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Welcome

We are a research group focusing on different aspects of infectious intracellular protozoan pathogens, using Leishmania, Toxoplasma, and Plasmodium as model systems. Our research centers on the immunological and cellular aspects of parasite biology that enable these intracellular pathogens to survive within the hostile host environment.

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Innovation

Pushing boundaries with cutting-edge methodologies

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Collaboration

Working across disciplines for comprehensive solutions

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Excellence

Committed to the highest research standards

About our Laboratory

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We are currently characterizing the mechanisms of lipid droplet (LD) trafficking by isolating and biochemically analyzing LD composition to identify critical factors involved in the specific trafficking and tethering of LDs with the Leishmania donovani parasitophorous vacuoles.

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Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a unique dermal consequence of VL in which viscerotropic L. donovani exhibits dermal manifestation and acts as a silent reservoir, aiding transmission during inter-epidemic periods. An important focus of our lab is to understand this peculiar tropism shift from visceral to dermal, which occurs following the clinical clearance of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) after drug treatment.

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We are also actively working to establish potent CRISPR-Cas9 based genome editing techniques in protozoan biology, which can be implemented to characterize key components of disease pathogenesis and intra-/inter-species transmission of these intracellular pathogens.

 

Another major focus of our lab is to develop biochemical assays for activity-based protein profiling to study parasite biology, with an emphasis on creating translational applications for the pharmaceutical industry.

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To gain a better understanding of protozoan-mediated infectious diseases, we are slowly expanding our focus to include Plasmodium and Toxoplasma, the causative agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis, respectively. We eventually aim to provide a mechanistic understanding of the important host-parasite interacting processes by combining cell biology, imaging, and biophysical modeling to study the parasite's entry and exit mechanisms.

Research Areas

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Current Projects

Our Publications

Scrutinized lipid utilization disrupts Amphotericin-B responsiveness in clinical isolates of Leishmania donovani
Pradhan S, Dhar D, Manna D, Chakraborty S, Bhattacharyya A, Chauhan K, Mukherjee R, Sen A, Pandey K, Das S, Mukherjee B
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.102857.2
Oxidative stress-driven enhanced iron production and scavenging through Ferroportin reorientation worsens anemia in antimony-resistant Leishmania donovani infection
Ghosh S, Chigicherla KV, Dasgupta S, Goto Y and Mukherjee B. (2024).
http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1012858
Leishmania protein KMP-11 modulates cholesterol transport and membrane fluidity to facilitate host cell invasion.
Sannigrahi, A., Ghosh, S., Pradhan, S., Jana, P., Jawed, J.J., Majumdar, S., Roy, S., Karmakar, S., Mukherjee, B. and Chattopadhyay, K., 2024.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-024-00302-7
Deciphering the intricate dynamics of inflammasome regulation in visceral and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis: A meta-analysis of consistencies
Bhattacharya S, Chakraborty S, Manna D, Thakur P, Chakravorty N, Mukherjee B
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.1073
Elaborating the Role of Aspartyl Protease in Host Modulation and Invasion in Apicomplexan Parasites Plasmodium and Toxoplasma.
Bhattacharya, S., Parveen, S., Mukherjee, B. (2023). In: Mukherjee, B., Bhattacharya, A., Mukhopadhyay, R., Aguiar, B.G.A. (eds) Pathobiology of Parasitic Protozoa: Dynamics and Dimensions. Springer, Singapore.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8225-5_6
Activation of TLR-pathway to induce host Th1 immune response against visceral leishmaniasis: Involvement of galactosylated-flavonoids. Heliyon, 8(7):e09868.
Pradhan S, Snehlata, Manna D, Karmakar S, Singh MK, Bhattacharya A, Mukherjee B, Paul J. (2022).
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09868
A novel bioimpedance based detection of Miltefosine susceptibility among clinical Leishmania donovani isolates of the Indian subcontinent exhibiting resistance to multiple drugs.
Ghosh S, Biswas S, Mukherjee S, Pal A, Saxena A, Sundar S, Dujardin JC, Das S, Roy S, Mukhopadhyay R, Mukherjee B. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (2021)
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.768830
Linking membrane fluidity with defective antigen presentation in leishmaniasis
Pradhan S., Ghosh S., Hussain S., Paul J., Mukherjee B. Parasite Immunology - (2021)
https://doi.org/10.1111/pim.12835
​​​Role of chromatin modulation in the establishment of protozoan parasite infection for developing targeted chemotherapeutics.
Ghosh S., S. , Hussain . , Makkar . , Mukherjee B. The Nucleus 1-13 (2021)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13237-021-00356-1
Probing the molecular mechanism of aggressive infection by antimony resistant Leishmania donovani
Mukherjee B., Mukherjee K. , Nanda P. , Mukhopadhayay R. , Ravichandiran V. , Bhattacharyya S. , Roy . Cytokine 10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155245 - (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155245
Short-Course Treatment With Imipramine Entrapped in Squalene Liposomes Results in Sterile Cure of Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis Induced by Antimony Resistant Leishmania donovani With Increased Efficacy
Mukherjee S., Pradhan S., Ghosh S., Sundar S., Das S., Mukherjee B., Roy S. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 10 - (2020)
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2020.595415
Modeling and resistant alleles explain the selectivity of antimalarial compound 49c towards apicomplexan aspartyl proteases
Mukherjee B., Tessaro F. , Vahokoski J. , Kursula I. , Marq J. , Scapozza L. , Soldati-favre D. EMBO J 37(7) 98047-98062 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.201798047
A drugable secretory protein maturase of Toxoplasma essential for invasion and egress
Dogga S. K., Mukherjee B. , Jacot D. , Malino L. , Hammoudi P. , Hartkoorn R. , Hell A. , Soldat-favre D. Elife 6 27480- (2017)
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27480
A multi-stage antimalarial targets the plasmepsins IX and X essential for invasion and egress
Pino P., Caldelari R. , Mukherjee B. , Vahokoski J. , Klages N. , Maco B. , Collins C. ., Blackman M. J., Kursula I. , Heussler V. , Brochet M. , Soldati-favre D. Science 358(6362) 522-528 (2017)
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf8675
Antimony resistant Leishmania donovani upregulates IL-10 to overexpress host multi drug resistant protein1
Mukherjee B., Mukhopadhyay R. , Bannerjee B. , Chowdhury S. , Naskar K. , Allam U. , Chakravortty D. , Sundar S. , Dujardin J. , Roy S. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110(7) 575-582 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.121383911
Characterisation of antimony-resistant Leishmania donovani isolates: biochemical and biophysical studies and interaction with host cells, Int J Parasitol, 1311-1321, 2011
Mukhopadhyay R., Mukherjee S. , Mukherjee B. , Naskar K. , Mondal D. , Decuypere S. , Ostyn B. , Prajapati V. , Sundar S. , Dujardin J. , Roy S.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.07.013

