Join the team!
We welcome applications from enthusiastic, adventurous individuals interested in our work. Our work is interdisciplinary, with space for people with interests/backgrounds in biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, chemistry, engineering, physics and quantitative approaches. Students/postdoctoral candidates with an interest and background in bioinformatics (and can code), enzymology, or analytical chemistry/mass spectrometry are especially encouraged to apply.
Openings: There are no short-term PA/JRF positions in the lab. For other positions, see below.
Ph.D students: Applications are made typically through the NCBS/inStem Graduate Program. Details are found at http://instem.res.in/careers/phd-studentship. Exceptional students with INSPIRE, CSIR-NET or DBT JRF fellowships can also apply directly to me, along with a short research proposal.
Post-doctoral Fellows: If you wish to apply for a post-doctoral position, please write to sunil@instem.res.in in with a copy of your CV, and a description of what you want to do in the lab. If you join the lab, you will be expected to apply for competitive postdoctoral fellowships, for which you will be strongly supported.
Summer students and trainees/JRFs: We accept a limited number of summer students or masters thesis students to work on projects for periods of 4 months to 1 year. Interested interns can write to sunil@instem.res.in with details on what interests you in our work, and a short proposal of something you want to study in the lab.
We welcome applications from enthusiastic, adventurous individuals interested in our work. Our work is interdisciplinary, with space for people with interests/backgrounds in biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, chemistry, engineering, physics and quantitative approaches. Students/postdoctoral candidates with an interest and background in bioinformatics (and can code), enzymology, or analytical chemistry/mass spectrometry are especially encouraged to apply.
Openings: There are no short-term PA/JRF positions in the lab. For other positions, see below.
Ph.D students: Applications are made typically through the NCBS/inStem Graduate Program. Details are found at http://instem.res.in/careers/phd-studentship. Exceptional students with INSPIRE, CSIR-NET or DBT JRF fellowships can also apply directly to me, along with a short research proposal.
Post-doctoral Fellows: If you wish to apply for a post-doctoral position, please write to sunil@instem.res.in in with a copy of your CV, and a description of what you want to do in the lab. If you join the lab, you will be expected to apply for competitive postdoctoral fellowships, for which you will be strongly supported.
Summer students and trainees/JRFs: We accept a limited number of summer students or masters thesis students to work on projects for periods of 4 months to 1 year. Interested interns can write to sunil@instem.res.in with details on what interests you in our work, and a short proposal of something you want to study in the lab.
Current lab members:
Sunil Laxman: PI
Actual role: fearless leader, grant & paper writer, crisis manager, tech support, (bad) competent cell maker, general lab monkey.
I am an Assistant Investigator at inStem, located within the National Center for Biological Sciences campus. l obtained a B. Tech from the Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology with Prof. Joseph Beavo, at the University of Washington, Seattle, where I studied cAMP signaling. My postdoctoral work was at the Dept. of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, first with Prof. Steven McKnight, and then with Prof. Benjamin Tu, identifying metabolic sensors. Before my present gig, I used to have more time to pursue serious interests in travel and the outdoors, history, Indian classical music, and literature. I still try, and write an occasional science column for The Wire on the process of science.
Full CV.
Sunil Laxman: PI
Actual role: fearless leader, grant & paper writer, crisis manager, tech support, (bad) competent cell maker, general lab monkey.
I am an Assistant Investigator at inStem, located within the National Center for Biological Sciences campus. l obtained a B. Tech from the Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology with Prof. Joseph Beavo, at the University of Washington, Seattle, where I studied cAMP signaling. My postdoctoral work was at the Dept. of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, first with Prof. Steven McKnight, and then with Prof. Benjamin Tu, identifying metabolic sensors. Before my present gig, I used to have more time to pursue serious interests in travel and the outdoors, history, Indian classical music, and literature. I still try, and write an occasional science column for The Wire on the process of science.
Full CV.
