B.V.Sc. & A. H. - West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata

M.V.Sc. - Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly

PhD - Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly

MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA (June, 2010- January, 2012)

We are primarily working on screening of natural and synthetic molecules for anti-cancer activity. Long term interest of our group is target based screening of anti-cancer agents with anti-Akt kinase activity. Simultaneously, we are engaged in mechanistic study on lead molecules that are identified through screening or available commercially. In one such study we identified a potent molecule S009-131, a chalcone-coumarin hybrid, with in vitro anti-proliferative activity against several human cancer cell lines (Sashidhara et al, Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2010, 20(24):7205-7211). Anti-cancer efficacy of the molecule was further confirmed in vivo in Nod-SCID mice with human cervical cancer xenograft. Mechanism of action study revealed activation of intrinsic pathway of apoptosis through modulation of several regulatory proteins including caspases, p53 and its transactivation targets etc (Singh et al, 2014, Apoptosis. 19(6):1017-28).


Schematic diagram showing putative apoptotic pathway induced by S009-131.

Our more recent work on a potato alkaiod, α-solanine, was to investigate role of autophagy in mediating cancer cell death along with its effect on ultra cellular structured in human lung cancer cell line A549. Here, we demonstrated ROS-mediated autophagy by α-solanine through activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and inhibition of Akt/mTOR pathway (Hasanain et al, 2015, Cell Death Dis. 27; 6:e1860).


Proposed mechanism of α-solanine-induced cell death

Title of Project

Principal investigator

1

“Elucidating the role of p53 and DNA damage response pathway in anti-cancer activity of a novel coumarin-chalcone hybrid”

DBT

2

“Understanding the mechanism of anti-carcinogenic effect of alpha-solanine”

DST (Fast Track Scheme)-Completed in Sept, 2015

Co-principal investigator

3

Molecular characterization and epidemiological modeling of antimicrobial resistance at the interface of animal-human-plant pathogen continuum

DBT (Under Twinning program for the North East)

BOYSACT fellowship of Department of Science and Technology (DST) in 2010

Mr Praveen Pandey (SRF)

Mr Mayank Maheshwari (JRF)

Mohammad Hasanain (Project assistant)

Mr Raghib Ashraf (Project assistant)