Lab members

Debasish Roy, PhD

Assistant Professor, Center for Neuroscience, IISc

Contact: droy@iisc.ac.in, Google Scholar

Debasish started his scientific journey in the lab of renowned protein crystallographer Dr. Tej Pal Singh (AIIMS, New Delhi) as a INSA summer fellow during his master's studies at VIT, Vellore. He continued his love for structural biochemistry in Dr. Mihaly Kovacs lab, Eotvos Lorand University, Hungary Budapest where he was trained in enzyme kinetics for his Master's thesis. During this time, he became inspired to understand the biochemical mechanisms that regulate fat breakdown by lipolysis. As a Fulbright Scholar he pursued his PhD in Biochemistry in the lab of Dr. Kavitha Thirumurugan at VIT, Vellore and Dr. Maria Hatzoglou at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA. Later, as a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. Konstantin Kandror at Boston University he studied the transcriptional regulation of leptin. While conducting circadian experiments on leptin transcription, he became drawn to the field of neuroscience, to identify the role of neurons in adipose tissue, This led his transition to the field of spinal cord injury, in the lab of Dr. Andrea Tedeschi at The Ohio State University. In his postdoctoral work, he identified that after spinal cord injury pain sensing neurons (nociceptors) innervating adipose tissue, drives fat breakdown via lipolysis by the action of a2d1 subunit of voltage gated calcium channel expressed on these neurons.

Rikta

MSc Microbiology, Central University of Punjab. My interest lies in neuroscience and molecular biology, backed by my previous research on neuron-gut signaling in C. elegans. I’m excited to bring my knowledge and efforts to the lab’s research goals. When I’m not doing science, you will absolutely find me out and about, passionately speaking to random cats and dogs in a language that makes zero sense to anyone but us.

Yash Kaushik

I’m a post-graduate in Biotechnology from St. Joseph’s University, Bangalore, with a keen interest in neuroscience, immunology, biochemistry and cell biology. I’m fascinated by how cells sense, respond, and orchestrate complex functions with remarkable precision, and I’m driven by a curiosity to understand the underlying logic of biological systems and how subtle changes can shape cellular behaviour.

Outside the lab, I enjoy going for runs, playing basketball, bike rides, and travelling. I love meaningful conversations over coffee and long walks, and while I’m usually cracking jokes, I take the things I care about seriously. I also enjoy meeting new people, exchanging ideas, and hearing different perspectives.

Spoorti Gaonkar

I’m a Bachelor's student in Biotechnology at JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, with an interest in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genetics. I’m fascinated and keen to learn how molecular and cellular processes influence neuronal function and how their disruption can contribute to disease. I’m excited to learn from the lab, contribute to its research, and discover where my interests take me. Away from research, I find joy in painting, reading, and exploring new interests.

Imra Aftab

I am a postgraduate in Clinical Biochemistry from the University of Kashmir, with research interests spanning neuroscience, metabolism, and molecular biology. During my Master’s thesis in Dr. Kavita Babu’s lab at IISc Bengaluru, I studied the role of the neuropeptide FLP-15 in regulating foraging behaviour in C. elegans, with a focus on neuropeptide signalling and dopaminergic pathways.

My current interests lie in understanding how the nervous system regulates peripheral metabolism and energy homeostasis, particularly through neuronal control of adipose tissue, lipid metabolism, and circadian regulation. Outside the lab, I enjoy calligraphy, writing, and reading.

Lab Alumni

Sairam Vaidyanathan, IIT BHU

(Summer Intern 2026)

Jenis Kumar, IIT Jodhpur

(Summer Intern, 2026)

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