Biological Sciences and Engineering, IITGN

Much like a roadmap, the genome is key to navigating various intricacies of any organism. In this dynamic system, mobile genetic elements, called transposable elements or ‘jumping genes’, help regulate and modify DNA based on requirement. A recent study shines light on an immobile version of these genes called THAP9 (Thanatos-associated protein), and its unexpected abundance in the oligodendrocytes of the human brain. However, its exact role in these cells, which are involved in nerve fibre insulation and nourishment, was not clear. To investigate further, researchers at IITGN combined multiple approaches. Large-scale datasets were screened to identify genes involved in oligodendrocyte development. This was followed by RNA sequence analysis, which allowed them to track and pinpoint the exact location of THAP activity, individually in each cell. They found that THAP9 is associated with and may regulate the development of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells into mature oligodendrocytes. Gene network and pathway analyses provided a better understanding of how THAP9 interacts with other regulators of oligodendrocyte development. The most interesting finding in this discovery is the evolution of THAP9 from ancient transposable elements into this repurposed, highly-specialised version in humans. Such outcomes open new doors to understanding brain development and future research on neurological disorders. The team includes Tanuja Bhardwaj, Dhrumi Patel, and Prof Sharmistha Majumdar. To read more, click the link in bio. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jn… #RnD #IITGN #IITGNResearchCapsules #ResearchCapsule #IITGNResearchers #Genetics #Neuroscience #BrainDevelopment #GeneRegulation #TransposableElements #THAP9 #MolecularBiology #HumanEvolution #Oligodendrocytes #NeuroResearch #STEM #ScienceCommunication

📢 BSE Seminar Alert📢 Join us for a talk by Dr. Pankaj Dubey (@UCBerkeley ) on light-activated signaling & protein dynamics in Cryptochrome-4 and its role in avian magnetoreception. 🗓𝟮𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 ⏰𝟭𝟬:𝟯𝟬 𝗔𝗠 📍 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝟲/𝟮𝟬𝟮 Don’t miss it! 🧬✨

𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗿 (𝗜𝗜𝗧𝗚𝗡) congratulates 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗮, professor, Biological Sciences and Engineering, for securing support from the 𝗔𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗔𝗡𝗥𝗙) under the Advanced Research Grant Scheme for his project titled “𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝘇𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆–𝗘𝟯 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘀.” The project aims to investigate disease-causing modifications in tau protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease and explore innovative strategies for their targeted clearance. #IITGNShines #AlzheimersDisease #TauProtein #Tauopathy #Neurodegeneration #ProteinAggregation #NanobodyTechnology #E3LigaseChimeras #IITGNResearch #ANRF #biomedicalresearch @EduMinOfIndia | @PIB_India | @ANRFIndia | @directoriitgn

Congratulations to PhD scholar Harshil Dave on receiving the InRes Young Scientist Award – Vikram Sarabhai Prize 2026! 🎉 Recognized for his research at IIT Gandhinagar on DGMS supramolecular hydrogel systems for minimally invasive procedures and wound healing.

The department congratulates Dr. Subramanian Sankaranarayanan on securing the ANRF Advanced Research Grant (ARG) for the project, “Deciphering the Epigenetic Regulation of Compatible Pollination in Arabidopsis thaliana.”🌱 #ANRF #ResearchGrant #PlantBiology #Epigenetics

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Rohil Jain as Assistant Professor (Grade I) in the Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering at IIT Gandhinagar, with a joint appointment in Mechanical Engineering. Welcome to the IITGN community! 🎉 #IITGN #BSE #FacultyIntroduction

