The Department of Biochemistry within the School of Basic and Applied Sciences started as an independent department in 2015 (Previously known as Centre for Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences). The Department has nationally and internationally trained faculty with wide research and teaching experience.

Vision
Biochemistry is the specialized branch of the life sciences devoted to understand the biological processes and their regulation with applications in Biotechnology and Medicine. Through our M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, we envision to prepare students for the future by imparting quality education of the basic, applied and advanced aspects in life sciences with an emphasis on Biochemistry to achieve the goal to enrich the human life.

Mission

• To provide a broad based knowledge in concepts and principles of life sciences with specialization in biochemistry.
• To identify and work on local and global thrust area that needs Biochemical interventions.
• The mission of the department is to train competent professional biochemists with the knowledge, skills and values required to address the need for high-level manpower across the nation.
• To produce trained students with creative, innovative and inventive research aptitude by providing hands-on training on biochemical techniques.

Research Thrust Areas

1. Anti-cancer Drug Discovery
2. Biochemical Activities of Natural Products
3. Disease Immunology with emphasis on T cell Immunity
4. Host-Microbe Interactions
5. Systems Biology
6. Bioprocesses Development
7. Non-coding RNAs in Cancer Biology
8. Lipophagy and Lipolysis
9. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing

Faculty

1. Prof. Ramakrishna Wusirika, Professor
   Profile     Publications
   
   • Biochemical and molecular approaches to understand interactions among plant growth promoting bacteria, their host (wheat and rice) and soil microbiome under normal and abiotic stress conditions
   • Rice callus suspension culture as a promising anticancer agent
     
2. Dr. Shashank Kumar, Assistant Professor
   Profile     Publications
   
   • Identification of lead natural product/ secondary metabolites/ semisynthetic/ synthetic compounds alone or in combination for the management of cancer and other diseases using biochemical/molecular/computer-aided drug discovery approach.
   • Role of miRNAs in cancer pathophysiology and cellular aging.
3. Dr. Manju Jain, Assistant Professor
   Profile     Publications
   
   • Understanding Immunobiology of diseases associated with an abnormal T cell immune response: With a thrust on understanding how T cells are modulated in disease conditions, I seek to answer the molecular mechanistic of disease associated T cell changes in terms of peripheral dysregulation and possible involvement of thymic changes, affecting peripheral T cell immunity. Presently working on Infectious diseases and Autoimmune diseases.
4. Dr. Vinay Kumar Bari, Assistant Professor
   Profile     Publications
   
   • Investigate the molecular mechanism of lipolysis and lipophagy in Pichia pastoris and how sterol exchange affects antifungal drug resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
   • CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing in plants.
5. Dr. Ravindresh Chhabra, Assistant Professor
   Profile     Publications
   
   • Elucidation of the role of non-coding RNAs in the origin and progression of cancer with the aim to identify diagnostic and therapeutic targets

Non-Teaching Staff

1. Mr. Deepak Sharma, Laboratory Attendant

Academic Programmes Offered

• 2020-22
  • M.Sc Biochemistry
  • Ph.D BioChemistry
• 2019-21
• M.Sc. Biochemistry
• Ph.D. Biochemistry

Syllabi

• 2020-22
• 2019-21

Laboratory Facilities

The department has the following equipment:

• Autoclaves
• BOD incubator
• Centrifuge
• Digital analytical balance
• Fluorescence Microscope
• Gel Documentation system
• Ice flaking Machine
• Incubator shaker
• Laminar air flow cabinet
• Luminometer
• Microscopes
• Millipore Water Purification System
• Mini sub cell GT–horizontal gel electrophoresis unit
• PCR machine
• Refrigerators (40 and -200)
• Rotamantle
• Spectrophotometer
• Temperature controlled CO2 Incubator
• Water Bath

DST-FIST Equipment

• Multi-mode plate reader with Nanodrop
• Digital inverted microscope with camera (Cell imaging system)
• Real-time PCR system
• Biochemistry analyzer (Fully automated)

The department has access to well-equipped teaching and research laboratories with the following equipment:

• Cell culture facility
• CO2 incubators
• DNA sequencer
• Gel documentation system
• Laminar air flow cabinets
• Real-time PCR
• Ultra-low temperature freezers (-800)

The department also has access to the following equipment in the Central Instrumentation Laboratory (CIL):

• Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS)
• Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM)
• Clinical Chemistry Analyzer
• Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM)
• Fluorescence Microscope
• Flow Cytometer
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR)
• Gas Chromatography (FID/TCD)
• Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS)
• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS)
• Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC)
• UV-Vis Spectroscopy

List of the Research Project Operational in the Department

S.No.	Project Particulars	Associated Faculty
1.	Identification of best combination of plant growth-promoting bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizae for enhancing yield and nutrient content of wheat and dissecting associated biological pathways using proteomics and metabolomics. Funded by DST-SERB, New Delhi, India. (38.2 Lakhs) (2017-2020)	Prof. Ramakrishna Wusirika
2.	Microbial community structure of agricultural and non-agricultural soil of Bathinda, Punjab and growth promoting activity of metal-resistant bacteria in wheat, rice and chickpea (completed). Funded by Central University of Punjab, Punjab, India (03 Lakhs) (2016-2018)	Prof. Ramakrishna Wusirika
3.	Structural and functional characterization of human CHST11 and CHST13 Sulfotransferases Involved in the regulation of Metastasis and Chemosensitivity of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma funded by DBT New Delhi, India (2020-2023).	Dr. Malkhey Verma
4.	Mathematical modelling in tandem with experimental approaches to create miRNA therapeutic agents and the effective use of poly-pharmaceuticals against imatinib resistant BCR-ABL positive leukemic cells (completed), Funded by Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India (2016-2018)	Dr. Malkhey Verma
5.	Effect of Withania somnifera phytoconstituents on miRNA expression profile in breast cells: Therapeutic and Cytoprotective role.  Funded by DST-SERB, New Delhi, India. (50 Lakhs) (2017-2021)	Dr. Shashank K.
6.	Identification and validation of novel notch signaling pathway inhibitors as potential anticancer agents of natural origin. Funded by UGC, New Delhi, India. (10 Lakhs) (2017-2019)	Dr. Shashank K.
7.	Combination therapy for treatment of triple negative breast cancer (Technically approved).  Funding Agency: ICMR, New Delhi, India. (≈41Lakhs) (2020-2023)	Dr. Shashank K.
8.	To study the molecular mechanism of natural compounds as Notch Signaling inhibitor in cancer cell lines: in silico and in vitro investigation(completed). Funded by Central University of Punjab, Punjab, India (03 Lakhs) (2016-2018)	Dr. Shashank K.
9.	I Investigating the role of thymus in mediating host immune- modulation in Visceral Leishmaniasis. Funded by DST-SERB, New Delhi, India. (30.3 Lakhs) (2014-2018)	Dr. Manju Jain
10.	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. Funded by Central University of Punjab, Punjab, India         (03 Lakhs) (2018-2020)	Dr. Manju Jain
11.	Understanding the role of candidate microRNAs in Psoriasis patients with an Immunological Perspective. Funded by UGC, New Delhi, India. (10 lakhs) (2019-2021)	Dr. Manju Jain
12.	Molecular and Immunological Investigation of leishmaniasis from an unusual foci of cutaneous and visceral disease in India and Nepal. Funded by ICGEB, Trieste, Italy under Corraborative Research Project Grant. (Euros 39000/-) (2020-2023)	Dr. Manju Jain
13.	IInvestigating impact of farnesol on sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway modulating membrane targeting antifungal drug resistance in Candida funded by Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India (03 Lakhs) (2020-2022)	Dr. Vinay Bari

 

