Senthil Kumar G, Ph.D.

Principal Scientist
Structural Biology & Bioinformatics
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Research Focus

• We study the cell-to-cell communications and molecular signals that accelerate retinal remodeling, aiming to uncover how vision loss begins and how it might be stopped. • Designing smart nano-delivery systems, such as liposomes, that can carry drugs directly to the retina with precision and safety. • We also use the zebrafish model, a powerful system for genetic manipulation and real-time imaging to track retinal development and disease unfold at single-cell resolution. • Through systems biology and computational modeling, we identify early biomarkers that enable accurate prognosis, timely intervention, and the design of personalized therapeutic strategies.

Research Interest

The retina, a unique extension of the central nervous system, allows non-invasive visualization of neural tissue and systemic health. Evolving from primitive light-sensitive cells, it developed complex structures like the macula and fovea to enable high-acuity vision in primates. Beyond vision, the retina is a living record of our overall health its neurons and blood vessels mirror the effects of aging and systemic diseases. 

My lab explores the fundamental and translational aspects of retinal biology, with a special focus on epigenetics, neural differentiation, metabolic memory, and therapeutic innovations. By integrating zebrafish models, cutting-edge omics, and nanomedicine, we aim to decode disease mechanisms and develop next-generation therapies for diabetic retinopathy and retinal cancers.

Credentials

  • Principal Scientist (2025-onwards), CSIR-Indian Institute Of Chemical Biology, Kolkata
  • Senior Scientist (2021-2024), CSIR-Indian Institute Of Chemical Biology, Kolkata
  • Scientist (2016-2020), CSIR-Indian Institute Of Chemical Biology, Kolkata
  • Ph.D. Genetics (2016) University of Madras (collaboration with the University of Chicago, USA) 

Grants & Supports

  1. Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)
  2. CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) 
  3. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
  4. National Institute of Genetics-International Joint Research grant - 2021, Shizuoka, JAPAN

