Positions:

a) Currently seeking applications from potential PhD students with expertise / interest in molecular and cell biology / protein biochemistry / computational biology.

b) We actively seek applications from highly motivated postdoctoral candidates to conduct research in various projects outlined below.

Research Interests

The principal research interest of the lab is to comprehensively understand the biology of specific cancer types that are common in India and distinct from their western counterpart(s). Based on results obtained from two decades of work performed on patient-derived colorectal, pancreatic, esophageal and oral tumor samples, we are presently studying the canonical and aberrant functions of chromatin remodelers ARID1B and ARID2. In parallel, based on funding from the DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance, we have commenced a PAN India study titled ‘PEACOCC: Pan-India EArly-onset COlorectal Cancer Consortium' involving exome, transcriptome, microbiome profiling of tumor and stool samples followed by validation using cell lines, tumor-derived 3D organoids, nude mice xenografts, and tissue microarrays. Genome profiling is expected to reveal a) driver DNA/RNA alterations, b) mutation signatures, c) gene fusions with concomitant analysis of HiC / ATAC & chip seq data, d) transcript isoforms and e) allele specific expression.

Details of current projects are given below

1. Studying novel nuclear and cytoplasmic functions of ARID1B.
   https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.251637
   
   
2. Molecular Characterization of early-onset rectal cancer.
   doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-01537-z
   
   
3. Characterisation of gain of function activity of non-hotspot p53 mutations identified from Indian squamous cell carcinoma patients.
   https://doi.org/doi:10.1002/jcp.29332
   
   
4. Molecular analysis of genetic disorders.