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Saurabh Rai
Saurabh Rai
DOB: July 20, 1998
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, India
saurabh18@iiserb.ac.in |+91-7470694059
SAURABH RAI - Google Scholar
The researcher, Dr. Saurabh Rai, brings expertise in biomolecular condensates, single-molecule spectroscopy, and fluorescence imaging, with over five years of academic research experience. He earned his B.Sc. (Chemistry Hons.) in 2018 and was twice awarded with the Integrated PhD Fellowship by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, at IISER Mohali and IISER Bhopal. During his M.S. thesis (2021) under Prof. Saptarshi Mukherjee, he developed expertise in fluorescence spectroscopy, focusing on luminescent nanomaterials with antimicrobial potential. He later received the highly competitive and prestigious Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF, awarded to <0.01% of Indian research scholars) to pursue advanced biophysics research on the role of conformational polymorphism in liquid-liquid phase separation and their functional relevance. His research under Prof. Saptarshi Mukherjee is reflected through patents and publications in high-impact international journals, delivered satisfactorily within the timelines. Since June 2025, he has been working in Prof. Mukherjee’s laboratory at IISER Bhopal on single-molecule investigations of conformational selectivity in LLPS condensates. His interdisciplinary background provides a strong foundation to unravel molecular mechanisms in complex biomolecular assemblies using novel nanophotonics.
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
PhD in Chemistry, Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF) Defended: June 06, 2025
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Saptarshi Mukherjee
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal, India [2021-2025]
Thesis Title: “Dynamics in Solution, Bio-assembly and Biomimetic Assemblies”
Research expertise: Biophysics, Biomolecular Condensates, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Anisotropy, Single-Molecule Spectroscopy, Drug-delivery, Cell imaging, Nanochemistry
MS in Chemistry CGPA: 9.29/10.0
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Saptarshi Mukherjee
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal, India [2018-2021]
Thesis Title: Luminescent Metal Nanoclusters (MNCs) -Synthesis & Spectroscopic Characterization
BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry CGPA: 8.23/10.0
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Varanasi, India [2015-2018]
Minor: Physics and Mathematics
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Ultrafast Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory (Post-PhD Research Visit) [Jun 2025-Present]
“Single-molecule investigations of conformational selectivity in LLPS condensates”
Research Advisor: Prof. Saptarshi Mukherjee (IISER Bhopal)
Functional Materials Laboratory [Jun 2019-Aug 2019]
“Synthesis & characterization of Solution Processable Porous Organic Polymers for Singlet Oxygen”
Research Advisor: Abhijit Patra (Professor of Material Chemistry, IISER Bhopal)
Laboratory of Molecular and Macromolecular Materials [Nov 2018-Jan 2019]
“Stimuli Responsive Prodrug (H-DAC inhibitors) synthesis for selectively targeting Cancer Cells”
Research Advisor: Aasheesh Srivastava (Professor of Organic Chemistry, IISER Bhopal)
ab Initio Theory Group [Mar 2018-Apr 2018]
“Basics of Molecular Dynamic Simulation and Molecular Docking”
Research Advisor: V Srinivasan (Professor of Theoretical Chemistry, IISER Bhopal)
PUBLICATIONS AND PATENTS
17 Publications & 1 Patent, incl. 12 published in ACS, RSC, & Wiley; Citations > 100, h-6, i10-3 Google Scholar
Research articles
3. Rai, S; Pramanik, S; Mukherjee, S.* Conformational Selectivity in Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Nucleic Acids Revealed by smFRET. 2025 (Manuscript under review)
4. Rai, S;* Shil, D; Paul, B. K;* Mukherjee, S.* Effect of Water-DMSO Binary Solvent Mixture on the Behavior of an Intrinsically Disordered Protein, β-Casein. J. Phys. Chem. B 2025 (Just Accepted!) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.5c01515
5. Molla, R; Singudas, R; Biswas, D; Ojha, L; Bindra, D; Rai, S; Ragendu V; Mukherjee, S; Mishra, R; Rai, V. Switchable pathways for precise carboxylic acid modification in proteins and antibodies. 2025 (ACS Central Science; Under Minor Revision)
6. Rai, S; Agrawal, S; Mukherjee, S.* Intracellular Sub-degree Temperature Sensing and Dynamics by Thermoresponsive Silver Nanoclusters as Molecular Probes. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2025, 16, 9316−9324. & featured as ACS Editors' Choice
7. Rai, S; Mukherjee, M; Paul, B K;* Mukherjee, M; Mukherjee, S.* Cyclodextrin Derivatives as Modulators for Enhanced Drug Delivery from Niosome Membrane: A Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry Approach. Langmuir 2025, 41(3), 1601.
8. Rai, S; Pramanik, S; Mukherjee, S.* Deciphering the liquid–liquid phase separation induced modulation in the structure, dynamics, and enzymatic activity of an ordered protein β-lactoglobulin. Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 3936.
