Ph.D. Projects
Project Title: Effect on Human γD-crystallin Protein behavior by adding the macromolecular and molecular Crowder to mimic the cell environment.
Project Adviser: Prof. Pratik Sen (Single Molecular and Ultrafast Spectroscopy Lab)
Project Duration: Aug 2021 - Present at IIT Kanpur
I have established the fully functional Protein Purification Laboratory single-handedly, which has cost me 8 to 9 months of my Ph.D. program. After the lab became fully operational, I successfully expressed and purified the Gamma-D Crystallin protein present in our eye lens and responsible for cataract disease.
Master's Project
Thesis Title: An Advanced Hybrid Ce-Doped CoFe Layered Double Hydroxide Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation.
Thesis Adviser: Prof. Amit Paul (Electrochemistry of Nanomaterials Lab)
Thesis Duration: May 2019 - April 2020 at IISER Bhopal
I was introduced to the synthesis of hybrid doped materials that can split water, in turn, evolve hydrogen, which is a promising and appealing solution for energy conservation. This has great importance in terms of renewable energy generation because of the limited resources of energy reserves. There, I learned Electrochemical experimental (using Electrochemical Software) and Characterization techniques. I was also introduced to various Characterization techniques like Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD [using HighScore Plus]), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to investigate hybrid doped materials. I also learned to plot the data using Origin and interpret the obtained results. I learned a great deal of the basics of Electrochemical theory and Experimental techniques, which helped me get promising results (Co6Fe3Ce2-LDH electrocatalyst showed the low onset overpotential of ~ 304 mV for Water Oxidation) during my MS project.
Summer Project
Project Title: Interactions of Bisphenol A (BPA) with Proteins and Spectroscopic Determination of Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC).
Project Adviser: Prof. Saptarshi Mukherjee (Ultrafast and Molecular Spectroscopy Lab)
Project Duration:15th May - 15th July 2017 at IISER Bhopal
I have done an extensive literature review based on the topics mentioned above and learned about Fluorescence (Quenching in Proteins) Spectroscopy. Bisphenol A (BPA) binding with proteins causes many diseases in the human body, such as Breast Cancer, Asthma, Thyroid disruption, and many other diseases. The primary human exposure route of BPA is by mouth from sources such as food packaging, beverage cans, and plastic bottles, so due to the health risk, many countries, including India, banned BPA. Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) of a neutral surfactant Triton X-100 (TX-100) determined by the difference of post & pre-micellar excitation spectra using the Fluorescence extinction spectra indicates that the fluorophore (TX-100) undergone some structural changes. Antibiotic Tetracycline Hydrochloride (TC) binds to the protein (Tryptophan [Trp or W]) and causes the gradual decrease in fluorescence intensity was investigated by Steady-State, Time-Resolved Fluorescence, and Circular Dichroism (CD) Spectroscopy.