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Lab Members
Dr.Anu PV (August 2018 -August 2025)
Anu has always been fascinated by the diversity of life. His interest in various life forms developed into a hobby of collecting a variety of animal and plant species, especially butterflies and ferns. Therefore, it was only natural that he chose Biology as his field of study. Anu acknowledges the contribution of his parents in encouraging and motivating him to choose his own life path. Anu excelled in his academic career all through as a young student. Anu saved some money to buy a simple microscope to observe life in a bit more detail and spent hours examining anything that he could lay his hands on, starting from blood cells from different species. Anu completed M.Sc. in Biotechnology from Department of Biotechnology, the University of Kerala in 2017, ranking first. During this period, he did an internship under DBT- Biotech Industrial Training Programme (BITP) at Novozymes Bangalore, worked on ‘enzyme application in herbal extraction’. Anu enjoyed attending conferences and scientific meetings that he feels enhanced his horizon. Anu is fascinated by the advent of recombinant DNA technology and hopes to employ some of the tools to address long-standing questions in stem cell biology. He works on the metabolic regulation of hematopoietic emergence in the mouse embryo. Anu is an artist at heart, loves clay craft, gardening (he loves growing ferns), watching sci-fi movies.
Contact: anupv18@iisertvm.ac.in
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Dr.Shubham Mehatre (August 2018-October 2025)
Shubham joined the lab in Aug. 2018 for his Ph.D. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology in May 2018. Initially intrigued with the attention that stem cells were receiving, Shubham explored literature from the field during his undergraduate courses and decided to work in the field. During his courses, he worked on a project based on cancer biology and explored how the interaction between IGF2BP1 and p38 MAPK can play a role in cancer progression. For his Ph.D. research, he is working on integrin signaling in spleen hematopoiesis and HSC niche in this tissue. Shubham likes to enjoy life outdoors. He likes to watch fictional and crime web series, his favourite being Sherlock Holmes. He likes spending time with friends and believes that friends are the greatest gift.
Contact : shmehatre18@iisertvm.ac.in
Dhanagovind P T (August 2021 onwards)
PhD Scholar
Dhanagovind joined the lab as a PhD student in 2021 August. He graduated from National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneshwar with Integrated MSc degree in Life Sciences. His dissertation project was focussed on host-pathogen interaction studies under Dr. Sanjita Benerjee at NISER. Later, he worked as project assistant in the same lab understanding host innate immune responses in Staphylococcus epidermidis-Zebrafish infection model, the findings are now published in the Journal of Immunology. For his PhD research he is focusing on maintenance and regulation of neural stem cells. Apart from research, he is a passionate foodie who loves cooking and food arts. He likes to spend his free time reading fiction, listening to music, wandering in nature and day dreaming.
Contact: dhanagovind21@iisertvm.ac.in
Harsh Agrawal (January 2023 onwards)
IPhD Scholar
Harsh joined the lab as an integrated Ph.D. student in 2023 January. During graduation at DUVASA Mathura, he worked on a project aiming molecular cloning and characterization of the SmaI gene. As he continued his studies and delved into the scientific literature, Harsh encountered the concept of fetal liver hematopoiesis, a specific phase of blood cell development that occurs during the embryonic period. For his Ph.D. research, he is focusing on understanding the pathways involved in fetal liver hematopoiesis. Outside the lab, he enjoys indulging in his love for Marvel movies, savoring diverse cuisines as a true foodie, and embarking on adventures to explore new and exciting places.
Contact: harshagr21@iisertvm.ac.in
Tejashwini Singh M (August 2024 onwards)
PhD Scholar
Tejashwini,hailing from Bangalore, completed her Bachelor’s degree at Dayananda Sagar University and earned her Master’s from the University of Mysore. Her Master’s dissertation, titled “Casein Peptide Therapeutics in Parkinson’s Disease – A Rational Approach,” strengthened her passion for neuroscience and therapeutic research. She is currently pursuing her PhD, where her work focuses on understanding the metabolic regulation and maintenance of neural stem cells. Beyond academia, Tejashwini is an avid animal lover actively involved in rescue efforts. She is also a stationery enthusiast and enjoys horror movies and basketball in her leisure time.
