Shantikumar Nair, Ph.D.
Professor & Director, Amrita Center for Nanosciences & Molecular Medicine, Amrita University, India
Spatially Distributed and Hierarchical Nanomaterials in Biotechnology
Although nano materials are well investigated in biotechnology in their zero-, one- and two-dimensional forms, three-dimensional nanomaterials are relatively less investigated for their biological applications. Three dimensional nano materials are much more complex with several structural and hierarchical variables controlling their mechanical, chemical and biological functionality. In this talk examples are given of some complex three dimensional systems including, scaffolds, aggregates, fabrics and membranes. Essentially three types of hierarchies are considered: one-dimensional hierarchy, two-dimensional hierarchy and three-dimensional hierarchy each giving rise to unique behaviors.
Michelle Hermiston, MD, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics University of California San Francisco, USA
Interrogating Signaling Networks at the Single Cell Level In Primary Human Patient Samples
Multiparameter phosphoflow cytometry is a highly sensitive proteomic approach that enables monitoring of biochemical perturbations at the single cell level. By combining antisera to cell surface markers and key intracellular proteins, perturbations in signaling networks, cell survival and apoptosis mediators, cell cycle regulators, and/or modulators of other cellular processes can be analyzed in a highly reproducible and sensitive manner in the basal state and in response to stimulation or drug treatment. Advantages of this approach include the ability to identify the biochemical consequences of genetic and/or epigenetic changes in small numbers of cells, to map potential interplay between various signaling networks simultaneously in a single cell, and to interrogate potential mechanisms of drug resistance or response in a primary patient sample. Application of this technology to patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) will be discussed.
Satheesh Babu T. G., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Sciences, School of Engineering, Amrita University, Coimbatore, India
Nanomaterials for ‘enzyme-free’ biosensing
Enzyme based sensors have many draw backs such as poor storage stability, easily affected by the change in pH and temperature and involves complicated enzyme immobilization procedures. To address this limitation, an alternative approach without the use of enzyme, “non-enzymatic” has been tried recently. Choosing the right catalyst for direct electrochemical oxidation / reduction of a target molecule is the key step in the fabrication of non-enzymatic sensors.
Non-enzymatic sensors for glucose, creatinine, vitamins and cholesterol are fabricated using different nanomaterials, such as nanotubes, nanowires and nanoparticles of copper oxide, titanium dioxide, tantalum oxide, platinum, gold and graphenes. These sensors selectively catalyse the targeted analyte with very high sensitivity. These nanomaterials based sensors combat the drawbacks of enzymatic sensors.
Nitish Sathyanrayanan, Sandesh Ganji and Holenarsipur Gundurao Nagendra.
Insilico Analysis of hypothetical proteins from Leishmania donovani: A Case study of a membrane protein of the MFS class reveals their plausible roles in drug resistance
Kala-azar or visceral leishmaniais (VL), caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Bihar, India (Guerin et al. 2002; Mubayi et al. 2010). The disease is transmitted to the humans mainly by the vector, Phlebotmus argentipes, commonly known as Sand fly. The majority of VL (> 90%) occurs in only six countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sudan, Ethiopia and Brazil (Chappuis et al. 2007). In the Indian subcontinent, about 200 million people are estimated to be at risk of developing VL and this region harbors an estimated 67% of the global VL disease burden. The Bihar state only has captured almost 50% cases out of total cases in Indian sub-continent (Bhunia et al. 2013). ‘Conserved hypothetical’ proteins pose a challenge not just to functional genomics, but also to biology in general (Galperin and Koonin 2004). Leishmania donovani (strain BPK282A1) genome consists of a staggering ∼65% of hypothetical proteins. These uncharacterized proteins may enable better appreciation of signalling pathways, general metabolism, stress response and even drug resistance.