Faculty Members

Research

Understanding the natural history of HPV infection and cervical cancer development among Indian women

Epidemiological studies have established a causal relationship between HPV infections and occurrence of cervical cancer (CaCx). This happens to be the second leading cause of cancer morbidity and death in women, and remains an important public health problem worldwide. In India, absence of any cancer screening Programs at the National level has resulted in late stage diagnosis and high rates of mortality. Our research aims to gain insight into HPV incidence, prevalence, type distribution, persistence of oncogenic types in longitudinal follow-up of cohorts of women - THE KALYANI COHORT. This is coupled with a genomics/epigenomics based approach to decipher the genetic underpinnings of the two known crucial stages in the natural history of cervical cancer – (i) viral persistence (population based) and (ii) progression to pre-cancer/cancer (hospital based retrospective study examining the critical stages of disease development). Towards this, we are collaborating with the College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, Kalyani and Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata.

Interrogating the intricacies of host pathogen interactions in HPV related cervical cancer pathogenesis 

Recent functional studies have revealed that natural genetic variation modulates risks to common diseases including infectious diseases, through gene expression, that provides a link between the DNA sequence and the phenotypes that characterize clinical disease. Thus, quantification of transcript abundance could be used to provide insights into causal genomic underpinnings of diseases. Such differences in gene expressions have been correlated with the genetic variations in the cis and trans regulatory sequences/factors in populations. Epigenetic alterations on the other hand, including DNA methylation, histone modification and RNA mediated gene silencing, afford a level of transcriptional regulation above and beyond DNA sequence. The focus of our research is therefore to explore the association of coding and noncoding transcription (miRNA and long non-coding RNAs), uncharacterized transcripts and their function on gene regulation, genome control and their correlation with genetic variations in cervical cancer pathogenesis.

The underlying mechanism of cervical cancer is dependent upon the interaction between host and virus. HPV interfere with fundamental processes like cell cycle by modulating host transcriptional machinery with its oncoproteins E6 and E7 and thereby leading to cancer progression. It is well established that oncoproteins E6 and E7 interact with the tumor suppressor p53, and pRb respectively, thereby contributing to cellular transformation and neoplastic progression. The viral oncoproteins are also known to interact with multitudes of other host encoded molecules and interfere with fundamental processes by modulating host transcriptional machinery, but the mechanisms of interaction are still not understood completely. The viral oncoprotein E7 interacts with pRb and E2F transcription factors, which in turn interacts with the Polycomb group of proteins to orchestrate and mediate global gene expression leading to gene silencing. Thus, E7 could probably act as a master regulator of gene expression alterations in cervical cancers. Thus, it is of paramount importance to delineate the critical targets (genes) and network interactions that are jeopardized to elicit growth deregulation in cervical cancers under the impact of oncogenic HPV proteins, specifically E7 oncoprotein.  

Although the current dogma is that HPV integrates into the host genome and thereby drives cervical carcinogenesis, it is also observed that a large proportion of such cancers harbor HPV genomes in the episomal forms, either pure or concomitant with integrated forms. There are in fact evidences from our laboratory that the two different categories of cervical cancer groups (episomal and integrated forms) are molecularly distinct, which calls for extensive characterization of the two subtypes of such cancers, by high throughput assays in order to get an holistic insight into the molecular mechanisms of transformation prevailing in these cancers and to identify suitable markers for risk prediction and prognosis.

The above-mentioned studies, which are underway in our laboratory, will enable us to draw insights into the disease pathogenesis and identification of specific targets for developing effective diagnostic and targeted therapy for genomically defined subtypes of cervical cancers.

Current Projects

· "Multi-dimensional Research to Enable Systems Medicine: Acceleration using a Cluster Approach” (SYMEC-Systems Medicine Cluster) at Kalyani, West Bengal"(Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2017-2021) – as Principal Investigator of the “Cervical Cancer” component at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani.

