term effects troubling COVID-19 survivors. For instance, symptoms of “Long COVID” and the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in adults (MIS-A) resemble Serum Amyloid A (SAA) amyloidosis, and SAA overproduction is a symptom of COVID-19. Similarly, it has been shown that SARS-COV-2 infection can trigger Parkinson’s disease which is connected with alpha-Synuclein amyloid formation. We suspect similar relationships with amyloid-beta peptide, implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Dr. Jana has 12 years of research experience.
• He has 15 international journal research publications and two international conference publications.
• He has mentored in several B. Tech, M. Tech, M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in national and international universities.
• Recipient of two national level fellowships (UGC-NET and GATE).

R E S E A R C H   G R O U P

• 2 PG research students
• 5 UG research students

T E A C H I N G  A R E A

• Mathematics and Biostatistics
• Computational Biology
• Chemistry

P U B L I C A T I O N S

• 15 Research Articles
• 1 Review Article

Dr. Surjit Singh

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D. Biotechnology, TIGP-MBAS, Academia Sinica & NCHU, Taiwan. Postdoctoral research, ABRC, Academia Sinica, Taiwan.

Email: surjit.s@snuniv.ac.in

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Dr. Surjit Singh’s research mainly focus on the aspect of molecular biology in different model organisms including plants and bacteria. As his Ph.D. and Postdoctoral research in Biotechnology with specialization in Plant Molecular Biology with a prior knowledge in the field of microbiology and environmental geochemistry, where he especially worked with arsenic contamination in the Indian rice field, and later to understand the basic fundamentals of plant genetics in order to cope with nutrient stress, specifically the iron (Fe) deficiency response mechanism in Arabidopsis to elucidate the factors behind the delayed flowering phenomenon through epigenetic modifications provided him numerous valuable skills and also allowed him to pursue inter disciplinary research..

Currently, Dr. Singh’s lab has primarily two independent focuses; First to dissect and analyze the nutrient stress, epigenetic phenomenon and flowering time control in plants which has the agricultural yield and management implications; Second to elucidate the molecular mechanism behind environmental detoxification using microbial system.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Dr. Singh has 9 years of research (including Ph.D. and Postdoc) and 1 year of teaching experience.
• Recipient of Academia Sinica Postdoctoral Fellowship from Academia Sinica, Taiwan.
• Recipient of Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) Ph.D. scholarship.
• Reviewer in scientific journals.
• Recipient of Silver Medals from VIT University and MAKAUT.
• Recipient of Eleven international level awards.

R E S E A R C H   G R O U P

• 3 PG research students
• 8 UG research students

T E A C H I N G  A R E A

• Molecular Biology
• Genetic Engineering
• Plant Biotechnology

P U B L I C A T I O N S

• 11 Research
• 2 Review Articles
• 1 Book chapters
• 20 conference publications

Dr. Rochishnu Dutta

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from University of Exeter, UK. Post-Doctoral Research from IISER Mohali.

Email: rochishnu.d@snuniv.ac.in

E D U C A T I O N

• Post-Doctoral Research from IISER Mohali.
• Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from University of Exeter, UK.
• M. Sc. in Forestry, FRI Deemed-to-be University, Dehradun.
• B.Sc. (H) in Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata.

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Dr. Dutta’s research focus on chemical analysis of naturally occurring lipids using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. This includes extraction of lipids from natural sources, identification of novel chemicals, statistical analysis of the lipids as well as multivariate analysis for group differences in lipid profiles. He is interested in understanding the biochemical pathways and underlying genetic makeup involved in lipid synthesis.

The Evolutionary Ecology lab is also investigating the evolutionary outcomes of bacterial infection in host organism and hosts ability to resist, protect and survive life threatening microbial diseases.

Additionally, Dr. Dutta uses geometric morphometric tools to analyse shapes and forms of micro-organisms and microbial colonies.

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

• Dr. Dutta has 1 year of teaching and 13 years of research experience.
• He has previously worked in IISc Bangalore, IISER Mohali, NCBS Bangalore, ISI Kolkata as well as Nature Conservation Foundation Mysore.
• He is member of Society for the Study of Evolution.
• He has been reviewer for Journal of Biosciences (IAS, Bangalore) and Ethology journal.
• He has been a volunteer for Worldwide Fund for Nature.

