RESEARCH INTERESTS
Biomolecular Interactions: The unifying theme of my research is to study multi-domain proteins, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acids complexes that affect various cellular processes.
PROJECTS
Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions
Viruses require host machinery to replicate and propagate. Although our immune system has several layers of defense mechanisms, often viral infection results in hijacking host cell machinery. A variety of host proteins recognize viral RNA molecules as a part of an innate immune system. On the other hand, in some cases, viral RNA recognize and employ host proteins to facilitate their replication and propagation. The main focus of our group is to understand in fine detail how viral components recognize DEAD-box helicases and develop novel inhibitors to interfere with host-viral component interactions and therefore inhibit viral replication using a multidisciplinary approach.
- Relevant publications: 21, 24-26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 43, 44, 46, 47, 51, 54, 58, 64, 65, 68, 69, 71, 75-77 on PUBLICATIONS page
Structure-Function Relationships of Focal Adhesion Proteins – Zyxin and WTIP
Structure and Interactions of Extracellular Matrix Proteins
- Relevant publications: 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 25, 34-36, 41 48, 54, 60 on PUBLICATIONS page
Solution Structure and Interactions of Therapeutic Polysaccharides
- Relevant publications: 1, 2, 4-10, 39, 48, 54 on PUBLICATIONS page
Application of Hydrodynamic and Biophysical Methods to Characterize Biomolecules
- Relevant publications: 14, 16, 18, 22, 33, 34, 39-48, 51, 54, 57-59, 61-64, 67, 69, 71, 75-77, 79-83 on PUBLICATIONS page
TECHNIQUES
Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Biophysical methods
• Animal cell culture and cell biology techniques; cell adhesion, migration and proliferation assays
• Immunoprecipitation and pulldown assays
• Designing of cDNA constructs, PCR and other molecular biology techniques
• Development and optimization of protein expression strategies in bacterial and animal cell cultures
• Optimization of protocols for purification of proteins
• Filtration, dialysis, gel electrophoresis (Protein, DNA and RNA), Western blot analysis, ELISA
• Bioanalytical characterization of protein, DNA and RNA molecules using Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC), Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC, AKTA FPLC), Affinity Chromatography, HPLC, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Static Light Scattering (SLS), Size Exclusion Chromatography coupled to Multiangle Laser Light Scattering (SEC-MALS), Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and Spectroscopy (UV and CD)