Members

Current members:

Graduate students

Garima Joshi

I completed a B.Sc. in Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology from Women's Christian College, Chennai, and an M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of Madras. I have qualified for GATE and joined the lab in January 2020. I enjoy music, poetry writing, and birdwatching, reading online blogs, and watching movies in my leisure time.

I worked on ABPs Coronin and CKAP4 in projects on cytoskeletal intermediate filament dynamics during neurogenesis. I defended my thesis in November 2025.👏👏

(garimaj19@iiserb.ac.in)

Jyotsna Kawadkar

I graduated from the Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal, and completed my MSc in Zoology from Dr. Hari Singh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. I have qualified for the CSIR-JRF and INSPIRE fellowship, and I joined the lab in January 2020. Beyond academics, I enjoy drawing and listening to music in my spare time. I like visiting adventurous places, reading stories, and watching movies.

I analyzed the roles of Y-complex members, Nup107 and Nup43, in Drosophila metamorphic development and spermatogenesis. I defended my thesis in November 2025. 👏👏

(jyotsna19@iiserb.ac.in)

Divya Bindra

Born in Delhi, I completed my B.Sc. from Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, Delhi University, and later moved to the University of Hyderabad to pursue an M.Sc. in Biotechnology. I have qualified for the CSIR-NET JRF and GATE examinations and joined the lab in August 2020. When not in the lab, you would find me segueing from sports to exploring places or writing songs or poems.

I have been delineating the relation between Nucleoporin overexpression and cancer, and analyzing the efficacy of chemical probes in diseases like cancer.

(divya20@iiserb.ac.in)

Harsh Vardhan Singh

Coming from the holy city of Mathura, I completed my B.Sc. from Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya, Mathura, and M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the Central University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. I have qualified for CSIR-NET JRF, DBT-NET, and GATE examinations and joined the lab in August 2021. My co-curricular interests involve playing Basketball, Badminton, and Cricket.

I will wrestle with SUMO and will explore details of the SUMOylation process operating in different cellular pathways leading to cell proliferation and migration.

(harsh21@iiserb.ac.in)

Nikita Sharma

I hail from Bikaner, Rajasthan. I obtained my MSc in Microbiology with a gold medal from the Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer. I qualified for the GATE examinations in both Biotechnology and Life Sciences, as well as the DBT-JRF scholarship. I find great joy and solace in painting and traveling.

Joined the NSBG in July 2023, and my research will focus on the importance of Nucleoporins of Y-complex in neuro-developmental studies on Drosophila.

(nikita21@iiserb.ac.in)

Akshita Gupta

I belong to the pink city, Jaipur. I graduated from the University of Maharani College, Jaipur. Moving from that, I completed my MSc in Zoology from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. I have qualified CSIR NET JRF and GATE examinations and joined the lab in August 2022. My co-curricular activities are music and singing, Art and craft, and exploring new places.

I will working towards identifying roles nucleoporins play in immune cell development and function.

(akshita22@iiserb.ac.in)

Kaveri A. S.

A native of Trivandrum, Kerala, I am a BS-MS graduate from IISER Bhopal. I have qualified for the GATE-2022 examination in Life Science and Biotechnology and the INSPIRE Fellowship, and have joined the lab for my Ph.D. in August 2022. The hobbies I enjoy most are dancing, listening to music, and embroidering.

My research will focus on the importance and consequences of Nucleoporin and Sumoylation on their downstream cellular effects.

(kaveri22@iiserb.ac.in)

Swapnil Kumar Singh

Coming from the twin city of Kashi, I have earned a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Zoology from Banaras Hindu University and an MTech from IIT Kanpur. I have qualified for the CSIR-UGC NET, DBT-JRF, and GATE, and joined IISER Bhopal in August 2024. Beyond Science, I love singing, poetry writing, and badminton as my hobbies and interests.

I joined lab in March 2026 and will be exploring the roles of Nucleoporins in the model organism Drosophila, focusing on organ development and disease.

