Welcome to the Department of Biological Sciences. 

The Department of Biological Sciences at IISER Berhampur is a developing unit committed to achieving excellence in research and education in different fields of Biological Sciences. The department has slowly grown to a sizable unit of 9 regular faculty members and a Wellcome-Trust India Alliance Intermediate Fellow, leading their respective research groups. We have 56 PhD students enrolled in the Department. The first few students have now graduated with PhD degrees. We have 4 postdoctoral fellows funded by institutional and extramural funds. The department is currently involved in cutting edge research across various domains of Biological Sciences.

Research activities of the department

Understanding the pathogenesis of diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease:

Prof. Prosenit Mondal’s group leads this theme. His research group is dedicated to unraveling the complex pathogenesis of diabetes and NAFLD, emphasizing the crucial mechanisms of inter-organ communication that maintain systematic homeostasis in the body. His research also delves into the molecular events that regulate nutrient uptake and storage, particularly focusing on the specificity of insulin's actions and the intricate links between obesity and diabetes. This work is of significant importance in the field of metabolic diseases.

Understanding the pathogenesis of diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Research in Prof. Mondal’s group covers a wide spectrum of questions and uses diverse methodologies for analysis. They employ in vitro cell culture and in vivo mice models to understand the inter-organ crosstalk between the liver, pancreatic beta cell, and peripheral organs that contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes, fatty liver, and obesity. By studying the mechanisms of interorgan crosstalk in health and disease, the  aim is to understand how preclinical evidence for organokines may translate to human studies.

Evolutionary Biology and Behavioural Ecology group:

Dr. Bodhisatta’s lab is primarily interested in the evolution of sexually selected and life-history traits. We use laboratory adapted populations of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model system to investigate various questions. There are a number of lines of investigation currently being pursued by the group. In a long-term investigation, we are investigating how sexually selected traits – such as male fertility and competitive ability, sexually antagonistic male and female traits, etc. evolve in relation to the evolution of aging and lifespan. To this effect, a set of ten experimental populations, which were experimentally evolved in the lab for over 1200 generations, are being investigated. The group is investigating nutrient dependent adaptation by using fruit flies as a model system. We are studying causes, constraints, and consequences of adaptation to nutritional deprivation taking an experimental evolution approach. In another project, we are investigating the potential of non-genetically inherited intergenerational parental effects on offspring traits and fitness components. Overall, all these investigations aim at understanding the evolutionary correlations between life history and sexual traits. Since most natural populations have spatial structures, eco-evolutionary dynamics emerging as a consequence of such structuring has emerged as an important problem in the field. The group is currently investigating the effect of spatial structure and habitat fragmentation on sexually selected traits - at both evolutionary as well as ecological timescales. Most of these investigations are based on solid theoretical foundations and are more inclined towards tests of principles that can be widely applied. Recently, the group has started natural Ecology, including Behavioural Ecology of Parthenium beetle, Zygogramma bicolorata, a biocontrol species introduced to control the invasive weed species Parthenium hysterophorus. These beetles show unique mating behaviour, which is an interesting problem on its own. Moreover, the group is also investigating the cause behind the inefficacy of the beetles as a biocontrol.

Plant Developmental Biology group:

This group is led by Dr. Jose Sebastian. We depend on plants for food, medicine, clothing, fuel, clean air- pretty much everything and it’s safe to say- without them there would be no life on earth! Today like the rest of the world, plants are facing a multitude of challenges critically impinging their productivity and very survival. Broad-based and innovative studies of plant biology are of fundamental significance in addressing these issues. These can also guide in our pursuit for developing climate resilient crop plant varieties and sustainable agriculture.