Postdoctoral fellows:
Sriram Varahan: Postdoctoral fellow (Wellcome Trust-DBT Early Career Fellow)
Actual role: talk and think of microbiology.
Bio: Ph.D. University of Kansas (a Jayhawk!)
I graduated with a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kansas where I characterized the role of peptide sex pheromones in biofilm formation and the virulence of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE). Here at the SL Lab, I want to understand metobolic regulation in yeast biofilms and during differentiation, and how this could be used as a model to understand multicellularity in higher order organisms. Publications.
Raja Lakshmi S: Postdoctoral fellow (DST SERB-NPDF)
Actual role: bring a genomics/NGS perspective to the lab
Bio: I did my Ph. D in Aswin's lab at National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, where I studied the role of global transcription regulators in maintaining gene expression homeostasis of E. coli. Currently, I am trying to understand early translational events of autophagy using yeast as a model system. Publications.
Associated postdocs/scientists:
Sabarinath PS
Gaurav Singh
Ph.D. students:
Zeenat Rashida: Ph.D. student (GS2015, joined Dec 2015)
Actual role: survive for 5 years, emerge transformed as a capable scientist.
Bio: I did my Bachelors in Biochemistry from Department of Biochemistry, Aligarh Muslim University and then moved to IIT Roorkee for a Masters in Biotechnology. I am broadly interested in understanding how the interaction between cellular organelles regulates cell fate decisions. Currently in the lab, I am exploring the role of metabolic switches in regulating metabolism. Publications.
Vineeth V: Ph.D. student (DST-INSPIRE fellow, joined Aug 2016)
Actual role: Stay calm and spread calmness
Bio: I completed my Bachelors and Masters in Biotechnology from School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kerala. I did my M.Sc. thesis work here at SL lab, where I worked on yeast ubiquitination. After that I joined the lab as a Ph.D. student. I enjoy painting, travelling and reading. If not in the lab, you can find me wandering in the campus (searching for BSNL coverage, mostly). Publications
Shreyas Niphadkar: Ph.D. student (GS2018, joined Jan 2019)
Actual role: figuring things out while looking serious
Bio: I did my masters in Biotechnology from the Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, SP Pune University, Pune. I am interested in understanding the metabolic adaptations that enable survival in extreme environments. Currently, I am trying to understand the role of different cellular signaling networks regulating metabolism during nutrient starvation.
Swagata Adhikary: Ph.D. student (GS2019, joined Nov 2019)
Actual role: Doodling
Bio: I did my bachelors and Masters in Biotechnology from St. Xavier's, Kolkata. I joined SL lab, first as a dissertation trainee, where I did some protein purification. I liked the work and the lab, so, I decided to be around here a bit more and I joined as a project assistant for a year. After that I joined the lab as a PhD student in 2019. I want to understand metabolism in context of different cellular activities. Also, doing experiments make me happy (most of the time!).
Sreesa Sreedharan: PhD. student (DST-INSPIRE fellow, joined Sept 2019)
Actual role: To 'learn' science the hard way and (hopefully!!) bring in a multi-disciplinary perspective to the lab
Bio: I did my Bachelor's and Master's in Microbiology at Amrita School of Biotechnology, Kollam, Kerala. I completed my master's dissertation in SL Lab, where I explored the mechanism of metabolic rewiring by methionine in yeast. I then worked for a year as a project assistant in Dr. Rahul Roy's lab in IISc where I worked on T-cell receptor repertoire transcriptomics. Currently, a PhD student in the lab, I am broadly interested in understanding how cells sense and respond to specific nutrient cues and eventually adapt to different metabolic states. Apart from science, I am an ardent dancer too and spend my time between the two passions!
JRFs and project assistants:
Swati Prasad: 1-year intern
Actual role: enthusiastically avoiding more college
Bio: I did my bachelors in microbiology, chemistry and zoology from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. I hope to unravel some aspects of ribosome gene transcription, and mostly aspire to work towards being a good scientist.
