Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry
School of Basic Sciences
Ph.D. Life Sciences (Medical Microbiology and Immunology), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (Aug 2002- March 2008) |
M.Sc. Biotechnology, Allahabad University (1999- 2001) |
B.Sc. Microbiology (Hons), Delhi University (1996-1999) |
July 2008- Aug 2011 Research Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Texas, USA. Area: T Cell and Thymus biology: Cellular and molecular crosstalk involved in thymus organogenesis, development and homeostasis |
July 2012 Research and Teaching Research Scientist at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Department of Hematology, Stem Cell Research Section |
Aug 2012- Dec 2015 Teaching and Research Assistant Professor, Jaypee University of Information Technology Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Himachal Pradesh, India |
Feb 2016-April 2017 Research and Teaching DST-SERB, Fast Track Fellow, Centre for Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Punjab, India |
May 2017- Present Teaching and Research Assistant Professor, Centre for Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences designated as Department of Biochemistry since July 2019 Central University of Punjab, Punjab, India |
Immunobiology and Microbiology
- Immunobiology of diseases associated with an abnormal T cell Immunity
- T Cell Immunity and Thymus Biology
- Infectious Diseases
- Autoimmune Diseases
- Immune-Neuronal Diseases
- Pathophysiological conditions viz Cancer and Aging
Understanding Immunobiology of diseases: Representative images of thymic section from L. donovani infected mice, H & E stained cutaneous lesional smear of a Cutaneous Leishmaniasis patient with Ld bodies, and H & E stained lesional tissue cross-section from a Psoriatic patient.
Immunobiology of diseases associated with an abnormal T cell Immunity: Immune system is a physiological system dedicated to protective function. Under disease conditions, specialized components of the immune system respond to restore homeostasis. Nonetheless, immune dysfunction is a characteristic of different clinically relevant diseases. In this context, I am focusing on diseases associated with defective cell-mediated immunity with possible defects originating in the periphery and/or thymus. The thymus is the organ dedicated to normal T cell development and maturation. Dissecting out changes induced in thymus functionality under disease conditions can help in understanding the rationale behind an altered peripheral cell-mediated immune response in the context of specific disease models. Leads from the work on human diseases with T cell abnormalities are further worked out in animal models in a reverse translational approach to answer the molecular basis of disease-associated T cell alterations in terms of peripheral dysregulation and possible involvement of thymus centric defects directly or indirectly affecting the peripheral T cell immunity. Ongoing projects focus on T cell-associated infectious disease, Leishmaniasis, and autoimmune disease, Psoriasis. I am also interested in understanding immune dysregulation associated with neuronal diseases and different pathophysiological conditions like Cancer and Aging. Long term goal of our research group is to understand the T cell defects in different disease models and come up with knowledge-driven strategies for immune-reconstitution, immune-therapeutics and T cell centric regenerative medicine.
- DST sponsored Fast Track Project- “Investigating the role of thymus in mediating host immune- modulation in Visceral Leishmaniasis”, 30.3 lakhs. Aug 2014-Feb 2018. Completed
- CUPB, RSM Project- “A pilot study on Immunotoxic outcome of heavy metal contamination and its correlation with the associated health risk in the local population of Bathinda district of Punjab”, 3 lakhs. 11.1.2018- 11.1.2020. Completed
- UGC Start-Up Project- “Approval of UGC Start-up grant for the project entitled “Understanding the role of candidate microRNAs in Psoriasis patients with an Immunological Perspective”, 10 lakhs. 27.2.2019-27.2.2021. Ongoing
- Collaborative Research Project Grant - “Molecular and Immunological Investigation of leishmaniasis from an unusual foci of cutaneous and visceral disease in India and Nepal” Funded by International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy, Euros 39000/-, 18.3.2020-18.3.2023. Ongoing
- ICMR Research Grant- “Genetic and Functional Characterization of L. donovani isolates causing Atypical Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the newer and understudied endemic state of Himachal Pradesh” Ongoing, 45.5 lakhs, 2022-2024.
