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Dr. Rakesh Kundu, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan - 731 235, W. Bengal, INDIA
E-mail: rakesh.kundu@visva-bharati.ac.in
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=UUhDoWQAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rakesh-Kundu
ICMR-DHR International Fellowship for Young Biomedical Scientists, ICMR, Govt. of India, 2024 to visit as Guest Scientist in the Centre for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen (CBIB), University of Bremen, Germany (May-2024 to Jan-2025)
SERB International Research Experience (SIRE) visiting scientist award, SERB, Govt. of India, 2022
INSA Visiting Scientist, Indian National Science Academy, 2021-22
ISE Travel Fellowship Award from International Society of Endocrinology (ISE) to attend ICE-SEMDSA 2018 conference at Cape Town, South Africa, 2018.
Early Career Research (ECR) Award, SERB, Govt. of India, 2017 | UGC-BSR Research Start-up-Grant, UGC, Govt. of India, 2014
Assistant Professor, Visva-Bharati, 2012
Proj. Asso. (CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat), 2010; CSIR-RA, 2011; DSKPDF (UGC), 2012
M.Sc.-BHU, 2003; JRF-Bose Institute, 2003; Ph.D.-Visva-Bharati, 2009
NET-JRF, ICMR-JRF, GATE, IISc. 2003
Member: ENDO, Society of Biological Chemists, ISCA, SRBCE
Research interest
Research interest
Type 2 Diabetes | Islet Biology | Fetuin-A-CD36-TLR4 | Nrf2-Keap1 signaling
1. Our present focus is to establish CD36 to be a novel target for Type2 Diabetes. We employ high fat-fed (HFD) animal model (C57BL6/J mice) and in vitro cell culture (MIN6, INS1) in our study [Nature Medicine 2012; JBiolChem 2013; BBRC 2017; MCE 2021; JCellPhys 2021, JCellSc 2021, BBA-Mol Basis Dis 2024]. 2. CD36-mediated beta-cell lipid accumulation, inflammation, insulin secretory defects in presence of FFA-Fetuin-A. CD36-TLR4 interaction. 3. Anti-inflammatory effects of DPP-4 inhibitors [BBRC 2023, BBA-Mol Basis Dis 2024]. 4. Nrf2-Keap1 signaling in lung cancer [TIV 2020; ABB 2020, TIV 2024].
Current projects:
Elucidating the role of CD36 and its association with Fetuin-A-TLR4 pathway in promoting pancreatic beta cell inflammation, lipid accumulation and insulin secretory defects in diabetic mice models (SERB-CRG/2022/007004). Duration: October 2023 - October 2026. Project JRF - Mr. Soumendu Bag
Completed projects:
To investigate the role of Fetuin-A in lipotoxicity induced beta-cell dysfunction and inflammatory injury to the pancreatic islets (SERB-ECR/2017/001028/LS). Duration: August 2018 - November 2022. Project JRFs - Alpana Mukhuty, Oindrila Mukherjee
Understanding the role of Nrf2-Keap1 pathway in developing drug resistance in lung cancer cells. (UGC-FRPS Research Start-Up-Grant). Duration: 2014-2016
Research Fellows:
Samanwita Mandal - SRF (DST-Inspire Fellow) | Potential role of CD36-TLR4 interaction in pancreatic beta cell dysfunction
EMBO Travel Grant Award for poster presentation in the EMBO Meeting on Liver and Pancreas in Metabolic Disease: From Pathways to Therapies, April 2-4, 2025, Girona, Spain
EASD Travel Grant Award 2023 from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, October 2-6, Hamburg, Germany
Oindrila Mukherjee - SRF (UGC-NET) | Role of EGFR in lipid accumulation, inflammation and proliferation of pancreatic beta cells
EASD Travel Grant Award 2024 from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, for presenting Oral lecture on September 9-13, in Madrid, Spain
Nandita Das - SRF (CSIR-NET) | Implication of lipid-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in pancreatic beta cells