R E S E A R C H   G R O U P

• 5 PG Research students
• 10 UG Research students

T E A C H I N G  A R E A

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Biodiversity and Taxonomy
• Biostatistics

P U B L I C A T I O N S

• 5 Research Articles
• 2 Books

Dr. Amit Sarkar

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D degree from Jadavpur University, Postdoctoral research: Rocky Mountain laboratories National Institute of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, USA.

Email: amit.s@snuniv.ac.in

E D U C A T I O N

Postdoctoral research: Rocky Mountain laboratories, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, USA.

Ph.D. Life Sciences (Microbial Genetics), Bose Institute, Kolkata.

MSc. Botany, Visva Bharati University, West Bengal, India

BSc. (H) Life Sciences, Visva Bharati University, West Bengal, India

R E S E A R C H   I N T E R E S T

Dr. Amit Sarkar’s research programme primarily focuses on molecular genetics of enteric pathogenic bacteria and their interactions with hosts. During doctoral research Dr. Sarkar focused on molecular characterization of Non-Cholera Vibrios to gain better insights towards their genetic differences with their epidemic causing counterparts. His postdoctoral research primarily focused on understanding the host-pathogen interaction and identification of novel virulence genes of Lyme disease causing bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern worldwide where rampant use of antibiotic has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains. Infections with the enteric pathogen Vibrio cholera remains a concern in some of the South-East Asian countries and has emerged as a notorious drug resistant enteric pathogen over the past few decades. How these bacteria have evolved to acquire this drug resistance property and their survivability within the gut of the host in competition with the normal gut flora is one of the primary questions of Dr. Sarkar’s research. His research also aims at molecular characterization of hospital-acquired Salmonella infection and their antibiotic resistance profile. 

P R O F E S S I O N A L   E X P E R I E N C E

2015 - 2022: Assistant Professor and Head, Dept. of Biotechnology The Neotia University, West Bengal

2006 - 2012: Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow, Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, MT 59849

1999 - 2006: Ph.D, Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute Kolkata, India, 700054

P E E R  R E V I E W E D  P U B L I C A T I O N S

1.    Poulomi Chakraborty, Debabrata Ghosh Dastidar, Payel Paul, Sutirtha Dutta · Debajjyoti Basu, Senjuti Roy Sharma, Shreosi Basu, Ranojit Kumar Sarker, Aparna Sen · Amit Sarkar, Prosun Tribedi (2020). Inhibition of bioflm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by cafeine: a potential approach for sustainable management of bioflm. Archives of Microbiology. Vol 202(3):623-635.
2.    B. M. Hayes, Daniel P. Dulebohn, Amit Sarkar, Kit Tilly, Aaron Bestor, Xavier Beth Ambroggio and Patrici A. Rosa (2014). Regulatory Protein BBD18 of the Lyme Disease Spirochete: Essential Role during Tick Acquisition? mBio. 5(2):e01017-14
3.    Stewart PE, Carroll JA, Dorward DW, Stone HH, Amit Sarkar, Picardeau M, Rosa PA. (2012). Characterization of the Bat proteins in the oxidative stress response of Leptospira biflexa. BMC Microbiol. Vol 13;12:290
4.    Amit Sarkar*, Hayes BM, Dulebohn DP, Rosa PA. (2011). Regulation of the virulence determinant OspC by bbd18 on linear plasmid lp17 of Borrelia burgdorferi. Journal of Bacteriology. Vol. 193 (19), Page. 5365-5373. (corresponding author)
5.    Jewett MW, Jain S, Linowski AK, Amit Sarkar, Rosa PA. (2011). Molecular characterization of the Borrelia burgdorferi in vivo-essential protein PncA. Microbiology. Vol. 157(part10). Page. 2831- 2840.
6.    Aaron Bestor, PhilipE. Stewart, Mollie W. Jewett, Amit Sarkar, Kit Tilly and Patricia A. Rosa. (2010). Use of the Cre-lox recombination system to investigate lp54 gene requirement in the infectious cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection and Immunity. Vol.78(6), Page.2397-2407.
7.    Amit Sarkar*, Kit Tilly, Philip Stewart, Aaron Bestor, James M. Battisati and Patricia Rosa (2009). Borrelia burgdorferi resistance to a major skin antimicrobial peptide is independent of outer surface lipoprotein content. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Vol. 53(10), Page. 4490-4494. (*corresponding author)
8.    Bisweswar Nandi, Ranjan K. Nandy, Amit Sarkar and Asoke C. Ghose (June 2005). Structural features, properties and regulation of the outer membrane protein W (OmpW) of Vibrio cholerae. Microbiology. Vol. 151(part 9), Page. 2975-2986.
9.    Amit Sarkar, Ranjan K. Nandy, G. Balakrish Nair, and Asoke C. Ghose (August 2002). VibrioPathogenicity Island and Cholera Toxin Genetic Element-Associated Virulence Genes and Their Expression in Non O1 Non-O139 Strains of Vibrio