· “Understanding HPV16 E7 mediated gene regulatory mechanisms in HPV16 related cervical cancer pathogenesis” (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2017-2021) - Principal Investigator

· “An exploratory analysis of the genomic and epidemiological underpinnings of high risk HPV persistence in a cohort of closely followed married women nested to the Kalyani Cohort” (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of West Bengal, 2018-202) - Principal Investigator

 “Integrating multi-omics data by big data analytics to infer optimal life-course trajectories for management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs): Cervical cancer as an exemplar” (2020) FLAGSHIP PROJECT of NIBMG (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2020-2023) – Academic Co-Ordinator

CV

Name:  SHARMILA SENGUPTA 

E mail: ssg1@nibmg.ac.in

Present Position:  Professor (retd.) and Eminent Scientist

Highest educational Qualification:  Ph.D. (Chemistry); degree awarded by Calcutta University; work done at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata

Professional Appointments

Eminent Scientist: National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani (2019 onwards)

Director (additional-charge): National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani (2016-2018)

Professor: National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani (2010-19; on lien from Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata from 2010-2013)

Professor: Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (2013)

Associate Professor: Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (2007-2013)

Assistant Professor: Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (2003-2007)

Senior Lecturer: Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (2000-2003)

Lecturer: Biochemistry Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (1995-2000)

Professional Memberships

• Life Member of the Environmental Mutagen Society of India, 1991
• Life Member of Calcutta Consortium on Human Genetics, 2009 (Executive Committee Member till date and President 2016-2020)
• Life Member of Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and   Neoplasia (AOGIN), 2009.
• Life Member of the Indian Association of Cancer Research, 2011 (executive Committee (Executive Committee Member 2014-2022 and Secretary 2016-2019)
• Life Member of the Society of Biological Chemists (India), 2012
• Life Member of The Indian Society of Human Genetics, 2012
• Life Member of Kolkata Gynecological Oncology Trials and Translational Research Group (KoLGo TRG), 2018.

Awards/Honors

• Received the Overseas Research Associateship Award of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT, Govt. of India) for the year 2000- 2001 and worked on a project entitled “Molecular mechanisms of HPV related cervical neoplasia” under the supervision of Professor Saleem A Khan, Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, USA.
• Elected as a “Fellow of the West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology” in 2013
• Received the 3rd Venus International Research Awards-VIRA 2017 of the Venus International Foundation, Chennai, for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Biology, Genomics and Epigenomics.
• Elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), 2020.

Professional Honors

• Standing Chairperson of the Institutional Ethical Committees of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (2016), College of Medicine & JNM Hospital (2012), Kalyani
• Previous Chairperson of the Institutional Ethical Committee of the Child in Need Institute, Pailan, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
• Invited and participated in the scientific ex-post evaluation of 13 of the projects funded under the first New INDIGO Program as an evaluator at the EU-India Science, Technology and Innovations days in Paris, October 9-11, 2013.
• Member, PhD Committee of the Department of Biotechnology, University of Calcutta, 2015- till date.
• Invited and participated in a Study Tour and Wilton Park Dialogue: The impact of the genomics revolution on global health: How can Governments respond? Organized in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Healthcare UK, and the Science and Innovation Network (SIN), 2016.
• Member of the Internal Complaints Committee of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, 2016-19.
• Member, DBT Nominee, on the Biosafety Committee of the Biophysics and Biochemistry Department of University of Kalyani.2016.
• Chairperson of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 2017 (nominated by the CPCSEA).
• Invited and served as a member of the International Peer Review Panel for the “Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Program” directed towards Cancer Research - meeting held in Jerusalem during June 20-21, 2017.
• Editorial Board Member of the Journal “Scientific Report” of the Nature Publishing Group, since 2017.
• Sub-Theme co-coordinator for Structural Genomics and Evolutionary Biology under Emergent Areas of Impact for Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Flagship Programme SPARC, 2019.
• “Expert Member” of the “Institutional Committee for Stem Cell Research” of the NRS Medical College, Kolkata, which is one of the five centres for conducting research work on “Congenital Diseases” under the DBT-NIDAN project of GoI, 2019.
• Member of the Governing Body of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, 2011 -2019.
• Member of the Governing Body of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biocluster, Faridabad, 2020.

