Rahul Modak

Associate Professor

Dr. Rahul Modak has more than 18years of research experience in epigenetics, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology and infection biology. His researh group is studying epigenetic regulation of host-pathogen interactions during bacterial infection. They are actively pursuing detailed function analysis of two novel family of bacterial enzymes- acetyltransferase and deacetylases. They are developing new assay systems to study the role of these enzymes during bacterial infection. Dr. Modak’s group is aiming to develop specific inhibitors of bacterial acetyltransferase and deacetylase in future. His group is also interested to develop optimized methods for high density culture for enzyme production in E. coli. Dr. Modak is a passionate teacher who loves to blend his research experience with classroom teaching. He mentors undergraduate students to appreciate nuances of protein biochemistry and enzymology. At post graduate level he teaches basics of non-infectious diseases. Dr. Modak is part of training and placement team of KSBT where he is actively engaged in professional training of students and industry engagements. Dr. Modak did his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore where he studied fatty acid synthesis in malaria parasite Plasmodium falciperum. During his postdoctoral studies in JNCASR, Bangalore, he became immensely interested in epigenetic regulation of host-pathogen interaction during bacterial infection. He also discovered only cell permiable natural inhibitor of an important mammalian acetyltransferase P300/CBP Associated Factor (PCAF). He also worked on epigenetics of neural cell differentiation at Institute of Molecular Biology at Mainz, Germany.

Profile Links

Email :
[email protected]
Scopus Id :
16743971600
Google Scholar :
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=mIZof6AAAAAJ

Social Links

Educational Qualification
PhD

Projects
  1. Deciphering the Effects of radiopharmaceuticals on epigenetic profile of colon cancer (BRNS-DAE, Govt of India, 2015-2018)
  2. Deciphering the role of lysine Nε acetyltransferases of Salmonella enterica in regulation of gene expression during infection (DBT, Govt. of India, 2017-2020)
  3. Translational Research Program on Gastrointestinal Bacterial Pathogens (DBT, Govt. of India, 2018-2021,, Co-PI)


Administrative Responsibility
  1. Convener Compliance Cell
  2. Batch coordinator
  3. Training and Placement cell member


Memberships
Society for Biological Chemists of India (SBCI, Life Member)
Journals/Conferences :
1. Reddy S, Sahay P, Padhy D, Sarangi S, Suar M, Modak R, Rao A. Tear biomarkers in latanoprost and bimatoprost treated eyes. PLoS One. 2018 Aug 6;13(8):e0201740. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201740. PMID: 30080906; PMCID: PMC6078293.

2: Sahay P, Rao A, Padhy D, Sarangi S, Das G, Reddy MM, Modak R. Functional Activity of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and 9 in Tears of Patients With Glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017 May 1;58(6):BIO106-BIO113. doi: 10.1167/iovs.17-21723. PMID: 28586796.

3: Modak R, Das Mitra S, Vasudevan M, Krishnamoorthy P, Kumar M, Bhat AV, Bhuvana M, Ghosh SK, Shome BR, Kundu TK. Epigenetic response in mice mastitis: Role of histone H3 acetylation and microRNA(s) in the regulation of host inflammatory gene expression during Staphylococcus aureus infection. Clin Epigenetics. 2014 Jun 30;6(1):12. doi: 10.1186/1868-7083-6-12. PMID: 25075227; PMCID: PMC4114167.

4: Modak R, Basha J, Bharathy N, Maity K, Mizar P, Bhat AV, Vasudevan M, Rao VK, Kok WK, Natesh N, Taneja R, Kundu TK. Probing p300/CBP associated factor (PCAF)-dependent pathways with a small molecule inhibitor. ACS Chem Biol. 2013;8(6):1311-23. doi: 10.1021/cb4000597. Epub 2013 May 9. PMID: 23570531.

5: Selvi BR, Chatterjee S, Modak R, Eswaramoorthy M, Kundu TK. Histone acetylation as a therapeutic target. Subcell Biochem. 2013;61:567-96. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-4525-4_25. PMID: 23150268.

6: Modak R, Das Mitra S, Krishnamoorthy P, Bhat A, Banerjee A, Gowsica BR, Bhuvana M, Dhanikachalam V, Natesan K, Shome R, Shome BR, Kundu TK. Histone H3K14 and H4K8 hyperacetylation is associated with Escherichia coli-induced mastitis in mice. Epigenetics. 2012 May;7(5):492-501. doi: 10.4161/epi.19742. Epub 2012 May 1. PMID: 22419123.


Books :
1. Mishra, P., Beura, S. and Modak, R.. (2020) Significance of enzymes in modern healthcare: from diagnosis to therapy (Book Chapter in "Bioprospecting of Enzymes in Industry, Healthcare and Sustainable Environment", Springer Nature)
2. Modak, R., Chatterjee, S. and Kundu T.K. (2012) Chromatin and chromatin remodeling: Implications in cellular processes and diseases. (Book chapter in "Text Book of Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Allied & Molecular Medicine", 4th edition, Prentice Hall of India)
3. Selvi, B.R., Chatterjee,S., Modak, R., Eswaramoorthy, M. and Kundu, T.K.. (2012) Histone Acetylation as a Therapeutic Target. Subcell Biochem. 61:567-96. (Book chapter in Epigenetics in Development and Disease)