Alumni:
Former Postdocs:
Ritu Gupta: SERB-NPDF and second postdoc to join the lab. Current position: now a senior Postdoc, NIH/NICHD with Prof. Alan Hinnebusch. Publications.
Ganesh KB: inStem-NCBS-Cambridge Postdoctoral fellow (campus fellow), joint with Christian Frezza at the MRC Cancer Unit. Current position: Scientist at Astra Zeneca. Publications.
Akshay Das Adhikari: now postdoctoral fellow with Teymuras Kurzchalia at MPI-CBG, Dresden. Publications.
Adhish Walvekar: Lab's first postdoc (SERB-NPDF). Current position: senior postdoc/staff scientist at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine with Prof. Carole Linster in Luxemborg. Publications.
Shambhavi Naik: Postdoc/Technologist for the RCF theme at InSTEM. Current position: co-founder of CloudKrate, and policy wonk with the Takshashila foundation.
JRFs/project assistants:
Ruchika O'Niel: JRF (Aug 2018-Mar 2020).
Vinca Yadav: JRF (Aug 2017- July 2019). Now a PhD student at the Max-Plank Institute- CBG (Dresden).
Shree Padma: PA/JRF (joint with Apurva Sarin, Aug 2017-June 2018). Now a PhD student at the University of Michigan (Ann Harbor).
Malavika Prithviraj: PA/JRF (July 2017-May 2018). Now a PhD student at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst).
Sneha Das: PA/JRF (June 2016-Mar 2017). Now at UIUC for a PhD (MCB program).
Amit Agrawal: PA/JRF from 06/2015-10/2016. Now a PhD student at the Weizmann Institute. His personal webpage.
Hemanth Maddali: PA/JRF from 07/2015-06/2016. Now at Rutgers University for a PhD in Chemistry.
Meghana Cyanam: PA/JRF from 07/2015-06/2016. Now at Virginia Tech for a PhD in Systems Biology.
Shiuli Maji: PA (Joint with Apurva Sarin, Aug 2015-Jan 2016).
Krithika Raman (PA, Jan-April 2015).
MSc thesis: (2016) Vineet V, Sanjana Tak; (2017) Anjali Shenoy, Shree Padma, Malavika Prithviraj, Rudra Vaswata Roy Choudhury; (2018) Swagata Adhikari, Harini Chandrasekaran, Sreesa Sreedharan, Nidhi Jain; (2019) Shweta S (SASTRA), Dhyey Vyas (MSU-Baroda), (2020) Mansi Ahuja (U Ahmedabad), Anjana Prasad (St. Josephs).
Summer interns:
2019: Sathvik A (IIT-M), Nilanjan Bose (IIT-M), Ganesh M (IBAB); 2018: Shweta Mishra (IISER Mohali), Harshita (RVCE); 2017: Pratyusha Madnure (IISc), Divyanshi Verma (NISER Bhubhaneshwar), Ashutosh Khandual (NISER Bhubhaneshwar); 2016: Ramakrushna Swain (IISER Bhopal), Sharvari Harshe (MSU Baroda), Olivia Debnath (IISER Kolkata), Soorya James (Jamia Milla, Delhi), Shashwat Kumar (BITS Pilani Goa).
Past visitors, and lab adoptees:
Muskan Bhatia: visiting PhD student from Anand Bachhawat's lab at IISER-Mohali; Ajay Shah: visiting PhD student from IGIB (Shantanu Sengupta and Kausik Chakraborty labs); Ramya Purkanti: Completed her PhD with Mukund Thattai, worked collaboratively in our lab. Leo Darrigade: Intern (June-Sept 2015), from AgroParisTech, France.
PhD rotation students:
Nivya Mendon (2019), Sneha Khedkar (2018), Gaurav Kansagara (2017), Pratyay Shah (2015); Terrence Christie (2015).
