Dr. Jayanth Kumar

Dr. Jayanth Kumar, Additional Professor

Address: Room No. 4008, Convergence Block, AIIMS, New Delhi.

Email id: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

EDUCATION

MBBS, Medicine and Surgery (2000-2006)

Government Stanley Medical College,

Chennai, Tamilnadu

MD, Biochemistry, (2007-2010)

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Demonstrator (2010-2012)

Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2012-2014)

Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California

Assistant Professor (2014-2017)

Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi

Associate Professor (2017-2020)

Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi

Additional Professor (2020-Present) Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi

 

Research Focus of the Lab

Our lab focusses on multiple research questions whose answers hopefully will lead to a translational utility.

1. RNA binding proteins: The main focus of our lab is in understanding the role of RNA binding proteins and RNA methylation in the pathogenesis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (ALL). This is a disease of the pediatric age group and is a major health problem worldwide. 50% of B-ALL tumors exhibit chromosomal rearrangements with ETV6-RUNX1 being the commonest.RNA binding proteins (RBPs) regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Our studies have identified the IGF2BP (Insulin like Growth Factor 2 mRNA Binding Protein 1) family of RBPs to be highly expressed in B-ALL. IGF2BPs have previously been implicated in multiple epithelial tumors. We are attempting to decipher how these RBPs are overexpressed in B-ALL and what is their role in the pathogenesis of the disease. This is done using various clinical samples, various in-vivo and in-vitro techniques.

2. Epitranscriptomics: Our lab also works on RNA modifications and their role in B-ALL. Our work has identified that the percentage of methylated RNAs (m6A) is very high in B-ALL. We are working on the mechanism of the same and investigating whether this can be exploited for therapy.

3. Gene Therapy: Our lab also works on devising gene therapies for inborn errors of metabolism using CRISPR based viral vectors. At present, we are working on Gaucher’s disease as a model for the same.

4. Rare disease characterization: Our lab is also part of a team at AIIMS which helps in molecular characterization of rare diseases in pediatrics. Novel mutations are analyzed and their functional role established using various molecular biology techniques.

Our Team

1. Dr Kriti Kaushik: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (DHR Young Scientist-II)

Kriti joined the lab as a DBT-Research Associate (fellowship) in 2018 with an interest to decipher the role of long non-coding RNAs in regulating IGF2BP3 in aggressive cancers. She has expanded her research investigation as a DHR Young Scientist to study another class of non-coding RNAs i.e. circular RNAs bound with IGF2BP3 and their mechanism of action in promoting metastasis during hypoxia in leukemia patients. With a strong background in genomics (during her PhD from CSIR-IGIB), Kriti also works on bioinformatic analysis of RNA-seq and related data.

2. Graduate Students

1. Sumedha Saluja: Sumedha is a final year PhD student and ICMR-SRF. She joined the lab in March 2018. She is currently investigating the role of epitranscriptome and IGF2BP family of RNA-Binding Proteins in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She has a Masters in Biochemistry from AIIMS with a thesis focussed on stem cells and cancer. During her MSc, she has been awarded with UGC Postgraduate Merit Scholarship for University Rank Holder. She is a University Gold Medalist in Biomedical Sciences.

2. Ishu Bansal: Ishu is a 3^rd year PhD student and ICMR-SRF. She joined the lab in May 2021. She is currently investigating the role of IGF2BP family of RNA-Binding Proteins in modulating the PI3K pathway in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

3. Mohammad Sabique Beg: Sabique is a 3^rd year PhD student and DBT-SRF. He joined the lab in May 2021. He is currently working on using CRISPR directed therapies to silence IGF2BP3 in cancer cell lines.

4. Ruchi Bhardwaj: Is a first year PhD student and a DBT-JRF. She joined the lab as a graduate student in March 2023. She works on identifying gene networks perturbed by m6A modifications in B-ALL.

5. Tanu Bansal: Is a first year PhD student and a DBT-JRF. She joined the lab as a graduate student in March 2023. She works on designing synthetic circuits to target relapse specific genes in B-ALL.