Contact: tejsm24@iisertvm.ac.in
Somenath Paul (August 2024 onwards)
PhD Scholar
Somenath joined the lab in August 2024 for doctoral research. He completed Master’s degree in Zoology from West Bengal State University, Kolkata. In Master’s dissertation, he studied the antioxidative and tissue recovery effects of phytochemicals in the Fischer rat model. As a JRF in Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, he worked on developing molecular scaffolds with the potential of targeted anticancer and selective transmembrane ion transportation activities for therapeutic interventions. His PhD research goal is understanding metabolic regulations of embryonic and adult hematopoiesis in mice models. Apart from research, he likes sketching, playing soccer and watching films.
Contact: snpaul241@iisertvm.ac.in
Jenisha Persis J (August 2025 onwards)
PhD Scholar
Jenisha, joined the lab as a Ph.D. student in 2025, bringing with her the academic background in biological sciences and prior research experience in cell and molecular biology. During her Master’s, she worked on membrane trafficking, which sparked her curiosity about how cells regulate complex processes during development. Her doctoral research now focuses on hematopoietic stem cells, with an aim to uncover the molecular cues that guide their fate and function. Outside the lab, Jenisha enjoys the thrill of Formula 1 race weekends, and rewatching her favorite sitcoms for comfort and a good laugh and never misses a chance to talk about her cat back home.
Contact: jenishajames3125@iisertvm.ac.in
Major Project Students
A Adheena Lakshmi (July 2025 - July 2026)
Major Project Student
Adheena joined the lab in June 2025 for her major project. She was a 2024 Khorana Scholar, and her interests lie in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, and she aspires to become an independent researcher. Currently, she is working on understanding the metabolic regulation of hematopoietic emergence in AGM in mice models. From dance floors to quiet corners with a book to stepping into leadership roles, she’s a curious multitasker—always juggling her passions with a hint of mischief and plenty of energy.
Contact: aadheenalakshmi21@iisertvm.ac.in
Abhiram Mahesh(July 2025-July 2026)
Major Project Student
Abhiram joined the lab in June 2025 for his major project. He is a passionate researcher with a
keen interest in the underlying molecular mechanisms in stem cell biology, niche interactions,
and regenerative medicine. Beyond labwork, Abhiram enjoys watching movies and web series,
traveling, and capturing moments through photography and videography. Abhiram follows the
mantra “When you can’t change the direction of wind,adjust the sails” in his worklife.
Contact: abhirammahesh21@iisertvm.ac.in
Ninad Mundayoor (July 2025 - July 2026)
Major Project Student
Ninad joined the lab for his major project in 2025. He is deeply interested in stem cells and regenerative medicine, driven by the goal of understanding their biology and translating it to improve patient care. His project focuses on examining the hematopoietic stem cell niche in the spleen and bone marrow, aiming to uncover how and why these cells function as they do. He prefers starting work early and finishing early unless work demands otherwise. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing football, watching MARVEL, reading fiction, and likes to watch anime, top recommendations being Vinland Saga and Attack on Titan.
Contact: ninad21@iisertvm.ac.in
Pavitrapreeti V(July 2025 - July 2026)
Major Project Student
Pavitra joined the Stem Cell Biology Lab in August 2025 as a major student. Her primary interest lies in exploring the niche physiology of stem cells, with a special curiosity for their microenvironment and functional dynamics. Beyond research, She is an avid movie lover and enjoys playing sports when she gets a chance. Sharing laughs with friends keeps her grounded. Apart from this, she absolutely adores dogs—they’re her favorite companions.
