I am passionate in exploring the intricate roles of jumping elements, particularly retrotransposons, in human health and disease. My research centers on deciphering how these mobile genetic elements influence the onset and progression of human cancers. By delving into the molecular mechanisms that regulate retrotransposon activity and their effects on genomic stability, I seek to unveil new perspectives in cancer biology and identify potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, I am intrigued by the interplay between host and pathogen, specifically through the study of transposons, to further understand their impact on disease dynamics.

Dr. Bhavana Tiwari is a Wellcome Trust- DBT India Alliance Intermediate Fellow at the Department of Biological Sciences, IISER-Berhampur since 1st September 2023. She received her postdoctoral training from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA (Oct 2015- Sept 2020). During her tenure as a postdoc in Abrams lab she discovered a novel function of p53 as a repressor of LINE1 transposons, shedding light on a novel tumor suppressive axis of p53 (Tiwari et al., Genes and Development 2020). Using p53 model system in Drosophila and zebrafish, she unravelled that certain classes of retrotransposons invade presumptive germ cells much before they are formed (Tiwari et al. Current Biology 2017; Tiwari et al. Trends in Genetics 2018). She showed that diverse classes of retrotransposons migrate to the germ plasm, a structure that prefigures germ cells in the oocyte and specifies the germline of descendants in the fertilised egg. 

Prior to joining IISER Berhampur, Dr. Bhavana Tiwari held the position of Senior Translation Scientist at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, Bangalore from May 2021 to May 2022. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in facilitating the conversion of basic science discoveries into potential drug candidate for development. She significantly contributed to the translational process of a nature-inspired molecule, which demonstrated improved survival outcomes in a sepsis mouse model. 

Dr. Bhavana Tiwari served as a Scientist at Immuneel Therapeutics, Bangalore, from September 2020 to April 2021. In this role, she led several programs aimed at developing CART-Cell Therapy for the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma patients.

During her PhD at the CCMB Hyderabad (March 2009-July 2015), she examined the physiological roles of the multigenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) PE_PPE proteins in mediating interactions at the host-pathogen interface during M.tb infection. Currently, her team at IISER-Bpr is investing how M.tb hijack membrane contact sites to establish persistent intracellular growth.

• L1 Transposon Intermediates as Drivers of Cancer: Long Interspersed Nuclear Element-1 (LINE-1/L1) retrotransposons are a classical jumping element that can autonomously replicate and occupy 20% of the human genome. Recent research has revealed the involvement of L1 retrotransposons in various aspects of cancer. My research group is currently investigating the role of L1 retrotransposons in cancer initiation and progression employing diverse genetic models, including flies and mouse models. By understanding the implications and significance of L1 in cancer biology, we aim to develop novel L1- based prognostic markers and explore their potential as therapeutic targets.

• Examining the Significance of Membrane Contact Sites in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Persistence: The eukaryotic cell organelles exhibit communication through various inter-organellar modes, which include both vesicular trafficking and non-vesicular communication mediated by membrane-contact sites (MCS). MCS-mediated non-vesicular communication plays a critical role in numerous cellular processes, including innate immune signaling and autophagy. Disruption of inter-organelle communication, particularly in the context of intracellular infections, can have severe consequences for cell survival. Therefore, investigating the modulation of MCS during infections has emerged as a significant concept in infectious diseases research.

1. Paul P, Kumar A, Parida AS, De AK, Bhadke G, Khatua S and Tiwari B*. p53 mediated regulation of LINE1 retrotransposon derived R-loops. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2025; 301(3):108200. DOI:10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108200

2. Paul P, Kumar A, De AK, Parida AS, Bhadke GV, Khatua S, Pattanayak F and Tiwari B*. p53 mediated regulation of LINE1 retrotransposon derived R-loops. bioRxiv 2024. DOI:10.1101/2024.04.12.589154.

3. Kunjulakshmi R, Kumar A, Kumar KV, Sengupta A, Kundal K, Sharma S, Pawar A, Sai Krishna P, Alfatah M, Ray S, Tiwari B and Kumar R*. “AagingBase: a comprehensive database of anti-aging peptides,” Database (Oxford), 2024; 2024:baae016. DOI:10.1093/database/baae016.