 

3. Junior Residents

1. Dr Sharath: Sharath is an MD student who has joined the lab in Feb 2021. He works on deciphering the synergism between epitranscriptomic modifications and IGF2BPs in the stability of mRNAs.

2. Dr Jyoti Chaudhary: Jyoti is an MD student who joined the Department in July 2023. She plans to use a novel enzymatic digestion based assay to study m6A marks in B-ALL.

4. Masters Students

1. Mahek Farhan: Mahek works on designing an RNA targeted CRISPR based strategy to reverse the phenotype in Gaucher’s disease

2. Nisha Kushwaha: Nisha works on validating the expression of relapse specific genes in a large cohort of archival patient samples.

Alumni:

1. Dr. Elza Boby: Elza was a Junior resident in the Biochemistry Department (2015-2018). Elza worked on the ‘Role of IGF2BP1 in ETV6-RUNX1 translocation positive B-ALL’ as part of her dissertation in our lab. She is presently working at Calicut Medical College in the Department of Biochemistry as Assistant Professor.

2. Sanjeev Goswami: Sanjeev worked on the ‘Role of IGF2BP3 in the invasion and migration of cancer cells’ during his Masters in Biochemistry (2016-2018) in our lab. He is presently enrolled as a PhD student in Prof Kunzang Chosdol’s lab in Biochemistry at AIIMS, New Delhi.

3. Dr Thakur Nidhi: Nidhi was a Junior Resident in the Biochemistry Department (2016-2019) Nidhi worked on the ‘Role of EGFL7 in ETV6-RUNX1 translocation positive B-ALL’ as part of her dissertation. She is presently working as a Senior Resident at ESIC, Faridabad.

4. Harsh Bhakhri: Harsh worked on ‘The role of METTL3 and IGF2BP synergism in leukemogenesis’ during his Masters in Biochemistry (2019-2021) in our lab. He is presently enrolled as a PhD student in Prof Kalpana Luthra’s lab in Biochemistry at AIIMS, New Delhi.

5. Arjun Saraswat and Lajja Patel: Arjun and Lajja were MBBS students who had been selected by the institute’s UG Mentorship Research Scheme. They worked on the role of IGF2BP3 associated circular RNAs in hypoxia and epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

6. Dr Gunjan Sharma: Gunjan was the first PhD student from the lab. She worked on elucidating the role of IGF2BP1 in ETV6-RUNX1 translocation positive pediatric patients. She was a DBT-JRF/SRF and a winner of the SERB overseas visiting doctoral fellowship. She is presently a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA.

7. Hemant Kumar: Hemant was a Masters student in the lab. He did his dissertation on the role of circRNAs in hypoxia.

8. Diya Chawla: Diya was a Masters student in the lab. Her dissertation involved the development of a monocyte derived macrophage model for Gaucher’s disease.

Positions Available

We are always on the lookout for excellent postdoctoral/graduate students. If you are interested in the type of work which we do and have an idea which you wish to work on, please drop an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MBBS students for summer fellowships and short-term training are always welcome if you are willing to put in the hard work

 

Key publications

1. RNA binding protein IGF2BP1 synergizes with ETV6-RUNX1 to drive oncogenic signaling in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Sharma G, Tran TM, Bansal I, Beg MS, Bhardwaj R, Bassi J, Tan Y, Tso C, Jaiswal AK, Jain A, Singh J, Chattopadhyay P, Singh A, Chopra A, Bakhshi S, Casero D, Rao DS, Palanichamy JK. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research (2023) 42:231

2. Distinct oncogenic phenotypes in hematopoietic specific deletions of Trp53. Palanichamy JK, Tran TM, King JK, Katzman S, Ritter AJ, Sharma G, Tso C, Contreras JR, Fernando TR, Sanford J, Rao DS. Scientific Reports (2023) 13: 7490

