Research
Circadian clocks: Our broad interest lies in understanding how organisms perceive time. Processes by which external time is integrated by molecular and cellular machinery that helps organisms to sync with the external world and anticipate daily and seasonal changes also interest us. We are interested in knowing how circadian clocks keep physiology ready for upcoming events.
Sleep: Sleep is controlled by two distinct processes - circadian clock and homeostatic system, while former sets limits on the time of onset and termination of sleep, later process is believed to control urge and quality of the sleep. We are interested in knowing how sleep drive is build and how it is executed.
Neurodegeneration and dementia: To understand the role of circadian clocks and sleep in human health, we using fly model of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. We are interested in understanding molecular and cellular basis of dementia during neurodegeneration. Apart from the neurodegenerative processes, we are also interested in understanding age related dementia. Our future interests lie in how brain injuries specifically impact short and long term memory. We are using widely used olfactory conditioning assays for this purpose.
Future interests: Previously we have worked on the circadian rhythms of ants and found there are circadian consequences of social organization and different castes of ant differ in their circadian behavior. In future we are interested in unravelling circadian neuronal network of ants and dissect out the circuitry level differences in different castes. Ant queens undergo many anatomical and physiological changes after mating, we are interested in understanding how these changes impact circadian neuronal network. Further we are interested in understanding the role of epigenetic factors in shaping circadian organization and cross talk between circadian and social organizations.
Sleep: Sleep is controlled by two distinct processes - circadian clock and homeostatic system, while former sets limits on the time of onset and termination of sleep, later process is believed to control urge and quality of the sleep. We are interested in knowing how sleep drive is build and how it is executed.
Neurodegeneration and dementia: To understand the role of circadian clocks and sleep in human health, we using fly model of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. We are interested in understanding molecular and cellular basis of dementia during neurodegeneration. Apart from the neurodegenerative processes, we are also interested in understanding age related dementia. Our future interests lie in how brain injuries specifically impact short and long term memory. We are using widely used olfactory conditioning assays for this purpose.
Future interests: Previously we have worked on the circadian rhythms of ants and found there are circadian consequences of social organization and different castes of ant differ in their circadian behavior. In future we are interested in unravelling circadian neuronal network of ants and dissect out the circuitry level differences in different castes. Ant queens undergo many anatomical and physiological changes after mating, we are interested in understanding how these changes impact circadian neuronal network. Further we are interested in understanding the role of epigenetic factors in shaping circadian organization and cross talk between circadian and social organizations.