Invited Talks

• “Prevalence of high risk HPV16/18 infection in cervical neoplasia,” at the workshop entitled “Uterine cervical cancer: database, statistical modelling and other issues” during March 23-24, 2000, a joint collaboration of Biochemistry Unit and Statistics and Mathematics Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata.
• “Human papillomavirus infection and the role of host genetic factors in cervical cancer: some aspects of the disease in Eastern India” at the University Grants Commission Sponsored Refresher Course on “Trends in Drugs and Pharmaceuticals”, September 10-30, 2002 at the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. 
• “Involvement of host genetic factors in the pathogenesis of HPV related cervical cancer in Indian women” at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France on February 10, 2004 and at Johannes –Guttenburg University (Institute for Medicine, Biometry and Bioinformatics), Mainz, Germany on February 18, 2004.
• “Human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer in Indian women.” at the Cancer Centre and Welfare Home & Research Institute, Thakurpukur, Kolkata, on May 27, 2004 at the CME of Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.
• “High risk human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer ”, at the Department of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Calcutta University, as a part of the course on "Genetic Pathology" offered to Medical and Scientific personnel seeking a career in Medical Diagnostics, 2004-2006.
• “The prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection among normal women from various Indian populations” at a regional workshop on ‘Women, Work and Health’ on 16th June 2004, organized jointly by Women’s Sahayog and Stree Shakti as a part of the International Congress on Women, Work and Health to be held in New Delhi in November 2005; venue: Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Kolkata.
• "Human papillomavirus related cervical cancer: some genetic risk factors of disease", at the Second Workshop on Genetic Epidemiological Methods for Dissection of Complex Human Traits, December 13-21, 2004, Kolkata; jointly organized by TCG-ISI Centre for Population Genomics, Kolkata and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
• “Predisposition to HPV16/18 infections and cervical cancer: some insights from analysis of host genetic factors”, XXXII Annual Conference of Indian Society of Human Genetics and International Symposium on "Deconstructing Human Diseases: The Genomic Advantage", February 14 -16, 2007, organized by Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India.
• “HPV prevalence patterns within general populations in India: some clues towards developing prospective prophylactic vaccines”. International Conference on Emerging and Re-Emerging Viral Diseases of the Tropics and Sub-Tropics, New Delhi, India, 11 - 14 December, 2007. - New Delhi: Indian Virological Society Annual Meeting.
• “Genetic and epigenetic factors associated with oncogenicity of HPV16 among Indian women”, International Symposium on Human Papillomavirus associated Cancers: Translating Research into Cancer Prevention and Medicine. November 1-3, 2008, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
• “HPV prevalence patterns within general populations in India: some clues towards developing prospective prophylactic vaccines”. Biennial Conference (Interim) of Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN) on Freedom from Cervical Cancer, organized by Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, India (April 25-26, 2009).
• “Novel molecular mechanisms of HPV16 related cervical carcinogenesis”, 4th Biennial Conference of Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN) on Towards Eradication of Cervical Cancer, organized by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India (March 26-28, 2010).
• “Some epidemiologic, viral and host factors associated with cervical cancer pathogenesis: Indian scenario”. National Workshop on Biostatistics: application of Computational Statistics in Medicine and Biology (ACSMB 2011). Organized by School Of Medical Science and Technology, IIT Kharagpur, September 8-10, 2011.
• “Some aspects of host pathogen interaction in HPV related cervical cancer pathogenesis”, National Conference of Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN) on “Challenges in Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Progress and Promise.” Organized by Tata Memorial Hospital and ACTREC, Mumbai, November 4-6, 2011.
• “HPV related cervical cancer pathogenesis: insights from a genomics based approach” Indo-Spanish workshop on Health and Medical Research, Organized by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India jointly with All India Institute of Medical sciences, New Delhi, November 22nd- 24th, 2011.
• “Genomic and other alterations introduced by biological carcinogens”, A one day Symposium on Biological Carcinogens and Cancer organized jointly by National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani and Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre and Research Institute, Kolkata, April 21, 2012.
• “HPV related cervical cancer pathogenesis: insights from analysis of viral and host factors”, 81st Annual Meeting of Society of Biological Chemists (India) and Symposium on Chemistry and Biology: Two Weapons Against Diseases; November 8 - 11, 2012 at Science City Auditorium Complex, Kolkata, India.
