PEOPLE
Current Members
Aabeer Basu (Postdoctoral Researcher)
I did my PhD at IISER Mohali (Punjab) where I worked on the eco-immunology of lab adapted fly populations. My work focused on the physiological and evolutionary responses of Drosophila melanogaster flies when infected with various bacterial pathogens, and what factors – intrinsic and extrinsic – influence these responses. Before this, I completed my Masters in Human Disease Genetics from Centre for Human Genetics (Bangalore, Karnataka) and my Bachelors (Honours) in Microbiology from University of Calcutta (Kolkata, West Bengal). During my time at the MIRA Lab, I intend to explore co-evolutionary dynamics between bacteria and phages, and test if non-genetic phenotypic variability with in the host population, stemming from errors in the translation process, has any influence on how the host adapts to pathogens.
Sreya Mandal (Junior Research Fellow)
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Zoology, and Biotechnology from St Joseph’s College in Bengaluru. Currently, I am pursuing my Master’s in Biotechnology at the same institution. My research interests lie in using cell and molecular biology to study mutations in various model organisms, and I have the opportunity to investigate the adaptation of E. coli mutants in this laboratory. In my free time I like to unleash my inner baker and whip up some delicious treats. I also enjoy using my creative writing skills to pen the next great fantasy novel, or maybe just a grocery list. And when I’m not saving the world through science or practicing my culinary skills, you can catch me slaying dragons and saving the world in a game of Dungeons and Dragons.
Gulafsha Khan (Senior Research Associate)
A Microbiology postgraduate currently an SRF at MiRA Lab – Ashoka University. I am studying AMR genes and pathogenic bacterial identification. I hope to pursue research in host-microbiome interactions, its immunological aspects and how it affects the lifestyle of the host.
I am a stargazer, and a selenophile. Outside the lab, animal behaviour and animal health are my major reading interests. Sometimes, I indulge with Poetry, Astrophysics and Ice-cream.
Kushal Banerjee (Doctoral Researcher)
I have done my Bachelors and Masters in Biotechnology from Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. I look forward to trying to decipher the effects of non-genetic changes and mistakes occurring during translation on evolutionarily critical cellular functions such as the expression of genes, kinds of mutations, and the development of stress resistance in bacterial systems. In my free time, I love to indulge in stories in all formats.
Rushil Natarajan (ASP Thesis Student)
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Ashoka University in 2023. Since then, I have continued on as an ASP student to pursue a thesis focused on Antimicrobial resistance. In the MIRA lab, I have the opportunity to study the mechanisms of resistance to Carbapenems (a broad-spectrum antibiotic) in E.coli from different environments such as the clinic, environment and lab. In my free time, I love to spend my time playing Ultimate Frisbee (or any sport in general). I also enjoy baking and spend a significant time at home making a variety of desserts.
Past Members
