PhD Students

. Interestingly it is already identified to be associated with different glaucoma subtypes across various populations worldwide reporting either G or A as risk allele. Investigating the underlying mechanism of rs1800629 will help in revealing its involvement with neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. In another Quantitative Trait (QT) GWAS on lens thickness we reported the novel association of PTPRM genic region. My research is focused on the functional characterization of PTPRM and understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms. It will facilitate a better understanding of risk factor and disease pathophysiology. Read less

accounting for all features in the genome and interactions, analyzing one gene at a time (marginal modeling) is not adequate. Further such marginal modeling cannot assess the causal contribution of a risk factor accounting for all other factors and interactions. My research objective is to develop a high-dimensional joint model of genomic risk factors (accounting for interactions), which is both biologically interpretable and computationally tractable at the whole-genome level. Disease risk prediction being the central theme, my work involves applying various statistical and machine learning techniques in large-scale phenotype and genotype data from UK Biobank and other consortia. Read less

WAS variants in terms of causality and the perception regarding the role played by these variants in the etiology of complex diseases have remained significantly ambiguous. Hence, we require robust statistical methods to efficiently integrate epigenomic and transcriptomic signatures and the intricate network of gene-regulation in relevant tissues along with functional annotations, pathways, and other evidence from publicly available databases. My primary interest lies in developing statistical methods for integrative analysis of multi-omics data to systematically identify causal variants within an associated region and to elucidate the causal mechanism through which they act. Methods developed will facilitate interpretation of complex disease associated loci not only to infer genetic causality through the epigenomic, transcriptomic and functional landscape in relevant tissues but also to highlight the upstream genes, pathways directly modulated by these genetic variants and consequent downstream changes.

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s to undertake a comprehensive study of K. pneumoniae-mediated sepsis by dissecting the pathogen-associated molecular characteristics that impinge upon host immuno-inflammatory response and evaluating its susceptibility to antimicrobial therapy. I am also looking to examine genes in clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae involved in perpetuating virulence and resistance and investigate the transcriptome of human neutrophil exposed to certain factors associated with pathogenesis.  Optimization of a suitable antimicrobial-combination therapy against K. pneumoniae is another important goal of my work.

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ns epigenetic features of source cell, identification of changes in DNA methylation from bloodstream and its role in breast cancer progression has become an interesting field of study in breast cancer early diagnosis and treatment. My research goal is to detect and analyse genome-wide altered methylation pattern in cfDNA of breast cancer patients when compared to normal healthy individuals through Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of cfDNA. Additionally, analysing publicly available data of differential methylated regions of Breast Cancer patient samples is another important area of my work. Read less

RNAs (lncRNAs) have come to picture which were initially considered to be junk elements of the genome with no function. Role of lncRNAs in various types of cancer has been gradually revealed and in the case of pancreatic cancer also, intricate role of lncRNAs have been uncovered with implications in cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis and immune responses. But still there are several important lncRNAs which have significantly altered expression in pancreatic cancer and their functions are yet to unfold. Aim of my research project is to functionally characterize few such lncRNAs in pancreatic carcinogenesis and also to find out if they have any role in progression of pancreatitis to pancreatic cancer. Read less

ng, visual disability and the number of premature babies is increasing exponentially with time. Identification of the complex aetiologies behind premature delivery is a big challenge worldwide. The vagina plays an important role in childbirth and is also home to a population of facultative and obligate anaerobic microorganisms that maintains the hygiene and pH of the vaginal milieu. This polymicrobial community is difficult to characterise through conventional microbiological culture based methods and are collectively termed as the Vaginal Microbiome. Recently, the role of oral as well as placental microbiome in preterm birth has also gained much interest. I am interested to investigate the change in composition and diversity of the Maternal Microbiome associated with Preterm birth in India. A multi-omics approach will be undertaken to dissect the host-microbiome interactions between host factors and differentially enriched microbial gene families as well as functional pathways that ultimately lead to Preterm Birth. Read less

peoples show narrow angle but 0.5-1% people actually develop PACG. To exclude heterogeneity, we conducted genome-wide association study (GWAS) between older (age ≥60 years) anatomically suspects (PACS) showing narrow angle <15> Read less

s, immune cells, endothelial cells), are as important as genetic mutations and play critical role in cancer development. Tumor contains different subpopulations in terms of mutations and make tumor heterogeneous. These subpopulations may differ in genetic, epigenetic level resulting in variation of the gene expression and protein function. However the reciprocal interaction between cancer cell and stromal component have not been studied in oral cancer. Therefore  I am interested in finding the interaction between heterogeneous tumor and its microenvironment. By understanding the cross-talk and reciprocal interaction between tumor cells and stromal components, we can predict novel target against tumor-stromal interaction.

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ms. The aim of my research is to discover newer mechanism using genomics and epigenomics tools to identify novel candidates to combat endocrine resistance.

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