• “Molecular characterization of HPV16 related cervical cancers highlights significant variations between cases harbouring episomal and integrated HPV16 genomes”, 3rd International Cancer Research Symposium 2012 organized jointly by the Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Calcutta & University of Kansas Medical Center, USA, at Swissotel, Kolkata, December 18-20, 2012.
• “Heterogeneity among HPV16 positive cervical cancers harboring episomal and integrated viral genomes”, 32ndConvention of Indian Association for Cancer Research, Emerging Trends in Cancer research: Road to prevention & cure & International Symposium on: Infection and Cancer, organized by DR. B.R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi (North Campus), New Delhi, February 13-16 2013.
• “Involvement of miRNA deregulation in the pathogenesis of HPV16 related cervical cancers”, 16th All India Congress of Cytology and Genetics and National Symposium on “Gene, Environment and Health”, October 22-24, Dept. of Botany, Kerala Univ., Thiruvanthapuram.
• “Virus-host interactions in cervical cancer pathogenesis”. Indian Society of Colposcopy and Cervical pathology (ISCCP). Annual Conference 2014, Hotel Hindustan International, Kolkata.
• “MiRNA and global gene expression deregulation in the pathogenesis of HPV16 related cervical cancers: heterogeneity among cases harboring episomal and integrated viral genomes”. Transcription Assembly Meeting, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, March 2014.
• “Molecular portraits of HPV16 related cervical cancers”. 5th National Conference of Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN), September 12-14, 2014, Cuttack.
• “Molecular portraits of HPV16 related cervical cancers: significant impact of viral oncogene E7”. International Symposium on Genetic Analysis:Translational and Developmental (iNSGTD - 2014)  & Annual Meeting of Society for Biotechnologists (India),Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, November 21-23.nternational Symposium on Genetic Analysis:Translational and Developmental (iNSGTD - 2014)  & Annual Meeting of Society for Biotechnologists (India),Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, November 21-23.
• “Cervical cancer pathogenesis: heterogeneity among HPV16 positive cervical cancers harboring episomal and integrated viral genomes”. Discussion Meeting on Cancer Research at the University of Chicago-Delhi Centre, New Delhi, March 23 – 24, 2015.
• “HPV16 oncoprotein E7 mediated regulation of noncoding RNAs in driving cervical cancer pathogenesis”.17th All India Congress of Cytology and Genetics & International Symposium on “Exploring Genomes: The New Frontier” December 21-23, 2015. CSIR Indian Institute of Chemical Biology.
• “The interplay between E7 and non-coding RNAs in the manifestation of HPV16 related cervical cancer pathogenesis”. 35th Convention of Indian Association for Cancer Research, April 8-10, 2016, New Delhi.
• “The Role of Non-coding Partners of HPV16 E7 in Driving Cervical Cancer Pathogenesis”. Transcription Assembly Meeting, Bose Institute, November 8-9, 2016.
• “Insights on HPV16 related cervical cancer pathogenesis employing a genomics based approach”. 8th East Zonal Oncology Symposium, January 21, 2017, Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre and Research Institute, Kolkata.
• "Current State of Genomics Research in Cancer in India". India Institute Launch of University of Birmingham on 29th January and a Workshop on "Ethnic Diversity in Cancer Genomics" on 30th January 2017 at University of Birmingham
• “The relevance of epigenomic factors in the pathogenesis of HPV16 related cervical cancers”. 3nd International Conference on Translational Research: Applications in Human Health and Agriculture. September 23-25, 2017; Amity University, Kolkata.
• “Insights on HPV16 related cervical cancer pathogenesis employing a genomics based approach” at the Academic Discussion on “Translational Cancer Research” jointly organized by the J.C. Bose Science Heritage Museum and the Cambridge University Press on January 17, 2018.
• Invited and made a presentation at the “India – Africa Workshop to deliberate the role of Genomic Platforms in addressing the regional disease burden” held at THSTI, Faridabad on June 29, 2018 organized by International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).
• “Cervical cancer subtypes harbouring integrated and/or episomal HPV16 portray distinct molecular phenotypes based on transcriptome profiling of mRNAs and miRNAs”. Transcription Assembly Meeting, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, July 25-26, 2018.
• Invited to the Science and Research Opportunities Young Investigator Meeting – University of Chicago, USA, September 2018 and delivered an invited lecture on the “Mission and Mandate of National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani and the Prevailing and Opportunities”.
• “Molecular Pathogenesis of HPV16-related Cervical Cancer” at a one-week workshop on “Recent advances on molecular diagnostics”, held at National Institute of Biomedical Genomics/Biomedical Genomics Unit, Kolkata for Clinicians engaged in scientific research, December 2019.
• Invited and made a presentation at the West Bengal Chapter Conference of Indian Association of Cancer Research held at Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, January 11, 2020; talk entitled “Translational relevance of differential molecular signatures in cervical cancers”.

