Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics
Chromatin Dynamics Lab
Prof Chandrima Das
Present Members
Dedication. Hard work and Passion.
Mr Vipin Singh
HBNI Senior Research Fellow
MSc Zoology
Banaras Hindu University(BHU)
Banaras, India
Infection-Cancer interface & immune signaling
Understanding the role of chromatin reader in viral persistence and also their mechanism of suppression of metastasis in regulation of breast cancer progression.
Ms Swagata Adhikari
HBNI Senior Research Fellow
MSc Zoology
Burdwan University
Burdwan, India
Extracellular matrix in Breast cancer and Therapy resistance
I intend to study the role of chromatin readers in regulation of chemoresistance and different inflammatory pathways at molecular level and delineating its epigenetic mechanisms in context of breast cancer progression.
Mr Atanu Mondal
HBNI Senior Research Fellow
MSc Agricultural Biotechnology,
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute
Kolkata, India
Nutritional Epigenomics - Nucleic acid & Lipid metabolism
I am interested to understand the transcriptional regulation of metabolism and the changes of epigenome in different stresses, such as hyperthermia, ER stress and nutrient mediated stress, to provide a strategy in fighting against different metabolism associated disorders.
Mr Sandhik Nandi
HBNI Senior Research Fellow
MSc Biochemistry,
Calcutta University
Kolkata, India
3D- Breast Tumor heterogeneity through metabolic alterations
I am interested in exploring the biology of chromatin reader proteins associated with hypoxic stress response in breast cancer.
Ms Aindrila Kabiraj
HBNI Junior Research Fellow
MSc Life Science
Bose Institute
Kolkata, India
Epigenetic regulations at Telomeres
I am interested to understand how domain specific interaction of chromatin readers impact physiological functions in cells. I further want to explore the epigenetic machineries involved in such processes.
Ms Bipasa Mondal
HBNI Junior Research Fellow
MSc Biophysics and Molecular biology
Calcutta University
Kolkata, India
Novel modes of ECM remodeling in breast cancer
My research interest lies in exploring the intricate interplay between chromatin readers and their non-histone target factors, particularly within the context of breast cancer. By delving into the epigenetic landscape, I aim to uncover the biological significance of these interactions, shedding light on potential molecular mechanisms underlying this disease and potentially identify novel therapeutic interventions.
Ms Indrakshi Banerjee
HBNI Junior Research Fellow
MSc (Integrated) Biotechnology
St. Xavier's College (Autonomous)
Kolkata, India
Epigenetic regulation of DNA damage repair machinery
My research explores how cellular stressors, like hyperthermia, affect epigenetic modifications that regulate metabolic homeostasis. By understanding the crosstalk between epigenetics and DNA damage repair pathways during heat stress, I seek to understand whether cells can maintain their cool or do they suffer from a meltdown!
Mr Wasim Akram
HBNI Junior Research Fellow
MSc Zoology
University of Burdwan
Burdwan, India
Epigenetic regulation of metabolism and immune signaling during HBV infection
My study focuses on the alterations in metabolic and immune system pathways induced by Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the associated epigenetic modifications. It aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes, providing insights into the complex interactions between HBV, host metabolism, immunity, and epigenetic regulation.
Meet the Alumni
These are the people who built the building block of the lab and make it a place of discovery
Dr Payel Mondal
Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, USA
M.Sc Biochemistry, Calcutta University
Under Co-men
Cancer Cell metabolism
Thesis Research Summary
Exploring Transcription Regulation by Trans-activating factor 19 (TCF19) in association with tumour suppressor proteins like Tp53 during glucose metabolism. Understanding the role to TCF19 in the context of stress management (varying glucose concentration mediated stress, ER Stress etc.) in HCC
Dr Santanu Adhikari
Postdoctoral Fellow, Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida
M.Sc Biochemistry, Calcutta University
Under Co-mentorship of Dr. Sidhhartha Roy, IICB
Epigenetic regulations causing metastasis suppression in Breast cancer
Thesis Research Summary
My research is focused on understanding the role of putative chromatin readers UBR7 and ZMYND8 in regulating cellular oncogenesis and differentiation. My work is focused on elucidating the role of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in modulating EMT, metastasis and therapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer. I’m also investigating the epigenetic mechanism involved in biogenesis and role of non-coding RNAs in neuronal differentiation.
