I undertook my PhD training at Regional Medical Research centre, Bhubaneswar (2005-2008) and Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar (2009-2012) under guidance of Prof. B. Ravindran. The topic of the degree was “Polymorphisms of human genes in Filariasis and Malaria”. In first phase of PhD (2005-2008), I deciphered probable role of human gene (TLR4, TLR2, CD14, MBL, TNFRII, ET-1) polymorphisms in filariasis. TLR2 (23bp ins/del) mutants are associated with susceptibility to chronic filariasis, on the other hand TLR4 (Thr399Ile) variants protect filarial endemic subjects from chronic pathologies. Further, combined TNFRII (M196R) and Endothelin-1 (Ala288Ser) polymorphism are significantly associated with development of one or other form of chronic manifestation.
In second phase of my PhD (2009-2012), I focused on genetic association of TLR4, TLR2 and CD14 in P. falciparum malaria. TLR4 (Ala299Gln and Thr399Ile) and TLR2 (23bp ins/del) variants are associated with severe malaria. In addition functional relevance of TLR (23bp ins/del) polymorphism was investigated and the study revel higher surface TLR2 expression and vigorous immune response in mutants (ins/del and del/del) individuals compared to wild type (ins/ins). The TLR2 (23bp del/del) genotype are associated with predisposition to multi organ dysfunction and malarial mortality. Further, ins/ins genotype is restricted only to higher primates suggesting an evolutionary significance of TLR2 (23bp ins/del) polymorphism in the context of P. falciparum malaria.
Beside my PhD work, I was associated in several research activities on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with Prof. Bidyut K Das, S.C.B. Medical College Cuttack, Odisha. We demonstrated plasma MBL and sCD14 as promising biomarkers for SLE disease activity. Further, role of low MBL producing genotypes wit susceptibility to SLE and autoimmune hemolytic anemia has been reported by our group.
I have expertise on several softwares those mostly used in immunogenetics: G*3.1 power (for calculation of samples size); GraphPad Prism 5.01 (routine statistics); Primer 3 (primer design); ClustalW (alignment of DNA sequaence); Finch TV (sequence analysis); SNPAlyze, Dynacom Japan (analysis of human genetic data); Comprehensive Meta-analysis (meta-analysis) etc.
In second phase of my PhD (2009-2012), I focused on genetic association of TLR4, TLR2 and CD14 in P. falciparum malaria. TLR4 (Ala299Gln and Thr399Ile) and TLR2 (23bp ins/del) variants are associated with severe malaria. In addition functional relevance of TLR (23bp ins/del) polymorphism was investigated and the study revel higher surface TLR2 expression and vigorous immune response in mutants (ins/del and del/del) individuals compared to wild type (ins/ins). The TLR2 (23bp del/del) genotype are associated with predisposition to multi organ dysfunction and malarial mortality. Further, ins/ins genotype is restricted only to higher primates suggesting an evolutionary significance of TLR2 (23bp ins/del) polymorphism in the context of P. falciparum malaria.
Beside my PhD work, I was associated in several research activities on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with Prof. Bidyut K Das, S.C.B. Medical College Cuttack, Odisha. We demonstrated plasma MBL and sCD14 as promising biomarkers for SLE disease activity. Further, role of low MBL producing genotypes wit susceptibility to SLE and autoimmune hemolytic anemia has been reported by our group.
I have expertise on several softwares those mostly used in immunogenetics: G*3.1 power (for calculation of samples size); GraphPad Prism 5.01 (routine statistics); Primer 3 (primer design); ClustalW (alignment of DNA sequaence); Finch TV (sequence analysis); SNPAlyze, Dynacom Japan (analysis of human genetic data); Comprehensive Meta-analysis (meta-analysis) etc.
Reviewer of International Journals
1. PLoS One
2. Infection Genetics and Evolution
3. Human Immunology
4. Annals of Saudi Medicine
2. Infection Genetics and Evolution
3. Human Immunology
4. Annals of Saudi Medicine