Interests

RNA Biology

Mechanistic studies of protein-nucleic acid complexes are my primary research interests. My interests are rooted in my engineering background, leading me to pursue a physical and quantitative understanding of cellular processes. During my PhD, I visualized the molecular architecture of the eukaryotic mRNA 3′-end processing machinery. Here is a link to my PhD thesis and a link to a lecture that I gave at Churchill College, Cambridge explaining my research on mRNA 3′-end processing. As a Human Frontier Science Program fellow at Yale, USA, I studied higher order structures in long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their associated protein complexes using cryo-EM, chemical probing and other biophysical methods. In particular, I focussed on lncRNAs involved in maintaining genome stability. Besides optimizing cryo-EM sample preparation for large RNAs, I worked on RNA-small molecule characterization.

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

The privilege of working on RNA during my scientific career has exposed me to the world of RNA binding proteins or RBPs. Most RBPs contain large stretches of disordered regions that do not adopt any stable tertiary structural folds. I am interested in the developing biochemical methods to enable the mechanistic studies of proteins harbouring disorder. Here is my effort towards visualizing the dynamics of an important intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) using in vitro reconstitution, classical biophysics and NMR. My current interests and work revolve around enabling drug discovery of IDPs using innovative biochemical approaches.

Drug Discovery

Machine learning is rewriting how drug discovery programs are designed and executed. I am interested in integrating advanced machine learning with multi-omics for target identification in RNA therapeutics. I remain fascinated by recent reports demonstrating the ability of small molecules to modulate RNA function, as I continue to be cautiously intrigued at how small molecules can find specific binding pockets on RNA. My demonstrated interest in studying the biology of RBPs has taken a new avenue where I am building pipelines to enable effective targeting of RBPs. Finally, I am excited about how high-throughput assays can be scaled, made cost effective and be adapted to work with challenging drug targets such as RNA or RBPs.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

I strongly believe that science and technology should be accessible for everyone irrespective of their socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, or nationality. I am passionate about making the modern workplace more equitable for members from diverse backgrounds. In the past, I worked with fellow GATES scholars to conduct STEM workshops for girls in primary and secondary school. In my final thesis project for the GCPP Advanced Public Policy course, I produced a policy brief on how to increase women’s labour force participation in India. I propose the creation of a Pan India Children Activity Scheme - a revamped form of the National crèche scheme. I continue to engage in discussions and activities to contribute to an equitable workforce.