Download PDF Resume

📄 Click here to download my full CV (PDF)

Education

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, 2020
  • Advisor: Prof. Sathees C. Raghavan
  • Thesis: Understanding the Mechanism of Double-strand Break Repair and Genome Fragility in Mammalian Mitochondria
• M.Sc. in Biotechnology, Bangalore University, 2014
• B.Sc. (Hons) in Biotechnology, Purvanchal University, 2011

Work Experience

• 2021–Present: Research Associate
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York
  • Supervisor: Dr. Dirk Remus
  • Duties include: Biochemical reconstitution of DNA replication, chromatography techniques, protein purification from bacterial, yeast and insect cells, gene cloning, and DNA structure studies (R-loops)
• 2019–2021: Research Associate
  • Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
  • Supervisor: Prof. Sathees C. Raghavan
  • Duties included: Functional studies on DNA repair, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), mass spectrometry sample prep, fluorescence microscopy, gene knockdowns, and subcellular fractionation, Handling, breeding, and drug administration in mice model

Skills

• Molecular Biology
  • Gene cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, DNA labeling (radioactive/non-radioactive)
  • RNA, gDNA, mtDNA, plasmid isolation
  • PCR (qPCR, semi-quantitative, multiplex), EMSA, primer extension
• Biochemical Techniques
  • Protein purification (affinity, ion-exchange, gel filtration) using FPLC (Akta)
  • Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)
  • Circular Dichroism, UV-Vis, and Fluorescence Spectroscopy
• Cell and Animal Work
  • Mammalian and bacterial cell culture
  • Handling, breeding, and drug administration in mouse models
  • Subcellular fractionation (nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria)
• Microscopy and Imaging
  • Confocal microscopy, fluorescence microscopy
  • FISH, IHC, flow cytometry
• Data Analysis and Communication
  • Statistical analysis, experimental design
  • Manuscript and grant writing
  • Conference presentations and outreach

Selected Publications

• G-quadruplex Structures Contribute to Differential Radiosensitivity of the Human Genome – iScience, 2019
• Unleashing a Novel Function of Endonuclease G in Mitochondrial Genome Instability – eLife, 2022
• Characterization of G4 DNA Formation in Mitochondrial DNA and their Potential Role in Mitochondrial Genome Instability – The FEBS Journal, 2021

Publications

Formation of multiple G-quadruplexes contributes toward BCR fragility associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia

Sharma, S., Thomas, E., Dahal, S., Das, S., Kothari, S., Roy, U., et al. (2025). "Formation of multiple G-quadruplexes contributes toward BCR fragility associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia." Nucleic Acids Research. 53(6).

Mutations at BCL11B Exon 4 Associated with T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Are Facilitated by AID and Formation of Non-B DNA Conformations

Roy, U., Sharma, A., Sharma, S., Dahal, S., Kumari, N., Desai, S.S., et al. (2024). "Mutations at BCL11B Exon 4 Associated with T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Are Facilitated by AID and Formation of Non-B DNA Conformations." Molecular and Cellular Biology. 44(12), 590-606.

Evaluation of potential role of R-loop and G-quadruplex DNA in the fragility of c-MYC during chromosomal translocation associated with Burkitt’s lymphoma

Kumari, N., Das, K., Sharma, S., Dahal, S., Desai, S.S., Roy, U., et al. (2023). "Evaluation of potential role of R-loop and G-quadruplex DNA in the fragility of c-MYC during chromosomal translocation associated with Burkitt's lymphoma." Journal of Biological Chemistry. 299(12).

Exposure to endosulfan can cause long term effects on general biology, including the reproductive system of mice

Sharma, A., Kaninathan, A., Dahal, S., Kumari, S., Choudhary, B., et al. (2022). "Exposure to endosulfan can cause long term effects on general biology, including the reproductive system of mice." Frontiers in Genetics. 13, 1047746.

Unleashing a novel function of endonuclease G in mitochondrial genome instability

Dahal, S., Siddiqua, H., Sharma, S., Babu, R.K., Rathore, D., Sharma, S., et al. (2022). "Unleashing a novel function of endonuclease G in mitochondrial genome instability." eLife. 11, e69916.

Characterization of G4 DNA formation in mitochondrial DNA and their potential role in mitochondrial genome instability

Dahal, S., Siddiqua, H., Katapadi, V.K., Iyer, D., & Raghavan, S.C. (2022). "Characterization of G4 DNA formation in mitochondrial DNA and their potential role in mitochondrial genome instability." The FEBS Journal. 289(1), 163-182.

Mitochondrial genome stability in human: understanding the role of DNA repair pathways

Dahal, S., & Raghavan, S.C. (2021). "Mitochondrial genome stability in human: understanding the role of DNA repair pathways." Biochemical Journal. 478(6), 1179-1197.

Understanding the Mechanism of Double-strand Break Repair and Genome Fragility in Mammalian Mitochondria

Dahal, S. (2020). "Understanding the Mechanism of Double-strand Break Repair and Genome Fragility in Mammalian Mitochondria." PhD Thesis. Indian Institute of Science.

