12th Undergraduate Lecture Series - Instructors- 12th Undergraduate Lecture Series
Meet the instructors of the 12th Undergraduate Lecture Series who are PhD students or postdocs at NCBS or inStem!
1. BV Aditi Prasad:
X: @BVADITIPRASAD1, LinkedIn
I am a biologist specialising in molecular and chemical ecology. I am intrigued by the resilience of wild, endangered species. My work combines multidisciplinary approaches to study their biology, with the ultimate goal of protecting wildlife. My research focuses on studying inbreeding in big cats using non-invasive genomic data and creating long-term genetic and demographic datasets. As a National Geographic Explorer, I initiated a study to sample and analyse smell compounds in tiger excretions to identify markers for different physiological states. I believe science should not end in laboratories and strive to connect my research with policy requirements and science education.
2. Ananya Bandopadhyay
X: @AnanyaB247, LinkedIn
As a PhD student, I am currently pursuing research in the area of protein-protein interactions in electrical synapses. My academic background is in biochemistry, which sparked my interest in understanding molecular interactions. I have always enjoyed mentoring and teaching and I'm excited to be a part of this lecture series. Outside of academia, you can find me singing or curled up with a good book!
3. Ankit Arora
I am enthralled by big data in biology and medicine. During my PhD at University of Cologne, I have worked on the effect of Transposable elements in genome evolution and its inference in various diseases. Currently at inStem, my research involves applying strategies from computational biology in stem cell and regenerative medicine using a single cell approach.
4. Ashutosh Ojha
X: @Ashutosh_Ojha_ , LinkedIn
I am a member of the Breathing Neuroscience Laboratory. I focus on how information is processed by the dendrites of neurons present in the breathing center of the brain, known as the pre-Bötzinger Complex. I employ a blend of experimental and theoretical approaches to answer my research questions. I have had a knack for teaching since my high school days. Outside the lab—and sometimes even within its walls—I play chess and watch movies.
5. Atal Vats
I am a molecular neuroscientist by training and my broad interest lies in understanding how communication happens across different scales in biology. Neuronal communication via synapses is one such process that piqued my interest in my PhD and I am trying to understand the biology underlying this. Beyond science, you can find me enjoying music, dancing (in parties only!) and sketching. I have been passionate about teaching since my undergrad days and have actively participated in such initiatives to spend my time outside of research.
6. Aysha Fahmeetha
X: @AyshaFahmeetha, LinkedIn
I am a graduate student in Dr.Vinothkumar's lab at NCBS. I am primarily a structural biologist/ biochemist with my research focusing on toxic protein complexes that have been implicated in neurodegeneration. I use cryo-EM, light microscopy and biochemical assays to address my research questions. I have always felt deep joy and content in breaking down scientific concepts and enlightening people from different backgrounds. I have taught science and mentored school students since my high-school days, and I look forward to continuing this interest with this amazing lecture series hosted by NCBS for undergrads.
7. Bhavnesh Bishnoi
X: @BhavneshBishnoi, LinkedIn
I am a PhD student at NCBS, working with Dr. Soumyashree Das. I earned my bachelor's in Biochemistry from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University, where I developed a strong interest in research. My current work focuses on the genetic, molecular, and physiological mechanisms that control the formation of collateral arteries, which are crucial for heart regeneration by providing alternate blood flow routes, especially in cardiovascular conditions. I aim to understand how these arteries develop and how they could be utilized to aid heart recovery. Outside of research, I enjoy reading non-fiction books and watching movies.
X: @DivyashreeRana , LinkedIn,
I am a wildlife biologist, currently pursuing my PhD under Prof. Uma Ramakrishnan at the Molecular Ecology lab in NCBS, Bangalore. My research tries to understand how carnivores navigate fragmented landscapes in India using geospatial and genetic tools. Fascinated by the elusive small cats, I aim to shed light on lesser-known species using multidisciplinary approaches. Alongside my work, I describe myself as a novice baker who enjoys playing sports and reading fiction.
9. Inchara Adhikashreni
X: @Adhikashreni1
I am a graduate student studying the diversity and maintenance of genomes in bacteria. A bachelors and masters in Microbiology roped me into the fascinating world of microbes. We use a combination of genetics, quantitative fluorescence microscopy and biochemical techniques to address fundamental questions about genome maintenance in bacteria. If I'm not imaging bacteria, I'm probably reading a book, obsessing over strong filter coffee.
10. Kalpshree Gogte
I have a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from DPU, Pune. Following graduation I went to the UK for my Masters in molecular biology at University of Sussex, I continued working there as a research assistant in Cancer drug discovery. This further motivated me to pursue a PhD. I completed my PhD in Biochemistry of neurodegenerative diseases from Ruhr University Bochum as a Max Planck Fellow in Germany. At present, I am working as a Postdoctoral fellow at Dr. Anjana Badrinarayanan’s lab at NCBS. My field of expertise is protein biochemistry. Proteins are the key player in our cells. They are responsible for different processes involving development, communication between cells, repair and regulation activities. I work on understanding how proteins fold/mis-fold and their impact on functioning of cells.
