Molecular Genetics

Mission & Objectives

The broad aims of the division are to understand the molecular genetic basis of diseases common in Indian populations, to study gene expression and function in pathogenic microorganisms to develop transgenic plants with improved characteristics, to decipher the molecular basis of the genomic instabilities in head and neck cancer (HNSCC) and to identify the putative tumor suppressor genes involved in the development of this cancer, to identify susceptibility alleles in Helicobacter pylori associated gastroduodenal diseases, to study the molecular pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis, to understand the molecular genetics of haemophilia, glaucoma, Wilson disease, and oculo-cutaneous albinism, to assess the health effects, genetic damage and genetic variants in populations exposed to arsenic through drinking water in West Bengal, to test the antimutagenic and anicarcinogenic effects of black tea polyphenols theaflavins and thearubigins, to identify differentially expressed V. cholerae genes following infection to host and their role in pathogenesis, and to study the response of human intestinal epithelial cells to V. cholerae infection, to study the molecular basis of the import of nuclear-encoded tRNAs into the mitochondria of the kinetoplastid protozoon Leishmania using a combination of biochemical and reverse genetic approaches, to identify, isolate and modify genes from non-host plants involved in self-defence mechanisms against pests, and to transfer them as bio-pesticides to host plants.

Faculties

Debabrata Biswas

Senior Principal Scientist & Head, Molecular Genetics Division

dbiswas@iicb.res.in

Ashok Kumar Giri

INSA Senior Scientist

akgiri@iicb.res.in
Smrutisanjita Behera

Scientist

sbehera@iicb.res.in

Faculties

Debabrata Biswas

Ashok Kumar Giri

Smrutisanjita Behera