Therapeutic recombinant antibodies:

Antibodies are enigmatic molecules. They bind to diverse targets with high specificity and
affinity. However their structures are highly conserved. Antibodies are “Magic Bullets”, as
they bind to specific targets and recruit the immune effector system to destroy those targets.
Antibodies can also be tagged with drugs, toxins, enzymes, for targeted delivery of these pay
loads.

Recombinant antibodies are better alternative to conventional monoclonal or polyclonal
antibodies. One can use recombinant genetic engineering to change the specificity,
biological functions and pharmacokinetics of an antibody. Currently there are 21
recombinant antibodies approved by US FDA, for clinical uses. At least, 200 new
recombinant antibodies are currently in different stages of development.

We are interested in developing recombinant antibodies (and antibody fragments) for
therapeutic uses against infectious diseases and in cancer immunotherapy. We use phage
display technology for in vitro affinity maturation of antibodies and express them using
bacterial and mammalian protein expression systems. Our work also involves, use of
molecular modeling of antibodies to aid in in vitro mutagenesis and humanization.

Theoretical Biology:

We have general interest in different theoretical aspects of biological systems, particularly on Immune System and Signal Transduction Systems. We have earlier worked on the so called signature of affinity maturation in antibody sequences. We have shown that the conventional method of identification of such a signature is wrong, both philosophically and mathematically. We are currently working on the kinetics of B cell receptors, to understand affinity discrimination of antigens, survival and activation of B cells and B cell anergy.

Antibodies, Antibody-based Protein Detection, Cell / Tissue Culture, Cell Signaling Assays, Centrifugation, Chromatography, Cloning, DNA Isolation & Purification, DNA Sequencing, DNA Synthesis, Electrophoresis, Filtration, Flow Cytometry, Hybridoma, Immunoassays, Microbiological Cultures, PCR / RT-PCR, Plasmid Isolation & Purification, Protein Purification & Separation, Real Time PCR / RT-PCR, Recombinant Protein Expression & Purification, RNA Isolation & Purification, Site-Directed Mutagenesis, Transfection, Transformation

Basic Research, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetic Engineering, Immunology, Molecular Biology