Our lab focus on Metabolic Systems Biology of Cellular Systems using mainly the approaches of 13C Metabolic Flux Analysis (13C MFA), metabolomics and other -omics. The broad projects we are currently working on are summarised below
Define metabolic phenotypes of plant systems under biotic and abiotic stress
Defining the precise metabolic phenotypes of plants provides critical insights into metabolism with significance in agriculture. We are developing isotopic tracer (13C) based and metabolomics approaches to understand the metabolic reprogramming in plants under varying environmental conditions (light, temperature, CO2) and while interacting with Phytopathogens or Symbionts.
Team: Mr Yogesh Pant, Ms Portia Singh, Mr Ashish Chauhan and Dr Shyam K Masakapalli'
Graduated members: Dr Maneesh Lingwan, Ms Vishali Dhiman
Funding supported by: SERB-ECR, SPARC -MHRD
In our quest towards Smart Agriculture we are playing a major role in the FarmerZone Project (A DBT initiative). We are mainly focusing on Soil Analytics, Potato leaf metabolomics, Field trails, last mile delivery and other associated activites. Our FarmerZone platform can be accessed via an android App and is benefitting small and medium scale farmers across HP, Punjab and UP. We are also working on Pan-India expansion
Team: Ms Portia Singh, Mr Yogesh Pant, Mr Prem Chand, Ms Sweta S. Power and Dr Shyam K Masakapalli
Funding supported by: DBT
Phytochemistry from Himalayan diversity - molecular discovery, profiling to Health applications
Given our access to Himalayan diversity and working at the Foot Hills of mid-Himalayas, we are focusing on creating phytochemical databases from Medicinal and Aromatic plants. Having already profiled >1000 phytochemicals, we are focusing on their industrial and health applications. We also decipher secondary metabolic pathways and optimise associated analytical workflow
Team: Ms Shagun, Ms Bandana Kumari, and Dr Shyam K Masakapalli
Graduated members: Dr Maneesh Lingwan, Dr Reshma Sao, Ms Aparna Goswami
Funding supported by: IIT Mandi, DST-WOSB and selected Industries (Get in touch if keen)
Multi-Omics to decode metabolic bottlenecks from Genotype to Phenotype
We are developing novel strategies of using stable isotope tracers (13C) and integrating with Genomics, Transcriptomics, Metabolomics and Fluxomics to decode the underlying principles that can measure and predict Genotype to Phenotype in cellular systems.
Current Team: Ms Jyotika Thakur, Mr Ashutosh Sahoo, Ms Navya, Ms Akalya and Dr Shyam K Masakapalli
Graduated Members: Dr Poonam Jyoti, Dr Maneesh Lingwan, Ms Arpita Prasad,
Funding supported by: SPARC-MHRD and IIT Mandi
Synthetic microbial consortia and efficient Bioprocessing
We are integrating multiomics approaches to understand and design synthetic microbial consortia. Main focus is in rational design of consortia partners, cellulose to targeted biomolecules using bac-bac and fungal-bac partners and wastewater to hythane. Bioreactors (miniature, lab scale to large scale) are being optimised for industrial scaleup.
Team: Ms Jyotika Thakur, Mr Prem Chand and Dr Shyam K Masakapalli
Graduated Members: Dr Chandrakant Joshi, Mr Nitin Patil
Funding Supported by: IMPRINT, DBT-BMBF
Systems biology of Agriculturally relevant microbes
Phytopathogens and symbiotic microbes undergoes systematic crosstalk with host crops that needs focused scientific attention for our food security. We are defining the metabolism of Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas oryzae, Trichoderma reesei and Rhizobium sp under varying nutrient niche and in-planta using multi-omics approaches (comparative genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and 13C fluxomics).
Team: Ms Portia Singh and Dr Shyam K Masakapalli
Graduated Members: Dr Poonam Jyoti, Dr Chandrakant Joshi, Dr Maneesh Lingwan,
Funding supported by: Twinning DBT Grant, SPARC -MHRD, IIT Mandi