List of Publication

• W. Ramakrishna, A. Kumari, N. Rahman, P. Mandave, Anticancer activities of plant secondary metabolites: Rice callus suspension culture as a new paradigm. Rice Science (in press) (2020) (IF 3.16)
• R. Yadav, P. Ror, P. Rathore, W. Ramakrishna, Bacteria from native soil in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi augment wheat yield and biofortification, Plant Physiol. Biochem. 150 (2020) 222–233. doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.02.039. (IF 3.72)
• W. Ramakrishna, P. Rathore, R. Kumari, R. Yadav, Brown gold of marginal soil: Plant growth promoting bacteria to overcome plant abiotic stress for agriculture, biofuels and carbon sequestration, Sci. Total Environ. 711 (2020) 135062. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135062. (IF 6.55)
• W. Ramakrishna, R. Yadav, K. Li, Plant growth promoting bacteria in agriculture: Two sides of a coin, Appl. Soil Ecol. 138 (2019) 10–18. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.02.019. (IF 3.19)
• N. Dogra, R. Yadav, M. Kaur, A. Adhikary, S. Kumar, W. Ramakrishna, Nutrient enhancement of chickpea grown with plant growth promoting bacteria in local soil of Bathinda, Northwestern India, Physiol. Mol. Biol. Plants. 25 (2019) 1251–1259. doi:10.1007/s12298-019-00661-9. (IF 2.01)
• R.K. Srivastava, N. Akhtar, M. Verma, S.B. Imandi, Primary metabolites from overproducing microbial system using sustainable substrates, Biotechnol. Appl. Biochem. (2020). doi:10.1002/bab.1927. (IF 1.559)
• G. Kaur, S.K. Gupta, P. Singh, V. Ali, V. Kumar, M. Verma, Drug-metabolizing enzymes: role in drug resistance in cancer, Clin. Transl. Oncol. (2020). doi:10.1007/s12094-020-02325-7. (IF2.441)
• V. Sharma, S.K. Gupta, M. Verma, Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase in the metabolism of the anticancer drugs, Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 84 (2019) 1157–1166. doi:10.1007/s00280-019-03936-w. (IF 3.008)
• A. Neog, P. Singh, S.K. Gupta, M. Verma, miRNA-An Alternative Therapy for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Asian Pacific J. Heal. Sci. 6 (2019) 162–176. doi:10.21276/apjhs.2019.6.1.24. (IF 0.778).
• M.R. Sawaya, M. Verma, V. Balendiran, N.P. Rath, D. Cascio, G.K. Balendiran, Characterization of WY 14,643 and its Complex with Aldose Reductase, Sci. Rep. 6 (2016) 34394. doi:10.1038/srep34394. (IF 5.273)
• S. Gupta, A.K. Singh, P.P. Kushwaha, K.S. Prajapati, M. Shuaib, S. Senapati, S. Kumar, Identification of potential natural inhibitors of SARS-CoV2 main protease by molecular docking and simulation studies, J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn. (2020) 1–12. doi:10.1080/07391102.2020.1776157. (IF 3.310)
• S. Gupta, A.K. Singh, K.S. Prajapati, P.P. Kushwaha, M. Shuaib, S. Kumar, Emerging role of ZBTB7A as an oncogenic driver and transcriptional repressor, Cancer Lett. 483 (2020) 22–34. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2020.04.015. (IF 7.360)
• P.P. Kushwaha, S. Gupta, A.K. Singh, K.S. Prajapati, M. Shuaib, S. Kumar, MicroRNA Targeting Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidases in Cancer, Antioxid. Redox Signal. 32 (2020) 267–284. doi:10.1089/ars.2019.7918. (IF 6.323)
• P.P. Kushwaha, S. Gupta, A.K. Singh, S. Kumar, Emerging Role of Migration and Invasion Enhancer 1 (MIEN1) in Cancer Progression and Metastasis, Front. Oncol. 9 (2019) 868. doi:10.3389/fonc.2019.00868. (IF 4.484)
• P.P. Kushwaha, P.S. Vardhan, P. Kapewangolo, M. Shuaib, S.K. Prajapati, A.K. Singh, S. Kumar, Bulbine frutescens phytochemical inhibits notch signaling pathway and induces apoptosis in triple negative and luminal breast cancer cells, Life Sci. 234 (2019) 116783. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116783. (IF 3.647)
• L. Thakur, H.R. Kushwaha, A. Negi, A. Jain and M. Jain, Leptomonas seymouri co-infection in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis cases caused by Leishmania donovani from Himachal Pradesh, India. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. (2020) doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00345 (IF 3.5)