Sriram Varahan: Postdoctoral fellow (Wellcome Trust-DBT Early Career Fellow)
Actual role: talk and think of microbiology.
Bio: Ph.D. University of Kansas (a Jayhawk!)
I graduated with a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kansas where I characterized the role of peptide sex pheromones in biofilm formation and the virulence of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE). Here at the SL Lab, I want to understand metobolic regulation in yeast biofilms and during differentiation, and how this could be used as a model to understand multicellularity in higher order organisms. Publications.
Raja Lakshmi S: Postdoctoral fellow (DST SERB-NPDF)
Actual role: bring a genomics/NGS perspective to the lab
Bio: I did my Ph. D in Aswin's lab at National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, where I studied the role of global transcription regulators in maintaining gene expression homeostasis of E. coli. Currently, I am trying to understand early translational events of autophagy using yeast as a model system. Publications.
Associated postdocs/scientists:
Sabarinath PS
Gaurav Singh
Ph.D. students:
Zeenat Rashida: Ph.D. student (GS2015, joined Dec 2015)
Actual role: survive for 5 years, emerge transformed as a capable scientist.
Bio: I did my Bachelors in Biochemistry from Department of Biochemistry, Aligarh Muslim University and then moved to IIT Roorkee for a Masters in Biotechnology. I am broadly interested in understanding how the interaction between cellular organelles regulates cell fate decisions. Currently in the lab, I am exploring the role of metabolic switches in regulating metabolism. Publications.
Vineeth V: Ph.D. student (DST-INSPIRE fellow, joined Aug 2016)
Actual role: Stay calm and spread calmness
Bio: I completed my Bachelors and Masters in Biotechnology from School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kerala. I did my M.Sc. thesis work here at SL lab, where I worked on yeast ubiquitination. After that I joined the lab as a Ph.D. student. I enjoy painting, travelling and reading. If not in the lab, you can find me wandering in the campus (searching for BSNL coverage, mostly). Publications
Shreyas Niphadkar: Ph.D. student (GS2018, joined Jan 2019)
Actual role: figuring things out while looking serious
Bio: I did my masters in Biotechnology from the Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, SP Pune University, Pune. I am interested in understanding the metabolic adaptations that enable survival in extreme environments. Currently, I am trying to understand the role of different cellular signaling networks regulating metabolism during nutrient starvation.
Swagata Adhikary: Ph.D. student (GS2019, joined Nov 2019)
Actual role: Doodling
Bio: I did my bachelors and Masters in Biotechnology from St. Xavier's, Kolkata. I joined SL lab, first as a dissertation trainee, where I did some protein purification. I liked the work and the lab, so, I decided to be around here a bit more and I joined as a project assistant for a year. After that I joined the lab as a PhD student in 2019. I want to understand metabolism in context of different cellular activities. Also, doing experiments make me happy (most of the time!).
Sreesa Sreedharan: PhD. student (DST-INSPIRE fellow, joined Sept 2019)
Actual role: To 'learn' science the hard way and (hopefully!!) bring in a multi-disciplinary perspective to the lab
Bio: I did my Bachelor's and Master's in Microbiology at Amrita School of Biotechnology, Kollam, Kerala. I completed my master's dissertation in SL Lab, where I explored the mechanism of metabolic rewiring by methionine in yeast. I then worked for a year as a project assistant in Dr. Rahul Roy's lab in IISc where I worked on T-cell receptor repertoire transcriptomics. Currently, a PhD student in the lab, I am broadly interested in understanding how cells sense and respond to specific nutrient cues and eventually adapt to different metabolic states. Apart from science, I am an ardent dancer too and spend my time between the two passions!
JRFs and project assistants:
Swati Prasad: 1-year intern
Actual role: enthusiastically avoiding more college
Bio: I did my bachelors in microbiology, chemistry and zoology from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. I hope to unravel some aspects of ribosome gene transcription, and mostly aspire to work towards being a good scientist.