11. Neelanjana Ray
X: @RayNeelanjana
I have always been in awe of the dynamic nature of biology, and specifically developmental biology! Having done my bachelor’s and master’s degree in biological sciences and biotechnology, I chased my fascination for developmental biology in my doctoral research. Currently, I am working to understand how cells acquire different fates by communicating with their neighbors via various signalling pathways using the inner ear as my system. Talking about communication, other than doing science, I have always had love for teaching and have participated in various outreach events over the years. When not in the lab I can be found admiring the sunset in the company of some good book!
12. Piyush Chhajed
I am a senior research scholar specializing in genetics and cell biology, currently based at inStem. I am passionate about teaching, with a keen interest in helping students learn how to think rationally about a scientific question.
13. Poulomi Ray
I have a combined background in developmental biology and biomedical engineering. My research area involved understanding multiscale mechanochemical control of tissue morphogenesis. Specifically, I have been studying the biophysical mechanism underlying emergence of spatial organization across scales during embryonic development. I obtained my Ph.D. from Clemson University, USA. During my Ph.D., I taught cell biology laboratory, an inquiry-based course, for five years, where I was nominated for the outstanding graduate teaching assistant award. Additionally, I gained experience about teaching methods and curriculum development by participating at the Embryology course at the Marine Biological Laboratory. I did postdoctoral work at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studying the role of intrinsic cell chirality regulating the directionality of cardiac looping, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University and Biozentrum, University of Basel studying the modulation of junctional localization and mesoscale organization of mRNA encoding junctional components by mechanical forces during epithelial morphogenesis. Subsequently, I investigated the regulation of planar cell polarity during neurulation at Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai. Currently, I’m a project scientist at Prof. Sowdhamini’s laboratory in NCBS focusing on computational biology.
14. Sai Manoz Lingamallu
X: @SaiManozL
I am a Cell and Developmental Biologist, Researcher, and Artist exploring questions on mechanisms regulating stem cell characteristics and behaviour. I am passionate about transforming scientific knowledge for solutions to drive health equity.
15. Shubha Govindarajan
X: @shubs1729, LinkedIn
I am a PhD student with Dr. Deepa Agashe at NCBS. I did my bachelor’s in Biotechnology, Chemistry and Zoology from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru during which I was introduced to the world of evolutionary biology. I became fascinated with concepts in evolutionary biology and decided to pursue my PhD in the field. I am currently exploring the effects of age and competition experienced by an individual on the traits and behavior in subsequent generations, using the well-known red flour beetle as a model system. I have had an interest in teaching since when I was a little kid. Apart from my scientific pursuits, I am a Bharatanatyam dancer and a religious literature enthusiast!
16. Srijani Mitra
I am a graduate student in Dr. Sanjay Sane's lab at NCBS. I did my Bachelors in Life Sciences from Presidency University. I had always been interested in insects, spending many afternoons during my school vacations chasing ants, captivated by their tiny world. Today, my curiosity has evolved, though the essence remains the same—I now focus on termites, studying how these remarkable creatures repair holes in their mounds. I design behavioral assays to explore the sensory cues termites use to locate breaches in their mounds. When I'm not peering at termites, you'll find me in the swimming pool or crocheting while enjoying a good movie.
17. Swarnadip Ghosh
X: @Swarnadipg98, LinkedIn
I am a PhD scholar working in the field of Developmental Biology. I did my master’s in plant genetics and breeding from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Currently, I am working on development of blood vessels in the brain and creating an organ-on-a-chip platform.
18. Swati Rai
(Training to be) a neuroscientist! I'm in the Breathing Neuroscience Lab @NCBS, where I'm interested in how different sensory inputs shape breathing, how the motor response is generated, and the neural mechanisms involved in the process. I also enjoy reading, musicals, and dying my hair! I hope this series will be just as much a learning opportunity as (it hopefully is) for the participants.
19. Vidha Srivastava
X: @Wandering_Vidha, LinkedIn
I'm a graduate student studying plant-fungal interactions in roots. I hold a bachelor's and master's degree in plant biology. My core competencies are confocal microscopy, bioinformatics with specialisation in transcriptomics, plant tissue culture and molecular biology: all employed to understand plant behaviour when in dialogue with fungal pathogens. In one line, I'm always rooting for the rooted. If you’re enthusiastic about any of these, I’m always up for a conversation over Chai.
20. Vinu Varghese
I completed my bachelor's and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and continued to pursue PhD in Aerospace and Aeronautical engineering at IIT MADRAS. My interest in biology sparked from the dynamical systems theory of neural oscillators while attending a workshop on Computational approaches to memory and plasticity at NCBS in 2015. Since then, I have worked on theoretical and computational approaches to understanding dendritic spine protrusions.
