Research

The VISTA Lab

The ViStA LAB is a melting pot of ideas and innovation. Though it debuted as a lab devoted to Vibrio lifestyle and structural analysis (read, protein-protein, protein-nucleotide and miRNA), it has grown along multiple correlated dimensions. Presently, we are interested in:

Biofilm formation and disruption: Beginning with our investigations in Vibrio cholerae and it's proteins which induce biofilm formation, we have now expanded our vision to Staphylococcus aureus biofilms, and marine biofilms as well. To read more, please scroll down.
Quest for therapeutic molecules: The ocean is a vast repository of novel bioactive natural products, with structural and chemical features which differ from others. Being very near the coast, and in a place with a unique ecosystem (read the Konkan region), we strive to investigate the traditional folklores as well as aim to conserve the resources that have harboured therapeutic potential over the centuries.
Conservation of Shellfish in Goa and Horseshoe Crabs in the eastern coast: The rapid decline in the numbers of marine species is a cause of concern. Our group has been instrumental in reviving the numbers of windowpane oysters along the Zuari bay area, and has been actively working to revive shellfish through novel methods using AI.

Research Projects

Ongoing Projects:

Title	Funding Agency	Span
Conservation of the Bilaterian Organizer: Novel Studies in the horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas; Müller	DBT, India	2021-2024
Development of Novel Biofilm Resistant Coat for Implant Devices from Moringa oleifera Leaf Extracts	ICMR	2019-2022
Targeting the amyloid matrix of staphylococcal biofilms for effective management of its recalcitrant infections	DHR	2020-2023
Efficacy of Natural Extracts of Plants from the Western Ghats as Antifouling Agents with Novel Synergists	DBT	2022-2026

Completed Projects:

Title	Funding Agency	Span
Restoration of windowpane oyster population following sea ranching practices for their long term conservation	Wildlife Trust of India	2019-2021
Synthesis of mononuclear as well as homo and hetero dinuclear complexes of Cu(II) and Zn(II) with hard-soft donor ligands and evaluation of their anticancer activities (as co-PI)	SERB	2018-2021
Studies on putative GGEEF/sensory box domain protein of Vibrio cholerae	SERB	2012-2015
Physicochemical characterization of the Primary Sigma Factor of Vibrio cholerae	DBT, India	2012-2016

Studies on putative GGEEF/sensory box domain protein of Vibrio cholerae	BRNS, DAE	2011 -2014
Biochemical and genetic characterization of antimicrobial (candidacidal) peptides produced by the Antarctic Strain Enterococcus faecalis APR 210	UGC	2012 -2014
Expression, Purification and Characterization of GGEEF protein of Vibrio cholerae	RIG, BITS	2011 -2012

Protein structures solved in our lab

Structure of diguanylate cyclase of Vibrio cholerae

People

PI:

Sumit Biswas

PhD scholars PhD scholars DHR Young Scientist:

(Completed): (Ongoing):

Ram Kothandan Lakshmi Menon (regd. 2020) Nikita Admane

Divya Bandekar Utpal Mallick (qual exam 2023)

Om Prakash Chauhan Akhilesh Upadhyay

Subhasish Sahoo Sashank Kashyap

Vivek Ratre (co-supervised) (regd. 2020)

Project scholars (2016-17):

Ajinkya Sonawane Ashwini Patil Shabad Lamba Uday Adiga Karthik Kenny Raghav Maheshwari Sarvesh Sirmukuddam Arkapriya Pal Syed Azeem Heer Joisher Vipul Malvika Madhumita

First Degree Thesis (2016-17): Karthik Srinivasan

Previous members:

Malvika Sudhakar Chirayu Garg Amit Dhanda Abhijeet Akshay Walia Pankaj Vaidya Subhasish Sahoo Nandkishore Prakash Tanvi Parekar Dhirendra K Singh Mohan Varma G

Sumit Sharma Sowmyalakshmi G Sudeep Gupta Supriya Sharma S.N.V.K Rao

Pulkit Budhiraja Raghavan Rajsekharan Apoorva Verlekar Sarat Chandra R V.Yeshwanth Sairam Sundaram Ashish Baghudana Srijani Biswas Devansh Raj

Ananya Shivaditya Deepak Kumar

Other Interests

MicroRNA prediction and validation.
Toxin structures from Naja kaouthia venom.
Phage host interactions and specificity.
Hyperthermophile proteins and their interactions.
Stress related adaptations and xenobiotics.

Pairfinder

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MicRoON

BITS Pilani