Dr Sulagna Sanyal
Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
M.Sc Botany, Calcutta University
Under Co-mentorship of
Dr. Sumita Sengupta nee Bandyopadhyay, BMB
Epigenetic regulations at Telomeres
Thesis Research Summary
My research is focused on understanding the role of two important chromatin reader/effector proteins, Zinc finger MYND-type containing 8 (ZMYND8) and Chromobox 4 (CBX4) in gene expression regulation through distinct epigenetic mechanisms. I have explored the chromatin binding ability of ZMYND8 and its role in ATRA-mediated gene expression regulation. I have also investigated the role of CBX4 in the transcription regulation via modulating the telomerase activity.
Dr Isha Sengupta
Postdoctoral Fellow, IIT-Kharagpore
Ex-Post-Doctoral Fellow, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore
M.Sc Biochemistry, Calcutta University
Infection- immune signaling and metabolism
Thesis Research Summary
My research is focused to understand the dynamic role of chromatin reader Speckled 110 (Sp110), a PML-NB resident protein in transcription regulation, in a chromatin context-dependent manner. Towards that I have elucidated a a new mechanism in which the HBV hijacks a host protein Sp110 and exploits its chromatin binding property to evade the host immune-response and promote viral pathogenesis. I have also explored the role of Sp110 in metabolic gene expression regulation implicated in cellular migration and invasion leading to HBV-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Dr Sabyasachi Sen
Postdoctoral Fellow, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
M.Sc Biochemistry, Calcutta University
Nutritional Epigenomics- Glucose metabolism
Thesis Research Summary
My research is focused on understanding the role of the role of chromatin reader Transcription Factor 19 (TCF19) in modulating the epigenetic programs of metabolic genes upon high glucose stimulation. I have explored the chromatin-binding property of the protein and its consequent functional regulation in the context of expression of the gluconeogenic genes. I have also investigated the association of TCF19 with Transcription Factor 7 like 2 (TCF7l2), another key transcription controller of metabolic genes in ER stress.
Dr Deblina Guha
DBT Research Associate I
Ph.D., Bose Institute
M.Sc., Biotechnology, Jadavpur University
Neuronal differentiation
Understanding the role of ZF transcription factors in differentiation of neuroblastoma cells and neural stem cells (NSCs), with an aim to identify the target genes involved and delineate the epigenetic landscape regulated by the transcription factors.
Dr Apoorva Bhattacharya
DST National-Post-Doctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Bose Institute
M.Sc., Zoology, Calcutta University
3D- Tumor heterogeneity
The preliminary aim of this work is to delineate the differences in the metabolic landscape in different cell types residing in the core and peripheral tumor regions of the tumor mass by performing transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. The study also intends to unravel the key epigenetic signatures and regulatory mechanism behind these altered metabolic pathways in the core and the peripheral tumor cells.
Dr Amrita Sengupta
DBT- Research Associate
Ph.D., Centre For DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostic, Hyderabad
MSc, University of Kalyani, West-Bengal
Infection and metabolism
Investigating the role of epigenetic modulators in the progression of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and consequent regulation of DNA damage response pathways
Dr Shravanti Mukherjee
DST National-Post-Doctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Bose Institute
M.Sc., Biophysics, Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics, Calcutta University
Cancer and differentiation
Understanding the role of ZF transcription factor, ZMYND8 in suppressing the EMT, MDR and CSC genes maintained in a poised epigenetic state. Exploring the mechanism of promoting the cancer cell differentiation program by ZMYND8.
Dr Moitri Basu
DBT-Research Associate
Ph.D., CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
M.Sc., Biophysics, Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics, Calcutta University
Cancer and differentiation
Understanding the role of ZF transcription factor, ZMYND8 as a regulator of tumorigenicity by augmenting epithelial gene expression program. Further the role of ZMYND8 in modulating retinoid-based therapy (as an All trans retinoic acid-responsive transcription factor) has also been investigated.
Interns
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Antariksh Venkataramanan (2023-) (MSc Dissertation) MSc Bioinformatics Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
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Aritra Ghosh (2022) (Summer Project) BS-MS Biological Science Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata
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Devyani Goswami (2022) (Summer Project) MSc Biotechnology Amity University, Kolkata
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Namitha L.S (2019) (2 months UG Program)
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Sam Thomas (2019) (2 months UG Program)
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Abhisekh Chhatar (2019) (2 months PG Program)
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Niharika Tiwary (2019) (4 months Project) MSc Biotechnology St. Xaviers University, Kolkata
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Purbita Saha (2018) (4 months Project) MSc Biotechnology St. Xaviers University, Kolkata
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Shrobona Bhattacharya (2017) (4 months Project) MSc Biotechnology St. Xaviers University, Kolkata
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Debjani Mondal (2015) (4 months Project) MSc Biotechnology St. Xaviers University, Kolkata
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Ria Ghosh (2017) (2 months PG Program)