Debashruti Das is a senior research fellow in our lab. She hails from West Bengal and did her graduation from Bethune College, University of Calcutta (2016) and her post-graduation from Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University (2018). She has cleared CSIR LS in the year 2019 and has enrolled in PhD under the university UGC-RET fellowship. She has attended a few conferences and workshops during her M.Sc and PhD tenure, some being 9th RNA group meeting, 2017, Indo-US workshop on “Human Diversity and Health Disparity”,2020 and UGC-STRIDE Advanced Training program on Research Methodology: Statistical Tools for Data Analysis and Interpretation, 2020. She has always been keen to work in clinical genetics and did her MSc dissertation on “The role of CARP in Dilated Cardiomyopathy.” She is presently working to identify the SNPs associated to tuberculosis susceptibility and resistance. She can work well individually or even as a part of a similarly enthusiastic team. She has always been passionate about learning new things and gaining experience both inside and outside the lab and nurture her hobbies.
Audditiya completed her Masters at Banaras Hindu University in 2018, after which she joined Gyan Lab as a Research Fellow. She holds expertise in the field of Population Genetics and Disease Genomics, and her research primarily focuses on the Demographic History of South and Southeast Asia, its role in old world peopling, and the shaping of the Disease Landscape within the region. She is presently working on the Genetics of Cardiovascular Disorders among South Asians and has published several research articles in many internationally reputed journals. She is a Curious Traveller, an Absolute Aesthete, and a Connoisseur of Good Food.
Mr. Rudra is working on the COVID-19 host genomics. His research focuses on the identification of host susceptible loci involved in COVID-19 severity native to Indian populations through the GWAS (Genome-wide association study) approach as it has not been performed to assess the genetic predisposition of the Indian population to COVID-19. Systematic identification of the genetic determinants of COVID-19 susceptibility and severity for host factors could guide personalized treatment in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Rudra has done his bachelor's (B.Sc.) from V.B.S Purvanchal University and M.Sc. in Biotechnology from Singhania University. He has done his dissertation from Dept. of Biochemistry, BHU on Investigating the “Neuroprotective role of Withania Somnifera root extract in Maneb-Paraquat induced Parkinsonian Mice Model”. Thereafter he had joined the Mohammad Hasan Post Graduate College, Jaunpur as Lecturer of Biotechnology and taught various courses and practical work at Bachelor and Masters's levels. He later cleared and joined a 6 months internship through the DBT - Biotech Industrial Training Programme (DBT-BITP) program and completed the project titled “Isolation and characterization of Bacteriocin producing Bacteria”. He next cleared DBT-JRF (II) category and GATE 2019 and various other Ph.D. exams in State and Central Universities and joined as a student Ph.D. in our lab in 2019. He has been involved in many studies on disease genetics and published several research articles in many internationally reputed journals.
Vanya is a CSIR Senior Research Fellow who joined our lab in 2020. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, B.H.U. “Genomic history and selection of cervical cancer patients in the Gangetic plain population”. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, where she was a gold medalist in both her bachelor's and master's degrees. Her M.Sc. dissertation was titled "Role of Transcription Factor- BRN3A in Cervical Cancer”. She is artistic and enjoys food and fashion.
Urgyan Chorol is from Ladakh union territory of India. She has done her schooling from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Leh, Ladakh. She pursed her B.Sc. from Jammu University in 2014 and done her M.Sc. from Banaras Hindu University in 2017. She qualified CSIR-JRF and GATE in 2019. She took training for “Spawn culture and Mushroom farming” from ministry of small and medium enterprises at Ladakh. In 2019, she worked as a Project Associate -1 in the COVID lab in Ladakh under the project entitled “Novel Corona Virus(2019-nCov) testing in human clinical samples in Ladakh”. Then she worked as SRF in AIIMS, New Delhi on the project “Human Microbiome Initiatives of select endogamous groups of India”. She joined our lab as a Ph.D. student on CSIR fellowship in year 2020. She has worked for short term in CCMB-Hyderabad as a part of her research work and training program. Currently, her work focuses specifically on “The genomic history and diseases mapping among tribes of Ladakh population”.
Chanchal Devnani finished her schooling from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh in 2016. She completed her Graduation (B.Sc) in Zoology from Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh in 2019 and Post-Graduation in Zoology with an Endocrinology Specialization in 2021 from Guru Ghasidas university, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. Her dissertation in post graduation was on "Suppressive effect of gonadal steroids on cell mediated immunity". She has cracked Joint CSIR UGC NET(2020 & 2022) ,CGSET(2019), and GATE(2022). She has joined the lab as CSIR fellow in 2022 and ever since she is working on Tracing the ancestral and Disease Genetics of the Sindhi Population residing both in India and Pakistan.
Bishnu finished his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Maithon Dam in 2011. He Completed his Graduation (B.sc) in Zoology from Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand in 2014 and Post-Graduation in Zoology with an Entomology Specialisation in 2016 from Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. His dissertation in Post-Graduation was “Apiculture in Jharkhand” He cracked Joint CSIR UGC NET (2021). He Joined the lab as UGC Fellow in 2022 and ever since he is working on the “Study of Forensic Genetic markers among Indian population”
Mr. Shailesh Desai is a Senior Research Fellow (3rd year) at Gyan Lab. He completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Zoology from HNG University, Patan, Gujarat. His master’s dissertation focused on human–wildlife conflict in the arid zones of Gujarat. he has cleared the CSIR-NET with All India Rank 37.
Currently, his research interests lie in studying animal domestication in South Asia, particularly in pigs, buffaloes, cattle, and horses. He aims to explore how these animals might have been domesticated or migrated into or out of South Asia, as such patterns can also provide insights into human migration histories hidden within their genomic signatures. He has a strong interest in applying ancient DNA techniques to investigate these aspects.