- DST-SERB Grant for conducting Karyashala, Accelerate Vigyan, July 2022. 5 Lakhs
- Life Member- Indian Immunological Society
- Member- Federation of Immunological Societies of Asia-Oceania (FIMSA)
- Member- International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS)
- Past Member- American Association of Immunologists
- International Collaborative -Research Grant Awarded, Trieste, Italy, March 2020
- UGC-Start Up Grant , Sep 2018
- Selection for presenting research work among 25 researchers selected among global applicants with Travel Grant Award from Global Thymus Network 7th International T Cell Conference, Kyoto, Japan, 13th to 17th March 2017
- Awarded for the Work Presented in 13th FIMSA Advanced Immunology Course-17th -19th March 2016
- Young Scientist Award, DST-SERB, Fast Track Fellow, 2014
- American Association of Immunologists Abstract Trainee Award, U.S.A for work presentation, 2011
- Selection with financial support to present research work at ICGEB-Trieste, Italy co-sponsored by Central European Initiative to attend the Theoretical and Practical Course on “Molecular Biology of Leishmania, 2006
- Senior Research fellowship awarded by Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India, 2004- 2007
- Junior Research Fellowship awarded by Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India, 2002- 2004, Among Top 20%.
- Qualified GATE with a percentile of 96.42, 2002
- Recipient of DBT studentship, awarded by the Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi, for qualifying the national entrance test for Masters in Biotechnology, 1999-2001
- Selected for training by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Division of Chemical Sciences, Bombay on ‘Deuteration of recombinant HIV-1 protease for High Field NMR studies, Nov 2000- Jan 2001
- Prof. Greg Matlashewski, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Prof. Shyam Sundar, Institute of Medical Sciences Banaras Hindu University, India
- Prof. Krishna Das Manandhar, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
- Prof. Balwinder Kaur Brar, HOD, Dermatology, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot
- Prof. Vinay Shanker, Former-Head, Dermatology, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Himachal
- Prof. Sudarshan K. Sharma, Prof. Deptt. Of Pathology IGMC, Himachal Pradesh
- Dr. Shivani Bansal, Department of Dermatology, AIIMS, Bathinda
- Dr. Hemant R Kushwaha, School of Biotechnology, JNU, New Delhi
- Dr. Budhaditya Mukherjee, IIT Kharagpur
- Dr. Om Prakash Singh, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University
- Dr. Kiran K Singh, Department of Geography, Central University of Punjab
- Dr. Ajeet Negi, Assistant Prof. Dermatology, IGMC, Himachal Pradesh
- Dr. G K Verma, Assistant Prof. Dermatology, IGMC, Himachal Pradesh
- Dr. Rajesh Ramachandran, Assistant Prof, Deptt of Biological Sciences, IISER, Mohali
- Dr. Aklank Jain, Associate Prof, Department of Zoology, Central University of Punjab
Papers
Manuscripts under review/submission/preparation
- Madaan P, Sharma U, Tomar S, Jain M. A Current Understanding of miRNA based modulation of T cell alterations associated with the etiology of psoriasis. Manuscript under preparation
- Madaan P, Tomar S, Sharma SK, Kaur B, Jain M. MicroR-215 is a promising circulatory biomarker for disease activity in psoriasis. Manuscript under preparation
- Thakur L, Mehra A, Jyoti N,Ramachandran R, Sandhir R, Negi A, Singh OP, Jain A, Jain M. Altered TRECs in human and murine visceral disease implies role of thymus in modulating T cell immunity Visceral Leishmaniasis. Manuscript under preparation
Publications
- Thakur L, Madaan P, Jain A, Shankar V, Negi A, Chauhan SB, Singh OP, Sundar S, Jain M, (2022). An insight into systemic immune response in Leishmania donovani mediated Atypical CL in the new endemic state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Frontiers In Immunology (IF 8.79)
- Lypaczewski P, Thakur L, Jain A, Kumari S, Paulini K, MatlashewskiG, Jain M. (2022) An intraspecies Leishmania donovani hybrid from the Indian subcontinent is associated with an atypical phenotype of cutaneous disease. iScience, Cell Press Journal, 25, 103802. (IF: 6.1)
- Barwal TS, Sharma U, Rana MK, Bazala S, Singh I, Murmu, Kapoor HS, Thakur S, Jain M, Jain A (2022). A diagnostic and prognostic value of blood-based circulating long non-coding RNAs in Thyroid, Pancreatic and Ovarian Cancer. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology 171,103598. (IF 6.6)
