Join the Group!

PhD positions: We are actively recruiting for PhD students. Please apply formally via IIT Indore’s website or send an email to gaurav@iiti.ac.in expressing your interest. Some of the projects would include studying the role of phase separation of proteins on reaction kinetics in biological systems.

Research Focus

We use computational and theoretical tools to uncover the role of phase separation of proteins/RNA/DNA on biochemical reactions. Secondly, we will also engineer better enzymes for efficient biofuel production using computational tools.

Coupling of phase separation to biochemical reactions

Phase separation is ubiquitous in chemical engineering, with many important processes such as liquid-liquid extraction employing phase equilibria to separate different components. Recent discoveries of phase separation of biomacromolecules to compartmentalize the intracellular environment have upended the traditional understanding of cellular compartmentalization mediated by membranes. Phase separation of proteins and nucleic acids has been shown to result in the formation of many important intracellular compartments, such as stress granules, p-bodies, nucleolus etc., known as biomolecular condensates. Phase separation results in coexisting dense and dilute phases which can modulate biochemical reactions in the distinct phases. Important biochemical reactions such as transcription and enzyme-catalyzed reactions are affected by phase separation. Dysfunctional phase separation has been implicated in various diseases, including cancers, and there are substantial efforts to find drugs to target condensates. Tantalizingly, phase separation has been implicated in both the acceleration and attenuation of reactions.

The goal of lab’s research will be to understand how phase separation affects different classes of biochemical reactions and to uncover physicochemical principles that lead to acceleration vs. attenuation of reactions. Understanding how phase separation influences biochemical reactions will provide invaluable insights into the practical implications of this process in cellular function and how it can be leveraged for industrial applications. In addition, the lab’s findings could be utilized to design better enzymatic systems by coupling phase equilibria to reactions.

Computational enzyme engineering for efficient biofuel production

Enzymes are often used as biocatalysts in a variety of industrial applications, such as the production of biofuels. Molecular modeling can elucidate mechanisms behind the catalytic properties of enzymes and guide the rational design of enzymes. My research group will use molecular modeling combined with coarse-grained simulations to study how enzymes can be engineered to optimize the production of biofuels and desired value-added products. This includes investigating how we can creatively use the emerging concept of phase separation of proteins to design highly efficient biocatalysts.