3. Diagnostic utility of IGF2BP1 and its targets in ETV6-RUNX1 positive B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Sharma G, Boby E, Nidhi T, Jain A, Singh J, Singh A, Chattopadhyay P, Bakhshi S, Chopra A, Palanichamy JK*.Frontiers in Oncology (2021) 11:588101

4. The RNA binding protein IGF2BP3 is required for MLL-AF4 mediated leukemogenesis. Tran TM, Philipp J, Bassi J, Nibber N, Draper J, Lin T, Palanichamy JK, Kumar A, Paing M, King JK, Katzman S, Sanford JR, Rao DS. Leukemia (2021) 36(1):68-79

5. A patient with POLA1 splice variant expands the yet evolving phenotype of Van Esch-O’Driscoll syndrome. Monika E, Saluja S, Ethayathulla AS, Sapra S, Dalal A, Palanichamy JK*, Gupta N*. European Journal of Medical Genetics (2021) 64(8):104261 (*Equal Authorship)

6. PGC1A driven enhanced mitochondrial DNA copy number predicts outcome in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia. Chaudhary S, Ganguly S, Jain A, Palanichamy JK, Singh A, Chopra A, Bakhshi R, Bakhshi S. Mitochondrion (2021) 58:246-254

7. Prognostic relevance of expression of EMP1, CASP1 and NLRP3 genes in pediatric B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Singh J, Kumari S, Arora M, Verma D, Palanichamy JK, Kumar R, Sharma G, Bakhshi S, Pushpam D, Ali S, Ranjan A, Tanwar P, Chauhan SS, Singh A, Chopra A. Frontiers in Oncology (2021) 11: 606370

8. The lncRNA CASC15 regulates SOX4 expression in RUNX1-rearranged acute leukemia. Fernando TR, Contreras JR, Zampini M, Rodriguez-Malave NI, Alberti MO, Anguiano J, Tran TM, Palanichamy JK, Gajeton J, Ung NM, Aros CJ, Waters EV, Casero D, Basso G, Pigazzi M, Rao DS. Molecular Cancer (2017) 16(1):126

9. RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3 targeting of oncogenic transcripts promotes hematopoietic progenitor proliferation. Palanichamy JK, Tran TM, Howard JM, Contreras JR, Fernando TR, Sterne-Weiler T, Katzman S, Touloue M, Yan W, Basso G, Pigazzi M, Sanford JR, Rao DS. Journal of Clinical Investigation (2016)126(4): 1495-511

10. MicroRNA-146a modulates B-cell oncogenesis by targeting Egr1. Contreras JR, Palanichamy JK, Tran TM, Fernando TR, Rodriguez-Malave NI, Goswami N, Arboleda VA, Casero D, Rao DS. Oncotarget (2015) 6(13):11023-37

11. Biogenesis of intronic miRNAs located in clusters by independent transcription and alternative splicing. Ramalingam P, Palanichamy JK, Singh A, Das P, Bhagat M, Kassab MA, Sinha S, Chattopadhyay P. RNA (2014) 20(1):76-87

12. Long term suppression of HIV-1C virus production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by LTR heterochromatization with a short dsRNA. Singh A, Palanichamy JK, Ramalingam P, Kassab MA, Bhagat M, Andrabi R, Luthra K, Sinha S, Chattopadhyay P. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2013) 69(2):404-15

13. CpG hypermethylation of the c-myc promoter by dsRNA results in growth suppression. Mehndiratta M, Palanichamy JK, Pal A, Bhagat M, Singh A, Sinha S, Chattopadhyay P. Molecular Pharmaceutics (2011) 8(6): 2302–2309 (Equal first authorship)

14. Silencing of integrated Human Papillomavirus-16 oncogenes by siRNA mediated heterochromatization. Palanichamy JK, Mehndiratta M, Bhagat M, Ramalingam P, Das B, Das P, Sinha S, Chattopadhyay P. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (2010) 9(7):2114-22

 

 

Acknowledgments:

All the patients for their contribution to our study

Funding Agencies