Team Members
Krishanpal Karmodiya
Principal Investigator
Dr. Karmodiya is an Assistant Professor at IISER, Pune. He obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore in 2008. As a postdoctoral fellow he joined the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), Strasbourg, France to study the role of epigenetics during stem cell differentiation. He joined IISER, Pune in 2012. Dr. Karmodiya is using functional genomic approaches including high-throughput sequencing technologies to elucidate the mechanisms of drug-resistance and virulence in Plasmodium falciparum.
Rashim Malhotra
Integrated PhD student
Having pursued my Bachelor's in Zoology Hons, I joined IISER Pune as an integrated PhD student in the year 2017. I have been working in the Plasmodium Epigenetics Lab since 2018. ​My research interest lies at understanding antisense transcription and gene regulation in Plasmodium falciparum. Apart from science I enjoy music, craft and traveling.
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Bhagyashree Deshmukh
Integrated PhD student
I completed my bachelors from Fergusson College, Pune and joined the Plasmodium Epigenetics Lab in September 2019 as a PhD Student. ​I am interested in understanding the possible role of epigenetic modifiers (Histone Acetyltransferase/ Histone Deacetylase) in the regulatory mechanism of multivariant genes which are expressed on the surface of infected RBCs. ​Apart from research, I like reading and classical dance
Mamtharani DV
PhD student
I did Integrated BS-MS from IISER Bhopal and have joined Plasmodium Epigenetics Lab in September 2019 as a PhD student. ​I am interested in studying the role of PfHP1 in regulating the expression of var genes in Plasmodium falciparum. I am also exploring the biochemical properties of the protein by in-vitro studies. ​I am very passionate about painting and I spend my spare time crafting.
Devatrisha Purkayastha
Integrated PhD student
I did my graduation in Biotechnology(B.Sc) from St. Edmund's College, Shillong and then joined IISER in 2019 as an Integrated PhD student. I am interested in studying the transcriptional machinery in P. falciparum especially with respect to RNA polymerase II and its transcriptional fidelity. I love to draw, animate and write during my leisure time and I am interested in travelling to new places.
Disha Shah
PhD student
After completing Masters in Biotechnology from Calicut University, I joined IISER Pune as a PhD student in August 2020. My work involves understanding epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation in Plasmodium falciparum, with a focus on how the parasite mediates gene repression. In my spare time, I often like playing badminton and reading fiction.
Saptarshi Mridha
PhD student
Having completed my integrated MSc. in Biotechnology, from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata in June 2021, I joined the Plasmodium Epigenetics Laboratory in August 2021, as a Ph.D. student. My interest lies in deciphering how the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) PfGCN5 regulates the Autophagy related genes (ATGs) and how it might lead to resistance generation and maintenance in Plasmodium falciparum. Apart from research, I like cooking, reading, and traveling.
Kushankur Pandit
Integrated PhD student
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Hansraj College, University of Delhi and joined the Plasmodium Epigenetics Laboratory in August 2022, as an Integrated PhD student. My interest lies in investigating epigenetic mechanisms of nutrient sensing and drug resistance in the malaria parasite. Outside the lab, I try to keep active with outdoor sports and enjoy exploring new places.
Nirav Saharey
5th Year BS-MS student
I am a 5th-year BS-MS student at IISER Pune working for my Master’s in Plasmodium Epigenetics lab. My project is to develop a Malaria diagnostic kit that is field-deployable and user-friendly for early diagnosis. Apart from science, I like spending time playing music and also am a gaming enthusiast.
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