Dr

Contact Info
Shahnaz Raman Lone
Department of Zoology, Central University of Punjab
Shahnaz Raman Lone

Ramanujan Fellow
Department of Zoology
School of Basic and Applied Sciences

Qualification

PhD

Experience
Teaching Experience
(8 Years)
Research Experience
(15 Years)
Administrative Experience
(AAC member- from Dec. 2016 to 2021)

Member sectary IEC (from 2018-2021)

 

 

Research Area

Circadian Rhythms

Sleep

Mechanosensory Biology

Neurodegeneration

Research Interests

Circadian clocks: Our broad interest lies in understanding how organisms perceive time. Processes that integrate external time and convey it to the molecular and cellular machinery that helps organisms sync with the external world and anticipate daily and seasonal changes. 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 built and its role in forgetting in neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegeneration and dementia:  To understand the role of circadian clocks and sleep in neurodegenerative diseases, we use the fruit fly as a model. We are interested in understanding the molecular and cellular basis of dementia. Apart from the neurodegenerative processes, we are also interested in understanding age-related dementia. Our future interests lie in how brain injuries, specifically memory. We are using widely used olfactory conditioning assays for this purpose.

 

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Research Grants/Projects

Ramanujan Fellowship-2016

Extra mural grant from SERB/DST  (2019-2022)

Professional Affiliation

University of Kashmir (Masters degree)

JNCASR, Bangalore (PhD)

Department of Neurology,

School of medicine,

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, USA (Postdoctoral fellow)

The University of Fribourg, Switzerland (Postdoctoral fellow)

Professional Recognition/Awards/Scholarships
  1. Gold medal for best PhD thesis from JNCASR Bangalore (2011).
  2. Ramanujan Fellowship-2016.
  3. Visiting scientist University of Fribourg (2019).
Research Collaboration

JNCASR, Bangalore

 

Publications
Papers
  1. Amyloid-beta-mediated forgetting in flies is mediated by dopamine, sleep and neuronal excitability. Jenifer C. Kaldun*, Shahnaz Rahman Lone*, Ana M. Humbert Camps, Cornelia Fritsch, Yves F. Widmer, Jens V. Stein, Seth M. Tomchik, and Simon G. Sprecher *Equal first author. (Accepted in PLOS Biology).
  2. Mechanosensory stimulation via Nanchung expressing neurons can induce daytime sleep in Drosophila. Shahnaz Rahman Lone*, Sheetal Potdar, Archana Venkataraman, Nisha Sharma, Rutvij K Kulkarni, Sushma Rao, Sukriti Mishra, Vasu Sheeba* and Vijay Kumar Sharma. *Corresponding author. (2021-Journal of Neuroscience).
  3. Social experience is sufficient to modulate sleep need of Drosophila without increasing wakefulness. Lone SR, Potdar S, Srivastava M, Sharma VK. (PloS One 2016;11(3):e0150596).
  4. Or47b-neurons promote male-mating success in Drosophila. Lone SR, Venkataraman A, Srivastava M, Potdar S, Sharma VK. Biology letters 2015; 11(5).
  5. Sleep Interacts with Ab to Modulate Intrinsic Neuronal Excitability. Tabuchi M, Lone SR, Liu S, Liu Q, Zhang J, Spira AP, Wu MN. Current Biology 2015; 25:1-11. (Commentary on paper by Alex C. Keene and William J. Joiner Neurodegeneration: Paying It Off with Sleep)
  6. Or47b receptor neurons mediate socio-sexual interactions in fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster. Lone SR, Sharma VK. Journal of Biological Rhythms 2012; 2:107-116.
  7. Circadian consequence of socio-sexual interactions in fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster. Lone SR, Sharma VK. PloS One 2011; 12:e28336.
  8. Timekeeping through social contacts: social synchronization of circadian locomotor activity rhythm in the carpenter ant Camponotus paria. Lone SR, Sharma VK. Chronobiology International 2011; 10:862-872.
  9. Social synchronization of circadian locomotor activity in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Lone SR, Sharma VK Journal of Experimental Biology 2011; 214:3742-3750.
  10. Cyclic presence and absence of conspecifics alters clock phase but does not entrain the locomotor rhythm of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Lone SR, Sadanandappa MK, Sharma VK. Chronobiology International 2011; 6:497-508.
  11. Short and long day responses in the pre-adult developmental durations of two species of Camponotus ants. Lone SR, Ilangovan V, Murugan M, Sharma VK. Chronobiology International 2011; 2:163-169.
  12. Sex and age related changes in the locomotor activity and phototactic behaviors of two closely related species of Camponotus ants. Lone SR, Chakravarthi A, Sharma VK. Journal of Insect Physiology 2012; 1:75-82.
  13. Circadian resonance in the development of two sympatric species of Camponotus ants. Lone SR, Ilangovan V, Murugan M, Sharma VK. Journal of Insect Physiology 2010; 56:1611-6.
  14. Exposure to light enhances pre-adult fitness in two dark-dwelling sympatric species of ants. Lone SR and Sharma VK.BMC Developmental Biology 2008; 8:113.
  15. Possible evidence for shift work schedules in the media workers of the ant species Camponotus compressus. Sharma VK, Lone SR, Mathew D, Goel A, Chandrashekaran MK. Chronobiology International 2004; 21:297-308.
  16. Circadian consequences of social organization in the ant species Camponotus compressus. Sharma VK, Lone SR, Goel A, Chandrashekaran MK. Naturwissenschaften. 2004; 91:386-390.
  17. Clock for sex: loss of circadian rhythms in ants after mating? Sharma VK,Lone SR, Goel A. Naturwissenschaften. 2004; 91:334-7.
Research Guidance

PhD (2 ongoings)

Masters (14)

Conference/ Workshops/Seminars Attended
University Level

Participated in in-house symposia of JNCASR held in Nov. 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.

Attended Brain night talk series held in Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 2011-2012.

National

Drosophila meeting, 2020

International
  1. Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conference (APDRC5) held at IISER Pune from Jan 6-Jan 10, 2020.
  2. Indo-US conference Indo-US Workshop and International Symposium on Biological Timing, University of Delhi held at -21-24 Feb 2017.
  3. System biology of brain-University of Fribourg 24-25 August 2015.
  4. Clock meeting (U-Penn School of medicine) 18th Nov. 2011.
  5. Neuroscience retreat. Johns Hopkins University department of neuroscience (9-11 Sep. 2011).
Conference/ Workshops/Seminars Organised
 

 

Invited Talks/ Resource Person
1. Role of social interactions in circadian synchrony. (Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore- August 2011).
2. Role of Or47b neurons in nocturnal sex driver in Drosophila melanogaster
(Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Farms Ashburn May 2012).
3. Socio-sexual interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali- June- 2013.
Citations

378