Patents & Publications

  1. Chatterjee B, Sarkar M, Ghosh D, Mishra S, Bose S, Khan MMA, Ganesan SK, Chatterjee N, Srivastava AK. Tumor-associated macrophages contribute to cisplatin resistance via regulating Pol η-mediated translesion DNA synthesis in ovarian cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2025 May 29;82(1):220. doi: 10.1007/s00018-025-05731-8. PMID: 40437303; PMCID: PMC12119415.
  2. Ahamad Khan MM, Ganguly A, Barman S, Das C, Ganesan SK. Unveiling ferroptosis genes and inhibitors in diabetic retinopathy through single-cell analysis and docking simulations. Biochem Biophys Rep. 2025 Jan 31;41:101932. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.101932. PMID: 39968183; PMCID: PMC11833632.
  3. Shukla D, Mishra S, Mandal T, Charan M, Verma AK, Khan MMA, Chatterjee N, Dixit AK, Ganesan SK, Ganju RK, Srivastava AK. MicroRNA-379-5p attenuates cancer stem cells and reduces cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer by regulating RAD18/Polη axis. Cell Death Dis. 2025 Feb 27;16(1):140. doi: 10.1038/s41419-025-07430-5. PMID: 40016217; PMCID: PMC11868536.
  4. Mandal T, Shukla D, Khan MMA, Ganesan SK, Srivastava AK. The EXO1/Polη/Polι axis as a promising target for miR-3163-mediated attenuation of cancer stem-like cells in non-small cell lung carcinoma. Br J Cancer. 2024 Oct 5. doi: 10.1038/s41416-024-02840-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39369054.
  5. Kar A, Ghosh P, Gautam A, Chowdhury S, Basak D, Sarkar I, Bhoumik A, Barman S, Chakraborty P, Mukhopadhyay A, Mehrotra S, Ganesan SK, Paul S, Chatterjee S. CD38-RyR2 axis-mediated signaling impedes CD8+ T cell response to anti-PD1 therapy in cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Mar 12;121(11):e2315989121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2315989121. Epub 2024 Mar 7. PMID: 38451948; PMCID: PMC10945783.
  6. Devarajan N, Nathan J, Mathangi R, Mahendra J, Ganesan SK. Pharmacotherapeutic values of berberine: A Chinese herbal medicine for the human cancer management. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2023 Mar;37(3):e23278. doi: 10.1002/jbt.23278. Epub 2023 Jan 1. PMID: 36588295.
  7. Karmakar A, Ahamad Khan MM, Kumari N, Devarajan N, Ganesan SK. Identification of Epigenetically Modified Hub Genes and Altered Pathways Associated With Retinoblastoma. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Mar 10;10:743224. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.743224. PMID: 35359459; PMCID: PMC8960645.
  8. Kumari N, Karmakar A, Ahamad Khan MM, Ganesan SK. The potential role of m6A RNA methylation in diabetic retinopathy. Exp Eye Res. 2021 May 9;208:108616. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108616. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33979630.
  9. Devarajan N, Manjunathan R, Ganesan SK. Tumor hypoxia: the major culprit behind cisplatin resistance in cancer patients. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2021 Apr 13:103327. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103327. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33862250.
  10. Devarajan N, Jayaraman S, Mahendra J, Venkatratnam P, Rajagopal P, Palaniappan H, Ganesan SK. Berberine-A potent chemosensitizer and chemoprotector to conventional cancer therapies. Phytother Res. 2021 Feb 8. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7032. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33559280.
  11. Jayaraman S, Devarajan N, Rajagopal P, Babu S, Ganesan SK, Veeraraghavan VP, Palanisamy CP, Cui B, Periyasamy V, Chandrasekar K. β-Sitosterol Circumvents Obesity Induced Inflammation and Insulin Resistance by down-Regulating IKKβ/NF-κB and JNK Signaling Pathway in Adipocytes of Type 2 Diabetic Rats. Molecules. 2021 Apr 6;26(7):2101. doi: 10.3390/molecules26072101. PMCID: PMC8038823.
  12. Kumari N, Karmakar A, Chakrabarti S, Ganesan SK. Integrative Computational Approach Revealed Crucial Genes Associated With Different Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy. Front Genet. 2020 Nov 12;11:576442. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2020.576442. PMID: 33304382; PMCID: PMC7693709.
  13. Ganesan SK, Venkatratnam P, Mahendra J, Devarajan N. Increased mortality of COVID-19 infected diabetes patients: role of furin proteases. Int J Obes (Lond). 2020 Dec;44(12):2486-2488. doi: 10.1038/s41366-020-00670-9. Epub 2020 Sep 1. PMID: 32873908; PMCID: PMC7461147.
  14. Kumari N, Karmakar A, Ganesan SK. Targeting epigenetic modifications as a potential therapeutic option for diabetic retinopathy. J Cell Physiol. 2020 Mar;235(3):1933-1947. doi: 10.1002/jcp.29180. Epub 2019 Sep 17. PMID: 31531859.
  15. Nalini D, Selvaraj J, Ganesan SK. Herbal nutraceuticals: safe and potent therapeutics to battle tumor hypoxia. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2020 Jan;146(1):1-18. doi: 10.1007/s00432-019-03068-x. Epub 2019 Nov 13. PMID: 31724069.
  16. Ganesan SK, Dinesh Kumar K, Minogue PJ, Berthoud VM, Kannan R, Beyer EC, Santhiya ST. The E368Q Mutant Allele of GJA8 is Associated with Congenital Cataracts with Intrafamilial Variation in a South Indian Family. Open Access J Ophthalmol. 2016;1(1):106. Epub 2016 Jul 28. PMID: 28530003; PMCID: PMC5438206.
  17. K. Dinesh Kumar, Ganesan SK, A. Sathya, Palani Raj, G. Jayaraman, S.T. Santhiya.V235L mutation of human BEST1 gene, in association with Best macular dystrophy and predictions on the possibility of altered CERES Function. Journal of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology. 01/2015;06:50.
  18. Ganesan SK, Kyle JW, Minogue PJ, Dinesh Kumar K, Vasantha K, Berthoud VM, Beyer EC, Santhiya ST. An MIP/AQP0 mutation with impaired trafficking and function underlies an autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract. Exp Eye Res. 2013 May;110:136-41. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2012.10.010. Epub 2012 Oct 29. PMID: 23116563; PMCID: PMC3570674.
  19. Kumar KD, Ganesan SK, Santhiya ST. Nonspecific PCR amplification of CRYBB2-pseudogene leads to misconception of natural variation as mutation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Aug 22;53(9):5770. doi: 10.1167/iovs.12-10575. PMID: 22915216.
  20. Santhiya ST, Ganesan SK, Sudhakar P, Gupta N, Klopp N, Illig T, Söker T, Groth M, Platzer M, Gopinath PM, Graw J. Molecular analysis of cataract families in India: new mutations in the CRYBB2 and GJA3 genes and rare polymorphisms. Mol Vis. 2010 Sep 10;16:1837-47. PMID: 21031021; PMCID: PMC2956670.
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