Alumni:
Former Postdocs:
Ritu Gupta: SERB-NPDF and second postdoc to join the lab. Current position: now a senior Postdoc, NIH/NICHD with Prof. Alan Hinnebusch. Publications.
Ganesh KB: inStem-NCBS-Cambridge Postdoctoral fellow (campus fellow), joint with Christian Frezza at the MRC Cancer Unit. Current position: Scientist at Astra Zeneca. Publications.
Akshay Das Adhikari: now postdoctoral fellow with Teymuras Kurzchalia at MPI-CBG, Dresden. Publications.
Adhish Walvekar: Lab's first postdoc (SERB-NPDF). Current position: senior postdoc/staff scientist at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine with Prof. Carole Linster in Luxemborg. Publications.
Shambhavi Naik: Postdoc/Technologist for the RCF theme at InSTEM. Current position: co-founder of CloudKrate, and policy wonk with the Takshashila foundation.
JRFs/project assistants:
Ruchika O'Niel: JRF (Aug 2018-Mar 2020).
Vinca Yadav: JRF (Aug 2017- July 2019). Now a PhD student at the Max-Plank Institute- CBG (Dresden).
Shree Padma: PA/JRF (joint with Apurva Sarin, Aug 2017-June 2018). Now a PhD student at the University of Michigan (Ann Harbor).
Malavika Prithviraj: PA/JRF (July 2017-May 2018). Now a PhD student at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst).
Sneha Das: PA/JRF (June 2016-Mar 2017). Now at UIUC for a PhD (MCB program).
Amit Agrawal: PA/JRF from 06/2015-10/2016. Now a PhD student at the Weizmann Institute. His personal webpage.
Hemanth Maddali: PA/JRF from 07/2015-06/2016. Now at Rutgers University for a PhD in Chemistry.
Meghana Cyanam: PA/JRF from 07/2015-06/2016. Now at Virginia Tech for a PhD in Systems Biology.
Shiuli Maji: PA (Joint with Apurva Sarin, Aug 2015-Jan 2016).
Krithika Raman (PA, Jan-April 2015).
MSc thesis: (2016) Vineet V, Sanjana Tak; (2017) Anjali Shenoy, Shree Padma, Malavika Prithviraj, Rudra Vaswata Roy Choudhury; (2018) Swagata Adhikari, Harini Chandrasekaran, Sreesa Sreedharan, Nidhi Jain; (2019) Shweta S (SASTRA), Dhyey Vyas (MSU-Baroda), (2020) Mansi Ahuja (U Ahmedabad), Anjana Prasad (St. Josephs).
Summer interns:
2019: Sathvik A (IIT-M), Nilanjan Bose (IIT-M), Ganesh M (IBAB); 2018: Shweta Mishra (IISER Mohali), Harshita (RVCE); 2017: Pratyusha Madnure (IISc), Divyanshi Verma (NISER Bhubhaneshwar), Ashutosh Khandual (NISER Bhubhaneshwar); 2016: Ramakrushna Swain (IISER Bhopal), Sharvari Harshe (MSU Baroda), Olivia Debnath (IISER Kolkata), Soorya James (Jamia Milla, Delhi), Shashwat Kumar (BITS Pilani Goa).
Past visitors, and lab adoptees:
Muskan Bhatia: visiting PhD student from Anand Bachhawat's lab at IISER-Mohali; Ajay Shah: visiting PhD student from IGIB (Shantanu Sengupta and Kausik Chakraborty labs); Ramya Purkanti: Completed her PhD with Mukund Thattai, worked collaboratively in our lab. Leo Darrigade: Intern (June-Sept 2015), from AgroParisTech, France.
PhD rotation students:
Nivya Mendon (2019), Sneha Khedkar (2018), Gaurav Kansagara (2017), Pratyay Shah (2015); Terrence Christie (2015).