(swapnilks24@iiserb.ac.in)

Smit Patel

I come from the banks of Sabarmati, Ahmedabad. I have completed my BSc in Biotechnology from Gujarat University and my MSc in Biotechnology from Nirma University in Ahmedabad. I have qualified for CSIR-UGC JRF and joined a lab in January 2025.

I have a keen interest in translational research, reading medical literature, and am passionate about exploring new research concepts and techniques. I will be exploring the role of SUMOylation of ABPs in neurodegenerative diseases.

(patels24@iiserb.ac.in)

Mayuri Singh

A native of Orange City, Nagpur, Maharashtra, I completed my Master’s degree from Goa University. I have also qualified for CSIR-UGC NET, DBT-JRF, and GATE (XL and BT) examinations, and with a commitment to scientific research excellence, I joined IISER in January 2025. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading novels, exploring new places, practicing yoga, and expressing my creativity through mandala drawing to maintain a balanced, inspired lifestyle.

I joined the lab in March 2026, and will analyze in detail the role of Y-complex in homeostatic embryonic development in Drosophila.

(singhmb24@iiserb.ac.in)

Aditi Rastogi

Belonging to Sasaram, Bihar, and completing B.Sc. in Zoology (Hons.) from BHU, I obtained M.Sc. in Zoology with specialization in Endocrinology from the University of Lucknow. I have qualified the CSIR JRF and joined the lab in January 2026.

I am passionate about dance, traveling, and exploring new places. I also enjoy staying active by playing badminton. Inclined to nature, I spend much of my leisure time observing plants and birds. With a theoretical background in Zoology, I will be exploring the role of nucleoporins in Drosophila organ and embryonic development.

(aditi25@iiserb.ac.in)

Priyanka Gupta

From the heart of India, and the vicinity of Dhunadhar in Madhya Pradesh, I completed a B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Jabalpur and an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from BHU. I qualified CSIR-UGC NET JRF and joined the lab in January 2026.

Beyond my academic interests, I enjoy recreational activities like watching films and listening to music. Given my theoretical background in Biochemistry and inclination in Molecular Biology, I will be exploring the effect of SUMOylation on actin-binding proteins in neuronal health and disease.

(priyankag25@iiserb.ac.in)

Undergraduates:

Anushka Yamini

Born and brought up in the Steel city of India, Bokaro, in Jharkhand. I came to IISER Bhopal in 2021 driven by my love for science, especially Biology, and the big dreams of becoming a researcher. For my MS thesis project, I will be investigating the potential link between nucleoporin SUMOylation and cancer.

Outside of academics, I’m passionate about working out, running, and expressing my creative side through painting, singing, and dancing.

(anushkay21@iiserb.ac.in)

Ishita Jagtap

Belonging to Satara, a part of the sugar belt of Maharashtra, and with an aim to push boundaries, I embarked on a scientific journey at IISER Bhopal, where I have deepened my passion for biology. I have an inherent inclination for protein dynamics and cancer biology. In my master’s thesis, I will be exploring the roles of nucleoporins in Drosophila development. My passion for research comes from the combination of my diverse interests.

Outside the laboratory, you can find me playing badminton or expressing myself through various art forms.

(jagtap21@iiserb.ac.in )

Lisupriya Baral

Born and brought up in the capital, New Delhi. After completing my schooling, I came to IISER Bhopal to pursue my love for science. I am currently in my last year as a BS-MS student. For my master's thesis, I am working on a project to understand the role of nucleoporins in regulating autophagy in the larval stage of Drosophila.

In my spare time, I like to work on my artistic side, I draw, paint, or make some craft stuff.

(lisupriya21@iiserb.ac.in)

Shambhavi Mishra

Born and brought up in the city of pen and sword, Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, I am a BSMS student and will be joining the lab to undertake my thesis work. I am a science enthusiast who also enjoys playing volleyball and listening to music in my free time.

I will be working on the SUMOylation of cytoskeletal proteins project. I carried out part of my project work with Dr. Arun Sampathkumar at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Berlin, Germany. Currently, I am finishing my MSc project work on SUMOylation of Actin-binding proteins.

(shambhavi21@iiserb.ac.in)