9. Rai, S.; Mukherjee, S. Tyrosine Templated Dual Component Silver Nanomaterials: Photophysics and Antimicrobial Properties. Proc. 15th National Symposium on Radiation and Photochemistry (NSRP-2023), Goa, India, Jan 5–7, 2023; p 61.
10. Urvashi; Rai, S; Shukla, G.; Nisha; Patil, N.* Exploring the Electronic and Steric Effects of Hemilabile (P^N) Ligands in Redox Gold Catalysis: Application to Cross-Coupling Reaction of Aliphatic Amines with Aryl Iodides. Org. Lett. 2025, 27, 10, 2364.
11. Agrawal, S; Rai, S; Mahato, P; Ali, A; Mukherjee, S.* Assemble-Disassemble-Reassemble Dynamics in Copper Nanocluster-Based Superstructures. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2024, 15, 4880.
12. Gupta, Rǂ; Agrawal, Sǂ; Rai, S; Sarkar, J; Kumari, S; Shil, D; Mukherjee, S.* Photoinduced Formation and Intercluster Conversion of a Thiol-Templated Copper Nanocluster. ACS Appl. Opt. Mater. 2024, 2, 9, 1880.
13. Pramanik, S; Chithra, Sǂ; Rai, Sǂ; Agrawal, S; Shil, D; Mukherjee, S.* Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer in a Supramolecular Assembly of Luminescent Silver Nanoclusters and Cucurbit[8]uril Based Host-Guest System. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2023, 30, 6608. (ǂ Equal Contribution)
14. Pramanik, U; Khamari, L; Rai, S; Mahato, P; Nandy, A; Yadav, R; Agrawal, S; Mukherjee, S.* Macrocyclic Cavitand β-Cyclodextrin Inhibits the Alcohol-induced Trypsin Aggregation. ChemPhysChem 2022, 23, e202200155.
15. Chakraborty, S; Sagarika, P; Rai, S; Sahi, C; Mukherjee, S.* Tyrosine Templated Dual-Component Silver Nanomaterials Exhibit Photoluminescence and Versatile Anti-Microbial Properties Through ROS Generation. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, 13, 36938.
16. Mahato, P; Thomas, A S; Yadav, R; Rai, S; Shekhar, S; Mukherjee, S.* Solvent-Induced Modulation in the Optical Properties of Copper Nanoclusters and Revealing the Isomeric Effect of Templates. Chem. Asian J. 2023, 18, e202300442.
17.Pramanik, S; Mahato, P; Pramanik, U; Nandy, A; Khamari, L; Shrivastava, S; Rai, S; Mukherjee, S.* DNA Templated Modulation in the Photophysical Properties of a Fluorescent Molecular Rotor Auramine O by Varying the DNA Composition. J. Phys. Chem. B 2022, 126, 2658.
Patents
1. Saptarshi Mukherjee and Saurabh Rai. “Dual-Mode Luminescent Silver Nanocluster-Based Thermosensor for Real-Time, Reversible, and Intracellular Temperature Monitoring” (IPA no. 202521033804)
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1. Best Poster Award at CRSI-NSC 2025 by Chemical Research Society of India & IISER Bhopal
2. SERB ITS Grant, 2024 by Science and Engineering Research Board, Govt. of India
3. Prime Ministers’ Research Fellowship (PMRF) 2021- May Cycle
4. Best Poster Award at InTeRaCTiONS 2023 by IISER Bhopal
5. GATE-2020 & 2021 with (percentile: 99.52)
6. IIT-JAM-2018 with (percentile 97.74)
7. BHU-PET (percentile 99.9%)
8. DST Fellowship (I-PhD) IISER Bhopal (2018)
9. DST Fellowship (I-PhD) IISER Mohali (2018)
10. Research trainee, R&D, Dr. Reddy's Laboratory 2021 (by Campus Placement Drive)
11. Facilitator awards: SALTER's CHEMISTRY CAMP by RSC & Salter's Institute (2019)
EXPERIMENTAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS
EXPERIMENTAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS
Single Molecule Spectroscopic Techniques: viz. smFRET, FCS, FLIM
Other Spectroscopic Techniques: Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, Fluorimeter, TCSPC, FRET, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer, CD and Mass Spectrometry
Optical Microscopy: Confocal Live Cell imaging, Spinning-disc Microscopy, FLIM, FRAP, Acc. Photobleach.FRET
Electron Microscopy: SEM, TEM, SAED; AFM
Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC)
Microbiology: Cell culture, Incubation and extraction, MTT Assay
DLS for Hydrodynamic-radius and Zeta-potential
Molecular docking, MD-Simulation (basic)
Synthesis, Protein Labelling with Fluorophore, Dialysis
MS Office, ChemDraw, ImageJ, Origin, Biorender
TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
Oral Presentations (Conference and Science Congress)
1. Universidad de Valencia, Spain (FRET Satellite workshop 2024, FRET community): “FRET in a Supramolecular Assembly of Luminescent Silver Nanoclusters and CB[8]-based Host-Guest System”
2. MITS Gwalior, India (MP Young Science Congress 2024): “Liquid-liquid Phase Separation Induced Modulation in the Structure, Dynamics, and Enzymatic Activity of an Ordered Protein β-Lactoglobulin”
3. KIIT Bhubaneswar, India (ACS-CRSI Early Career Researchers’ Symposium 2024): “Conformational Dynamics of Biomolecules and Their Role in Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation”
Poster Presentations (Conference and Symposium)