Past major projects

• Uterine cervical cancer prevention: A low cost screening program in West Bengal (Grant No. 2111/ST/P/S & T/9G-37/99, Department of Science and Technology, West Bengal, 2003). Co-Principle Investigator
• Sengupta S, Duttagupta C, and Sengupta D (2004). Feasibility of a screening program with abnormal cytology and oncogenic human papillomavirus and other infections in the Maria-Gond tribal women: reproductive Health Care Study (Indian Council of Medical Research, 2004). Co-Principle Investigator/ Principle Investigator
• Host-virus interactions at the genetic and epigenetic levels in HPV related cervical cancer in Indian women (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2008-2012). Principle Investigator
• Chronic exposure to environmental toxins and the risk to human health (The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India, 2009-2012). Principle Investigator
• HPV16 methylome, methylation and expression status of host genes: influence on cervical cancer pathogenesis (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2011-2016). Principle Investigator
• Molecular epidemiology of HPV and cervical cancer in Tripura: genetic variations influencing HPV persistence and disease development (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, under Northeast Twinning Program, 201-2016). Principle Investigator (non-Northeast)

Training Grant: Enhancing Capacity in Genomics-Driven Research in Human Health & Disease in the North-East Region (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, 2014-2019) - as Principal Investigator along with Dr. Arindam Maitra as Co- Principal Investigator. The project is aimed at providing comprehensive training to NER scientists, research students (doctoral and post-doctoral) and clinicians engaged in “Biomedical Research”, to better equip them to undertake focused research leading towards understanding the molecular basis of diseases prevalent in NER of India.

