CDFD :: Molecular Genetics

Our lab is interested in studying genetics. We use several animal models to study different aspects of genetic processes. We are fascinated by the diversity of life forms occurring in nature and would like to study how genetics is shaping this. Our guiding principles include: high through put genomics and transcriptomics that provide unprecedented opportunity to examine genomic architecture of an organism; evolutionary biology, which shows that any present day species is a result of ongoing process of evolution.
Apart from other animal species, we are mainly interested in studying silkworms. During the last decade, research in the silkworm, Bombyx mori has witnessed explosive developments which include unveiling of complete genome sequence; availability of large amount of transcriptomics resources through ESTs, microarray and RNAseq; high density linkage and physical maps; map-based cloning; well-established piggyBac mediated transgenics; TALENs and CRISPR-cas9 based gene disruption systems; and identification of critical genes for proliferation of baculovirus. The concomitant advancements in other insects such as Drosophila, Honeybee, Mosquito, and Tribolium, particularly in understanding sex-determination mechanisms, microRNA functions, molecular mechanisms of immune response pathways and RNAi-based analysis of gene functions, provide impetus to build silkworm as a basic lepidopteran model system on one hand and to improve economic returns of the sericulture industry on the other. Significantly, the available genetic and genomic research repertoire of the silkworm, B. mori provides the required resources to address various biological questions in economically important native Indian wild silkmoths that have remained largely unexplored. In addition, developing a lepidopteran model system can spin off genetic information as well as molecular biological tools to be applied in the management of lepidopteran pests of Indian agriculture:

If you are interested in our research, please contact Dr. Arun Kumar ([email protected]). Please clearly explain the reason for applying. Feel free to communicate with the lab members to know more about our research work.