Research
Pathogens of Public Health Concerns
At the Georgia Department of Public Health, our research focuses on performing the genomic surveillance of respiratory viral pathogens (i.e. SARS-CoV-2, RSV and Flu) and other pathogens of public health concerns. (i.e. GAS, CRE).
Structural variants in Drosophila and Anopheles genomes
My work at the University of California at Irvine (UCI), USA focused on studying the population genomics and structural variants in arthropods Drosophila and Anopheles genomes. I have also been studying the nature of interactions of these arthropods with their bacterial endosymbionts.
Food allergens and host immune responses
My work at the Stanford University School of Medicine, USA focused on investigating the diversity of T-cell receptor repertoire in peanut allergy subjects using omics, bioinformatic, and immuno-informatic approaches.
Tick metagenomics
My work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA offered me an opportunity to understand the population structure and genomics of arthropod vectors (particularly ticks) and their interactions with the pathogens they transmit and the symbionts they harbor. The understanding of vector microbiota may provide new avenues for control of the vectors and reduction of the health and economic burdens caused by the pathogens they transmit to humans and domestic animals.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis T cell epitopes evolution
During my stay in Indian Institute of Science, India, I was focusing on to determine CD4 T cell epitope evolution in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains from South India using deep-sequencing technology and measuring the functional significance of CD4 T cell responses directed to these new epitopes. In India, the burden of TB infection is high and increasing cases of Multi drug-resistant (MDR) / Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB recorded. Human T cell responses are essential for containment of Mtb through secretion of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Previous studies shown that Mtb strains in Africa and USA express T cell epitopes (TCEs) that are hyperconserved, suggesting that there is little evidence for immune selection pressure and indicating that antigenic variation may instead contribute to bacterial persistence. To address this issue, I have worked for the first time an in-depth analysis of the pattern of changes in T-cell epitopes in circulating Mtb strains in India. I employed different approaches include next-generation sequencing data analysis, phylogenetic, molecular evolution, comparative genomics, immuno-informatics and natural selection analyses to answer this question. I had intra lab collaboration to test mutated epitopes identified in the Indian strains experimentally for their immunogenicity to mount an immune responses in blood samples, leads to sub-unit vaccine development.
Influenza virus evolution
My focus was on influenza virus evolution when I was at MS University, India. In March and early April 2009, a novel human influenza A/H1N1 virus (NIV) emerged in Mexico and the United States. NIV developed into the first influenza pandemic of the twenty-first century. On the other hand, the influenza A/H7N9 virus recently caused the wide epidemic outbreak in China. Paucity of information regarding how influenza adapts to the human host, and how it ‘s spread might be controlled, has necessitated the need to understand its evolutionary dynamics. Development of effective vaccines and drugs that are less susceptible to the generation of escape mutants is dependent on understanding the selective pressure acting on protein-coding genes of the influenza genome. I have employed multiple statistical tests to detect the selective pressure acting on each amino acid site. Darwinian selection was also inferred for the groups of functional amino acid sites involved in immune epitopes, drug resistance and growth in eggs.
Zika virus - human interactions
Currently circulating Zika viral strains cause severe neurological malformations in the Americans and there is no vaccine exists to prevent this disease. I have collaborated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of California at Los Angeles for Zika virus project and employed bioinformatic approaches to understand the evolution of viruses and their interactions with human, as it is crucial to design and test vaccine.
At the Georgia Department of Public Health, our research focuses on performing the genomic surveillance of respiratory viral pathogens (i.e. SARS-CoV-2, RSV and Flu) and other pathogens of public health concerns. (i.e. GAS, CRE).
Structural variants in Drosophila and Anopheles genomes
My work at the University of California at Irvine (UCI), USA focused on studying the population genomics and structural variants in arthropods Drosophila and Anopheles genomes. I have also been studying the nature of interactions of these arthropods with their bacterial endosymbionts.
Food allergens and host immune responses
My work at the Stanford University School of Medicine, USA focused on investigating the diversity of T-cell receptor repertoire in peanut allergy subjects using omics, bioinformatic, and immuno-informatic approaches.
Tick metagenomics
My work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA offered me an opportunity to understand the population structure and genomics of arthropod vectors (particularly ticks) and their interactions with the pathogens they transmit and the symbionts they harbor. The understanding of vector microbiota may provide new avenues for control of the vectors and reduction of the health and economic burdens caused by the pathogens they transmit to humans and domestic animals.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis T cell epitopes evolution
During my stay in Indian Institute of Science, India, I was focusing on to determine CD4 T cell epitope evolution in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains from South India using deep-sequencing technology and measuring the functional significance of CD4 T cell responses directed to these new epitopes. In India, the burden of TB infection is high and increasing cases of Multi drug-resistant (MDR) / Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB recorded. Human T cell responses are essential for containment of Mtb through secretion of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Previous studies shown that Mtb strains in Africa and USA express T cell epitopes (TCEs) that are hyperconserved, suggesting that there is little evidence for immune selection pressure and indicating that antigenic variation may instead contribute to bacterial persistence. To address this issue, I have worked for the first time an in-depth analysis of the pattern of changes in T-cell epitopes in circulating Mtb strains in India. I employed different approaches include next-generation sequencing data analysis, phylogenetic, molecular evolution, comparative genomics, immuno-informatics and natural selection analyses to answer this question. I had intra lab collaboration to test mutated epitopes identified in the Indian strains experimentally for their immunogenicity to mount an immune responses in blood samples, leads to sub-unit vaccine development.
Influenza virus evolution
My focus was on influenza virus evolution when I was at MS University, India. In March and early April 2009, a novel human influenza A/H1N1 virus (NIV) emerged in Mexico and the United States. NIV developed into the first influenza pandemic of the twenty-first century. On the other hand, the influenza A/H7N9 virus recently caused the wide epidemic outbreak in China. Paucity of information regarding how influenza adapts to the human host, and how it ‘s spread might be controlled, has necessitated the need to understand its evolutionary dynamics. Development of effective vaccines and drugs that are less susceptible to the generation of escape mutants is dependent on understanding the selective pressure acting on protein-coding genes of the influenza genome. I have employed multiple statistical tests to detect the selective pressure acting on each amino acid site. Darwinian selection was also inferred for the groups of functional amino acid sites involved in immune epitopes, drug resistance and growth in eggs.
Zika virus - human interactions
Currently circulating Zika viral strains cause severe neurological malformations in the Americans and there is no vaccine exists to prevent this disease. I have collaborated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of California at Los Angeles for Zika virus project and employed bioinformatic approaches to understand the evolution of viruses and their interactions with human, as it is crucial to design and test vaccine.