RNA  NucleoProtein (RNP)  Biology Laboratory (RBL) :

Dr. R Selvi Bharathavikru’s group is focussed towards understanding the role of RNA Nucleo-Protein complexes in Stem Cell Biology. Gene expression is regulated by transcriptional and post transcriptional events. RNP complexes are thus integral to all cellular processes associated with development and disease. We are interested in understanding how RBP complexes act as information hubs and fine tune gene expression and thus direct embryonic stem cell differentiation to distinct lineages, or modulate adult stem cells to maintain tissue homeostasis as well as their role in regulating dedifferentiation especially in the context of Cancer Stem Cells. One of the major RNA processing pathways that we are interested in are the RNA methylation complexes and their interplay in gene regulation. Using cell culture model systems, we are trying to understand these events under three broad research themes:

i) Understanding the role of epitranscriptome in physiology and pathophysiology,

ii) Regulatory Cascades in nephrogenesis using a systems biology approach,

iii) Chemical Biology tools to understand post transcriptional gene regulation.

Comparative Evolutionary Genomics group:

Research in Dr. Krishnan's group focuses on comparative and evolutionary genomics approaches to reconstruct major evolutionary scenarios and trends that shaped the evolution of uniquely eukaryotic and animal systems. To mention a few, the group is interested in the expansion of 1) chemosensation in early-branching metazoans and other basal invertebrate animals; 2) molecular armaments that diversified post vertebrate genome doubling events to combat vertebrate viruses. Using our computer-aided approaches, we also aim to investigate untapped GPCRs to extend the prospects of the druggable human genome. In broad-spectrum, we employ genome and proteome scale datasets to reconstruct the evolution of various gene families, functional categories and divergence, intraspecific and interspecific variations, and evolutionary processes that underpin the diversity of our protein families of interest.

Understanding metabolic compartmentalisation across cellular scales.

Nutrient availability and sensing mechanisms are pivotal for sustaining life at the unicellular and multicellular levels. Dr. Vinay Bulusu’s group  is trying to understand nutrient budgeting mechanisms in multicellular systems within the context of health and disease. During embryonic development, positional information for cells in morphogenetic fields is read by a complex network of morphogens. While the genetic basis of such morphogen gradients is well elucidated, the interplay of nutrient sensing pathways in orchestrating morphogen signalling output is unknown. This is important as nutrient deficiencies or defects in sensing mechanisms have been associated with embryopathies. Dr. Bulusu’s research showed the presence of glycolytic gradients across some of these morphogenetic fields and preliminary results indicate that glycolysis modulates signalling output. We also look at how cancer cells optimize the budgeting of nutrients across sub-cellular compartments using imaging and mass spectrometry based approaches. The research group develops and optimizes genetically encoded fluorescence based reporters for detection of metabolites and enzyme activity in living cells and tissues with cellular and sub-cellular resolution.

Neuroimaging and Brain Biochemistry Research Group:

Dr. Vivek Tiwari’s research group is dedicated to uncovering clinically relevant structural, metabolic, and epigenetic signatures associated with brain health, aging, and brain disorders, with a particular emphasis on gliomas, brain metastases, and cognitive decline. The group seeks to elucidate the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, tumor progression, and age-associated structural remodeling by bridging fundamental neuroscience with clinical translation.

The research employs a multidisciplinary strategy that integrates advanced neuroimaging techniques (including MRI, MR spectroscopy, fiber tractography), metabolic imaging, genetic and epigenetic analyses, and AI-driven modeling. A core focus lies in developing novel metabolic models and non-invasive biomarkers to generate high-resolution in vivo maps of brain metabolism and tumor microenvironments. This enables a deeper understanding of structural and functional heterogeneity in both tumors and the aging brain.

Structural Biology Group

The ability of cells to function, adapt, and respond depends on intricate molecular interactions among proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules. These interactions are central to nearly every biological process, from intracellular signaling and gene regulation to immunity and disease progression. The Structural Biology Group at DBS, IISER Berhampur led by Dr. Shanti Swaroop Srivastava is interested in uncovering the structural and mechanistic basis of these interactions at high resolution.

Their research integrates advanced structural techniques—including cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallography—with molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysical approaches. This multidisciplinary approach enables visualization of macromolecular complexes in their native or near-native states, offering insights into their organization, function, and regulation.  Their current research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of substrate recognition by PP2A holoenzymes, the role of protein-protein interactions in bacterial innate immunity, and the structural mechanisms underlying signal transduction and epigenetic gene regulation. By revealing how these interactions are tightly regulated and how they malfunction in disease-they aim to contribute a deeper understanding that would be useful to both basic biology and therapeutic innovation.

