GENERAL AREA OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST

During my research career, I tried to address fundamental issues pertaining to macrophage biology that have provided conceptual leads towards identification of novel and effective chemotherapeutic targets and formulations of better therapy against macrophage-associated diseases. I have used visceral leishmaniasis (VL) as model macrophage disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Leishmania donovani. In order to establish infection, intra-macrophage pathogens need to inhibit complex host defense signal transduction pathways culminating in the production of robust defence parameters including inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, inflammasome formation and apoptosis. I am trying to identify the key molecules and steps of macrophage signaling pathways manipulated by Leishmania donoveni during various phases of infection to ensure their successful survival and replication. My research group is primarily interested in

• Identifying molecular events associated with the early phase entry of the parasite inside the host macrophages.
• Identifying late phase host modulators exploited by the parasite for their successful survival and replication inside the hostile macrophage environment.
• Identifying anti-apoptotic proteins used by the parasite to subvert macrophage apoptotic machinery, thus establishing its replicative niche inside the host.
• Identification of a single macrophage regulatory protein which prevents both immune activation and apoptosis, essential for parasite survival.
• Role of immunomodulators as an intervention therapy.

List of research publications:

1. Chatterjee T, Pattanayak R, Ukil A, Chowdhury S, Bhattacharyya M(2019). Autophagy protects peripheral blood mononuclear cells against inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress in diabetic dyslipidemia. Free Radic Biol Med. 2019 Jul 29. pii: S0891- 5849(19)30706-3. doi: 10.1016/j. [Epub ahead of print] (Impact factor 5.9)
2. Saha S, Dutta A, Jana K and Ukil A. (2019) Leishmania donovani targets host transcription factor NRF2 to activate anti-oxidant enzyme HO-1 and transcriptional repressor ATF3 for establishing infection. Under revision
3. Roy S, Saha S, Gupta P, Ukil A, and Das PK. (2019) Crosstalk of PD-1 signaling with SIRT1/FOXO-1 axis in progression of visceral leishmaniasis. J Cell Sci. (E-pub ahead of print) (Impact factor 4.431)
4. Saha S, Basu B, Guin S, Roy A, Gupta P, Mitterstiller AM, Weiss G. Jana K and Ukil A. (2019). Leishmania donovaniexploits macrophage heme oxygenase-1 to neutralize oxidative burst and TLR signalling dependent host defense. J Immunol. 202(3):827-840. (Impact factor 4.92)
5. Dowari,P., Saha S, Pramanik B, Ahmed S, Singha N, *Ukil A and *Das D. (2018).Multiple cross-linking strategy to form size tuneable bio-polymer with efficient cell adhesion and proliferation property. Biomacromolecules. Just Accepted Manuscript DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00950 Publication Date (Web): 17 Aug 2018. Impact factor 5.73) * Co-corresponding author.
6. Saha, A., Basu, M. and Ukil, A. (2018). Recent Advances in Understanding LeishmaniadonovaniInfection: the Importance of Diverse Host Regulatory Pathways. IUBMB Life. 70:593601. (Selected by the Editor to be featured in a short highlight at the front of the Issue)
7. Singha N, Gupta P, Pramanik B, Ahmed S, *Dasgupta A, *Ukil A, *Das D. (2017) Hydrogelation of a Naphthalene Diimide Appended Peptide Amphiphile and its Application in Cell-Imaging and Intracellular pH Sensing. Biomacromolecules.doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01048. (Impact factor 5.34) * Co-corresponding author.