Meet The Team

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Dr. Budhaditya Mukherjee

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Principal Investigator

Assistant Professor, School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT Kharagpur, India

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Supratim Pradhan

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PMRF Fellow

M.Sc.- Department of Zoology

PhD Joining -January 2020

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Souradeepa Ghosh

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M.Sc.- Department of Botany

PhD Joining -January 2020

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Shatarupa Bhattacharya

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M.Sc.- School of Studies in Neuroscience

PhD Joining -September 2020

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Debolina Manna

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M.S. (Pharm)- Department of Biotechnology

PhD Joining -August 2021

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Shubhangi Chakraborty

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M.Tech.- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

PhD Joining -July 2023

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Nilanjan Pradhan

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M.Sc.- Department of Zoology

PhD Joining -July 2024

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Sunandini Bhattacharya

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M.Sc.- Chemical and Molecular Biology

PhD Joining -July 2024

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Deneshraj S

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M.Tech.- Molecular Medicine

PhD Joining -July 2024

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Aparajita Pati

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M.Sc.- Department of Botany & Forestry

PhD Joining -July 2024

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Chandana Dey

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Technical Assistant

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Gracy Mukherjee

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Human Resource

Key Equipment

  • LC/MS

  • Microtome

  • Cryotome

  • Biosafety cabinet for Animal Model studies

  • Cell culture Facility

  • Western Blot transfer apparatus

  • Fluorescence Microscope

  • Cold Room

  • Flow cytometry

  • Cryotome & Microtome

  • LC-MS

  • PCR Machine

  • RT-PCR Machine

  • Probe sonicator

  • Gel electrophoresis systems

  • UV Transilluminator

NEWS  & UPDATES

  • IDI lab is extremely proud of Shubhangi Chakraborty for bagging the "Best Oral Presentation" award at Anusandhan- 2025 held at Bose Institute, Kolkata.

  • IDI Lab is happy to announce that Debolina Manna is presenting her work in Joint Parasitology Spring Meeting, March 11-14, Germany, and we are also delighted that she is one of the four recipient of EQUIP scholarship this year.

  • IDI Lab welcomes Aparajita, Deneshraj, Nilanjan and Sunandini as the newest members of the PhD family in August, 2024 session! 

  • IDI Lab is happy to announce that Supratim is presenting his work in GRC2024, Rhode Island, June 9-14 USA.

  • IDI Lab is happy to let you know that Souradeepa has received MPM2023 travel award and she will be presenting her work in MPM2023, MBL, Woods Hole, 17-21 September USA. 

  • IDI Lab welcomes Shubhangi Chakraborty as the new PhD member to join the lab in August, 2023.

  • IDI Lab received funding from STARS (MHRD) 2023, to work on host derived iron utilization and trafficking by Leishmania parasites in infected primary macrophages.

  • Shatarupa Bhattacharya has been selected to participate in the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 2023 held in Lindau, Germany.

  • Shatarupa Bhattacharya is awarded the Best Poster Presentation Award at the 45th All India Cell Biology Conference and International Symposium of Biology of Development and Disease, held in BHU, Varanasi (2023).

  • Shatarupa Bhattacharya won the second prize in the "Saransh – Thesis Competition for Ph.D. students", organized by INYAS (2022).

  • Dr. Budhaditya Mukherjee received "SERB International Research Experience (SIRE)" in the year 2022-23 for a collaboration project with Prof. Yasuyuki Goto, University of Tokyo, Japan.

  • Supratim Pradhan received PMRF Fellowship (2021).

What goes on in IDI...

Contact Us

School of Medical Science and Technology

408, New Life Sciences Building, IIT Kharagpur, WB-721302

+91-3222-69583

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