Soumendu Bag - JRF (CSIR-NET)
Best paper presentation award 7th Regional Science and Technology Congress 2024-25, Region 3 Burdwan divion
Alumni:
1. Dr. Snehasish Nag (Ph.D.-2024), UGC-NET-JRF | Regulation of Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 expression in pancreatic beta cells
Post doctoral fellow Indiana University School of Medicine, USA
EASD Travel Grant Award 2022 from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, for presenting poster on September 19-23, 2022, in Stockholm, Sweden
Best Poster Award American Chemical Society & International Conference on Molecular Signaling (ICMS), March 19-20, 2023, held in IICB, Kolkata
EASD Travel Grant Award 2023 from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, for presenting Short Oral lecture on October 2-6, in Hamburg, Germany
EASD Travel Grant Award 2024 from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, for presenting Oral lecture on September 9-13, in Madrid, Spain
2. Dr. Chandrani Fouzder (Ph.D.-2022, CSIR-NET-JRF)
3. Dr. Alpana Mukhuty (Ph.D.-2021, UGC-NET, Assistant Professor, Rampurhat College; Former DBT-RA, EASD Travel Grant Awardee 2019)
4. Dr. Chandan Malick (Ph.D.-2017, UGC-NET, Assistant Professor, Kalna College, Burdwan; SERB-TARE fellow)
Ejelonu O. Cecilia (June'16-Dec'16), worked as RTF-DCS Fellow (DST) from Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria.
Recent showcase
Model of fetuin-A-mediated macrophage polarization in the islets and their role in β-cell dysfunction (J Cell Sc. 2021).
Publications on Diabetes | Cancer Biology
Fetuin-A acts as an endogenous ligand of TLR4 to promote lipid-induced insulin resistance, D. Pal, S. Dasgupta, R. Kundu, S. Maitra, S. S. Majumder, S. Mukhopadhyay, S. Ray, G. Das, S. Bhattacharya, Nature Medicine, 18(8), 1279-1285, (2012), DOI: doi.org/10.1038/nm.2851
Adipocyte fetuin-A contributes to macrophage migration into adipose tissue and polarization of macrophages, P. Chatterjee, S. Seal, S. Mukherjee, R. Kundu, S. Mukherjee, S. Ray, S. Mukhopadhyay, S.S. Majumdar and S. Bhattacharya, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 288, 28324-28330, (2013), DOI: 10.1074/jbc.C113.495473
Protocol for designing a peptide-based multi-epitope vaccine targeting monkeypox using reverse vaccine technology. A Kumar, G Nagar, P Bhowmik, G Kumari, R Muduli, M Das, P. Chakraborty, A. Kaur, K. Shikha, S. Mukherjee, R. Kundu, I.K. Singh, T. Majumdar STAR protocols 6 (1), 103671, 2025
CD36 inhibition corrects lipid-FetuinA mediated insulin secretory defects by preventing intracellular lipid accumulation and inflammation in the pancreatic beta cells, S. Mandal, S. Nag, O. Mukherjee, N. Das, P. Banerjee, T. Majumdar, S. Mukhopadhyay, K. Maedler, R. Kundu, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 1871 (2), 167580, 2025.
Metaflammation in obesity and diabetes. S Mukherjee, R Kundu, M Vidaković, Frontiers in Endocrinology 15, 1540999, 2025.
Silencing Nrf2 in cisplatin resistant non-small cell lung cancer cells augments sensitivity towards EGFR inhibitor, C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, D. Chattopadhyay, S. Das, S.K. Hira, R. Kundu, Toxicology in Vitro, 101, 105921, 2024.
An insight into the role of ESIPT/TICT-based antioxidant flavone analogues in fluoro-probing diabetes-induced viscosity changes: a unified experimental and theoretical endeavor, T. Samanta, S. Mandal, A. Karmakar, A. Pramanik, R. Kundu, N Ara Begum, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 23, 1771–1782, 2024.