𝗜𝗜𝗧𝗚𝗡 successfully hosted the 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗔𝗜 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, bringing together leading voices from 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗮, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 to deliberate on the expanding role of 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀. The two-day conclave featured 𝗸𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗸𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 by eminent researchers and clinicians, with discussions spanning 𝗔𝗜-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀, 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜-𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀. The sessions highlighted the growing importance of 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, bridging fundamental neuroscience, data science, and real-world clinical applications. A focused brainstorming and networking forum enabled participants to identify 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗔𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, while a concluding plenary panel reflected on future pathways for integrating AI innovation with 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀—emphasising collaboration as key to accelerating solutions for neurodegenerative disorders. #IITGN #NeuroAI #ArtificialIntelligence #Neuroscience #HealthcareInnovation #InterdisciplinaryResearch #ResearchExcellence @EduMinOfIndia | @PIB_India | @ANRFIndia | @BioSciEng_IITGN

🎉Congratulations to Ms. Hitasha Vithalani on winning the Best Poster Award at the PhD Research Showcase (Aug 2025 session)! Her achievement was further honored by Prof. Rajat Moona, Director of IITGN, during the 77th Republic Day celebrations. A proud moment for the department!

Join us for an exciting seminar on 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 by 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. Virender Sharma, University of Miami, USA. 🕝 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 𝟮:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 📍 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: 𝗔𝗕 𝟲/𝟮𝟬𝟮

📢We are pleased to invite you to a mini-symposium on Chronobiology 🕗🧬⚕️. The event will bring together exciting perspectives on how circadian clocks operate in different organisms and how they interface with chromatin and physiology. 📢🧑‍💼👩‍💼

At last our Dept. BSE @iitgn wrapped up the semester with an intellectually stimulating last weekend of poster presentations. From interns to MTechs and PhDs, our students showcased creativity, rigor, and some truly exciting science. Here’s a sneak peek.

IITGN takes pride in Prof Mukesh Dhanka’s achievement of receiving the Wilson Greatbatch Memorial Award at the INDO-TAIWAN BioHeal 2025, IIT Roorkee, for his patented hydrogel platform for tumor removal, published in the journal Small. #IITGN #FacultyAchievement #BioHeal2025

Advances in modern medicine rely on materials that can minimise risks to human health and the environment.

📢Seminar📢 Join us for an insightful interaction session by Dr. Anand N. Bhadalkar to discuss innovation management, research translation, and start-up development at various national and state-level forums, including career opportunities in entrepreneurship !!👩‍💼🧑‍💼

📢Seminar📢 Join us for an insightful talk by Prof. Madhulika Dixit from @iitmadras Topic: Insulin & impaired glucose metabolism: The atypical determinants of lymphocyte adherence 🗓️ Sep 8, 2025 | 11:30 AM Tea/snacks @ 11 AM Promise it won’t impair your glucose metabolism!🤭

📢 Join us at IIT Gandhinagar for a research seminar by Prof. Rahul N. Kanadia @KanadiaLab from @UConn on “How the minor spliceosome became a therapeutic target for metastatic cancer.” 📅 Aug 28, 2025 | 🕓 4 PM | 📍 AB 1-201 Don’t miss out on this exciting talk!

🎉Congrats to our MTech alumni, Abhishek Dharvia & Sebika Panja, for winning the Best Poster Award at the PG Research Showcase (Apr 2025)! Proud moment for the Dept. of Biological Sciences & Engg, IITGN! 🌟

@iitgn @EduMinOfIndia @ANRFIndia @PIB_India @BhaskarIITGN @gsbtm @RTI_UMassChan @rnarevealed @PhoreMostLtd @Alnylam @RepareRx Gratefully acknowledge the kind support of @iitgn @BioSciEng_IITGN and Prof. @Bhaskar5313558 in facilitating this research. Read the full research article here: doi.org/10.1038/s41597…

Modern cancer research is advancing towards personalised treatment strategies that target the unique molecular characteristics of an individual patient’s tumours.

Heartiest congratulations to Mr. Abhishek Dharvia on securing a position as a Management Trainee in the Med Tech division at Zydus! We are very proud of your MTech journey with us and wish you continued success in your future endeavors.