Author: admin

Two PhD students from the Discipline of Biological Engineering have been awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship. Both the students are presently conducting research in the area of cancer-related proteins. Siddhant Bhoir, under the supervision of Prof Sivapriya Kirubakaran, is focussing on the chemical biology of a cancer-related protein – the Human Tousled-like kinase (TLK1) – involved in the DNA damage response pathway. TLKs belong to the category of protein kinases which are not explored much as molecular targets for anticancer therapy. Preliminary studies have shown great potential and interesting results on this kinase. To broaden the scope of his research further, Siddhant intends to work on the cell biology of TLKs at the Louisiana State University. Siddhant hopes that the successful completion of this cutting-edge collaborative project would help develop better treatments for cancer, with fewer side effects and enhanced survival rates. We are using the small molecule inhibitor approach to study these proteins which can be helpful in developing new-age cancer therapeutics. Siddhant has successfully demonstrated a novel methodology for the expression and purification of human TLK1B in bacteria. I am very excited that he is going to one of the best labs working on TLK and am very happy for him. His incipient attraction towards molecular and cellular biology and the burning desire for a scientific career will be aptly fuelled by the Fulbright Nehru Doctoral...