We are delighted to share that Dr. Poulomi Banerjee, Principal Scientist at SKAN Research Trust, has been invited to speak at ICTN 2026 – International Conference on Translational Neuroscience, taking place at CUSAT, Kochi, from 14–16 September 2026.
Link to the conference website:
About SKAN Research Trust
SKAN is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit medical research trust focussed on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine through the discovery of new therapies. SKAN’s areas of expertise include human genomics, stem cells, gut microbiome, molecular biology, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of ageing and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.
OPEN Autism: A Concept to Explore Neurobiology
About SKAN Research Trust
SKAN is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit medical research trust focussed on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine through the discovery of new therapies. SKAN’s areas of expertise include human genomics, stem cells, gut microbiome, molecular biology, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of ageing and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.
Factors that can influence the Autism – Multilayer architecture for LMIC
We proposed a framework to low-middle income countries to integrating obstetric, placental, epigenetic, and neurodevelopmental (OPEN) to get better insights in understand ASD risk and enable early detection. We identify that autism may be influenced not only by genetics but also by prenatal and placental factors, which can shape early brain development.
View Publication (Publication Date – 11th May 2026)
About SKAN Research Trust
SKAN is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit medical research trust focussed on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine through the discovery of new therapies. SKAN’s areas of expertise include human genomics, stem cells, gut microbiome, molecular biology, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of ageing and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.
Insights into m6A methylation in Autism
Our work integrates recent advances in epitranscriptomics and discusses how m6A RNA methylation may contribute to ASD development, neurodevelopmental alterations, synaptic dysfunction, and behavioral manifestations. Importantly, highlight the role of m6A methylation in synaptic enrichment of high-risk autism genes.
View Publication (Publication Date – 20th March 2026)
About SKAN Research Trust
SKAN is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit medical research trust focussed on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine through the discovery of new therapies. SKAN’s areas of expertise include human genomics, stem cells, gut microbiome, molecular biology, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of ageing and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.
Invited Talk & Best Oral Presentation Award
Dr. Venkata Ram Gannavarapu from
SKAN Research Trust delivered an invited talk titled
“Developing an Advanced Gut-on-Chip Model Enabling Epithelial–Fibroblast Interaction”
at the Emerging Analytical Professionals Conference, held in
Kettering, UK, from 8–10 May.
He won the Best Oral Presentation Award, sponsored by
Resolian UK.
He is currently working on a collaborative research project with the
Quadram Institute, UK.
About SKAN Research Trust
SKAN is a Bengaluru-based not-for-profit medical research trust focussed on transformational technologies that will alter the future of medicine through the discovery of new therapies. SKAN’s areas of expertise include human genomics, stem cells, gut microbiome, molecular biology, and transformational artificial intelligence applied to areas of ageing and neurological ailments to achieve breakthrough therapies.
| Research Overview: |
Parkinson’s disease is a clinically and biologically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease globally and represents one of the fastest growing neurological disorders in terms of prevalence and disability burden.
Emerging evidence suggests that somatic genomic variation and clonal evolution in the brain may contribute to neuronal and synaptic vulnerability. Building on previous work involving whole-genome sequencing and detection of low-frequency somatic variants, this project aims to systematically characterise the genetic landscape and clonal architecture of brain cells in PD in the Indian population using post-mortem brain tissue. In addition, the project also aims to investigate the heterogeneity of blood and brain cell populations using PBMCs and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain organoids from PD patients and healthy controls through Single Cell Transcriptomics. We are looking out for a motivated and skilled Research Associate to join an interdisciplinary research project focused on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease (PD). The project integrates genomics, single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomics, stem cell biology, and bioinformatics approaches to investigate somatic genomic variation, clonal evolution, and cellular heterogeneity to better understand the cellular and molecular basis of PD in Indian population. The specialized skills we are seeking in candidates include expertise in single-cell/nucleus sequencing, flow cytometry, single cell sorting, and molecular biology techniques. |
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| 1. Key Responsibilities |
Experimental and Technical Responsibilities
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| 2. Desired Additional Skills |
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| 3. Eligibility: |
PhD candidates with 0–2 years of post-PhD experience, or MSc candidates with 4 years of relevant experience in single-cell transcriptomics, genomics, molecular biology, and flow cytometry PhD holders with more than 2 years of experience will not be considered for this position Candidates with a PhD must have at least two first-author publications, while candidates with a Master’s degree must have at least more than two co-authored publications |
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| 5. Letter of Reference: | A letter of reference from your guide/supervisor may be requested during the final round of the interview process. | ||
| 6. Relevant References: |
Bernstein, Nicholas, Michael Spencer Chapman, Kudzai Nyamondo, Zhenghao Chen, Nicholas Williams, Emily Mitchell, Peter J Campbell, Robert L Cohen, and Jyoti Nangalia. 2024.
“Analysis of Somatic Mutations in Whole Blood from 200,618 Individuals Identifies Pervasive Positive Selection and Novel Drivers of Clonal Hematopoiesis.”
Nature Genetics 56 (6): 1147–55.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-024-01755-1.
Kapadia, Chiraag D, Nicholas Williams, Kevin J Dawson, Caroline Watson, Matthew J Yousefzadeh, Duy Le, Kudzai Nyamondo, et al. 2025. “Clonal Dynamics and Somatic Evolution of Haematopoiesis in Mouse.” Nature 641 (8063): 681–89. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08625-8. Lobon, Irene, Manuel Solís-Moruno, David Juan, Ashraf Muhaisen, Federico Abascal, Paula Esteller-Cucala, Raquel García-Pérez, et al. 2022. “Somatic Mutations Detected in Parkinson Disease Could Affect Genes with a Role in Synaptic and Neuronal Processes.” Frontiers in Aging 3 (April): 851039. https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2022.851039. Andrews, Shan V., et al. “The Genetic Drivers of Juvenile, Young, and Early-Onset Parkinson’s Disease in India.” Movement Disorders, vol. 39, no. 2, Feb. 2024, pp. 339–49, doi:10.1002/mds.29676. Bhatia, Divisha, et al. “T-Cell Dysregulation Is Associated with Disease Severity in Parkinson’s Disease.” Journal of Neuroinflammation, vol. 18, no. 1, Oct. 2021, p. 250, doi:10.1186/s12974-021-02296-8. |
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| 7. To apply: |
Interested candidates should apply to this posting with a CV detailing work experience, technical skills and publications within 31st June 2026
Interested and eligible candidates may send their updated CV to careers@skanrt.in Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview. Please note that Annual Salary (CTC) will be commensurate with available skills and fitment of the incumbent as per the selection process. |
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