- Tuli HS, Sak K, Iqubal A, Garg VK, Varol M, Sharma U, Chauhan A, Yerer MB, Dhama K, Jain M, Jain A, (2022) STAT signaling as a target for intervention: from Cancer inflammation and angiogenesis to non-coding RNAs modulation. Molecular Biology Reports. 35474053. (IF 2.7)
- Sharma U, Murmu M, Barwal TS, Tuli HS, Jain M, Prakash H, Kaceli T, Jain A, Bishayee A,(2022). A Pleiotropic Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in the Modulation of Wnt/ -Catenin and PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathways in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Implication in Chemotherapeutic Drug Response. Current Oncology. 2326- 49. (IF 3.1)
- Roy R, Yadav R, Jain A, Tripathi V, Jain M, Singh S, Prakash H. (2021). Ying and Yang of Immunological memory in controlling infections: Overriding self defense mechanisms. International Reviews of Immunology. (IF 5.08)
- Barwal TS, Sharma U, Bazala S, Singh I, Jain M, Prakash H, Shekhar S, Sandberg E N, Bishayee A and Jain A (2021). Micrornas and long noncoding rnas as novel therapeutic targets in estrogen receptor-positive breast and ovarian cancers. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22 (8), 4072 (IF 6.2)
- Thakur L, Singh KK, Kushwaha HR, Sharma SK, Shankar V, Negi, Verma G, Kumari S, Jain A, Jain M, (2020) Leishmania donovani Infection with Atypical Cutaneous Manifestations, Himachal Pradesh,India, 2014–2018,Emerging Infectious Diseases. 26,1864-1869 (IF 16.1)
- Thakur L, Kushwaha HR, Negi A, Jain A and Jain M, (2020). Leptomonas seymouri co-infection in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis cases caused by Leishmania donovani from Himachal Pradesh, India. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol, 10, 345 (IF 6.07)
- Thakur L, Singh KK, Shanker V, Negi A, Jain A, Matlashewski G, Jain M, (2018). Atypical leishmaniasis: A global perspective with emphasis on the Indian subcontinent. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 12, e0006659 (IF 4.8)
- Nadella V, Singh S, Jain A, Jain M, Vasquez KM, Sharma A, Tanwar P, Rath GK, Prakash H, (2018) Low dose radiation primed iNOS + M1macrophages modulate angiogenic programming of tumor derived endothelium. Molecular Carcinogenesis, 7, 1664-1671, (IF 5.14)
- Malhotra A, Jain M, Prakash H, Vasquez KM and Jain A, (2017). The regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs in the development of chemoresistance in breast cancer. Oncotarget, 8, 110671-110684 (IF 5.1)
- Saluja R, Kumar A, Jain M, Goel SK, Jain A, (2017). Role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate ibn Mast Cell Functions and Asthma and its Regulation by Non-coding RNA. Frontiers in Immunology, 8 (587) (IF 7.89)
- Khandelwal A, Malhotra A, Jain M, Vasquez KM, Jain A, (2017). The emerging role of long non-coding RNA in gallbladder cancer pathogenesis. Biochimie, 132, 152-160, (IF 3.18)
- Lomada D, Jain M, Reddy M, Kang R, DiGiovanni J, Richie E (2016). Stat3 Signaling Promotes Survival And Maintenance Of Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cells” mTEC development. Plos Genetics. 12(1), e1005777, * Equal first co-author (IF= 6.02)
- Jain M and Madhubala R, (2008). Characterization and localization of ORFF gene from the LD1 locus of Leishmania donovani. Gene, 416,1-10 (IF= 4.37)
- Sukumaran B, Jain M, Myler PJ, Stuart KD and Madhubala R, (2007). Creation of Tetracycline Regulatable Knockouts of ORFF Gene from the LD1 Locus of Leishmania donovani. American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 3 (4), 207-215
- Jain M, Dole VS, Myler PJ, Stuart KD and Madhubala R (2007). Role of Biopterin Transporter (BT1) Gene on Growth and Infectivity of Leishmania. American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 3 (4), 199-206
- Tewary P, Jain M, Sahani MH, Saxena S and Madhubala R (2005). A heterologous prime boost vaccination regime using ORFF DNA and recombinant ORFF protein confers protective immunity against experimental visceral leishmaniasis. J. Infec. Diseases, 191 (12), 2130-2137 (IF= 7.8)
Book Chapters
- Plasticity in Interferon Responses Modulates T-Cell Immunity in Parasitic Infections: Periphery to Thymus. L Thakur, N Akhtar, A Jain, H Parkash, M Jain. 2020/4/22. Innate Immunity in Health and Disease. Publisher IntechOpen
-
Emergence of novel L. donovani variants: A new challenge to the ongoing Leishmaniasis Elimination program in the Indian subcontinent. Under preparation.
-
An Insight into Immunopathology of Leishmaniasis. Under preparation.