Rational design and computational evaluation of a multi-epitope vaccine for monkeypox virus: Insights into binding stability and immunological memory, A. Kaur, A. Kumar, G. Kumari, R. Muduli, M. Das, R. Kundu, S. Mukherjee, T. Majumdar, Heliyon, 10 (16), e36154, 2024.
Vildagliptin inhibits high fat and fetuin-A mediated DPP-4 expression, intracellular lipid accumulation and improves insulin secretory defects in pancreatic beta cells, S. Nag, S. Mandal, O. Mukherjee, T. Majumdar, S. Mukhopadhyay, R. Kundu, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 1870 (3), 167047, 2024.
Nrf2 inhibition regulates intracellular lipid accumulation in mouse insulinoma cells and improves insulin secretory function, A Mukhuty, S Mandal, C Fouzder, S Das, D Chattopadhyay, T Majumdar, R Kundu, Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 581, 112112, (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2023.112112.
Targeting DPP4-RBD interactions by sitagliptin and linagliptin delivers a potential host-directed therapy against pan-SARS-CoV-2 infections, S Mani, A Kaur, K Jakhar, G Kumari, S Sonar, A Kumar, S Das, S Kumar, V Kumar, R Kundu, AK Pandey, UP Singh, T Majumdar, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 125444, (2023)
DPP-4 Inhibitors as a savior for COVID-19 patients with diabetes, S Nag, S Mandal, O Mukherjee, S Mukherjee, R Kundu, Future Virology, 18 (5), 321-333, (2023)
FFA-Fetuin-A regulates DPP-IV expression in pancreatic beta cells through TLR4-NFkB pathway. S Nag, S Mandal, T Majumdar, S Mukhopadhyay, R Kundu. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 647: 55-61, (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.070
TGR5 potentiates GLP-1 secretion and cause pancreatic islet regeneration in response to Tithonia diversifolia saponin-rich extract in diabetic model mice. OC Ejelonu, OO Elekofehinti, IG Adanlawo, R Kundu. Phytomedicine Plus 2 (1), 100203, (2022).
Understanding the Role of Flavonoid Based Small Molecules in Modulating the Oncogenic Protein-Protein Interactions: A Quest for Therapeutic Arsenal. A. Karmakar, T. Mallick, C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, S. Mondal, R. Kundu, N. A. Begum. Journal of Molecular Structure, 1248:131511, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2021.131511
Fetuin-A secretion from β-cells leads to accumulation of macrophages in islets, aggravates inflammation and impairs insulin secretion. A Mukhuty, C Fouzder, R Kundu. Journal of Cell Science 134 (21), 1-14, (2021).
Exploring the Propensities of Fluorescent Carbazole Analogs toward the Inhibition of Amyloid Aggregation in Type 2 Diabetes: An Experimental and Theoretical Endeavor. T. Mallick, A. Karmakar, A. Mukhuty, C. Fouzder, J. Mandal, S. Mondal, A. Pramanik, R. Kundu and N. A. Begum. Physical Chemistry B 125(37):10481–10493, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c06161
Fetuin-A excess expression amplifies lipid induced apoptosis and β-cell damage. A. Mukhuty, C. Fouzder, R. Kundu. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 237:532-550, (2021) https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.30499
Blocking TLR4-NF-κB pathway protects mouse islets from the combinatorial impact of high fat and fetuin-A mediated dysfunction and restores ability for insulin secretion. A. Mukhuty, C. Fouzder, R. Kundu. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 532, 111314, (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111314
Kaempferol inhibits Nrf2 signalling pathway via downregulation of Nrf2 mRNA and induces apoptosis in NSCLC cells. C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, R. Kundu. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 697, 108700, (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2020.108700
Trigonelline inhibits Nrf2 via EGFR signalling pathway and augments efficacy of Cisplatin and Etoposide in NSCLC cells. C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, S. Mukherjee, C. Malick, R. Kundu. Toxicology in Vitro 70, 105038, (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.105038
