Prof. Vani Brahmachari
Email: vbrahmachari@acbr.du.ac.in

Dr. Vani Brahmachari did her Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. She has worked at the National Cancer Centre, Tokyo during her Ph.D and subsequently at Wister Institute for Biology, Philadelphia, USA and Medical Research Council (MRC), London. She was a faculty at the department of Molecular Reproduction and Development and Genetics at the Indian Institute of Science before she moved to Delhi University.

Her research interest is in the area human molecular epigenetics and genetics and functional genomics of M.tuberculosis . Combining in silico analysis and experimental validation her group focuses on mining the human genome for novel cis and trans acting components of cellular memory modules (CMM) that function through chromatin remodelling. The work from her group on transgenic mouse models has led to the identification of cis-acting elements meditating repeat instability in the human genome leading to the fragile X syndrome. Research on epigenetics of complex diseases has been initiated in her lab through collaborative projects.

In the area of functional genomics of M.tuberculosis , Dr. Brahmachari collaborates with Prof. Mridula Bose at VPCI , Delhi University. The on going project is broadly focused on the genetic and expression plasticity in M.tuberculosis using clinical isolates. Presently the major focus is the mammalian cell entry (mce) operons.

Major projects in progress:

Selected Publications:

Dr. Daman Saluja
Director(Officiating)
Email: dsalujach@yahoo.com

My laboratory is primarily working in NAAT-based diagnosis of infectious diseases and molecular oncology. We have recently patented a prototype kit for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhea, two important organisms involved in sexually transmitted disease. Currently work is in progress to incorporate biochips in the diagnosis of these organisms.

The other major area of interest is molecular oncology where we are looking into is the early diagnosis of leukemia. For this we are studying expression of unique genes in cancer cells. It is well documented now that cancer is associated with an altered gene expression. Since transcription repression has been shown to be as important as transcription activation in regulating gene expression, my laboratory is actively involved in studying the role of chromatin remodeling proteins in cancer progression. In transcriptional regulation, SIN3 acts as a corepressor to target HDACs and repress specific promoters. DNA binding transcription factors including Max, Ume6, P53, AML/ETO, and nuclear hormone-receptors can recruit Sin3/HDAC/N-CoR complex. SIN3-mediated repression of transcription involves enzymatic deacetylation of histones and creation of a repressive chromatin structure. We have identified a two new isoforms of human Sin3B by RT- PCR. One of these alternate spliced forms is specifically expressed in lungs and placental tissue. In collaboration with other faculty, we have shown promising antitumor activity of some of the plant extracts.

Several patents have been filed in India, US, UK, EU, EPO ( 11/436,063 dated 17.5.2006 , PCT/INO6/00282 dated 7.8.2006) on Multiplex PCR based diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and designing of three prototype kits.

Selected Publications:

Dr. Pratibha Mehta Luthra completed her Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow where she was involved in Synthesis of pyridocarbazoles, pyridoacridines, pyridoindoles and azabicylononanes as anti-Parkinsonian agents. She worked as Post Doctoral Fellow (SERC) at University of Liverpool, U.K for one year on Synthesis of amphophilic compounds as electron beam lithograph (1987-1988). She worked at University College London, U.K and worked on Synthesis of peptidomimetics as CCK peptidase inhibitors to develop anti-satiety drug. (1988-1990). Further she worked on Synthesis of DNA Intercalator (Methidium, Phenyl Neutral Red) and groove binding compound (netropsin like) tethered to Nitrosourea to study the sequence specific DNA alkylation, at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA (1990-1993). She joined worked as Pool Officer at CIMAP, Lucknow, India and worked on Semi-synthesis of anticancer drug taxol.

She joined Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research as Reader, Research Scientist. Her research interest include the development of anti-Parkinsonian anti-tumor compounds for brain tumors and anti-microbial and anti-cancer compounds from natural products. Presently, she is carrying out synthesis of heterocycles for the development of anti-Parkinsonian compounds acting on adenosine A 2a receptor (A 2a receptor antagonists) as well as on dopamine receptor (dopamine receptor agonist) and is involved in development of target specific anti-tumor compounds for brain tumors, consisting the synthesis of DNA intercalating compounds tethered to nitrosourea to study their effect on the glioma. In addition she is also working on the bioassay guided lead identification of compounds from natural products for anti-microbial and anti-cancer activity. She is working on the In Silico structure prediction and molecular model generation for receptors and interaction of synthetic compounds with the predicted receptor structure.

Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Verma
Lecturer
Email: akhilesh682000@yahoo.com

Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Verma, Lecturer, joined Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research in 1998. He has carried out three years research work at IICT, Hyderabad. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi. He worked as a Postdoctoral fellow for two years in Prof. Alan R. Katrizky's Laboratory at The Center for Heterocyclic Compounds, Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. He has been associated with the synthesis of biologically active heterocyclic compound using benzotriazole methodology.

Presently his group is engaged in the synthesis and biological evolution of various types of heterocyclic ring systems.

Dr. Anju Katyal did her Ph.D from Deptt. of Parasitology, PGIME&R ,Chandigarh .Her research work pertained to the possible implications of the use of calcium channel blockers in treating drug resistant malarias and found out that CCB can be detrimental for causing severe malaria conditions.

She joined ACBR as faculty in 1998, where in She continued work on malarial immunology and immunopathogenesis. Presently, her group is exploring the modulatory role of various cytokines, proinflammatory molecules, oxidative stress and apoptosis in immuno-pathological conditions during cerebral malaria, cerebral ischemia and cerebral hypoxia. The long term objectives are to explore the critical role of these pathways and individual molecules in the pathogenesis of these clinical conditions.

Additionally the group works on animal model for alcoholic liver disease to characterize the antigens involved in pathogenesis and longitudinal progression of disease. Present work is aimed at isolating and characterizing the specific antigen which elicits auto-immune response and their relative contribution in progression of disease is being investigated.

Selected Publications:

Madhu Chopra is Research Scientist at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi, India. Dr. Madhu Chopra obtained her doctorate at the Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi in Synthetic Organic Chemistry. Her postgraduate studies in Organic Chemistry were conducted at the University of Delhi. 

Madhu Chopra is doing active research in Computer Assisted Drug Design. Her work on the Development of pharmacophore, Synthesis and Evaluation of Cholecystokinin Receptor specific antagonists has been published in the top international/national journals. She has also expertise in homology modelling of proteins and structure based drug design. Her group is involved in development of anticancer compounds considering CDK and COX-2 as molecular Targets. Her work is frequently presented in international/national conferences.  She has supervised two Ph. D. students and currently 6 students are pursuing Ph. D. under her supervision. She has supervised 13 students for their M.Sc. dissertation Thesis and 13 for SURP projects.

Dr. Vibha Tandon completed her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 1991. The topic of thesis was “Synthesis of sequential Oligonucleotides using special Protecting Groups”. Her research interests include inhibition of HIV-1 using ANTISENSE AND ANTIGENE APPROACH. Her laboratory has designed antisense complementary to a unique site on the mRNA and DNA to modulate or inhibit the different processes or gene expression of HIV-1. Another aspect covered by her laboratory is the molecular recognition between Minor Groove Binding Ligands and Nucleic Acids. The study involves both the physicochemical characterization as well as a comprehensive analysis of gene expression changes elicited by the compounds; which would in turn highlight thir proposed use as radioprotectors. Synthesis of Bifunctional Chelating Agents to label monoclonal antibodies andpeptides for Radioimmunodiagnosis of cancer. Her another interest is Identification and Characterization of antidiabetic compounds from Annona squamosa and Ocimum sanctum.

The work in our laboratory mainly focuses on Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry. We have obtained some preliminary data on the anticancer properties of certain medicinal plants.

• These include data obtained on the ability of the extracts of the plant Withania somnifera to treat/prevent UVB radiation induced skin cancer. These studies were carried out in an animal model.

• Studies carried out in our laboratory have shown the extracts of the plant Asparagus reacemosus is able to prevent/treat Diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocarcinoma in Wistar rats.

• We are presently attempting to investigate the anticancer activities of the plant Acacia catechu .

In the area of Medicinal Chemistry, our focus is on two main classes of molecules:-

i. We have synthesized certain molecules which have the potential to treat hyperipidemia and studies are in progress to outline their mechanism of action.

ii. We are also assessing the biological activity of some novel heterocyclic compounds.