About me
I am an experimental Biophysical Chemist and Chemical Biologist. Early realization that Chemistry is central to the study of biotechnology, advanced materials, biology and other emerging areas of importance led to my stern ambition of pursuing a career in this ever-expanding field of Chemistry. After obtaining my Bachelors and Masters Degree in the same from India, I moved to Germany for my Doctoral Research in Biophysics focusing on lipidated protein-membrane interactions, and Post-Doctoral Research in Chemical Biology where I was investigating small molecule-mediated modulation of oncogenic signalling pathways to discover novel therapeutic targets and tool compounds for studying biology. After moving back to India, I have started my own research group to work in the realm of lipid membrane biophysics and lipid chemical biology.
Professional Experience
2021-Present
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
Associate Professor, Chemistry Department
2016-2021
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department
2021-2023
Hiroshima University, Japan
Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life
Research Experience
Dec 2016-Present
Independent career research at the Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay
Topic: Membrane Biophysics and Lipid Chemical Biology
Sept 2013-Nov 2016
Post-Doctoral Research at Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
Topic: Small Molecule Mediated Modulation of Cellular Signaling Pathways
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Herbert Waldmann
Feb 2013-Aug 2013
Post-Doctoral Research at Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany
Topic: Astro-Biophysical Chemistry, Behavior of Biomolecules under extreme environmental conditions.
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Roland Winter
2009 – Jan 2013
Doctoral Research at Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany and IMPRS-CMB
Thesis Title: Biophysical Insights into the Ras-Membrane Ballet: Orientational Flexibility, Conformational Substates and Mechanosensitivity of Ras Proteins. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Roland Winter
2006-2009
Master’s Thesis at Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India Title: Nanostructured Inorganic materials for Biotechnological Applications.
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Aninda J. Bhattacharyya
Dec 2007 – Jan 2008
Research Internship at School of Studies in Neurosciences & Bio-Informatics Center, Jiwaji University, India
Title: Molecular Histopathology of HIV-Tuberculosis meningitis using techniques in immunochemistry and molecular histopathology.
Supervisor: Prof. Ishan Patro
June 2007 – Aug 2007
Research Internship at LIONEX, Diagnostics and Therapeutics GmbH, Germany
Title: A biochemical Route to Rational Drug Design
Supervisors: Dr. Ralf Spalleck, Dr. Wulf Oehlmann and Prof. Mahavir Singh
June 2005 – Aug 2005
Summer Undergraduate Research Program at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, India
Title: Purification of mouse α-2 macroglobulin and preparation of mouse albumin–malondialdehyde acetaldehyde (MAA) proteins adducts to study the role of adducts in pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease.
Supervisor: Dr. Anju Katyal
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Awards and Recognitions
2024 - ACS Infectious Diseases Young Scientist Award.
2023 - MERCK Young Scientist Award, Chemical Sciences
2023 - INSA, INYAS Young Scientist
2023 - NASI SCOPUS Young Scientist Award
2021 - DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Intermediate Fellowship
2021 - SERB Women in Excellence Award
2020 - Biophysical Society Virtual Travel Award
2020 - IIT Bombay Early Research Achiever Award
2020 - INSA Medal for Young Scientist
2020 - NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award
2019 - EMBO Travel Grant, EMBO
2019 - Young Scientist Award DAE-BRNS
2017 - DBT Ramaligaswami re-entry Fellowship
2017 - DST Inspire Faculty Award
2016 - IIT Bombay Young Faculty Award, India
2013-2015 - Max Planck Post Doctoral Research Fellowship, Dortmund
2013 - Dissertation Prize, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany.
2009 - PCCP Hot Topic Prize for the poster presented at the 110th Bunsentagung: Annual German Conference on Physical Chemistry, Berlin, Germany.
2009-2013 - International Max Planck Research Fellowship, Dortmund
2009 - NRW Young Scientist Award in Chemistry, 2009, Düsseldorf, Germany. (http://www.young-scientist-award.de/) for the Master Thesis Work.
2009 - Dr. A. Nagaraja Rao Medal for the “Best Master’s Student” in Chemical Sciences Division presented by the Council of Indian Institute of Science, India.
2005-2006 -Virendra Kumar Memorial Prize for showing “greatest proficiency in laboratory work” during the Academic year 2005-2006 by the Chemistry Department, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, India.
2004 - Meritorious Student Award- Book Grant for the year 2004 by the Faculty of Science, University of Delhi, India.
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Education
2009-2012
Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany
Doctor of Natural Sciences (PhD), Biophysics
2006-2009
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
Master of Science (M.Sc) in Chemistry
2003-2006
St. Stephens College, Delhi University, Delhi, India
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Chemistry