IISc: Natural shield protects certain DNA regions from radiation damage

Kumari, N., Vartak, S.V., Dahal, S., Kumari, S., Desai, S.S., Gopalakrishnan, V., et al. (2019). "IISc: Natural shield protects certain DNA regions from radiation damage." The Hindu.

Characterization of DNA double‐strand break repair pathways in diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Gopalakrishnan, V., Dahal, S., Radha, G., Sharma, S., Raghavan, S.C., et al. (2019). "Characterization of DNA double‐strand break repair pathways in diffuse large B cell lymphoma." Molecular Carcinogenesis. 58(2), 219-233.

G-quadruplex Structures Contribute to Differential Radiosensitivity of the Human Genome

Kumari, N., Vartak, S.V., Dahal, S., Kumari, S., Desai, S.S., Gopalakrishnan, V., et al. (2019). "G-quadruplex Structures Contribute to Differential Radiosensitivity of the Human Genome." iScience. 21, 288-307.

Repair of DNA double-strand breaks in mitochondria: Implications in mitochondrial genome stability

Dahal, S., Kumar, T.S., Sebastian, R., Dubey, S., & Raghavan, S.C. (2018). "Repair of DNA double-strand breaks in mitochondria: Implications in mitochondrial genome stability."

Understanding the mechanism of genomic stability in mitochondria: Role of double-strand break repair

Dahal, S., Tadi, S.K., Sebastian, R., & Raghavan, S.C. (2018). "Understanding the mechanism of genomic stability in mitochondria: Role of double-strand break repair." MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL. 29(26).

Homologous recombination-mediated repair of DNA double-strand breaks operates in mammalian mitochondria

Dahal, S., Dubey, S., & Raghavan, S.C. (2018). "Homologous recombination-mediated repair of DNA double-strand breaks operates in mammalian mitochondria." Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 75, 1641-1655.

Understanding the mechanism of genomic stability in mitochondria: Role of double-strand break repair

Dahal, S., Kumar, T.S., Sebastian, R., Dubey, S., & Raghavan, S.C. (2017). "Understanding the mechanism of genomic stability in mitochondria: Role of double-strand break repair."

Maintenance of Genomic Stability in Mitochondria is mediated by Homologous Recombination

Dahal, S., & Raghavan, S.C. (2017). "Maintenance of Genomic Stability in Mitochondria is mediated by Homologous Recombination."

DNA double-strand break repair in Penaeus monodon is predominantly dependent on homologous recombination

Srivastava, S., Dahal, S., Naidu, S.J., Anand, D., Gopalakrishnan, V., et al. (2017). "DNA double-strand break repair in Penaeus monodon is predominantly dependent on homologous recombination." DNA Research. 24(2), 117-128.

Maintenance of Genomic Stability in Mitochondria is mediated by Homologous Recombination

Dahal, S., & Raghavan, S.C. (2016). "Maintenance of Genomic Stability in Mitochondria is mediated by Homologous Recombination."

Microhomology-mediated end joining is the principal mediator of double-strand break repair during mitochondrial DNA lesions

Tadi, S.K., Sebastian, R., Dahal, S., Babu, R.K., Choudhary, B., & Raghavan, S.C. (2016). "Microhomology-mediated end joining is the principal mediator of double-strand break repair during mitochondrial DNA lesions." Molecular Biology of the Cell. 27(2), 223-235.

Workshops

Workshops:

• ASCB EMBO Meeting, December 2018. San Diego, USA
  Poster presented on mitochondrial genome stability and DNA repair.
  [ASCB EMBO 2018]
• Indo-US Conference on Transcription, Chromatin Structure, DNA Repair and Genomic Instability, March 2018. Bangalore, India
  Poster presentation and student coordinator.
  Organized by IISc Bangalore and SIU, Illinois.
• Indo-French Conference on Genome Integrity and Plasticity, December 2017. Bangalore, India
  Poster presentation and student coordinator.
  Hosted by IISc Bangalore.
• 42nd Annual Meeting of the Indian Society of Human Genetics, March 2017. Bangalore, India
  Student coordinator and contributor to the International Symposium on Trends in Human Genetic Research.
• Workshop on Laboratory Animal Care and Use, September 2014. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
  Participated in 4-day training held at Central Animal Facility.
• Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights in Lifescience Industries, November 2013. Bangalore, India
  Student coordinator. Organized by RISM in association with IIPTA, Delhi.

Journal Reviewing:

• Scientific Reports (Since 2017)
• BMC Cancer (Since 2021)
• BMC Cell and Molecular Biology (Since 2022)
• Disease Markers (Since 2023)
• Cancer (Since 2023)
• Genes (Since 2023)
• Cell Biology International (Since 2023)
• Open Biology (Since 2024)

Editorial Board:

• Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences (Since 2023)
• Frontiers in Biochemistry (Since 2023)

Teaching Experience:

• Practicals in Biochemistry for undergraduate student (2017 January- 2017 April)
• Hands on training for M.Sc Trainees (2017-2021)
• Two days Hands on workshop for M.Sc students of Yuvaraja College, Mysore, India (2017-2019)
• Voluntary teaching to primary and secondary level students (April 2004-June 2004)

Judging:

• Poster judge for Hunter Undergraduate Research Conference (April 30, 2025)