• L. Thakur, K.K. Singh, H.R. Kushwaha, S.K. Sharma, V. Shankar, A. Negi, G. Verma, S. Kumari, A. Jain, M. Jain, Leishmania donovani Infection with Atypical Cutaneous Manifestations, Himachal Pradesh, India, 2014–2018, Emerg. Infect. Dis. 26 (2020). doi:10.3201/eid2608.191761. (IF 7.4)
• L. Thakur, K.K. Singh, V. Shanker, A. Negi, A. Jain, G. Matlashewski, M. Jain, Atypical leishmaniasis: A global perspective with emphasis on the Indian subcontinent, PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 12 (2018) e0006659. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006659. (IF 4.3)
• V. Nadella, S. Singh, A. Jain, M. Jain, K.M. Vasquez, A. Sharma, P. Tanwar, G.K. Rath, H. Prakash, Low dose radiation primed iNOS + M1macrophages modulate angiogenic programming of tumor derived endothelium, Mol. Carcinog. 57 (2018) 1664–1671. doi:10.1002/mc.22879. (IF 3.8)
• R. Saluja, A. Kumar, M. Jain, S.K. Goel, A. Jain, Role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate in Mast Cell Functions and Asthma and Its Regulation by Non-Coding RNA, Front. Immunol. 8 (2017) 587. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.00587. (IF 6.4)
• R. Chhabra, let-7i-5p, miR-181a-2-3p and EGF/PI3K/SOX2 axis coordinate to maintain cancer stem cell population in cervical cancer, Sci. Rep. 8 (2018) 7840. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-26292-w. (IF 4.122)
• R. Chhabra, miRNA and methylation: A multifaceted liaison, ChemBioChem. 16 (2015) 195–203. doi:10.1002/cbic.201402449. (IF 3.088)
• R. Chhabra, N. Saini, microRNAs in cancer stem cells: current status and future directions., Tumour Biol. 35 (2014) 8395–8405. doi:10.1007/s13277-014-2264-7. (IF 3.650)
• A. Goel, R. Chhabra, S. Ahmad, A.K. Prasad, V.S. Parmar, B. Ghosh, N. Saini, DAMTC regulates cytoskeletal reorganization and cell motility in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line: an integrated proteomics and transcriptomics approach, Cell Death Dis. 3 (2012) e402. doi:10.1038/cddis.2012.141. (IF 5.959)
• R. Chhabra, R. Dubey, N. Saini, Gene expression profiling indicate role of ER stress in miR-23a~27a~24-2 cluster induced apoptosis in HEK293T cells., Rna Biol. 8 (2011) 648–64. doi:10.4161/rna.8.4.15583. (IF 5.477)
• L. Iasur Kruh, V.K. Bari, J. Abu-Nassar, O. Lidor, R. Aly, Characterization of an endophytic bacterium (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), originating from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and its ability to inhabit the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca, Plant Signal. Behav. 15 (2020) 1766292. doi:10.1080/15592324.2020.1766292. (IF 1.644)
• V.K. Bari, J.A. Nassar, S.M. Kheredin, A. Gal-On, M. Ron, A. Britt, D. Steele, J. Yoder, R. Aly, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE 8 in tomato provides resistance against the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca, Sci. Rep. 9 (2019) 11438. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-47893-z. (IF 4.2)
• M. Alfatah, V.K. Bari, A.S. Nahar, S. Bijlani, K. Ganesan, Critical role for CaFEN1 and CaFEN12 of Candida albicans in cell wall integrity and biofilm formation, Sci. Rep. 7 (2017) 40281. doi:10.1038/srep40281. (IF 4.5)
• V.K. Bari, S. Sharma, M. Alfatah, A.K. Mondal, K. Ganesan, Plasma Membrane Proteolipid 3 Protein Modulates Amphotericin B Resistance through Sphingolipid Biosynthetic Pathway, Sci. Rep. 5 (2015) 9685. doi:10.1038/srep09685. (IF 4.5)
• S. Sharma, M. Alfatah, V.K. Bari, Y. Rawal, S. Paul, K. Ganesan, Sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway genes FEN1 and SUR4 modulate amphotericin B resistance, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 58 (2014) 2409–2414. doi:10.1128/AAC.02130-13. (IF 4.5)

Post-Doctoral Fellows

1. Dr. Hemendra Yadav (UGC Dr. D. S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship)

PhD Students

1. Anuradha Kumari
2. Atul Kumar Singh (CSIR JRF)
3. Kumari Sunita Prajapati (DBT JRF)
4. Mohd Suhaib (ICMR SRF)
5. Pankaj Ror (DST-SERB project JRF)
6. Parikshita Rathore (CSIR NET SRF)
7. Prem Prakash Kushwaha (UGC-CSIR JRF; ICMR SRF)
8. Priyanka Madaan (DBT SRF)
9. Priyanka Singh (CSIR-NET JRF)
10. Radheshyam Yadav (UGC NET SRF)
11. Rahul Beniwal (CSIR NET SRF)
12. Sonu Kumar Gupta
13. Veerandra Kumar (CSIR-NET JRF)
14. Villayat Ali (CSIR-NET SRF)

Activities in the Department