Systems Biology: Discovering biomarkers for human health and disease

Faculty : Annapoorni Rangarajan (Dept. of Molecular Reproduction)   Hanudatta S.  Atreya (NMR Research Centre)

Systems biology is a rapidly emerging area focusing on understanding the molecular mechanisms and their interconnections in a biomolecular system. One of the areas of systems biology is metabolomics, where molecular signatures are picked up from the body through the analysis of body fluids such as blood and urine, and biomarkers for predicting a particular disease can be identified.

In this project, we will explore two sub-projects. One involving the identification of biomarkers for breast cancer and exploring the association between between breast cancer and metabolic disorders and inflammatory conditions such as diabetes. The experimental data will be used to build networks or identify potential biomarkers useful for developing cancer treatment strategies. The information gained will be used to design additional biochemical experiments to validate the findings.

The second project will explore the effect of outer space-expanse that exists beyond the Earth and between celestial bodies-on human health and metabolism. Samples from astranouts will be analyzed before, during and after their space missions to evaluate the effect of non-terrestrial conditions. This will be in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organization.

The graduate student involved in the project will be required to acquire, interpret and analyze biophysical data on metabolites to build mathematical models that provides biological insights into the system being studied. State-of-art facilities for NMR and other biophysical experiments will be made available to student.