The mid year interviews for PhD admission at the department of Developmental Biology and Genetics will be held in November 2024. The time and venue for your interview will be provided in the call letter issued by IISc.
Please make it convenient to appear for the interviews if shortlisted.
Please bring the following documents for the interviews:
1. IISc issued interview letter.
2. Government-issued ID card.
3. Mark sheets for 10th, 12th, Graduate and Post-Graduate courses (if applicable).
4. National entrance test certificate/score card.
Dear Candidates,
We welcome you to the Interview at the Department of Development Biology and Genetics (DBG) at IISc.
The interview will be conducted offline, in person at DBG.
Please carry a Govt approved ID card (eg, Passport, Driver’s Licence, Pan Card, AADHAAR Card) to verify your identity.
You will be interviewed for approximately 10-15 minutes
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Please look for signboards and instructions in the main lobby of the Biological Sciences Building.
You should reach the DBS conference room 2. seminar hall and sign in the attendance sheet on the date of your interview. The conference room is located on the First Floor of the New Biological Sciences Building, IISc
You will be assigned to the committees for the interview. The office staff will guide you to the room where the interviews will be held.
Names of the candidates who have been shortlisted for second interview will be displayed on the DBG Website and DBG Notice Board at the end of the same day.
There will be one round of interview. You can write to admissions.dbg@iisc.ac.in for more details.
Candidates must collect the “Faculty Preference Form” from the DBG Office and submit the same to the DBG office before the end of the day of their interview.
Should you need any further information, kindly contact the DBG office (office.dbg@iisc.ac.in) or Interview Coordinators (admissions.dbg@iisc.ac.in)
For further information, please also visit faculty home pages.
All the best,
Chair, DBG. IISC
Molecular mechanisms of cancer stemness and drug resistance
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare sub-population of cancer cells identified within several cancers that possess properties of normal stem cells such as self-renewal and the ability to give rise to diverse cell types. These properties of CSCs also contribute to cancer heterogeneity and disease complexity resulting in metastasis, drug resistance, and disease relapse. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of cancer stemness and drug resistance is of utmost importance to improve treatment outcomes.
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental programme hijacked by cancer cells and is considered to be a pre-requisite for cancer spread by metastasis. Prior work in AR lab has identified the energy sensor kinase AMPK as a central player contributing to EMT, stemness and drug resistance phenotypes, thereby aiding metastasis. This study will aim to understand the role of AMPK in EMT during normal embryonic development and cancer metastasis using Drosophila, mouse models, and human cancer cell lines.
References-
• Saha M, Kumar S, Bukhari S, Balaji SA, Kumar P, Hindupur SK, Rangarajan A. AMPK-AKT double negative feedback loop in breast cancer cells regulates their adaptation to matrix deprivation. Cancer Res. 2018 Mar 15;78(6):1497-1510. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-2090.
• Saxena M, Balaji SA, Deshpande N, Ranganathan S, Pillai DM, Hindupur SK, Rangarajan A. (2018). AMP-activated protein kinase promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer cells through Twist1 upregulation. J Cell Sci. 2018 Jul 26;131(14). pii: jcs208314.
• Andugulapati SB, Sundararaman A, Lahiry M, Rangarajan A. AMP-activated protein kinase promotes breast cancer stemness and drug resistance. Disease Models & Mechanisms. 2022 Jun 1;15(6):dmm049203.
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Laboratory of host-microbiome interactions
The group is interested in identifying molecular mechanisms underlying host-microbiome interactions and the role of microbial symbionts in host adaptation and function. We use insects as a model system, as insects show one of the most complex and intricate associations with microbes – forming obligate associations, involving fascinating modes of transmission (such as vertical transmission through oocytes), conferring novel traits such as digestion, detoxification and synthesis of defensive compounds, and undergoing bizarre processes of genome evolution leading to horizontal gene transfer and massive genome erosion.
We use metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, whole genome sequencing, metabolomics, microscopy and tools in molecular biology and microbiology to identify candidate microorganisms, genes and metabolites involved in conferring novel benefits to insect hosts. Apart from identifying new species of symbionts and novel associations in insects, we are also interested in the biotechnological potential of microorganisms as sources of enzymes, antimicrobials, etc. Current research in the lab involves studies on role of bacterial and fungal symbionts in nutritional supplementation in scale insects – a group of major pests of several crops; the symbiotic partners beetles – important group of nutrient recyclers and pests which depend on gut microbiota for digestion and detoxification; and the role of natural selection in facilitating symbiosis and genome evolution.
Visit the lab (GE-11) for more information and find more details online at https://shantanu-shukla.com/
Admission to the department for Ph.D degree is through a departmental selection process for which student are considered through a number of channels.
Admission to the department for this degree is through a division wide selection process which involves qualifying a written test followed by a interview process.