Dr. Sourav Mukherjee

Ph.D. in Botany | Natural Products & Phytochemistry | Antimicrobial Microbiology | Molecular Biology

Howrah, IN.

About

Highly accomplished Ph.D. in Botany with interdisciplinary expertise in natural product pharmacology, phytochemistry, antimicrobial microbiology, and molecular biology. Proven ability to investigate plant-derived bioactive compounds, leveraging advanced chromatographic, molecular, and computational approaches to identify novel antimicrobials and understand host-microbe interactions. Successfully led research projects, published extensively, and applied diverse analytical techniques to drive significant scientific discoveries in microbial pathogenesis and plant science.

Work

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)

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Project Scientist-I

Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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Summary

Led research on deep-sea microbial isolates, focusing on fungal characterization and their responses to environmental stress, contributing to biodiversity quantification within the "(Micro)Biology of the Abyss" project.

Highlights

Characterized diverse microbial isolates associated with deep-sea polymetallic nodules, with emphasis on fungal species and their environmental stress responses.

Contributed significantly to the "Equi-pressure Sampling and Biodiversity Quantifications" project, enhancing understanding of microbial life in extreme deep-sea environments.

Applied advanced microbiological techniques to analyze unique deep-sea microorganisms, expanding knowledge in extremophile biology and biodiversity.

Documented and interpreted experimental results for publication and presentation, contributing to ongoing scientific discourse in marine microbiology.

University of Kalyani

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Ph.D. Research Scholar

Kalyani, West Bengal, India

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Summary

Spearheaded comprehensive phytochemical analyses and antibacterial assessments of *Plumbago zeylanica L.*, identifying bioactive compounds and elucidating their antimicrobial mechanisms under the supervision of Dr. Sudipta Roy.

Highlights

Designed and executed rigorous antibacterial assays against various human pathogenic strains, including *E. coli*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, and *Vibrio cholerae*, demonstrating significant antimicrobial activity of plant extracts.

Utilized advanced chromatographic techniques such as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to profile and quantify plumbagin and other bioactive compounds.

Investigated quorum-sensing inhibitory activity of plumbagin through comprehensive biochemical and molecular assays, successfully suppressing biofilm formation, violacein biosynthesis, and bacterial motility in *Chromobacterium violaceum* ATCC 12472.

Applied *in silico* studies, including molecular docking and simulation, to explore interactions between plumbagin and the CviR protein, providing molecular-level insights into its anti-quorum-sensing potential.

Conducted gene expression analysis to elucidate molecular mechanisms of quorum-sensing regulatory gene modulation, contributing to a deeper understanding of microbial pathogenesis.

Performed detailed morphological studies of collected plants and identified plumbagin-rich parts of *P. zeylanica*, linking plant morphology to bioactive compound distribution.

Executed phytochemical screening and quantitative analysis (e.g., Phenolics, flavonoids, Tannins) and antioxidant assays using standard protocols, enriching the understanding of plant bioactivity.

Education

University of Kalyani

Kalyani, West Bengal, India
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Ph.D. Botany

University of Burdwan

Burdwan, West Bengal, India
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M.Sc. in Botany Cytogenetics & Molecular Biology Grade: 74% (1st Division)

Katwa College, University of Burdwan

Katwa, West Bengal, India
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B.Sc. (Hons.) Botany Grade: 67.82% (1st Division)

Awards

UGC-CSIR NET Fellowship for Ph.D. Research

University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India

Awarded for qualifying the National Eligibility Test (NET) with AIR-69, jointly conducted by CSIR-UGC, supporting Ph.D. research.

Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship

Government of West Bengal

Awarded in both 2014 and 2015 for academic excellence and financial need during M.Sc. studies at the University of Burdwan.

Publications

Small interfering RNAs: Potent silencing tools for plant protection.

Academic Press

Authored a book chapter on small interfering RNAs as tools for plant protection within "Functional RNAs in Plants".

Attenuating effect of plumbagin on Chromobacterium violaceum quorum sensing and biofilm formation: an in-vitro and in-silico approach.

Microbial Pathogenesis

Co-authored a study investigating plumbagin's effect on quorum sensing and biofilm formation in *Chromobacterium violaceum* using both *in vitro* and *in silico* methods.