Unfolding the Role of a Flavone-Based Fluorescent Antioxidant towards the Misfolding of Amyloid Proteins: An Endeavour to Probe Amyloid Aggregation, A. Karmakar, T. Mallick, C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, S. Mondal, A. Pramanik, R. Kundu, D. Mandal, N.A. Begam. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 124 (49), 11133-11144, (2020), DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c08729
Multi-emissive biocompatible silicon quantum dots: Synthesis, characterization, intracellular imaging and improvement of two fold drug efficacy, D. Roy, A. Mukhuty, C. Fouzder, N. Bar, S. Chowdhury, R. Kundu, P. Chowdhury. Dyes and Pigments, 109004, (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2020.109004
Islet inflammation and beta cell dysfunction by fat and Fetuin-A, R. Kundu, Diabetologia, 62 (1) S221, (2019), DOI: 10.1007/s00125-019-4946-6. (55th EASD Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Spain, Barcelona)
Fetuin A - A Major Player in Lipid-Induced Islet Dysfunction and ß-Cell Apoptosis, R. Kundu, A. Mukhuty, Diabetes, 67 (Supplement 1), 2466-PUB, (2018). DOI: 10.2337/db18-2466-PUB. (Conference paper published by the American Diabetes Association, USA in its 2018 meeting)
Palmitate induced Fetuin-A secretion from pancreatic b-cells adversely affects its function and elicits inflammation, Mukhuty, C. Fouzder, S. Mukherjee, C. Malick, S. Mukhopadhyay, S. Bhattacharya, R. Kundu, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication, 491, 1118-1124, (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.08.022
A carbazole alkaloid deactivates mTOR through the suppression of rictor and that induces apoptosis in lung cancer cells, P. Chatterjee, S. Seal, S. Mukherjee, R. Kundu, M. Bhuyan, N. C. Barua, P. K. Baruah, S. P. Sinha Babu and S. Bhattacharya, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 405, 149-158, (2015), DOI: 10.1007/s11010-015-2406-2
Vapor of volatile oils from Litsea cubeba seed induces apoptosis and causes cell cycle arrest in lung cancer cells, S. Seal, P. Chatterjee, S. Bhattacharya, D. Pal, S. Dasgupta, R. Kundu, S. Bhattacharya, M. Bhuyan, P. R. Bhattacharyya, G. Baishya, N. C. Barua, P. K. Barua, P. G. Rao and S. Bhattacharya, PLoS One, 7(10), e47014, (2012), DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047014
Mechanism of lipid induced insulin resistance: An overview, S. Bhattacharya, R. Kundu, S. Dasgupta, S. Bhattacharya, Endocrinology and Metabolism, 27(1), 12-19, (2012), DOI: 10.3803/EnM.2012.27.1.12
Carlinoside reduces hepatic bilirubin accumulation by stimulating bilirubin-UGT activity through Nrf2 gene expression, R. Kundu, S. Dasgupta, A. Biswas, S. Bhattacharya, B.C. Pal, Sh. Bhattacharya, P.G. Rao, N.C. Barua and S. Bhattacharya, Biochemical Pharmacology, 82, 1186-1197, (2011), DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2011.07.069
Insulin resistance due to lipid induced signaling defects could be prevented by mahanine, A. Biswas, S. Bhattacharya, S. Dasgupta, R. Kundu, S.S. Roy, B.C. Pal and S. Bhattacharya, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 336, 97-107, (2010), DOI: 10.1007/s11010-009-0257-4
Lipid induced overexpression of NF-kB in skeletal muscle cells is linked to insulin resistance, P. Burma, S. Bhattacharya, A. Bhattacharya, R. Kundu, S. Dasgupta, A. Biswas, S.S. Roy, Sh. Bhattacharya and S. Bhattacharya, Biochimica Biophysica Acta-Molecular Basis of Disease (BBA), 1792, 190-200, (2009), DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2008.11.014
Cajanus cajan Linn. (Leguminosae) prevents alcohol induced rat liver damage and augments cytoprotective function, R. Kundu, S. Dasgupta, A. Biswas, A. Bhattacharya, B.C. Pal, D. Bandyopadhyay, Sh. Bhattacharya and S. Bhattacharya, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 118, 440-447, (2008), DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.05.010
