|Metabolic networks | Nutrient signaling | Biochemical evolution | Synthetic and systems biology | Biochemical information transfer | Cell factories | Resource allocations | Economy of a cell |
"Do. Or do not. There is no try." - Yoda
"Around here we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious......and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
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Welcome to our lab at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (DBT-inStem), Bangalore.
Research statement: The goal of our research is to identify the rules, chemical logic and organizational principles of metabolic networks in cells. How does metabolism function as the ultimate form of biological information flow, to drive the chemical processes required for life? To understand this, we study how some metabolites are formed, and are sensed within and between cells. We also study systems level principles of metabolic network organization, build frameworks to understand metabolic exchange between cells, and how the evolution of metabolic pathways might have determined these resource allocation strategies. Natural extensions of these studies are to understand extreme biology in model and non-model organisms. We are also using metabolic engineering of cells for regenerative biology, food, synthetic biology and environmental biotechnology.
Beyond our scientific discoveries, we are passionate about training the next generation of scientists. Past members have gone on to successful careers in research, teaching, industry, policy and entrepreneurship (see people). The lab has exciting opportunities for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology and engineering, and we are always interested in hearing from prospective students and postdocs who want to join our team.
Values: We are committed to fully open science: we preprint our studies, all published papers are either open access or shared, and all strains, reagents and methods are available upon request (see here for more on how to request). We emphasize quality, reproducible research to advance science, and benefit society. Our lab is inclusive, welcoming, and collaborative, with researchers from diverse backgrounds and career destinations.
Our research:
Our research broadly spans the following areas (see our research page for more):
(1) Logic and organizational principles of metabolic regulation and networks
(2) "Special" metabolites that drive cell states, and resource allocation strategies between cells.
(3) Metabolism and resource sharing, cell specialization and division of labor in cell groups.
(5) Extreme biology and synthetic biology to make complex metabolites.
These address fundamental questions, and our research has implications for diseases (cancer, metabolic diseases), inter-microbial/ inter-cell interactions, and metabolic engineering in microbial systems.
You can learn more about our work on our research page, read our publications, join us, and explore our resources.
Collaborations with industry:
We are happy to consult or collaborate with industry with our expertise in systems and synthetic biology, metabolic microbial (yeast) engineering, food microbiology, mass spectrometry based metabolomics, and cellular research. Collaborations/partnerships include strategic consulting as well as research collaborations. Our approach is consultative and customizable. Please read more about all we have to offer here.
Funding and support:
We are grateful for grants and institutional support from inStem and the Dept. of Biotechnology (GoI), and the DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance senior fellowship. We also are recipients of an EMBO global/young investigator award.
Past support- DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance intermediate fellowship, Dept. of Biotechnology CoE grant, the Dept. of Science and Technology- SERB.
Other:
I wrote a science column (archive) (note: this does not reflect the views of my employer) on the scientific method, history of science, and the process of discovery.
In addition, here are some of my other articles in the mainstream media:
1) On Scaling Indian science
2) On Effectively starting up a new lab (in the Wellcome Trust -DBT IA newsletter)
3) "Who moved my science", a science policy discussion on the Pragati podcast
Popular science lectures on youtube:
Science communication (on amazing fungi, what we've learned from them, a bit of history about biochemistry and more): Breaking bread, and other breakthroughs (on youtube)
Science cafe: Life in the extreme (on extreme metabolism and cell survival in conditions that should not support life).
Videos of lectures (undergrad level) on youtube
Metabolic basis of emergent multicellularity (SRM biology series)
Biological oscillators: The yeast metabolic cycle Part I (with Sandeep Krishna)
Biological oscillators: The yeast metabolic cycle Part II (with Sandeep Krishna)
"Around here we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious......and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
***********************************************************************************************
Welcome to our lab at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (DBT-inStem), Bangalore.
Research statement: The goal of our research is to identify the rules, chemical logic and organizational principles of metabolic networks in cells. How does metabolism function as the ultimate form of biological information flow, to drive the chemical processes required for life? To understand this, we study how some metabolites are formed, and are sensed within and between cells. We also study systems level principles of metabolic network organization, build frameworks to understand metabolic exchange between cells, and how the evolution of metabolic pathways might have determined these resource allocation strategies. Natural extensions of these studies are to understand extreme biology in model and non-model organisms. We are also using metabolic engineering of cells for regenerative biology, food, synthetic biology and environmental biotechnology.
Beyond our scientific discoveries, we are passionate about training the next generation of scientists. Past members have gone on to successful careers in research, teaching, industry, policy and entrepreneurship (see people). The lab has exciting opportunities for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology and engineering, and we are always interested in hearing from prospective students and postdocs who want to join our team.
Values: We are committed to fully open science: we preprint our studies, all published papers are either open access or shared, and all strains, reagents and methods are available upon request (see here for more on how to request). We emphasize quality, reproducible research to advance science, and benefit society. Our lab is inclusive, welcoming, and collaborative, with researchers from diverse backgrounds and career destinations.
Our research:
Our research broadly spans the following areas (see our research page for more):
(1) Logic and organizational principles of metabolic regulation and networks
(2) "Special" metabolites that drive cell states, and resource allocation strategies between cells.
(3) Metabolism and resource sharing, cell specialization and division of labor in cell groups.
(5) Extreme biology and synthetic biology to make complex metabolites.
These address fundamental questions, and our research has implications for diseases (cancer, metabolic diseases), inter-microbial/ inter-cell interactions, and metabolic engineering in microbial systems.
You can learn more about our work on our research page, read our publications, join us, and explore our resources.
Collaborations with industry:
We are happy to consult or collaborate with industry with our expertise in systems and synthetic biology, metabolic microbial (yeast) engineering, food microbiology, mass spectrometry based metabolomics, and cellular research. Collaborations/partnerships include strategic consulting as well as research collaborations. Our approach is consultative and customizable. Please read more about all we have to offer here.
Funding and support:
We are grateful for grants and institutional support from inStem and the Dept. of Biotechnology (GoI), and the DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance senior fellowship. We also are recipients of an EMBO global/young investigator award.
Past support- DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance intermediate fellowship, Dept. of Biotechnology CoE grant, the Dept. of Science and Technology- SERB.
Other:
I wrote a science column (archive) (note: this does not reflect the views of my employer) on the scientific method, history of science, and the process of discovery.
In addition, here are some of my other articles in the mainstream media:
1) On Scaling Indian science
2) On Effectively starting up a new lab (in the Wellcome Trust -DBT IA newsletter)
3) "Who moved my science", a science policy discussion on the Pragati podcast
Popular science lectures on youtube:
Science communication (on amazing fungi, what we've learned from them, a bit of history about biochemistry and more): Breaking bread, and other breakthroughs (on youtube)
Science cafe: Life in the extreme (on extreme metabolism and cell survival in conditions that should not support life).
Videos of lectures (undergrad level) on youtube
Metabolic basis of emergent multicellularity (SRM biology series)
Biological oscillators: The yeast metabolic cycle Part I (with Sandeep Krishna)
Biological oscillators: The yeast metabolic cycle Part II (with Sandeep Krishna)
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Contact us
email: sunil@instem.res.in office phone: +91-80-23666580 Snail mail/physical address: Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (inStem) National Center for Biological Sciences campus, GKVK, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065 India Institute (official/other) website: https://www.instem.res.in/sunil-laxman 
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Lab news
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