School of Arts and Sciences

Year of Joining: 2022

Dissertation Advisor: Ashim Rai

Research Interests: Reconstitution Biology, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Infectious Disease, Molecular Mechanisms

Salmonella enterica, an intracellular pathogen, establishes infection by forming a membrane-bound compartment known as the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). To hijack host cellular machinery and create a favourable replicative niche, the bacterium deploys a repertoire of effector proteins, which mimic and interfere with key host functions. My research focuses on understanding how a subset of these effectors manipulates the host microtubule-based transport system, forming a complex network that disrupts the regulation of motor proteins, an essential process that remains mechanistically unclear. To investigate these interactions at a molecular level, we employ DNA origami scaffolds and FRET biosensors, which enable precise spatial control and real-time monitoring of protein dynamics. This interdisciplinary approach provides valuable insights into the structural and functional mechanisms through which these effectors modulate motor protein activity, advancing our understanding of host-pathogen interactions.