Secondary Metabolite Dynamics in Crops Under Salinity Stress.

Springer Nature Switzerland

Co-authored a chapter on secondary metabolite dynamics in crops under salinity stress for "Salinity Stress and Remediation in Agro-Ecosystems".

Functional RNAs in regulating plant secondary metabolisms involved in combating diverse biotic stresses.

Academic Press

Co-authored a book chapter on functional RNAs in regulating plant secondary metabolisms to combat biotic stresses.

Phytochemical characterization, antioxidant properties, and in-vitro antibacterial activity of three Piper betle cultivars.

Vegetos

Co-authored a paper on the phytochemical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of *Piper betle* cultivars.

The antibacterial and antioxidant activities of plumbagin-rich methanolic root extracts from Plumbago zeylanica L.

The Microbe

Authored a research article on the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of *Plumbago zeylanica L.* root extracts.

Mental healing with herbal medicine: Phototherapeutic approaches to neurological and psychological disorders.

International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science

Co-authored a review article on phototherapeutic approaches using herbal medicine for neurological and psychological disorders.

Reactive Oxygen, Nitrogen and Sulfur Species (ROS, RNS, RSS) and Selenium in Crops.

Springer, Cham

Co-authored a chapter on ROS, RNS, RSS, and Selenium in crops for "Selenium in Sustainable Agriculture: A Soil to Spoon Prospective".

Morphological determinants and phytochemical variations in Plumbago zeylanica 1. across four districts of West Bengal.

Journal of Plant Developmental Sciences

Published research on the morphological characteristics and phytochemical diversity of *Plumbago zeylanica* across different regions of West Bengal.

The anti-quorum sensing and biofilm inhibitory potential of Piper betle L. leaf extract and prediction of the roles of the potent phytocompounds.

Microbial Pathogenesis

Contributed to a publication on the anti-quorum sensing and biofilm inhibitory potential of *Piper betle L.* leaf extract.

Distinct antibacterial and antioxidative properties of Couroupita guianensis Aubl. Plant parts and their relation with polyphenolic contents.

Research Journal of Biotechnology

Co-authored a study on the antibacterial and antioxidative properties of *Couroupita guianensis* and their correlation with polyphenolic content.

Languages

English

Skills

Molecular Biology

Nucleic acid extraction, Gel electrophoresis, Gene expression analysis, Bacterial transformation, Culture handling.

Microscopy Techniques

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Light microscopy, Biofilm visualization, Cellular morphology, Microbial interactions.

Bioinformatics Tools

Molecular docking (AutoDock, Discovery), Protein-ligand interaction analysis (FTMap, DeepSite), Sequence alignment (NCBI, BLAST), Structure prediction (SWISS-MODEL), QS-related gene analysis, Public genomic databases.

Phytochemistry & Chromatography

Plant extract preparation, Phytochemical screening, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).

Microbiology & Biochemical Assays

Antibacterial assay, Biofilm assays, Quorum-sensing analysis, Antioxidant assays, Protein expression monitoring (SDS-PAGE).

Data Analysis

Microsoft Excel, GraphPad, Origin, SPSS, R, Past, Statistical modeling, Comparative analysis.

Fieldwork & GIS

Field study, Water sampling, Plant sampling, Herbarium techniques, Basic GIS application.

Teaching & Academic Experience

Curriculum development, Lecture delivery, MCQ preparation, Test paper design, NEET standards, Home tutoring, Online doubt solving, Biology instruction.

Interests

Research Interests

Microbiology, Natural Product Pharmacology, Phytochemistry, Molecular Biology, Gene Regulation, Host Microbe interaction, Plant physiology, Biochemistry, Plant-derived antimicrobials, Microbial virulence, Biofilm-associated infections, Secondary metabolism, Molecular mechanisms of host-microbe interactions.

References

Dr. Sudipta Roy

Professor, Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Contact No: 9434666930, Email: dr.sudiptaroy@gmail.com

Dr. Sujit Roy

Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, University of Burdwan, Contact No: 9331946837, Email: sujitroy2006@gmail.com

Dr. Gourab Sircar

Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Science; Presidency University, Contact No: 9830950899, Email: gaurab.ihs@presiuniv.ac.in