OUR GROUP
Priyanka Upadhyai, PhD (she/her)
Principle Investigator
Associate Professor
priyanka.u[at]manipal.edu
Priyanka performed doctoral studies in the lab of Dr Gerard Campbell, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, USA. Here she studied mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. Using a modified ends-out genome editing strategy she investigated why eukaryotic transcriptional repressors utilize more than one accessory corepressor proteins with Brinker, a transcription factor in Drosophila as a model.
She went on to perform postdoctoral research with Dr Hilary Ashe at the Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, University of Manchester, UK. Here she used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and MS2 live imaging to dissect bone morphpogenetic protein (BMP) gradient and cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
She joined the faculty at Department of Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, MAHE, Manipal in 2016. She is broadly interested in collaborative human genetics research focused to decipher disease mechanisms. Her work uses Drosophila and mammalian cell culture to model and understand the pathomechanisms underlying rare genetic disorders. She is also interested in exploring the genetic variations in human disease in worldwide populations. Further, she studies primary ciliogenesis and its role in skeletal development and repair.
‘Out of lab’ Priyanka is an avid runner. She discovered running late in life, and it has reinforced her belief in living life outside comfort zones.
Vishal Singh Guleria, MS (he/him)
PhD Scholar
vishal.guleria[@]learner.manipal.edu
Vishal did his Bachelors in Medical Lab Technology from Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda, Himachal Pradesh, India. He completed Masters in Medical Biochemistry from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India.
Currently he is pursuing doctoral studies in the lab of Dr. Priyanka Upadhyai. Here he is working on dissecting the molecular mechanisms of IFT52 and EXOC6B that are associated novel skeletal ciliopathies using mammalian cell culture and Drosophila.
In collaboration he has also contributed in the functional characterisation of other candidate genes associated with known and novel skeletal and neurodevelopmental disorders.
'Out of lab' Vishal spends his leisure time playing badminton. He also likes cooking and watching science fiction movies.
Neha Quadri, MS (she/her)
PhD scholar
neha.quadri[@]learner.manipal.edu
Neha got her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Biochemistry and Chemistry from Aurora Degree College, Hyderabad, India. As an undergrad she worked on a summer project under the guidance of Dr. Ravi Manjithaya, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, India, through the Project Oriented Biology Education (POBE) fellowship program from JNCASR. She obtained a Master’s from Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bangalore, India.
Currently she is performing doctoral research in the lab of Dr Priyanka Upadhyai. Here she is studying the crosstalk of primary ciliogenesis with other cellular processes in chondrogenic differentiation and their abrogation in rare chondrodysplasias.
'Out of lab' her interests include reading, skating and sketching.
ALUMNI
Prajna Udupa
Role in the Upadhyai lab: JRF
Current affiliation:
PhD scholar
Department of Medical Genetics
Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India