Biography

I completed my Graduation ( BSc Zoology Honours) and Post graduation ( MSc. Zoology) from University of Calcutta in 1992. After qualifying the national Eligibility Test (UGC-NET), I joined Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute, Kolkata for doctoral research in Prof Sujoy K DasGupta’s lab. My doctoral research involved characterizing the minimum region required for replication (ori) of a mycobacterium plasmid for developing the shuttle vectors. After receiving her Ph.D degree from Jadavpur University in 1999, I joined Center for Drug discovery and development, Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio, USA for post-doctoral research associateship. In CCF, my   research involved  understanding the role of IFN as anti-cancer therapeutics and mechanisms which underly IFN resistance in subset of patients. In addition, a number of compounds were analyzed as anti-cancer therapeutics. 

 In January 2006, I returned to India and  joined ICMR-NICED as Scientist C in Division of Virology. Since then, my research revolves around studying both basic and public health aspects of Rotavirus (Enteric) and Influenza A virus (Respiratory), both of which cause significant morbidity worldwide. My research group's focus involves strain surveillance, host-virus interaction and identifying cellular proteins/miRNAs involved in viral pathogenesis for developing potential antiviral targets. I successfully coordinated ICMR’s National Rotavirus Surveillance Network and Influenza Surveillance Network in Eastern zone. As part of the service to the state, my lab was responsible for providing laboratory support in West Bengal during A/H1N1 outbreaks in 2009, 2015 and 2017.virus strain surveillance, laboratory diagnostics and Host- Virus Interaction with focus on Rotavirus and Influenza virus.

As part of the capacity building, I have been a mentor to >20 research fellows and summer interns. I have also trained the state health care workers in molecular diagnostic methods for detection of Influenza or enteric viruses.

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