People

Dr. Tamal Das

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor,
DBT/Wellcome Trust (UK) India Alliance Intermediate Fellow,
Partner Group Leader of the Max Planck Society (Germany)

Email: tdas at tifrh dot res dot in

Phone: +91 40 20203079

Academic qualifications

• Project Leader, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany)
• Post Doctorate Research Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany)
• Post Doctorate Research Scientist, Institut du cancer de Montreal (Canada)
• Ph.D, Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur
• Integrated B.Tech and M.Tech, Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur

Purnati Khuntia

Rowland Fellow at Rowland Institute, Harvard December 2024-2029 “Pseudostratified Epithelium: Compact storehouse of cells”.
HFSP Long Term Fellowship 2024 “Molecular mechanisms and tissue mechanics driving spinal cord regeneration” (Declined).

Purnati completed her PhD from the lab in 2024. Her work solved a decades-old puzzle of how cells reorient the Golgi apparatus position during wound healing induced cell migration. Currently she is exploring collective behaviour during stratification of mouse embryonic skin epithelium.

Rituraj Marwaha

DBT/Wellcome Trust (UK) India Alliance Early Career Fellow

Rituraj completed her Integrated MS-Ph.D. from IISER Mohali. Her Ph.D. work in the laboratory of Dr. Mahak Sharma focused on identifying and characterizing the molecular machinery responsible for the fusion and intracellular movement of the cellular degradation hub, lysosomes. In the Collective Cellular Dynamics laboratory, she investigates lysosome dynamics, function, and inter-organelle interactions during collective cell migration. Apart from her interest in science, she is passionate about drawing and baking.

Aaheli Shee Burman

Aaheli completed her Bachelors in Microbiology from the University of Calcutta, her Masters in Bioinformatics and Biotechnology from Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB, Bangalore) thereafter, joining as a PhD student in the Collective Cellular Dynamics lab. She studies the physical and mechanical basis of placode induction for initiation of morphogenesis using otic-epidermal organoids as a model system. In her free time, she finds herself amidst poetry, movies, art and music. She likes caring for animals and also goes swimming when not in the lab.

Padmashree

Padmashree did her Bachelors in Microbiology from Ethiraj College for Women. She then moved to the School of Basic Medical Sciences in the University of Madras to obtain her Masters in Biomedical Genetics where she studied the levels of Interleukins in Latent Tuberculosis and Diabetes consortium. She is currently working as a Graduate student to study tumorigenesis in the background of different surface curvatures found in the epithelial tissues. In her free time, she likes to go for a swim or cycling in the outdoors looking for cats while listening to music or just staying indoors finishing a good book and a coffee.

Piyush Daga

Piyush completed his Masters in Biochemistry from Savitribai Phule Pune University.His research interests lie in the structure and function of mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell. As a graduate student, he is looking at how mitochondria respond to mechanical cues arising from the rigidity of the extracellular matrix. In particular,he uses optogenetic tools and microscopic techniques to study the effect of matrix stiffness on mitochondrial dynamics, localisation and function.He is also actively involved with the Science Outreach and Science Theatre efforts at TIFR-H.

In his free time, he plays the synthesizer, listens to music, reviews films and shares and makes memes.

Pratikshya Pattnaik

Pratikshya completed her bachelor’s and master’s in zoology from Odisha University of agricultural University. She is interested in understanding how physiological perturbation in tissue microenvironment substantially affects oncogenesis and morphogenesis. Apart from working in the lab she loves painting, reading fiction books and sharing positivity through her YouTube videos.

Praver Gupta

Praver completed his Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Delhi and his Masters from IISER Mohali exploring Intron-specific splicing in yeast. As a Graduate student in CCD Lab, he is investigating the mechanical basis of cell competition during epithelial defence against cancer. He is specifically looking at the changes in nuclear mechanics and intermediate filaments as epithelial cells competitively remove oncogenic cells from their niche. Beyond his interest in science, he likes to dance, cook, trek, travel and play badminton.

Sanak Banerjee

Sanak obtained his bachelors degree in Zoology and masters in Biophysics and Molecular Biology from The University of Calcutta. He is interested in understanding the mechanics of multi-layered epithelial systems namely the epidermis and how its architecture is maintained amid continuous turnover. Apart from science, he is passionate about sports, films and cooking.

Simran Rawal

Simran received her bachelors in Life sciences from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University. Her interests lie in understanding the physical and biochemical mechanisms regulating cell migration during wound healing. Her current work is focused on how the largest organelle, Endoplasmic Reticulum alters its structure in response to geometrical cues and how it aids in the migration process during epithelial wound closure. Apart from research, she also enjoys dancing, running and cooking.

Diya Manoj

Diya is currently wokring as a JRF and investigating how ex vivo wounds heals in a developing skin. Using the same model, she is working with other members of the lab to recapitulate their in vitro findings. In her free time, she likes to cook and paint.