Host-Pathogen Interactions:
The area of current research is 'Chemical & Molecular Cell Biology of host-pathogen interactions'. The research direction involves understanding genetic, biochemical & metabolic basis underlying the strategies used by fungal pathogens to evade host immunity, and the mechanisms by which plant/animal hosts respond to defend themselves against the microbial attack.
Plant-Fungus Interactions:
The major focus is to study the chemical language used by these fungal pathogens, using innovative cell-based assays, in conjunction with the functional genomics and analytical chemistry tools, to understand the molecular mechanisms at the interface. We use the model patho-system of Rice-Blast disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae for the plant-fungus interaction studies.
