Neelesh Dahanukar works in ecology and evolutionary biology with an emphasis on molecular, mathematical and statistical approaches.
Manaswini is working on evolution of transposons, the selfish genetic elements that increase their copy number by jumping from one genomic locus to another. As a part of her work, Manaswini has developed game theoretical models to understand conflict resolution among transpososn and hosts. She has also studied how the multilevel selection affects distribution of trnaposons in host genomes using teleost fish genomes as model systems.
Akanksha is working on molecular selection acting on genes and regulatory regions of whole nuclear and mitochondrial genomes to understand the genomic basis of evolutionary adaptations in subterranean catfish from lateritic aquifers of southern India.
Tania is working on molecular ecology and evolution of subterranean eel loaches of southern India using multigene phylogenies and whole genome sequencing approaches.
Sreedhar is a project student under Opportunity for Undergraduate Research (OUR) program funded by Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. He is working on genetic barcoding of sharks and rays collected from coastal landing sites of coastal India.
Shubhika is a project student under Opportunity for Undergraduate Research (OUR) program funded by Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. She is working on multigene phylogeny and biogeography of endemic barbs of Western Ghats and its implications in understating ancient river captures.
Adwika is a fourth year student of B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. She is working on understanding molecular phylogenitic position of hillstream loaches of India with respect to their confamilials and reconstruction of their historical biogeography.
Genomic basis of brood parasitism in Koel
Devina, a student of B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, worked for one year from August 2023 to July 2024 on a project under Opportunity for Undergraduate Research (OUR) program funded by Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. She worked on understanding genomic basis of brood parasitism in Koel. She presented a poster based on her work in Genomics India Conference, 2024. Devina is currently continuing her work on genome assembly of Koel.
Molecular phylogeny of subterranean fishes
Tarini, a student B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, worked under extracurricular research project from September 2021 till August 2022 and pursued a one semester fourth year project from August 2022 to December 2022. Tarani worked on standardizing DNA extraction from bird feathers and molecular phylogeny of subterranean eel loaches during her extracurricular research project and understanding molecular phylogeny of subterranean catfishes in her fourth year.
Distribution of transposons in genomes of teleost
Spandan worked on understanding statistical patterns in the distribution of transposons in the fish genomes as a part of his fourth year project for fulfilling degree requirements for B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence from August 2023 to May 2024. He presented a poster based on his work in Genomics India Conference, 2024.
Molecular phylogeny of snakehead fishes
Prarthana, a student of B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, worked in the lab under extracurricular research project from October 2022 to August 2023 and then continued her work for one year from August 2023 to July 2024 on a project under Opportunity for Undergraduate Research (OUR) program funded by Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. She worked on multigene phylogeny and historical biogeography of snake-head fishes of Indian subcontinent.
Population genetics of bagrid catfishes
Ishika worked on understanding phylogeography of bagrid fishes of India as a part of her fourth year project for fulfilling degree requirements for B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence from January 2023 to May 2023.
Evolutionary games and bacterial biofilms
Sahil, a student of B. Sc. (Research) Biotechnology program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, worked for one year from August 2022 to July 2023 on a project under Opportunity for Undergraduate Research (OUR) program funded by Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. He worked on developing a game theoretical model to understand how host-pathogen conflict can lead to alternate survival strategies in pathogen, specifically biofilm formation in bacteria.
Evolution of aging strategies in bacteria
Yuvraj, a student of B. Sc. (Research) Physics program at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, worked for one year from August 2022 to July 2023 on a project under Opportunity for Undergraduate Research (OUR) program funded by Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence. He worked on modeling the dynamics of growth of bacteria that can either grow using asymmetric or symmetric cell division.