1.Cellular signaling pathways and differentiation:
Cellular signaling pathways like MAPK/ERK, Notch, Sonic hedgehoc, Wnt etc. play key roles in the formation of different tissues and organs. In particular, they play important roles in specification of progenitor cell populations, maintenance of their pluripotent state, and direct these cells into a various cell lineage. These pathways also have a role in cell survival, proliferation, and migration. Role of cellular signaling pathways in differentiation are well documented, however, how these signaling events crosstalk to epigenome reprogramming in mediating the transcriptional regulation during development and differentiation is largely unknown. In particular, how these pathways turn on/off tissue-specific transcription factors (MRFs, NGFs etc) to alter change in the epigenome reprogramming during differentiation needs to be explored. Therefore, our goal is to investigate how cellular signaling pathways such as Notch, Wnt, Sonic hedgehog pathways establish epigenetic reprogramming in executing the stable transcriptional outputs during cellular differentiation.
2.Noncoding RNAs and differentiation:
Majority of the mammalian transcriptional output is noncoding. Only 2% of transcription encodes for proteins. According to the size non protein coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are divided in small ncRNAs are and Long ncRNAs (lncRNAs). LncRNAs are generally expressed at lower levels and their expression pattern is more developmental stage and cell type specific. They play important roles in the regulation of development, differentiation and maintenance of cell identity and they also contribute to diseases. We would like to extend our research on ncRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation and how it potentially involved in the complex regulatory networks of cellular differentiation and diseases.
3.Abnormal differentiation and diseases:
Deregulation of differentiation program involved in many diseases like cancer, degeneration, cardiac and kidney failure etc. In particular, altered expression and function of various tissue specific transcription factors have been reported in cancers (eg rhabdomyosarcomas, melanomas, neuroblastomas) and degenerative diseases. Tissue specific transcription factors also implicated in other diseases like diabetes, cataract, and kidney diseases etc. however detailed molecular mechanism remains to be explored in this disease conditions. We are very much interested to identify the involvement of various tissues specific transcription factors in above mentioned diseases. We strongly believe that exploring the role of tissue-specific transcription factors in the orchestration of transcriptional program in the disease development will provide a more insights how disease progress and help us to formulate novel therapeutic strategies for these life threatening diseases.
4.Translational research:
In recent years, we have gathered tremendous knowledge learned from the studies of basic research in our understanding with regards to the origin of disease, progressions and diagnosis. However, we are still incapable to provide proper remedy for many diseases like cancers. Therefore, knowledge of understanding the diseases at a molecular/cellular level must be translated into practical clinical applications for the improvement of human health. We would like to translate the idea generated form basic research program for the formulation of novel therapeutics in eradicating the life devastating diseases like cancer and degenerative diseases.