Moved with Patrick Sung's lab to UT Health Science Center San Antonio, TX. Currently continuing my investigation on role of RNA in DNA damage repair pathways for understanding novel mechanisms of genomic stability maintenance for preventing cancer and neurological diseases.

Guest Editor of the Research Topic, "The Role of RNA in Genome Stability: To Wreck or Repair?" published in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

Review Editor for Molecular RecognitionFrontiers in Molecular Biosciences

Reviewed manuscripts for MDPI journals - International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Genes and Molecules.

At Patrick Sung's lab (currently at UT Health Science Center San Antonio, TX) I investigated role of multiple proteins in maintenance of genomic stability via resolution of pathogenic RNA-DNA zhybrids in the human genome.1. I purified multiple high molecular weight human proteins and protein complexes using baculovirus expression system from insect cells.2. Extensively applied bioinformatic tools for prediction of protein structure and biochemical properties such as hydrophobicity, amphipathic score, theoretical pI, disordered domains, globularity to optimize protein purification methods.3. Performed biochemical assays using radiolabeled substrates to characterize ATP hydrolysis activity, nucleic acid binding and unwinding properties of purified proteins.4. Identified cancer-associated mutations in these proteins from cancer mutation databases (COSMIC, cBioportal) and generated mutant proteins using site directed mutagenesis, analyzed DNA sequences to confirm the mutations. 5. Applied seamless cloning strategies and Gibson assembly technique for molecular cloning. Proficient in primer designing, DNA construct designing and routine molecular biology techniques such as PCR amplification, purification of plasmids and baculoviral DNA, qPCR, western blotting, etc.6. Developed immunofluorescence techniques to quantitate RNA-DNA hybrids in human cell lines.7. Generated inducible shRNA constructs for protein downregulation and cell biology studies.8. Initiated collaboration with other research groups for sharing reagents and expertise.9. Maintained electronic records of day to day experiments using Microsoft OneNote and MSOffice tools.

At this position I worked as a lead researcher in understanding the molecular mechanisms of the error-prone DNA repair pathway - microhomology mediated end joining in cancer cells and how it could be targeted to enhance radiation/drug sensitivity. This study was published in Nucleic Acids Research in Dec 2016.1. Performed DNA end joining assays using a novel repair assay developed by me during my PhD2. Performed extensive DNA sequence analysis of DNA end joining products using Multalin to characterize DNA end joining mechanisms.3. Performed biochemical characterization of protein complexes from human cell extract.4. Worked in a team environment and provided supervision to one graduate and two undergraduate students.5. Significantly contributed to my PI's NIH grant writing efforts.

Research accomplishments:1) Developed of a novel cell-based and in vitro assay for semi-quantitative analysis of a mutagenic DNA repair pathway that induce radio-resistance in cancer cells and tested synthetic lethality by inhibition of multiple repair pathways (Dutta, A. et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 2016).2) Validation of a specific inhibitor of DNA repair protein, TDP2, discovered via HTS, using cell-based drug synergy assays and immunofluorescence assays (Kont YS, Dutta A, and Mallisetty A, et al. DNA Repair, 2016).3) Extensively applied co-IP, chIP and advanced immuno-fluorescence techniques for identifying in vivo dynamics protein-protein interaction (Hegde ML, Dutta A, Yang C, et al. Oncotarget, 2016 and Hegde PM, Dutta A, Sengupta S, et al. J Biol Chem. 2015).Recognitions:1) Received multiple graduate school and travel awards (mentioned below).2) Best Poster Award, Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics Symposium, UTMB, 20153) Selected for Oral presentation and EMGS New Investigator and Student Travel Award, Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Socitey meeting 2015, New Orleans, LA4) Winner of Halloween Pumpkin Carving Competition, 2013Leadership roles:1. As the vice-chair for the departmental student organization, Biological Chemistry Student Organization (2012-2013), I organized with my team various student activities such as weekly journal clubs, social events and annual 'pioneering biological discovery' faculty lecture series.2. Evaluated student research projects as Summer Undergraduate Research Program Poster Judge (2012, 2013).3. As member of the departmental (BMB/MBET) Admissions and Recruitment Committee (2012-2013), provided interaction and assistance to the incoming graduate students.

Received training in protein purification, human cell culture and fluorescence microscopy.