Academic interests
In a biological system, the normal functioning of the cells is governed by various entities, like genes, proteins and environmental factors, which function in association with each other. Thus, to understand complex diseases, like cancer, it is important to study the system holistically rather than in isolation. I use mathematical modelling, specifically complex network analysis, to represent systems that have a sense of interconnectedness, similar to social networks formed by relationships between friends and families.
Cancer and other complex diseases cause yearly millions of deaths worldwide. Viruses are involved in the pathogenesis of many of the diseases including cancers. Interestingly, viruses grow easily in cancer cells making cancer patients vulnerable to infection. Thus, whether it is cancer or infection, the immune system becomes compromised. Different types of cancers require targeted treatment strategies to prevent the patient from a viral infection.
Networks enable us to study the association of various proteins with cancer progression, and to map its susceptibility to viral infection to develop safe and effective targeted treatments for the given cancer. I work along with the Department of cancer genetics , Institute of Cancer Research, Oslo University hospital.
Background
Currently, I am a Scientia fellow . I was previously Royal Society-SERB Newton International fellow at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research from 2018-2020. Prior to my PhD I worked as a research fellow at the Thrombosis Research Institute, India.
EDUCATION
2018 PhD: Graph theoretic investigations of control in biological networks Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, India.
2011 Master in Bioinformatics
Department of applied mathematics, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India
2009 BSc Chemistry, Botany, Zoology Karnatak University Dharwad, India
2007 Certification in IT Law
International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) BV Bellad Law College, India
Awards
- Scientia fellow 2020.
- Royal Society-SERB Newton International fellowship 2018-2020.
- DST Inspire fellowship , Government of India 2013.
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Indira Gandhi Scholarship, Government of India 2010-11.