4. Paul P and Tiwari B*. Organelles are miscommunicating: Membrane contact sites getting hijacked by pathogens. Virulence 2023;14(1):2265095. DOI:10.1080/21505594.2023.2265095.

5. Rishi VS, Kalakuntla N, Chirmule N and Tiwari B*. The Happy Hopping of Transposons: The Origins of V(D)J Recombination in Adaptive Immunity. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 2022; 10. DOi:10.3389/fevo.2022.836066

6. Tiwari B, Jones AE, Caillet CJ, Das S, Royer SK and Abrams JM*. p53 directly represses human LINE1 transposons. Genes & Development. 2020;34(21-22):1439-1451. DOI:10.1101/gad.343186.120.

o   This finding was covered in UTSW News Press

o   This article was featured in Science 20 Nov 2020 370 Issue 6519

7. Kurtz P, Jones AE, Tiwari B, Link N, Wylie A, Tracy C, Kramer H and Abrams JM*. Drosophila p53 directs nonapoptotic programs in postmitotic tissue. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 2019;30(11):1339-1351. DOI:10.1091/mbc.E18-12-0791.

8. Tiwari B, Jones AE and Abrams JM*. Transposons, p53 and Genome Security. Trends in Genetics. 2018;34(11):846-855. DOI:10.1016/j.tig.2018.08.003.

o   Featured as cover page in Trends in genetics 2018 Nov issue

9. Tiwari B, Kurtz P, Jones AE and Wylie A, Amatruda JF, Boggupalli DP, Gonsalvez, GB and Abrams JM*. Retrotransposons Mimic Germ Plasm Determinants to Promote Transgenerational Inheritance. Current Biology. 2017;27(19):3010-3016.e3. DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.036.

o   This article was highlighted issue with a coverpage and a commentary.

10. Tiwari B, Ramakrishnan UM and Raghunand TR*. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein pair PE9 (Rv1088)-PE10 (Rv1089) forms heterodimers and induces macrophage apoptosis through Toll-like receptor 4. Cellular Microbiology. 2015;17(11):1653-1669. DOI:10.1111/cmi.12462.

11. Tiwari B, Soory A and Raghunand TR*. An immunomodulatory role for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis region of difference 1 locus proteins PE35 (Rv3872) and PPE68 (Rv3873). FEBS J. 2014;281(6):1556-1570. DOI:10.1111/febs.12723.

12. Tiwari BM, Kannan N, Vemu L and Raghunand TR*. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE proteins Rv0285 and Rv1386 modulate innate immunity and mediate bacillary survival in macrophages. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51686. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0051686.

• AICBC Fellowship award to present a poster at 45th All India Cell Biology held at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 20-22nd January 2023.

• American Society for Cell Biology/EMBO travel award to attend ASCB/EMBO meeting 7-11 December 2019 at Washington DC

• Department of Cell Biology chair’s award for the recognition of an exceptional Postdoctoral fellow 2018.

• Short talk award at 12th Post-Doctoral Association, Annual Symposium 2018 at Dallas, USA.

• The cover image of Current Biology 27, 3010-3016 e3013 was selected for Center for Regenerative and Science Medicine photo contest for Poster size display at the UTSW 2018.

• 2018 Drosophila Image Award (DIA) by Genetics Society of America and the image is forever placed on the DIA website.

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Global Health Travel Award to participate in the keystone symposium on ‘Host Response in Tuberculosis’ 22-27 Jan 2015, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.

• Qualified National Level Combined Entrance Exam for Biotechnology (2006) conducted by Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

• Life membership of Society of Biological Chemists

• Life membership Indian Society of Cell Biology

• Life membership of Genetics Society of America

• Life membership of American Society of Cell Biology

• Life membership of The Genetics Society of UK

• India Alliance Award (September 2023-August 2028) Rs. 3.6 Crores

• SERB-CRG (November 2024-October 2027)

• CSIR-Aspire (January 2025-December 2027)