Publications

• Sengupta S and Bhattacharjee S.B. (1988). Induction of repair functions by hydrogen peroxide in Chinese hamster cells. Int. J. Radiat. Biol 1988; 53:935-942.
• Sengupta (Das Gupta) S and Bhattacharjee, S.B. (1989). Effect of low dose hydrogen peroxide treatment of V79 cells in killing and mutation by different agents. Mutation Res 1989; 243: 81-83.
• Chaudhuri S, Sengupta S, Bhattacharyya N. P. and Bhattacharjee S.B. (1992). Effect of hydrogen peroxide on mammalian chromatin: Electron microscopic studies. J. Electron Microse 1992; 41:261-263.
• Roy (Pal), M, Sengupta S, Bhattacharyya N. P., Dey S.K. and Bhattacharjee S.B. (1993). Response of MTX-resistant V79 cells to some DNA damaging agents. Mutation Res 1993; 285:199-207. 
• Roy (Pal) M., Sengupta S, Ghosh R, Bhattacharyya N. P., Dey S. K. and Bhattacharyya S. B. (1993). Characterisation of MTX- resistant clones. Mutation Res 1993; 291:43-51
• Sengupta S and Bhattacharyya N. P. (1996). Oxidative stress induced resistance in Chinese hamster V79 cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun 1996; 228:267-271
• Ghosh R, Sengupta S and Bhattacharyya N.P. (1996). Induction of apoptosis by ionizing radiation in Chinese hamster V79 cells and a radio resistant cell strain derived from V79. Ind. J. Expt. Biol. 1996; 34, 863-867.
• Sengupta S and Bhattacharyya NP. Possible role of glutathione in resistance to heavy metals and hydrogen peroxide in a radio resistant Chinese hamster V79 cell strain. Ind. J. Expt. Biol. 1996; 34:905-908.
• Sengupta S, Roy M and Bhattacharyya NP. Effect of post AK-2123 treatment in aerobic condition on radiation induced cell killing in V79 cells and a radio resistant cell strain M5 derived from V79 cells. International Association for the Sensitization of Cancer Treatment (IASCT): Scientific report 2000 (www.macnet.or.jp/pa/iasct/sr_sengupta.html).
• Sengupta D, Duttagupta C, Bandyopadhay S, Jana R, Das Sarma J, Sengupta S, and Ray M. An exploratory statistical analysis of the effect of demographic risk factors on uterine cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions. Calcutta Statistical Association Bulletin (Golden Jubilee Issue) 2000; 50 (3-4):307- 324.
• Ray M, Sengupta S, Bhattacharya P and Duttagupta C (2001). Human papillomavirus and uterine cervical cancer: state of the art. Science and Culture 2001; 67:205-211.
• Bhattacharya P, Duttagupta C and Sengupta S. Proline homozygosity in codon 72 of p53: a risk genotype for human papillomavirus related cervical cancer in Indian women. Cancer Lett 2002; 188:207-211.
• Duttagupta C, Sengupta S, Roy M, Sengupta D, Chakraborty S, Bhattacharya P, Roy S and Ghosh S. Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and uterine cervical cancer: a screening strategy in the perspective of rural India. European J of Cancer Preven 2002; 11( 5):447-456.
• Chaudhuri K, Bannerjee R, Pandit B, Mukherjee A, Sengupta S, Roychoudhury S, and Bhattacharyya, N. P. (2003). Identification of two differentially expressed mitochondrial genes in a methotrexate resistant Chinese hamster cell strain derived from V79 cells using RNA fingerprinting by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (RAP- PCR). Radiation Res 2003; 60:77-85.
• Duttagupta C, Sengupta S, Roy M, Sengupta D, Bhattacharya P, Laikangbam P, Roy S, Ghosh S and Das R. Are Muslim women less susceptible to oncogenic human papillomavirus Infection: A study from rural eastern India. International J of Gynecol Cancer 2004; 14: 1-11.