1. CRSI-NSC 2025, IISER Bhopal, India.
Title: “Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation Induced Origin of Enzymatic activity”
Title: “Liquid-liquid Phase Separation Induced Modulation in the Structure, Dynamics, and Enzymatic Activity of β-lactoglobulin”
3. NSRP-2023, BITS-Pilani Goa, India.
Title: “Tyrosine Templated Dual Component Silver Nanomaterials: Photophysics and Anti-Microbial Properties”
4. FCS-2023, IISER Mohali, India.
Title: “Modulation in Structure, Dynamics, and Enzymatic Activity of an Ordered Protein β-Lactoglobulin Inside Liquid Condensates formed via Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation”
5. SoPhyC 2023, IIT Kanpur, India. (Society of Physical Chemistry of India)
6. InTeRaCTiONS 2023, IISER Bhopal.
Title: “Mimicking Functional Membranelles Organelles through in vitro Liquid-liquid Phase Separation of β-Lactoglobulin”
7. IINCM 2024, IISER Kolkata.
Title: “Modulation in Structure, Dynamics, and Enzymatic Activity of an Ordered Protein β-Lactoglobulin Inside Liquid Condensates formed via Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation”
8. Molecularly Designed Functional materials (MDFM) 2023, IISER Pune.
Title: “FRET in a Supramolecular Assembly of Luminescent Silver Nanoclusters and Cucurbit[8]uril Based Host-Guest System”
GRANTS AND PROPOSALS
GRANTS AND PROPOSALS
1. Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) – Accepted and Granted for the year 2021-2024
2. SERB-ITS by ANRF – Accepted & Granted -2024
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
As part of PhD TA Responsibility
1. Statistical Mechanics (CHM421N/CHM621O) [IISER Bhopal, Jul 2021-Dec 2021]
2. Classical Thermodynamics (CHM222N) [IISER Bhopal, Jan 2022-June 20222]
3. Basic Inorganic Chemistry (CHM204) [IISER Bhopal, Jan 2023-June 2023]
As part of PMRF Teaching Responsibility
4. Practical Physical Chemistry [S.V. Autonomous College, Bhopal, April 2022]
5. Chemical Kinetics and Ionic Equilibria [S.V. Autonomous College, Bhopal, 2022-2023]
6. Basic Chemistry [Govt. S.S. School Bhauri, Bhopal, Sem1, AY 2023-2024]
7. Basic Science [Govt. S.S. School Bhauri, Bhopal, Sem2, AY 2023-2024]
As a Research Mentor
8. As Research Mentor to 1 MS and 1 graduate students [IISER Bhopal, 2021-2024]
9. Mentor for workshops for Outreach program in Chemistry at IISER Bhopal [August 2023]
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
PG student representative member of Student Development Counsil, IISER Bhopal [Jan 2025-Present]
Student representative and member of representative council at IISER Bhopal [Aug 2019-Jul 2020]
Soft-skill based Guidance to the Graduate students of the batch BSMS-2018 for the industrial job [Dec 2022]
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND COURSES
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND COURSES
1. Grant Writing & Management Workshop- by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft & University of Cologne-2024
2. Author Workshop on scholarly publication- by Springer Nature at IISER Bhopal-2018
3. Placement and Soft Skills Development Workshop at IISER Bhopal
4. Law Relating to Intellectual Property and Patents
5. Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy (A grade)
6. Chemistry and Physics of Materials (A grade)
7. Advanced Molecular Spectroscopy (A grade)
8. Physical Chemistry of Polymers (A grade)
9. Physical Organic Chemistry (A grade)
10. Biophysical Chemistry (A grade)
LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION
LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION
Student representative and Co-Ordinator of SCMMC at IISER Bhopal
Member of SDC council, IISER Bhopal
Mentor Teacher for Salter’s Chemistry Camp by Royal Society of Chemistry & Salter’s Chemistry at IISER
RESEARCH SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
RESEARCH SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
1. American Chemical Society
2. Royal Society of Chemistry
3. Chemical Research Society of India
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