T E A C H I N G  A R E A

• Immunology
• Recombinant DNA technology
• Biochemistry

R E S E A R C H  A R E A

• Molecular Genetics
• Microbiology
• Immunology

Dr. Souri Roy

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D. in Molecular genetics, Plant genetic engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur

Email: souri.r@snuniv.ac.in

International:

1. Snehasish Sarkar, Souri Roy & Sudip Kumar Ghosh (2021) Development of marker-free transgenic pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) expressing a pod borer insecticidal protein.  Scientific Reports, Nature, 11, 10543. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90050-8

2. Snehasish Sarkar, Souri Roy, Sudip Kumar Ghosh and Asitava Basu (2019) Application of lateral branching to overcome the recalcitrance of in vitro regeneration of Agrobacterium-infected Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.). Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, Springer Nature, 137, pages 23–32. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11240-018-01547-6

3. Jagannath Bhattacharyya, Anirban Chakraborty, Souri Roy, Soumitra Kumar Sen (2015) Genetic transformation of cultivated jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) by particle bombardment using apical meristem tissue and development of stable transgenic plant. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture, 121, pages 311–324. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11240-014-0702-2  

4. Souri Roy, Snehasish Sarkar, Sudip Kumar Ghosh Development of a rapid and highly efficient in-vitro somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration of P.  glaucum (L) from shoot apical meristem (Under review)

National

5. Rajib Roychowdhury, Souri Roy, and Jagatpati Tah (2013) Estimation of heritable components of variation and character selection in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) for mutation breeding programme. Continental J. Biological Sciences 4 (2): 31-36. https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20123299341

Conferrence Proceding

1. 18th European Congress On Biotechnology 1-4 July 2018, Geneva Switzerland

Souri Roy, Snehasish Sarkar and Sudip Kumar Ghosh (2018) Somatic embryogenesis of sweet pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), a rich source of cellulosic biomass, New Biotechnology, Volume 1113, Issue 1-3, Pages 1871-6784, Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbt.2018.05.985.

2. 43^rd FEBS Congress 7-12 July 2018, Prague, Czech Republic

 Snehasish Sarkar, Souri Roy, Sudip K.Ghosh (2018) Development of marker-free pod borer resistant Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). FEBS Open Bio, 8: P.07-022. https://doi:10.1002/2211-5463.12453

DR. SIDDHARTHA DUTTA

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D. in Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Email: siddhartha.d@snuniv.ac.in

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University

CSIR JRF NET – 2002 in Life Sciences

M.Sc. in Botany, Banaras Hindu University

B.Sc. (H) in Botany, Ravenshaw University

RESEARCH INTEREST

Dr. Dutta's research endeavors revolve around comprehending the underlying mechanisms driving plant productivity, employing both biochemical and transgenic methodologies. His primary focus resides in dissecting the regulation of chloroplast biogenesis and the intricate process of protein import into chloroplasts. A central aspect of his investigations lies in unraveling the relationship between chloroplast morphology and its functional attributes. Enhancing the operational efficiency of chloroplasts stands as a pivotal objective, particularly within the purview of biotechnologists aiming to augment overall productivity.

Moreover, Dr. Dutta is actively exploring the potential of chloroplasts as an industrial platform, a burgeoning interest in the realm of plant biotechnology. His efforts extend towards the formulation of innovative strategies to bolster growth, development, and resilience to stressors. Serving as a Pool Scientist and research scientist at the Department of Biotechnology, NIT-Durgapur, he has further expanded his scholarly interests to unveil novel pathways of light signaling critical for optimal plant growth and development. Dr. Dutta's engagement extends to the identification of nascent light signaling molecules and pathways pivotal in early phases of plant maturation.

