People

Tanvi Deora

Tanvi is a neuroethologist interested in understanding the mechanical and neural mechanisms underlying animal behavior. She is fascinated by insect flight and insect sensory systems. She has a soft spot for anything mechanosensory. In addition to behavior and neurophysiology, she is uses comparative methods to understand how the diversity of neural systems and forms shape insect behaviors and their interactions with their environment. She loves talking about quantitative methods used for studying animal behavior and science illustrations.

Email: tanvi.deora@snu.edu.in

Bharti Sharma

(Junior Research Fellow)

My project aims to investigate how a moth coordinates its head, body and proboscis movements as it approaches a flower for feeding. I'm also figuring out the motor circuits that drive the stipital muscles, responsible for proboscis uncoiling and uncoiling during foraging and feeding behavior in moths and butterflies. When I'm not working in the lab, I enjoy playing CANDY Crush on my handset. 

Email: bharti.sharma@snu.edu.in

Meghna Anand

(Project Assistant)

My project is focuses on sensory feedback in feeding & foraging behaviour. In particular, I am studying the distribution of mechanosensory receptors on the proboscis and the role of pilifers, a hairlike bundle attached to the base of the proboscis. I am hoping to understand how these mechanosensors help process information from their surroundings. Outside the lab, I love dogs and sports and action movies.

Email: meghna.anand@snu.edu.in

Nishka Munpally

(Third year undergraduate in Biotechnology at SNIoE)

My project aims to understand the function of halteres in flies by studying chase behaviour. Beyond the lab, I love reading, playing volleyball and being around animals.

Email: nm834@snu.edu.in

Aravind Kumar

Aravind is a Senior Technical Assistant with the Department of Life Sciences (Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering). He has a Master’s degree in environmental sciences from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra & P.G. Diploma in Horticulture from AMU (Aligarh) with 5+ years of experience in horticulture & related fields. He is currently working in Thematic Botanical Garden @SNIoE where his responsibilities include managing & maintaining gardens, greenhouses, and landscapes. He is also interested in insects, & ecological pest management, as well as collaborating with our team to design and implement new projects. In the NIB lab, he oversees all the insect cultures, is a source of immense natural history knowledge & guides students working in the field. 

Email: aravind.kumar@snu.edu.in

RajKumar

Rajkumar is a gardener at the Thematic Botanical Garden @SNIoE, working part time in the NIB lab. He takes care of all insect cultures in the lab and ensures that we remain gainfully employed.

Lalit Athithyan

Lalit did his his fourth year UG thesis in the lab and studied the neuro-anatomy of the sensorimotor circuits underlying moth and butterfly proboscises. He graduated and went on to join the MRes in Neuroscience program at the University of Sussex. 

Anannya KR

Anannya did a year-long OUR in the lab, establishing methods to study the insect pollination interactions to understand the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) on pollination. She contunies to hang out with us whenever she gets the chance. 

Aditi Mishra

Aditi's work used comparative anatomy to understand the mechansism underlying proboscis coiling and uncoiling. She in now a postdoc at the University of Konstanz, Germany, working with Anna Stockl.