PhD students
Completed: 1, Ongoing: 2
- Lovlesh Thakur (As Co-Supervisor) Completed
- Priyanka Madaan (DBT-SRF) Ongoing
- Yogesh Chauhan (UGC-JRF) Joined in 2021
- Nikita Rajkumari. ICMR Project-JRF
M.Sc. Students
- 2021 Batch: Sakshi Soni, Chayanika Gogoi (Ph.D. NII), Pranay Dasyam, Shimi Changmai, Anushka Tripathy.
- 2020 Batch: Pooja Nanda (JRF at ICAR-CIFA, kaushlyaganga, Bhubaneswar), Premkant Singh, Gulsham Maurya, Manpreet Kohli, Sarbani Bhattacharya
- 2019 Batch: Nishant Jyoti (PhD, ICGEB), Maninder Kaur, Md Nadeem Akhtar, Sparklin Pradhan, Mohammed Ahmed (Start-Up), Surya Suvam
- 2018 Batch: Priyanka Padhi, Anjana Kumari (Ph.D. ICGEB, Delhi), Arjun Mehra
- 2015, M.tech and B.tech batch (JUIT, Solan, Himachal Pradesh): Shivani Tomar Clarivate Analytics (IP & Science business of Thomson Reuters), Parul Sharma, (Ritika Adhikari (Cancer Biology, Research Assistant II at Harvard University)
- Attended one day symposium on “Inflammation” Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, 14th July 2022.
- Attended 48th, Annual Scientific Meeting of Indian Immunology Society, being organized by Banaras Hindu University, during 8th-9th July, 2022
- Attended and presented work in FIMSA Immunology Course “From basics to Advanced Immunology” Organized by Indian Immunology Society, 8th October, 2020
- Attended SPARC INDO US Immunology Workshop organized by IIT Ropar and George Washington University, USA, 12 thJune, 2020
- “Host-Immunology and Leishmaniasis: Beyond Periphery” Work presented at IUIS-FIMSA-IIS course on Basic and advanced Translational Immunology, 12-16 Oct, 2019
- Presented work in International Conference Immunocon – 2018 at THSTI Faridabad organized by Indian Immunological Society, “Dissemination of Leishmania to the Thymus lead to peripheral T Cell modulation in Visceral Leishmaniasis”, 1-3 Nov, 2018
- Presented work International Conference, IEC-VL–2018 at Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, “Atypical Cutaneous Leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani in India Himachal Pradesh as the new endemic state”, 28-30th Nov, 2018
- Presentation on “Thymus is a target organ in Visceral Leishmaniasis: A new piece in the Immunology of Leishmaniasis”, 7th International T Cell Conference, organized by Global Thymus Network, 13th to 17th March, 2017, Kyoto, Japan
- Symposium on “Recent Trends in Biological Sciences, Central University of Punjab, 29th March, 2016 with work presentation
- Presentation on “Investigating the role of thymus in mediating host immune-modulation in Visceral Leishmaniasis”, 13th FIMSA Advanced Immunology Course-17th -19th March, 2016 with 10 Credit hours
- Presentation on “Investigating the role of thymus in mediating host immune-modulation in Visceral Leishmaniasis”, Immunocon 2015, Oct-9-11, Patna, Bihar, India
- Presentation, “Stat 3 regulated thymic function” 83rd Annual Meeting of Society of Biological Chemists, Dec, 2014, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India
- DST-Sponsored “Confocal and Live Imaging Microscopy” workshop, jan-2014, JNU, New Delhi.
- CME in Immunology: “Immunology for Clinicians”, April-2013, PGIMER, Chandigarh.
- Presentation on “Stat3 activation plays a role in mTEC development” M. Jain; D. Lomada; M. Reddy; R. Kang; J. DiGiovanni; E. Richie at American Association of Immunologist meeting, May 13-17th, 2011, San Francisco, U.S. Work published as abstract in The Journal of Immunology, 2011, 186, 64.20, Copyright by The American Association of Immunologists
- Presentation on “ Stat3 activation in mTEC development” at Thymus Summit, October 21-24, 2010, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Austin, Texas, U.S.
- Presentation in 6th Annual Research Program, 14- 15th March, 2008, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru, New Delhi
- Theoretical and Practical Course on “Molecular Biology of Leishmania”, 2006, CEI- Central European Initiative, ICGEB-Trieste, Italy. Ph.D. work presented
- Presentation on “Creation of Tetracycline Regulatable Knockouts of ORFF gene from the LD1 locus of Leishmania donovani” Bindu Sukumaran, Manju Jain, Peter J. Myler, Kenneth. D. Stuart and Rentala Madhubala at 75th Annual Meeting of Society of Biological Chemists (India; JNU, New Delhi; December 8-11, 2006)
- Presentation at International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India in a Workshop covering “Experimental Approaches To Studying Host-Pathogen Interactions”, 30th October-10th November, 2006.
