Meet our current lab members.
PhD Students
As an undergraduate, I studied marine fish taxonomy and became fascinated with evolutionary biology, which I now plan to research for my doctoral studies. I also enjoy writing popular science articles and cooking traditional Odia foods, while my reading interests include classic English literature, biographies of famous scientists, and history books. My research will focus on the lineage specific expansion of major invertebrate phyla from a genomics perspective using comparative genomics approaches.
Recent publications: Lineage-Specific Class-A GPCR Dynamics Reflect Diverse Chemosensory Adaptations in Lophotrochozoa. Molecular Biology and Evolution (2025)
biswajitp [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
PhD Student (2021)
Biswajit Panda
M.Sc. Zoology, (2018) Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology
B.Sc. Zoology, (2016) Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore.
M.Sc. Life Science, (2020) Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology
B.Sc. Life Science, (2018) Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology
I am captivated by the intricate evolution of biology and the essential role of proteins in fundamental biological processes. My research focuses on understanding the structural, functional, and evolutionary trends associated with well-known protein folds in various biological systems. Beyond research, I enjoy staying updated on technological advancements and indulging in cinematic drama, video games, and nature documentaries.
Recent Publications:
Unveiling the structural and functional implications of uncharacterized NSPs and variations in the molecular toolkit across arteriviruses. Nucleic Acids Research Genomics and Bioinformatics (2025)​
Lineage-Specific Class-A GPCR Dynamics Reflect Diverse Chemosensory Adaptations in Lophotrochozoa.
Molecular Biology and Evolution (2025)
Reappraisal of the DNA phosphorothioate modification machinery: uncovering neglected functional modalities and identification of new counter-invader defense systems. Nucleic Acids Research (2024)
rakeshs [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
PhD Student (2021)
Rakesh Siuli
B.Sc. Zoology (Hons.), University of Calcutta (2017-2020)
My PhD work focuses on the evolution, structure, and pharmacogenomics of lipid-binding GPCRs and related orphan receptors across Metazoa. I study the conservation and variation of key ligand-binding residues and their impact on receptor function and drug response across populations. By integrating structural analysis and population genomics, I investigate how natural variants affect ligand binding and structural stability. Moreover, I am also involved in diverse collaborative projects spanning computational biology and genomics.
Recent publications:
Lineage-Specific Class-A GPCR Dynamics Reflect Diverse Chemosensory Adaptations in Lophotrochozoa. Molecular Biology and Evolution (2025)
rohann20 [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
Integrated PhD Student (2022) | Batch - 2020
Rohan Nath
M.Sc. Zoology, Utkal University
B.Sc. Zoology, Berhampur University
I am persuing my Ph.D. with a research focus on Comparative genomics, structural Features and evolutionary dynamics of protein folds and motifs in RNA Viruses.
My Research aims to investigate the evolution of protein domains and structural folds across diverse RNA vviral clades, contributing to a deeper understanding of viral evolution, host-virus interactions, the molecular arms race and broader evolutionary trends.
2420101 [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
PhD Student (2025)
Somanath Muduli
M.Sc. Bioinformatics, Pondicherry University
B.Sc. Zoology, Sir Parashurambhau College
My work revolves around understanding ancient protein folds which are omnipresent throughout the tree of life, thus divergent and ubiquitous. I am very much fascinated by the evolution happening at molecular level who serve as a function to the whole organic evolution in itself. My project involves undertanding such DNA-binding ancient folds and determine its divergence across the tree of life. My work also includes maintaning the server systems.
atharvms [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
PhD Student (2025)
Atharv Manojkumar Sambarat
M.Tech. Bioinformatics, University of Hyderabad
B.Tech. Biotechnology, University School of Biotechnology, GGSIPU
Over the years, I have developed a sustained interest in Structural Biology, which continues to shape my research pursuits. My current work focuses on characterizing novel bacterial defense systems through comparative genomics, aiming to uncover evolutionary patterns and functional insights. A key aspect of my research involves exploring protein-protein interactions within these systems and structurally validating them, with the potential application of Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) to gain detailed structural understanding.
subhangis23 [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
Collaborative PhD Student from Dr. Shanti Swaroop Srivastava's Lab (2023)
Co-PI: Dr. Arunkumar Krishnan
Subhangi Subudhi
MS Dissertation students
Belide Saketha Ram
MS Dissertation Student (2025) | BS-MS 2021
In my research, I focus on the evolutionary dynamics of methyltransferases (MTases) encoded by bacteriophages. These enzymes are crucial for phages to modify their own genomes and evade bacterial restriction systems, playing a key role in the ongoing molecular conflict between phages and their hosts. Through comparative genomics, domain architecture studies, and phylogenetic analyses, I investigate the diversity and evolutionary trajectories of phage-encoded MTases across different viral families. This work not only sheds light on how these enzymes adapt and diversify but also contributes to our broader understanding of virus-host co-evolution
belide21 [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
Hello, I’m Anik, a BS-MS Biology graduate (Batch of 2020) from IISER Berhampur. My primary interests lie in Genomics and Computational Biology, with a focus on transcriptomics, disease genomics, and comparative genomics. I completed my Master’s thesis in the Comparative Evolutionary Genomics (CEG) Lab, where I worked on phylogenomic analysis of de novo whole-genome sequenced Caenogastropoda.
I am currently continuing in the lab as a Post-Master’s Researcher. My work primararily revolves around genome annotation and determinig the phylogenetic positions of non vertebrate organisms with the analysis of whole genome data. Moreover, I am also involved in investigating the gene expression patterns across different diseases and cancers.
anikd20 [at] iiserbpr [dot] ac [dot] in
MS Dissertation Student (2024) | BS-MS 2020
Anik Dey
Previous Members
MS Dissertation students
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Sai Abhishek Oruganti
MS Dissertation Student (2025)
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Jhanvi Sareen
MS Dissertation Student (2025) | Integrated PhD 2022
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Kshitij Behera
MS Dissertation Student (2024)
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Shiviya Raina
MS Dissertation Student (2021)
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Hibbah N
MS Dissertation Student (2021)
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