I am studying the function and structure of cyanobacteria plasmid-encoded replication protein and deciphering plasmid copy regulation in model cyanobacteria. I am also responsible for maintaining FPLC system in the lab.

I am tackling antiviral screening assay development and solving protein-small molecule interaction through protein crystallography, as part of Midwest AViDD consortium.The cell-based zika protease assays development is published here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.slasd.2024.100164

I am involved in a project on structural and functional study of tick-borne encephalitis virus non-structural proteins using various methods including recombinant protein production and purification, crystallography and a range of biochemical assays. In the past 2 years, I have been successfully solved four crystal structures of TBEV helicase (apo and ligand-bound state) and determined the protein function and properties through ATPase and fluorescence polarization assay (Anindita et al., JBC 2002, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102383). I have also been instrumental in cloning and production-purification of other TBEV proteins such as capsid and NS3 protease. In addition to my own research work, I have been supervising and mentoring bachelor, master, and doctoral students in their laboratory work as well as thesis writing.

I have been instrumental in genomic characterization of novel Smacovirus in non-human primates from Zambia. The study has been publish in Scientific Reports (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-41358-z).

I received a Priority Graduate Program scholarship from Monbukagakusho Japan to pursue my doctoral study. My main project was development and implementation of cell-based compound screening assay to identify new antivirals against rabies virus. I was also involved in projects on discovery of novel viruses from wild animals in Indonesia and Zambia.I became proficient in conducting a range of in vitro assays including cloning, reverse genetic engineering, experiments in mammalian cell lines, immunoassays, and luciferase assay conducted at biosafety level-2 and -3 laboratories. I have also gained major experience in field sample collection, processing (DNA/RNA extraction, viral recovery) and analyses including genome sequencing, phylogenetic tree, recombination analyses, and data deposition. Working on the project allowed me to collaborate with other groups within Hokkaido University and the international arena, including one of the Japan’s leading pharmaceutical companies. As a postdoc, I have also methodically supervised Ph.D. students. All works done resulted in 10 peer-reviewed publications with me being a main contributing author in four of them.

I was responsible in supervising bachelor students during practical work and grading their practical reports.