About Us
Understanding the cellular and molecular events that drive embryo implantation in maternal uterus is essential to improve the success of assisted reproductive therapies. The overall goal of the lab is to discover the fundamental principles that define embryo implantation and placentation. Currently, we are investigating how inflammation in the uterus is controlled to drive implantation and placentation. Also we are determining the involvement of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells and epithelial to mesenchymal transition events in initiation of pregnancy. In the disease context, we are unravelling how these processes go awry in disorders like, recurrent implantation failure, endometriosis and preterm births and mother to child transmission of infections.
Breast cancer currently ranks as the most common cancer and poses a major health burden. We also aim understand the role of innate immune parameters in regulating the pathogenesis and chemotherapy/ immunotherapy response in breast cancer. We are investigating the relevance of targeting tumor associated macrophages a targetable strategy for treating breast cancer patients. Also we are trying to envisage the underlying factors contributing to development of pregnancy associated breast cancer with special emphasis of potential role of placenta derived factors on physiology and development of breast cancer during pregnancy.
We develop technologies to support a broad range of potential applications in infertility and pregnancy related disorders. An assay for detecting Y chromosome microdeletions designed specifically with markers relevant to Indian population and an AI based software to predict the IVF outcomes in these patients were developed. Both these technologies are transferred to industry. Currently we are developing assays to detect infections associated with preterm births and using liquid biopsy based approaches to diagnose uterine disorders. We are also developing organoids and organ-on-chip models of human placenta and endometrium.
People
| Name | Designation |
| Dr Deepak Modi | Scientist G |
| Mrs. Sarika Ahire | Technical Officer |
| Mr. Sanjay Sakpal | Technician-B |
| Dr. Stacy Colaco | DHR Young Scientist Fellow |
| Dr. Jayeeta Giri | DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Early Career fellow |
| Mrs. Anuradha Mishra | ICMR SRF |
| Mrs. Nancy Ashary | ICMR SRF |
| Mrs. Richa Sharma | PhD student |
| Mr. Anshul Bhide | PhD student |
| Ms. Babita Negi | PhD student |
| Ms. Pranya N | PhD student |
| Ms. Rushigandha Salunke | PhD student |
Projects
| S. No. | Project title | Funding agency |
| 1. | Deciphering the immnunomodulatory roles of Homeobox A10 in the endometrium during embryo implantation | DBT |
| 2. | Role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in placenta mediated breast carcinogenesis during pregnancy | DST SERB |
| 3. | Development of a Microfluidic-Based Tool for Assessing Placental Functions and Evaluating Its Potential Application in Pregnancy-Related Disorders | ICMR-NIRRH |
| 4. | Determining the role of HOXA10 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis | ICMR-NIRRH |
| 5. | Investigating the role of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in the process of embryo implantation | ICMR-NIRRH |
| 6. | Study on placenta of women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its correlation with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes | ICMR-NIRRH |
| 7. | Deciphering the placental-breast epithelial cell cross talk in pregnancy associated breast cancer (PABC) | ICMR-NIRRH |
| 8. | Understanding the biosensing ability of endometrial cells to embryonic aneuploidy: A pilot study | ICMR-NIRRH |
| 9. | Understanding the role of TLR and associated signaling pathways in triple negative breast cancer. | ICMR-NIRRH |
Projects Completed
| S No. | Project Title | Funding Agency | From | To |
| 1. | Investigating the role of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in the process of embryo implantation | DST-SERB | 2019 | 2022 |
| 2. | Development of a microfluidic based tool for assessing placental functions and evaluating its potential application in pregnancy related disorders | DST-IMPRINT II-C | 2019 | 2022 |
| 3. | Deciphering the roles of Lhx2 in mammalian gonad development | DBT | 2015 | 2018 |
| 4. | Determining role of HoxA 10 in endometrial physiology & pathogenesis of endometriosis | DST-SERB | 2014 | 2018 |
| 5. | To develop a rapid PCR kit for detection of common infections associated with preterm and still birth | ICMR-Medical Innovation | 2019 | 2020 |
| 6. | Development and Validation of a PCR based technology for detection of Yq microdeletions in diagnosis of male infertility. | ICMR-PDF | 2016 | 2019 |
| 7. | Role of Toll-like receptors and TLR agonists in modulating response to chemotherapy in TNBC patients | DBT BIOCARE | 2019 | 2022 |
| 8. | Immune and microbiome correlates of TB reactivation in PLHIV and a NHP model | Indo-US Joint Program on HIV/AIDS and STI Prevention Research Collaboration Awards | 2020 | 2023 |
Contact Us
| Name | Designation | Email Id | Phone no |
| Dr. Deepak Modi | Scientist F and Head | modid[at]nirrch[dot]res[dot]in | +(91-22)24192034 |
| Dr. Nupur Mukherjee | Scientist C | mukherjeen[at]nirrch[dot]res[dot]in | +(91-22)24192172 |