Welcome to Fly Lab at BITS Pilani
At Tare lab, we are using a well established and celebrated model of Drosophila melanogaster to understand genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in cell death, leading to diseases, such as neurodegeneration due to Parkinson's Disease. Eukaryotic cell death has been largely linked to stress stimuli which affect sub cellular organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes, depending on type of cell death. Our long term research interest is to develop an understanding towards the disturbed cellular and molecular biology markers in Parkinson’s disease.
A fine balance between process of cell death and division is required in the body, in order to maintain homeostatic conditions. Upon disturbance of this balance, cells might accumulate and form tumors, leading to cancers of many forms; or, they may die prematurely causing cell death as occurs in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases. I am interested in studying genetic and molecular mechanisms at sub-cellular level, involved in neuronal cell death occurring upon onset and progression of Parkinson's Disease.
I am also interested to dwell into territories of personalized medicine systems, such as Ayurveda, to understand how ancient Indian herbal medicinal system can be used to restore the genetic and cellular dynamics disturbed upon onset of these diseases. One arm of Tare lab is involved in gaining mechanistic insights into how these Indian medicinal systems work, at cellular and molecular levels.
Current Students:
# Graduate Students (Pursuing PhD)
1. Ms. Sonia Narwal (2018-present)
2. Mr. Shreyas Iyer (2020-presnt)
# Master's Thesis Students
1. Ms. Arushi Rai (2018-2019)
2. Ms. Rajashree Banerjee (Off Campus supervisor, 2019-2020)
3. Ms. Ankita (On campus Supervisor, 2021-22)
# First Degree Thesis Students
1. Mr. Harsh Kanodia (Off campus supervisor, Italy, 2018)
2. Ms. Anindita Singhai (On campus supervisor, 2019)
3. Mr. Shrey Bipin Shah (Off campus supervisor, Japan, 2019)
4. Mr. Shrivas Chatterjee (Off campus supervisor, IISc Bengaluru, India 2021)
5. Mr. Ishaan Rawal (Off campus thesis supervisor, Germany, 2022)
6. Ms. Neha Shreeram (Off campus thesis supervisor, Chicago, 2022)
7. Mr. Shiva Chaudhary (On campus thesis supervisor, 2022)
8. Ms. Aastha Shah (Off campus thesis supervisor, D-BSSE, ETH Zurich 2023)