Faculty Details

Research Area

Our research integrates diverse disciplines, including organic synthesis, cell biology, bioengineering, and in vivo fluorescence microscopy. Within this realm, we focus on exploring:

• Novel bioconjugation strategies for studying organelle dynamics
• Organellar functional imaging for investigating cellular signaling
• New approaches for modulating biological systems

Research Interests

In our research group, we create innovative chemical tools using small molecules, DNA devices, and polymer bio-conjugates for functional imaging and modulating biological systems. Leveraging these methods, we aim to understand complex biological phenomena and disease mechanisms at a molecular level, particularly in neurological disorders. With a strong foundation and interdisciplinary collaboration, we will contribute significantly to chemical neurobiology, bridging scientific inquiry and transformative healthcare.
Our interests span:

• Pioneering innovative bioconjugation techniques enable precise endogenous protein labeling and stable organellar staining, unveiling critical insights into the fundamental principles of organellar dynamics and neurotransmitter receptor trafficking.

• Developing fluorogenic probes using novel targeting strategies and innovative quantitative principles for functional organelle imaging, aiming to deepen our understanding of organelle biochemistry.

• Utilizing DNA nanotechnology and polymer bioconjugates to devise novel modulation strategies, we investigate the role of organellar microenvironments in facilitating diverse cellular processes such as viral infection, neurotransmitter filling and synapse formation.

Educational and Professional Career

• Ph.D. in Chemistry (Nov. 2016): Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), NIIST-CSIR, Trivandrum, India (Advisor: Prof. A. Ajayaghosh)
• Postdoctoral Fellow (Nov. 2016 – Jan. 2019): Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), EMT Research Center, Varennes, Canada (Advisor: Prof. Marc Andrew Gauthier)
• Postdoctoral Fellow (Feb. 2019 – Jan. 2022): Dept. of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA (Advisor: Prof. Yamuna Krishnan)
• Research Professional (Feb. 2022 – Feb. 2024): Dept. of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA (Advisor: Prof. Yamuna Krishnan)
• Assistant Professor (Mar. 2024 – Present): Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, India

Honors and Awards

• Suzuki Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2021) from University of Chicago
• FRQS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2017-2019) from Fonds de Researche Sante Québec
• CSIR-JRF and CSIR-SRF from CSIR Govt. of India, June 2009 and June 2012, respectively

Selected Publications

• P. Anees, A. Saminathan, E. R. Rozmus, D. Anke, A. B. Malik, B. P. Delisle, Y. Krishnan. Detecting organelle-specific activity of potassium channels with a DNA nanodevice. Nat. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01928-z (2023).
• M. Zajac, P. Anees†, S. Mukherjee†, D. Oettinger, K. Henn, J. Srikumar, J. Zou, A. Saminathan, Y. Krishnan. A mechanism of lysosomal calcium entry. Sci. Adv. 10, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk2317 (2024).
• J. Zou, K. Mitra, P. Anees, D. Oettinger, J. Ramirez, A. T. Veetil, P. D. Gupta, R. Rao, J. J. Smith, P. Kratsios, Y. Krishnan. A DNA nanodevice for mapping sodium at single organelle resolution. Nat. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01950-1 (2023)
• P. Anees, Y. Zhao, A. A. Greschner, T. R. Congdon, H. W. de Haan, N. Cottyne, M. A. Gauthier. Evidence, Manipulation, and Termination of pH ‘Nanobuffering’ for Quantitative Homogenous Scavenging of Monoclonal Antibodies. ACS Nano 13, 1019–1028 (2019).
• P. Anees, K. V. Sudheesh, P. Jayamurthy, A. R. Chandrika, R. V. Omkumar, A. Ajayaghosh. A Protein-Dye Hybrid System as Narrow Range Tunable Intracellular pH Sensor. Chem. Sci. 7, 6808−6814 (2016).
• P. Anees, S. Sreejith, A. Ajayaghosh. Self-assembled Near-Infrared Dye Nanoparticles as a Selective Protein Sensor by Activation of a Dormant Fluorophore. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 136, 13233−13239 (2014).

view full publication list: Google Scholar

https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=TwVGrfwAAAAJ&hl=en

Teaching

Stay tuned for more information on the updates for the August to December 2024 semester, coming soon!

Open Positions

Prospective candidates interested in joining our research group are encouraged to submit their CV along with a concise one-page research statement via email to aneesp@iisertirupati.ac.in