Cancer Metastasis and Therapeutics Group:

Cancer Metastasis and Therapeutics Group: Dr. Parida’s “Cancer Metastasis and Therapeutics” Lab focuses on uncovering the molecular and metabolic mechanisms driving cancer metastasis, which accounts for over 90% of cancer-related deaths. The lab investigates how organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and ribosomes contribute to metastatic progression, especially under the influence of metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes.  A central aim is to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. By integrating multi-omics platforms (metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics) with in vitro and in vivo models, the lab develops innovative strategies to intercept metastasis. Leveraging advanced drug discovery platforms, the team is committed to translating mechanistic insights into next-generation therapies for metastatic and metabolically driven cancers.

Transposon in Human Health and Diseases

Dr. Bhavana’s research group focuses on understanding the biological significance and pathological consequences of transposable elements-particularly Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements-1 (LINE-1/L1). The lab investigates how aberrant activation of LINE-1 elements reshapes the cancer genome and disrupts cellular homeostasis, contributing to genomic instability, immune evasion, and therapy resistance.

A major emphasis of the lab is placed on the functional roles of LINE-1 intermediates, including L1 RNA/DNA hybrids (L1-derived R-loops) and the two proteins: ORF1p, which has RNA-binding properties, and ORF2p, which possesses enzymatic functions as both an endonuclease and a reverse transcriptase—activities essential for retrotransposition.

These proteins are frequently re-expressed in various malignancies; however, it is not yet known whether they act as drivers or promoters of tumorigenesis.

In another study, Dr. Bhavana’s lab also explores the underappreciated role of transposable elements in shaping the host–pathogen interface during Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) infection. Beyond their established role in genome plasticity, transposons-both endogenous (in host cells) and mobile genetic elements within bacterial genomes-are increasingly recognized as modulators of infection outcomes and determinants of antimicrobial resistance.

Academic Programmes

In addition to a world class research set-up, our teaching infrastructure is modern, and our teachers are committed to excellence in teaching.

BSMS programme:

The BSMS programme of IISER Berhampur includes two years of Core courses (covering all subjects of science and Mathematics), two years of Major in one of the streams, and a final year dissertation. Our Biology (Major) programme is designed keeping in view the basic and advanced knowledge. The philosophy of the programme is an overall training in the fundamentals of Biological Sciences. There are core courses in genetics, cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolution, biochemistry, immunology, developmental biology and advanced elective courses in cancer biology, neurobiology, metabolic engineering and infectious diseases.

Integrated PhD programme:

The Integrated PhD programme combines a Masters and a Doctoral degree into a seven-year programme. Students can join this programme following their Bachelors degree. We train the students at Masters level such that entry into the Doctoral phase is more focused, and in effect time saving. All Integrated PhD students are entitled for fellowship for all seven years of the programme. For eligibility and other details, please visit the institute website.

PhD programme:

Candidates seeking admission to the PhD programme can visit the admission page. The application is open twice every year - once for August semester, and once for the January semester. For eligibility and other details, please visit the institute website. Briefly, PhD programme is a structured five-year programme. The students have to clear course work and opt for a faculty member from within the department to start a PhD dissertation. All selected candidates receive fellowship through the institute or external funding agencies. The programme allows rotation with different faculty members, but also supports students who are more decided on their choice of research area.

Apart from the faculty and students, a number of Scientific officers, laboratory staff, office assistants, and a few post-doctoral fellows form the Department of Biological Sciences community. Most of our students are fairly active, and take part in many club and extracurricular activities. 

