MBRC & CIC

Dr. Kapila Kumar is serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biotechnology, FET, MRIIRS. She has worked on DBT and DST funded research projects in collaboration with University of Delhi with focus on the interaction studies for Chandipura and Chikungunya viruses. Her research interests lie in exploring the molecular mechanism of infectious diseases and developing therapeutics and diagnostics. Her focus is to better understand the virus-host protein interactions, identify host proteins or pathways required by emerging and re-emerging viruses. She has research interests in developing biosensors and is working on biological engineering of microorganisms. She had her team participate in the most prestigious competition in synthetic biology (iGEM 2020) and got government funding from DBT for the same. Her Team won bronze medal in the competition. She is the mentor of two start-ups which have received govt funding for the development of affordable devices utilizing biological engineering.

Projects

1. Delineating pathways utilized in viral Induced cancers
2. Drawing the connection between Human Endogenous Retroviruses and neurodegenerative disorders
3. Development of national Repository for affordable synthetic biology-based solutions (projects and products)
4. Extra Hepatic manifestations of Hepatitis B virus

Dr Jayant Maini is an assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology, FET, MRIIRS. He is interested in elucidating the lack of genotype-phenotype correlation with respect to diseases. In this respect, he is exploring the role of epigenetics in variable expressivity associated with genetic diseases including Cleft Lip and Palate. In cancer the mutational load often doesn’t correlate with altered transcriptional landscape. He wants to explore this lack of correlation by identifying the cellular memory modules responsible. He is also working on the role of nutrition and diet of epigenomic landscape and transgenerational inheritance.

Projects

1. Role of Nutrition in shaping the epigenome

Dr Vineeta Sharma is an Associate Professor in Department of Biotechnology, FET, MRIIRS. She has 8 years of post-Ph.D. experience of different research areas i.e., Genetics, Epigenetics, Oncology, Toxicology and Translational Research. She has a varied work experience of labs with diverse functional domains i.e., University of Delhi, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow. She is currently working on understanding the Epigenetic and Genetic regulatory mechanisms of prenatal toxicant exposure and developmental abnormalities including adult-onset diseases like cancers of skin and gall bladder and renal dysfunction. Developmental origin of health and disease postulates the footprints of early life exposure are followed as an endowment of risk for adult disease. Her research aim is to decipher the effect of environmental toxicants (heavy metals and microplastics) on Cardio-metabolic-renal health. This complex condition of an altered biological landscape and associated epigenetics mechanisms are being explored and examined.

Projects

1. Early prognostic of Diabetic nephropathy using combinatorial approach: synergizing biomarkers and functional Imaging with machine learning.
2. Maternal exposure of environmental toxicants and early onset of kidney disease: Deciphering the role of epigenome biomarkers

Dr Krishna Priya Ganti is an Associate Professor in Department of Biotechnology, FET, MRIIRS. She is interested in exploring the well-orchestrated defence mechanism of an organism. Her research interest includes, exploring (i) the epi(genetic) mechanism(s) regulating the human TSLP gene expression in epidermal keratinocytes and (ii) role of inflammatory cytokines in keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal barrier dysfunction, which might pave way for the development of better therapeutics for atopic dermatitis.

Prachie Sharma is an Assistant Professor at Department of Biotechnology. She has an over 8 years of research as well as teaching experience. She has an active experience in innovations projects such as Novel method of using enhanced sunlight for the early maturation of plants, hydroponics, self-healing concrete and Air filtration system. Her experience in research has led to 7 research articles, three patents (published), two copyrights and recently completed a DST funded project. Prachie is Director at Parimukh Innovations Pvt Ltd which is actively trying to implement the product at the government level. Through Parimukh innovations, she is working with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited for implementation of air filtration system across the state. As a part of her doctoral work has worked upon the elucidation of novel host extra-hepatic targets of Hepatitis B virus. This study involves constructing an extra-hepatic lymphotropic interactome.

Prachie believes in working towards development of technologies which would have real world impact in the field of virology, agriculture as well as food sciences and are therefore marketable in the long run.

Projects:

1. Extra Hepatic manifestations of Hepatitis B virus
2. Jelly tea-a vegan alternative to green tea in the form of jelly
3. Plant revival device
4. Augmentation of agricultural produce using solar energy