Other publications:
Multi-emissive biocompatible silicon quantum dots: Synthesis, characterization, intracellular imaging and improvement of two fold drug efficacy, D. Roy, A. Mukhuty, C. Fouzder, N. Bar, S. Chowdhury, R. Kundu, P. Chowdhury, Dyes and Pigments, 109004, (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2020.109004
Gustatory ultrastructures of an amphihaline migratory fish hilsa Tenualosa ilisha, C. Malick, S.K. Chatterjee, S. Bhattacharya, V.R. Suresh, R. Kundu, S.K. Saikia, Microscopy Research and Technique, 83(5), 507-513, (2020). DOI: doi.org/10.1002/jemt.23439
A nuclear-localized naphthalimide-based fluorescent light-up probe for selective detection of carbon monoxide in living cells, A. Sarkar, C. Fouzder, S. Chakraborty, E. Ahmmed, R. Kundu, S. Dam, P. Chattopadhyay, K. Dhara, Chemical Research in Toxicology 33 (2), 651-656, (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00462
Ectopic expression of olfactory receptors and associated G‐protein subunits in the head integument of the amphihaline migratory fish hilsa Tenualosa ilisha, S.K. Chatterjee, C. Malick, S. Bhattacharya, V.R. Suresh, R. Kundu, S.K. Saikia, Journal of Fish Biology 95 (1), 324, (2019). DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13801
Antioxidant flavone functionalized fluorescent and biocompatible metal nanoparticles: Exploring their efficacy as cell imaging agents, A. Karmakar, T. Mallick, C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, R. Kundu, N.A. Begum, Nano-Structures and Nano-Objects, 18, 100278, (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoso.2019.100278.
Designed synthesis of dual emitting silicon quantum dot for cell imaging: Direct labeling of Alpha 2-HS-Glycoprotein, D. Roy, C. Fouzder, A. Mukhuty, S. Pal, M. K. Mondal, R. Kundu, P. Chowdhury, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 30(5), 1575-1583, (2019). DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00279
Structural organization of the olfactory organ in an amphihaline migratory fish Hilsa, Tenualosa ilisha, C. Malick, S.K. Chatterjee, S. Bhattacharya, V. R. Suresh, R. Kundu and S.K. Saikia, Microscopy Research and Technique, 81(10), 1122-1131, (2018). DOI: 10.1002/jemt.23095
Evidence of putative sensory receptors from snout and tongue in an upstream amphihaline migratory fish hilsa Tenualosa ilisha, Malick, S.K. Chatterjee, S. Bhattacharya, V.R. Suresh, R. Kundu, S.K. Saikia.. Ichthyological Research, 65, 42-55, (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s10228-017-0592-5
Exploring the efficacy of Basella alba mucilage towards the encapsulation of the hydrophobic antioxidants for their better performance, S. Das, Md. N. Alam, S. Batuta, G. Ahamed, C. Fouzder, R. Kundu, D. Mandal, N. A. Begum, Process Biochemistry, 61C, 178-188, (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2017.06.022
Antioxidant flavone analog functionalized fluorescent silica nanoparticles: Synthesis and exploration of their possible use as biomolecule sensor, S. Das, S. Batuta, Md. N. Alam, C. Fouzder, R. Kundu, D. Mandal, N. A. Begum, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 157, 286-296, (2017), DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.05.074
Variations in soil alter availability of carlinoside: an anti-hepatitic compound from Cajanus cajan (Linn.) leaves, S. Das, S. Mukherjee, R. Kundu, P. Bhattacharyya, B. Duary, S.S. Bhattacharya, Current Science, 110 (11), 2148-2154, (2016), DOI: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24908147.
Low concentration of mercury induces autophagic cell death in rat hepatocytes, S. Chatterjee, A. Ray, S. Mukherjee, S. Agarwal, R. Kundu, S. Bhattacharya, Toxicology and Industrial Health, 30(7), 611-620, (2014), DOI: 10.1177/0748233712462442
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