Nilanjan Ghosh Dastidar

EDUCATION

College / University

University of Hyderabad

Highest Degree

Master of Science

Major Subjects

Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Intermediary Metabolism, Bioinformatics

Country

India

Lab Experience

Live cell imaging, fluorescence microscopy, molecular cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, RNA isolation, RT PCR, mitochondria isolation and assay, genetic screens of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, genome-wide yeast two-hybrid screens, protein-protein interaction studies, Western Blot, protein extraction and purification, agarose gel electrophoresis, SDS PAGE, chromatography techniques, UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, immunoelectrophoresis, ELISA, SRID, enzymology and clinical biochemistry assays, bioinformatics tools, protein modelling and analysis using PYMOL and COOT software

Projects / Research

2019 – 2020: "Analysis of the function of Uip4, a novel protein of the Endoplasmic Reticulum" (Master thesis), University of Hyderabad. Awarded A+ (highest grade)
2019: Summer training in Structural Biology lab at Bose Institute, Kolkata
2018: Internship at Vectrogen Biologicals, Hyderabad
2017 – 2018: DBT STAR COLLEGE Student Project titled "Development of an indigenous gradient Gel Electrophoresis system for separation of broad range DNA fragments" in MAC, Kolkata

Scholarships / Awards

2020 – 2021:	Stipend by the International Max Planck Research School.
2018 – 2020:	Gold Medalist (Highest Grade/Aggregate in class) of MSc Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad
2020:	Qualified Graduate Test Aptitude Engineering in Life Sciences
2019:	Qualified NET exam for Junior Research Fellowship and Lecturership from CSIR, India
2011:	Scholarship for 2nd rank in National Science Seminar, India. Member of the Indian Delegation which visited Poland on invitation from the Government of Poland to commemorate IYC 2011

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

Studying biology at the cellular and molecular level has been my basic motivation to pursue research. My broad interests apart from molecular biology include biochemistry, cell biology, neurobiology and structural biology. From protein biochemistry to molecular neurobiology, there are multiple topics which interest me as a young student. One question that fascinates me is how cross-talk between various organelles affects growth and development in various cell types and how it might alter during disease conditions. Humans have multiple unique cell types, studying their development and how they organize into tissues appeals to me. At the same time my previous work with proteins have kindled an interest in me to study protein folding and trafficking in eukaryotes. So, my holistic target during the MSc/PhD program would be to identify a good research question and do my graduate work, enjoying all the way, trying to answer it.