The RCB flagship research program focuses on developing antivirals against medically important bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens. Briefly, the program focuses on dengue, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis (JEV). JEV and dengue replication processes are being investigated to identify drug targets. Additionally, bacterial infections, immune disorders and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract are also being studied. Pathogens such as Salmonella and Candida are being studied using state-of-the art murine and cell culture models. Research in these sub-programs are directed to identify drug targets to overcome multidrug resistance.

Understanding mechanisms underlying diseases, identification of biomarkers and therapeutics by targeting molecular processes are the overarching goals of molecular medicine research at RCB. Developmental disorders of the muscle like myopathies, diseases due to misfolded proteins like neurodegenerative disorders, and cancers like rhabdomyosarcoma are being studied to find therapeutic targets by understanding developmental pathways, mechanisms of protein folding & aggregation and rogue stem cells. Additionally, biomarkers and drug targets are being investigated for inflammation and innate & adaptive immune response in viral infections like dengue, hemolytic disorders like paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria & sickle cell anaemia, metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and autoimmune diseases like lupus.

We are studying various cellular and subcellular processes using in vitro and in vivo animal models as well as clinical samples for understanding diseases including cancer, developmental disorders, metabolic syndromes and skin pigmentary disorders. We aim to understand the cell biological mechanisms that underlie human health and disease, pivoting our investigations around membrane trafficking, calcium signalling, organelle biology, inter-organelle crosstalk, intercellular communication and novel drug delivery systems. Further, our studies aim to develop translational strategies for targeted drug delivery against various diseases.

Research in this area focuses on multi-disciplinary approaches to enhance plant attributes, such as combating (a)biotic stress, improving biomass processing for biofuel production, and nutrient uptake properties. As a part of this endeavor, defense signaling pathways, in the context of functions of immune modulators and pathogen-driven manipulation during disease incidence, are being investigated in model and crop plant systems. In parallel, bio-safe formulations and gene-editing delivery approaches are being developed to potentiate plant stress tolerance and engineer transgene-free improved crop varieties.

Scientists are working to engineer microorganisms (like bacteria and yeast) and the biological pathways within them to become tiny factories for producing valuable products. This involves two key aspects:

Development of RNA Synthetic Biology Tools: Researchers are engineering RNA devices, like synthetic riboswitches, to control genes in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, with the goal of reprogramming organisms for biomedical uses. Additionally, small molecules are being developed to target specific RNA structures, offering potential therapeutic applications such as new antibacterial and anticancer drugs.

Development and understanding the microbial pathways and enzymes: The laboratory specializes in engineering microbes and proteins for innovative applications in agriculture, sustainability, human health, and bioenergy. The team employs a combination of synthetic biology, biochemistry, and functional genomics to enhance their understanding of microbial systems and improve the synthesis of bioproducts.

The function of most biological macromolecules is deeply linked to their three-dimensional structure. Structural Biology involves the elucidation of three-dimensional structure of target macromolecules and their complexes in order to obtain deep insight regarding the mechanism utilised to achieve function. In RCB, there are four structural biology groups and they aim to unearth molecular mechanisms associated with (a) attachment of bacteria to host cells (Prof. K. Vengadesan) (b) regulation of gene expression (Prof. Deepti Jain) (c) genome replication & repair (Prof. Deepak T. Nair) and (d) protein synthesis by translation (Dr. Prem S. Kaushal). In addition to providing fundamental mechanistic insight about the biological processes under scrutiny, the information obtained from these studies is also utilised to screen for or design inhibitors that can serve as lead molecules for the discovery of novel drugs against pathogenic bacteria and viruses.