- Presentation on “Prime Boost- A jump-start strategy for vaccine against experimental visceral leishmaniasis” Poonam Tewary, Manju Jain and Rentala Madhubala at Asian Regional Workshop on Intracellular Pathogens, International Training and Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. 2005.
- International Day of Immunology, 2022 centred on the theme Immunity and Vaccines, 29th April, 2022.
-
Organized Invited Talk on “Synthetic Biology: concepts to applications” by Prof. Pawan
Dhar, Former Dean, School of Biotechnology, JNU, New Delhi on 16th March, 2022
-
Organized A Lectures cum Open Session Meet with two lectures and discussion sessions on “Innovators and Entrepreneurs: Growing Beyond Boundaries”. 6.8.21
-
Program coordinator of Symposium to mark International Day of Immunology. Symposium on Coronavirus Disease What we Know and What we do not. 27th April 2021
-
Lectures cum Open Session Meet On “Academics, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Path from the Idea to Reality” 29th Nov, 2019 as IIC member
-
World Immunology Day as a one day Symposium cum workshop on "Why is the immune system worth studying?", organized by Central University of Punjab, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences. 29th April, 2019
-
Invited lectures and faculty/student interaction for a day by Prof. Satyajit Rath, IISER, Pune on Immune-System: Answering why it is needed and its biological heterogeneity. 31.10.18
-
Invited talks on Enterpreneurship,Technological Innovation and Incubation and Systems Biology by Dr. Hemant R. Kushwaha, School of Biotechnology, JNU, Delhi. 7.9.18
-
Program coordinator For the talk on Identification of Virulence Factors and Vaccine development for Leishmaniasis along with faculty and student interaction. Prof. Greg Matlashewski,Department of Microbiology and immunology, McGill University, Montreal,Canada. 20.9.17
-
Program coordinator: One day flowcytometry technical education and evaluation program. 22.8.17
- Organizing Invited lectures as a part of Talk series-“The possibilities for a Science Enthusiast”
Work presented by research scholars from the laboratory recognized at different national and international platforms:
- Miss Lovlesh Thakur got Travel Award from DST SERB (National) “Molecular Biology of Leishmania” at Trieste, Italy from 22th to 24th Oct 2018
- Miss Lovlesh Thakur bestowed with FEBS journal award, for outstanding presention at international workshop “Molecular Biology of Leishmania” at Trieste, Italy from 22th to 24th Oct 2018.
- Plos Negleted Tropical Diseases Journal Award for the work presented at International conference IEC-VL – 2018 at New Delhi, India
- Miss Lovlesh Thakur Awarded for Best Poster Award at International conference, Immunocon 2018, organized by Indian Immunological Society
- Miss Priyanka Madaan selected for travel bursary for FIMSA Immunology Course “From basics to Advanced Immunology” Organized by Indian Immunology Society, 8th October, 2020
- Miss Yogesh selected for International ICGEB-DBT workshop 2022 on “Advanced training in Immunology of Tuberculosis” from May 16 to 22, 2022 at ICGEB, New Delhi with outstanding performance.
2. Delivered a lecture entitled Our Immune Arsenal: How it looks and Works and coordinated the organization of International Day of Immunology 2022 Centred on the theme Immunity and Vaccines. 29th April 2022.
3. Invited Talk entitled “Understanding T cell Immunity in health and diseases: Flowcytometry takes the front bench”. SERB High-End Workshop 'KARYASHALA' Accelerate Vigyan Scheme at Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 23th Oct 2021.
4. Invited Lecture at JH Institute of Molecular Medicine on “T Cells and Thymus
From basics to clinical implications”, 4th Dec, 2020
5. Invited lecture on the scientific journey as a women scientist as a part of Young Science Leadership, 19th July, 2020
6. Resource person in Science Leadership Workshop as a part of organizing committee. 22.6.2020.
7. Invited Lecture, NCP-GSME, JNU, 26th to 28th Sep, 2019, “Atypical Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Northern Hilly State Himachal Pradesh in India”.
8. Gave Lecture entitled "Why is the immune system worth studying?"and organized the
event on World Immunology Day. 29th April, 2019.