our Research interests

One of the overarching objectives of our laboratory is to design and develop new drugs to fight resistant microbes. We achieve this using a combination of computational techniques and wet lab experimental methodology. The drug discovery aspects of our research involve working with candidate agents (small molecules, peptides, polymers, etc.) to identify those with potent activity against bacterial pathogens that cause deadly human infections. This is a tedious process that involves a combination interdisciplinary work to initially characterize the biological profile of active compounds and finally validate the molecular targets within bacterial cells. This process also involves ensuring the safety of mammalian cells by assessing potential cytotoxicity as shown in the example images below.

A significant part of the work in our laboratory involves biochemical experiments aimed at understanding drug-target interactions at molecular level. We utilize the latest biophysical techniques such as Microscale thermophoresis (MST), Temperature Induces Intensity Change (TRIC), Spectra shift, and fluorescence-based assays to define binding affinities between small molecules and their potential cellular targets. We also utilize enzyme inhibition assays to identify compounds that inhibit the activity of specific enzymes that facilitate antibiotic resistance in bacteria.