• Bhattacharya P and Sengupta S. HLA DQB1*03 genotypes and susceptibility to cervical cancer in Indian women. Int J Hum Genet, 2005; 5:21-27.
• Bhattacharya P and Sengupta S (2005). Lack of evidence that proline homozygosity at codon 72 of p53 and rare arginine allele at codon 31 of p21 jointly mediate cervical cancer susceptibility among Indian women. Gynecol Oncol.2005; 99:176-182. 
• Bhattacharjee B and Sengupta S. HPV16 E2 gene disruption and polymorphisms of E2 and LCR: some significant associations with cervical cancer in Indian women. Gynecol Oncol.2006; 100:372-378. 
• Bhattacharya P, Shankarkumar U and Sengupta S. HLA B*1301 and B*1801 alleles are positively associated with HPV related cervical cancer in women from Kolkata, Eastern India. Int J Hum Genet. 2006: 6:139-144.
• Bhattacharjee B and Sengupta S (2006). CpG methylation of HPV 16 LCR at E2 binding site proximal to P97 is associated with cervical cancer in presence of intact E2. Virology 2006; 354:280-285. 
• Laikangbam P, Sengupta S, Bhattacharya P, Duttagupta C, Singh D, Verma Y, Roy S, Das R and Mukhopadhyay M. A comparative profile of the prevalence and age-distribution of human papillomavirus type 16/18 infections among three states of India with focus on Northeast India. International J of Gynecol Cancer 2007; 17:07-117.
• Bhattacharya P and Sengupta S. Predisposition to HPV16/18-related cervical cancer because of proline homozygosity at codon 72 of p53 among Indian women is influenced by HLA-B*07 and homozygosity of HLA-DQB1*03. Tissue Antigens 2007; 70:283-293. [Currently called HLA- immune response genetics]
• Bhattacharjee B, Mandal N.R., Roy S and Sengupta S (2008). Characterisation of sequence variations within HPV16 isolates among Indian women: prediction of causal role of rare non-synonymous variations within intact isolates in cervical cancer pathogenesis. Virology 2008; 377:143-150. 
• Klug SJ, Ressing M, Koenig J, Abba MC, Agorastos T, Brenna S MF, Ciotti M, Das BR, Del Mistro A, Dybikowska A, Giuliano AR, Gudleviciene Z, Gyllensten U, Haws ALF, Helland A, Herrington CS, Hildesheim A, Humbey O, Jee SH, Kim JW, Madeleine MM, Menczer J, Ngan HYS, Nishikawa A, Niwa Y, Pegoraro R, Pillai MR, Ranzani G, Rezza G, Rosenthal AN, Roychoudhury S, Saranath D, Schmitt VM, Sengupta S, Settheetham-Ishida W, Shirasawa H, Snijders PJF, Stoler MH, Suárez-Rincón AE, Szarka K, Tachezy R, Ueda M, van der Zee AGJ, von Knebel Doeberitz M, Wu M, Yamashita T, Zehbe I, Blettner M (2009).  TP53 codon 72 polymorphism and cervical cancer: a pooled analysis of individual data from 49 studies. The Lancet Oncology 2009; 10:772-784. 
• Das D, Bhattacharjee B, Sen S, Mukhopadhyay I and Sengupta S (2010). Association of viral load with HPV16 positive cervical cancer pathogenesis: causal relevance in isolates harbouring intact viral E2 gene. Virology 402, 197-202. 
• Sarkar K, Pal R, Bal B, Saha B, Bhattacharya S, Sengupta S, Majumder PP and Chakraborti S (2011). Oncogenic HPV among HIV infected female population in West Bengal, India. BMC Infectious Diseases 11: 72.
• Das Ghosh D, Bhattacharjee B, Sen S, Laikangbam P, Mukhopadhyay I, Roy Chowdhury R, Roy S and Sengupta S .  Some novel insights on HPV16 related cervical cancer pathogenesis based on analyses of LCR methylation, viral load, E7 and E2/E4 expressions. PLoS ONE 2012;7(9): e44678. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044678.
