Faculty Details

Research Interests

1.  RNA quality control in eukaryotic cells
   RNA quality control is essential to ensure faithful gene expression in the eukaryotic cells. Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a  translation-dependent RNA quality-control process that selectively degrades aberrant mRNAs to stop them from synthesizing potentially toxic truncated proteins. We use cytological and molecular biology approaches to study the molecular mechanism and impact of NMD- dependent degradation of defective transcripts.
2. Role of Long noncoding RNAs in health and disease
   Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) emerged as a potential regulator of epigenetic, transcriptional and posttranscriptional processes of gene expression. Many lncRNAs sequester RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in nuclear bodies to regulate their availability for RNA processing. We study the molecular mechanism of lncRNA-RBP interaction in nuclear bodies and its impact on development, stress response, and disease.

Professional Experience

•  Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati (2024 ~)
•  Ramalingaswami Fellow, Banaras Hindu University, India (2020 – 2023)
•  Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom (2015 – 2020)
•  Research Associate, Banaras Hindu University, India (2014 – 2015)

Fellowships and Awards

• Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship, DBT, India 2020
• Best paper presentation award, RNA-UK meeting, United Kingdom. 2016
•  Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-JRF & SRF) 2007
• Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2007
•  Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR-JRF) 2007

Key Publications

•  Genome-wide chromosomal association of UPF1 is linked to Pol II transcription in S. pombe (2021).  Nucleic Acid Research, DOI. 10.1093/nar/gkab1249.
• The RNA helicase UPF1 associates with mRNAs co-transcriptionally and is required for the release of mRNAs from transcription sites (2019). eLife, DOI:10.7554/eLife.41444.
• Exon Junction Complex proteins bind nascent transcripts independently of pre-mRNA splicing in Drosophila melanogaster, (2016). eLife, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.19881.
• Dynamics of hnRNPs and omega speckles in normal and heat-shocked live cell nuclei of Drosophila melanogaster (2015). Chromosoma, 124, 367-383.
• The ISWI Chromatin Remodeler Organizes the hsrɷ ncRNA containing Omega Speckle Nuclear Compartments (2011). PLoS Genetics, 7(5): e1002096.

Joining the Lab