Student's Biology Club

La Vida (https://sac.iiserbpr.ac.in/lavida/index.php): LA VIDA is the official Biology club of the IISER Berhampur. The club members are a group of Biology enthusiasts who want to learn and spread anything related to the Biological discipline. We at the Biology Club of IISER Berhampur offer a platform where curiosity can be nurtured, ideas and innovations can be shared, and new experiences created. Our aim is to host a range of activities and encourage intriguing discussions along with many such events annually.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12VGE5xyPSdvkyDi7wA_78D7fPqatf-PuZCUZeDOcLig/edit?tab=t.0

Annual Events organized by La Vida: La Vida organizes a variety of events throughout the year, bringing together passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds to foster learning, collaboration, and growth. Our annual events offer opportunities to engage with experts, participate in workshops, and explore new ideas.

Research Infrastructure

1. Fly Lab
2. Greenhouse Chamber
3. Omics Lab
4. Cell Culture Facility
5. Confocal Imaging
6. MRI
7. Cryo-electron microscopy
8. Protein purification Systems

Publications (Year Wise)

2025 :

1. Hepatic ChREBP reciprocally modulates systemic insulin sensitivity in NAFLD
    Journal of Biological Chemistry (2025), Article: 108556
    Sen, A., Thakur, S., Rawat, P., Jaswal, K., Dehury, B., Mondal, P.
   
   
2. TRIM32 regulates insulin sensitivity by controlling insulin receptor degradation in the liver
    EMBO Reports (2025), Pages: 1–19
    Thakur, S., Rawat, P., Dehury, B., Mondal, P.
   
   
3. Female-biased spontaneous dispersal in Drosophila melanogaster and sex-specific effect of nutrition and density therein
    Oikos (2025), 2025(1): e10920
    Halder, S., Bhore, U., Nandy, B.
   
   
4. Evolution of mate harm resistance in females from Drosophila melanogaster populations selected for faster development and early reproduction
    Journal of Evolutionary Biology (2025), Volume: 38, Pages: 111–121
    Verma, T., Das, S., Dhodi-Lobo, S., Mishra, A., Bhattacharyya, S., Nandy, B.
   
   
5. p53 mediated regulation of LINE1 retrotransposon derived R-loops
    Journal of Biological Chemistry (2025), Volume: 301(3), Article: 108200
    Paul, P., Kumar, A., Parida, A. S., De, A. K., Bhadke, G. V., Khatua, S., Tiwari, B.
   
   
6. Unveiling the structural and functional implications of uncharacterized NSPs and variations in the molecular toolkit across arteriviruses
    NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics (2025), Volume: 7(2), Article: lqaf035
    Siuli, R., Behera, K., Krishnan, A.
   
   
7. Lineage-specific Class-A GPCR dynamics reflect diverse chemosensory adaptations in Lophotrochozoa
    Molecular Biology and Evolution (2025), Volume: 42(3), Article: msaf042
    Nath, R., Panda, B., Rakesh, S., Krishnan, A.
   
   

2024 :

1. Fractal dimension and lacunarity measures of glioma subcomponents are discriminative of the grade of gliomas and IDH status
    NMR in Biomedicine (2024), Volume: 37(12), Article: e5272
    Yadav, N., Mohanty, A., V, A., Tiwari, V.
   
   
2. Periventricular and Deep White Matter Hyperintensity Thresholds in Aging: Exponential Progression, Cognitive Decline, and Neuroanatomic Atrophy
    bioRxiv (2024)
    Gupta, N., Yadav, N., Tiwari, V.
   
   
3. NIR-I emissive cyanine derived molecular probe for selective monitoring of hepatic albumin levels during hyperglycemia
    Journal of Materials Chemistry B (2024)
    Biswas, B., Dogra, S., Sen, A., Murugan, N. A., Dhingra, P., Jaswal, K., Mondal, P., Ghosh, S.
   
   
4. Molecular probe to visualize the effect of a glycolytic inhibitor on reducing NADH levels in a cellular system
   Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry (2024), Volume: 23(14), Pages: 3400–3408
   Dhingra, P., Jaswal, K., Biswas, B., Mondal, I. C., Mondal, P., Ghosh, S.
   
   
5. Adaptive Significance of Long Mating With Repeated Intromissions in Zygogramma bicolorata
   Ethology (2024)
   Pal, R. S., Bhowmick, A., Naik, K., Nandy, B.
   