• Mandal P, Bhattacharjee B, Das Ghosh D, Mondal NR, Roy Chowdhury R, Roy S and Sengupta S (2013). Differential expression of HPV16 L2 gene in cervical cancers harboring episomal HPV16 genomes: influence of synonymous and non-coding region variations. PLoS ONE 2013; 8(6): e65647. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone. 0065647. 
• Ghosh P, Das Ghosh D, Majumdar (Giri) A, Sengupta S, Das C and Mukhopadhyay I. Polymerase chain reaction and deoxyribonucleic acid-sequencing based study on distribution of human papillomavirus 16/18 among histopathological types of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia and primary invasive cervical carcinoma: A scenario in North Bengal, India. J Midlife Health 2014; 5(1): 14–22.
• Sharma S, Mandal P, Sadhukhan T, Roy Chowdhury R, Mondal N.R., Chakravarty B, Chatterjee T, Roy S and Sengupta S (2015). Bridging Links between Long Noncoding RNA HOTAIR and HPV Oncoprotein E7 in Cervical Cancer Pathogenesis. Scientific Reports 5:11724/DOI: 10.1038/srep11724. 
• *Mandal P, * #Bhattacharjee B, Sen S, Bhattacharya A, Roy Chowdhury R, Mondal NR, and #Sengupta S. Complete genome sequences of eight Human Papillomavirus type 16 Asian American and European variant isolates from cervical biopsies and lesions in Indian women. Genome Announcements 2016; 4(3):e00243-16.#co-corresponding authors. [Currently changed to Microbiology Resource Announcements].
• Saha Sharma S. Roy Chowdhury R, Mondal NR, Chakravarty B, Chatterjee T, Roy S and Sengupta, S. (2016). Identification of genetic variation in the lncRNA HOTAIR associated with HPV16-related cervical cancer pathogenesis. Cellular Oncology 2016; 39:559-572.
• Das Ghosh, D, Mukhopadhyay I, Bhattacharya A, Roy Chowdhury R, Mandal NR, Roy S,and Sengupta, S. Impact of genetic variations and transcriptional alterations of HLA class I genes on cervical cancer pathogenesis. International Journal of Cancer 2017; 140 (11): 2498-2508.
• Sharma Saha, S, Roy Chowdhury R, Mandal NR., Roy S and Sengupta, S. Expression signatures of HOX cluster genes in cervical cancer pathogenesis: Impact of human papillomavirus type 16 oncoprotein E7. Oncotarget 2017; 8:36591-36602.
• Sen S, Mandal P. Bhattacharya A, Mondal NR, Chakravarty B, Chatterjee T, Roy S, and Sengupta S. Impact of viral and host DNA methylations on HPV16-related cervical cancer pathogenesis. Tumor Biology 2017; 39 (5): 1-13.
• Bhattacharya A, Sen S, Mandal P, Sharma Saha S, Sarkar S, Pathak OP, Biswas L, Roy J, Banerjee R, Chowdhury RR, Pal M, Mukherjee A, Sengupta S. Prevalence and age-wise distribution of Human Papillomavirus type 16/18 infections among hospital screened women of a peri-urban area in West Bengal: Impact of socio-demographic factors. Cancer Epidemiology 2018; , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2018.03.005.
• Mandal P, Sharma Saha S, Sen S, Bhattacharya A, Bhattacharyya NP, Bucha S, Sinha M, Roy Chowdhury R, Mandal NR, Chakravarty B, Chatterjee T, Roy S, Chatterjee A and Sengupta S. Cervical cancer subtypes harbouring integrated and/or episomal HPV16 portray distinct molecular phenotypes based on transcriptome profiling of mRNAs and miRNAs. Cell Death and Discovery 2019 5:81.

Lab members

PhD Students:      

Ms. Abhisikta Ghosh (SRF, CSIR)

Ms. Abarna Sinha (SRF, DST INSPIRE)

Post-doctoral Fellows:        

Dr. Sumana Mallick (DBT Funded Project; currently

Joined as Research Associate level III on Flagship Project)

Project Fellow:                        

Ms. Somrita Roy (currently joined as Project Associate

I on Flagship Project)