Contact: pavitrapreetiv21@iisertvm.ac.in
Sisira S Shaiju (July 2025 - July 2026)
Major Project Student
Sisira joined the Stem Cell Biology Lab in August 2025 with a keen interest in understanding how physiological changes influence hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) behavior. Outside the lab, you’ll often find her watching movies, going on peaceful walks, or enjoying a well-deserved chocolate break — her ultimate favorite.
Contact: sforsisira21@iisertvm.ac.in
Theresa Shaji(July 2025 - July 2026)
Major Project Student
Theresa became part of the lab in June 2025. She is fascinated by the intricacies of neural stem cell biology and is excited to deepen her research experience. In the future, she hopes to build on this knowledge to gain deeper insights into neurodegenerative disorders and to contribute to the growing field of regenerative medicine. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, writing and finds joy in solitude.
Contact: theresashaji21@iisertvm.ac.in
Lakshika (July 2025 - July 2026)
MSc Project Student
Meet Lakshika, Faridabad’s finest export and the resident “mouse whisperer” of the lab. She joined the lab in October 2024 initially as an intern and decided to continue with her major project in the same field. When she’s not chatting up her experimental mice while decoding the world of hematopoietic system, Lakshika is out adventuring with her camera, capturing the beauty of campus, great food finds, and running into campus’s four-legged residents (she’s on first-name terms with most of the local cats and dogs). Beyond the lab, she’s an artist with a love for painting, retro music, spontaneous road trips and solo hangouts. Driven by curiosity, Lakshika’s aiming big, hoping to one day turn her science into clinical breakthroughs for regenerative medicine. The mysteries of brain pathologies intrigue her the most, so don’t be surprised if her next endeavour involves a little bit of grey matter magic.
Contact: laksh24@iisertvm.ac.in
Alumni
Anuja Sasidharan
PhD
Dr. Irene Mariam Roy
Dr. Atreyi Biswas
Contact:
Major Project Students
2023-2024
Masna Abhiraam
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Bhasman Goswami
Athul VB
Contact: athulvb20@iisertvm.ac.in
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Contact: abhiraammasna20@iisertvm.ac.in
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Abhimanyu SM
Contact: smabhimanyu20@iisertvm.ac.in
2023-2024
Akash S. Kumar
Contact:
Gayathri V.
Contact:
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Sneha P. R.
Contact:
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Sona Suresh
Contact:
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Aabha Panikkaveetil Shams
Contact:
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2022-2023
Amulya V Hejjaji
Devika Rag T
Deepthi Dinesh
Ankita Kumari
Anaswar
Sreelakshmi Sanam
Arunima Mathew
Anchita
Soham Chatterjee
Archisha Ganguly
2021-2022
2020-2021
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2019-2020
2018-2019
Athira Suresh
Athira is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Dr. Ralf Adams' lab, Dept. of Tissue Morphogenesis, MaxPlanck Institute of Molecular Biomedicine.
Contact: athiras31195@gmail.com
Meera C. S.
Rashmi Parvathy
Rashmi is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Dr. Anne Grapin-Botton's lab, at Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden.
Contact: rashmi16raki@gmail.com
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2017-2018
Rahul A. B.
Rahul is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Neurobiology lab, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
Contact: rahulab29@gmail.com
Sara P. Abraham
Sara is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Dr. Pavel Krejci's lab at Masaryk university, Czech Republic. Through her research she tries to understand the regulation of primary cilia by kinases.
Contact: sarapabraham95@gmail.com
Namitha Thampi
Namitha is currently working as a scientific content writer for Biotecnika, Bangalore.
Contact: namithekan@gmail.com
Prathibha Babu C.
Prathibha is currently a Ph.D. student at Centre for Stem Cell Research(CSCR), CMC Vellore.
She works on developing CRISPR/Cas9 based strategies for the gene therapy of hemoglobinopathies in Genome editing Lab
under Dr. Saravanabhavan Thangavel.
Contact: prathibha.babuc@cmcvellore.ac.in
2016-2017
Saeed Abdurahiman