   
6. Spatial structure imposes sex-specific costs but does not reduce interlocus sexual conflict
    Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (2024)
    Halder, S., Kar, S., Sethi, S., Tewari, S., Verma, T., Nandy, B.
   
   
7. Cryo-EM research in India
   Structure (2024), Volume: 32(2), Pages: 113–119
   Shukla, A. K., Banerjee, M., Singh, A. K., Penmatsa, A., Dutta, S., Anand, R., Sirajuddin, M., Srivastava, S. S.
   
   
8. AagingBase: a comprehensive database of anti-aging peptides
   Database: The Journal of Biological Databases and Curation (2024), Volume: 12, Article: baae016
   Kunjulakshmi, R., Kumar, A., Kumar, K. V., Sengupta, A., Kundal, K., Sharma, S., Pawar, A., Sai Krishna, P., Alfatah, M., Ray, S., Tiwari, B., Kumar, R.
   
   
9. Reappraisal of the DNA phosphorothioate modification machinery: uncovering neglected functional modalities and identification of new counter-invader defense systems
   Nucleic Acids Research (2024), Volume: 52
   Rakesh, S., Aravind, L., Krishnan, A.
   
   

2023 :

1. Organelles are miscommunicating: Membrane contact sites getting hijacked by pathogens
   Virulence (2023), Volume: 14(1), Article: 2265095
   Paul, P., Tiwari, B.
   
   

2022 :

1. Iron oxide nanoparticle encapsulated; folic acid tethered dual metal organic framework-based nanocomposite for MRI and selective targeting of folate receptor expressing breast cancer cells
    Microporous and Mesoporous Materials (2022), Volume: 340, Article: 112008
    Pandit, P., Bhagat, S., Rananaware, P., Mohanta, Z., Kumar, M., Tiwari, V., Singh, S., Brahmkhatri, V. P.
   
   
2. Evolution of reduced mate-harming tendency of males in Drosophila melanogaster populations selected for faster life history
    Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology (2022)
    Verma, T., Dasgupta, P., Mohapatra, A., Senapati, H. K., Muni, R. K., Nandy, B.
   
   
3. The Happy Hopping of Transposons: The Origins of V(D)J Recombination in Adaptive Immunity
    Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (2022), Volume: 10
    Shridharan, R. V., Kalakuntla, N., Chirmule, N., Tiwari, B.
   
   
4. Evolution of increased early-life fecundity but faster reproductive senescence in Drosophila melanogaster females through adaptation to chronic live-yeast deprivation
    Evolution (2022)
    Dasgupta, P., Halder, S., Dari, D., Nabeel, P., Vajja, S. S., Nandy, B.
   
   
5. Shorter effective lifespan in laboratory populations of D. melanogaster might reduce sexual selection
    Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology (2022), Volume: 76, Article: 52
    Mittal, A., Sarangi, M., Nandy, B., Pandey, N., Joshi, A.
   
   
6. Three-dimensional visualization of viral structure, entry, and replication underlying the spread of SARS-CoV-2
    Chemical Reviews (2022), Volume: 122(17), Pages: 14066–14084
    Saville, J. W., Berezuk, A. M., Srivastava, S. S., Subramaniam, S.
   
   

2020 :

1. Absence of reproduction-immunity trade-off in male Drosophila melanogaster evolving under differential sexual selection
    BMC Evolutionary Biology (2020), Volume: 20, Article: 13
    Zeeshan, S. A., Gupta, V., Arun, M. G., Dhiman, A., Nandy, B., Prasad, N. G.
   
   

2019 :

1. Intergenerational paternal effect of adult density in Drosophila melanogaster
    Ecology and Evolution (2019)
    Dasgupta, P., Sarkar, S., Das, A. A., Verma, T., Nandy, B.
   
   

2018 :

1. Complex effects of Ayurvedic formulation – Guduchi and Madhuyashti, on different components of life-history may elude the elixir effect
    Journal of Genetics (2018), Volume: 97, Pages: 1253–1261
    Singh, S., Nandy, B., Tapadia, M. G.