His prolific contributions find publication in esteemed peer-reviewed journals such as Plant Physiology, Journal of Experimental Botany, PLOS ONE, and The Plant Journal, underscoring the rigorous scientific rigor characterizing his work.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2021- 2022 – Faculty (on contract) at Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

2019- 2021 – Research Scientist at Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur.

2016 – 2019: Pool Scientist (Scientist‘s Pool Scheme, CSIR) at Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur.

2012 – 2015: Research Associate at Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States.

2009 – 2012: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada.

PUBLICATIONS

• 12 research
• 3 reviews
• 2 Book chapters
• 1 Conference proceeding
• 1 Book review

RESEARCH GROUP

• Seven UG research students

TEACHING AREA

• Recombinant DNA Technology
• Animal and Plant Biotechnology

RESEARCH AREA

• Plant physiology
• Chloroplast biogenesis
• Light signaling
• Crop improvement

DR. SANKHA SUBHRA DAS

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - BIOTECHNOLOGY

Ph.D. in Genetics from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. Post-Doctoral Research from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), USA.

Email: sankhsubhra.d@snuniv.ac.in

EDUCATION

Post-Doctoral Research in Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), USA

Ph.D. in Genetics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

M.Sc. in Genetics, University of Calcutta

B.Sc. (H) in Zoology, Scottish Church College, University of Calcutta

FELLOWSHIP AND AWARDS

Newton Bhabha PhD placement Fellowship (2018)

CSIR Junior Research Fellowship (JRF-NET) (2015)

Indian Academy of Science Summer Research Fellowship (2013)

RESEARCH INTEREST

Dr. Das’s research focuses on understanding how genetic and epigenetic factors contribute to complex traits and diseases such as cardiometabolic diseases. He utilizes multi-omics approaches to investigate gene regulatory mechanisms at single cell resolution.

PUBLICATIONS (SELECTED)

Das SS, Kar A, Rajkumar S, Lee SHT, Alvarez M, Pietiläinen KH, Pajukanta P. Cross-tissue single nucleus RNA sequencing discovers tissue-resident adipocytes involved in propanoate metabolism in the human heart. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2023;43(10):1788-1804.

Garske K, Kar A, Comenho C, Baillu B, Pan D, Bhagat Y, Rosenberg G, Koka A, Das SS, Miao Z, Sinsheimer J, Kaprio J, Pietiläinen K, and Pajukanta P. Increased body mass index is linked to systemic inflammation through altered chromatin co-accessibility in human preadipocytes. Nature Communications. 2023;14(1):4214.

Kar A, Alvarez M, Garske KM, Huang H, Lee SHT, Deal M, Das SS, Koka A, Jamal Z, Mohlke KL, Laakso M, Heinonen S, Pietiläinen KH, Pajukanta P. Age-dependent genes in adipose stem and precursor cells affect regulation of fat cell differentiation and link aging to obesity via cellular and genetic interactions. Genome Medicine. 2024;16(1):19.

Darci-Maher N, Alvarez M, Arasu UT, Selvarajan I, Lee SHT, Pan DJ, Miao Z, Das SS, Kaminska D, Örd T, Benhammou JN, Wabitsch M, Pisegna JR, Männistö V, Pietiläinen KH, Laakso M, Sinsheimer JS, Kaikkonen MU, Pihlajamäki J, Pajukanta P. Cross-tissue omics analysis discovers ten adipose genes encoding secreted proteins in obesity-related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. EBioMedicine. 2023;92:104620.

Das SS, Chakravorty N. Identification of deleterious SNPs and their effects on BCL11A, the master regulator of fetal hemoglobin expression. Genomics. 2020 Jan;112(1):397-403.

Das SS, Mitra A, Chakravorty N. Diseases and their clinical heterogeneity - Are we ignoring the SNiPers and micRomaNAgers? An illustration using Beta-thalassemia clinical spectrum and fetal hemoglobin levels. Genomics. 2019 Jan;111(1):67-75.

TEACHING AREA

• Human Genetics
• Genetic Engineering
• Bioinformatics