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About Me
I am an evolutionary biologist who studies how pathogens and microbial communities evolve in response to human ecological, environmental, and cultural changes. Employing a One Health framework, my work integrates genomic/metagenomic datasets derived from animals, contemporary human populations living diverse lifestyles, and ancient individuals recovered using cutting-edge paleogenomics techniques. Research Interests Microbial Genomics; Pathogen Evolution: Human Microbiome; Ancient DNA; One Health |
Background
I was born and raised in Pune, India. I have a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, with a minor in Industrial Microbiology, and a Master's degree in Virology from the University of Pune.
My research career began in 2011 with my Masters' research project, where I conducted a case-control association study of genetic polymorphisms in human immune response genes and the outcomes of Dengue virus infection in Indian populations. I was supervised in this research by Dr. K. Alagarasu at the National Institute of Virology, India.
From 2012 to 2017, I worked on my Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology under the supervision of Dr. Anne Stone and Dr. Michael Rosenberg at Arizona State University, Tempe, U.S. My dissertation research involved using cutting-edge ancient DNA and next-generation sequencing methods to elucidate the evolutionary histories of the pathogens causing two major human diseases - leprosy and tuberculosis.
From 2017 to 2024, I worked as a Research Assistant Professor with Dr. Cecil M. Lewis Jr., in the Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research (LMAMR) at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, U.S. In this role, I co-led numerous projects investigating the evolution of the human microbiome in response to migration, lifeways, and behavior, which included a National Science Foundation-funded project on the oral microbiome.
In 2025, I started a remote position as a Bioinformatics Scientist working with Dr. Charlotte Avanzi in the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories (MRL) at Colorado State University. In 2026, our group transitioned to the One Health Microbial Evolution Lab (OHMEL) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. In this role, I am working on projects studying the transmission dynamics of leprosy in human and animal hosts. I also lead ancient DNA projects studying the evolution of the human oral microbiome and pathogens.
My research career began in 2011 with my Masters' research project, where I conducted a case-control association study of genetic polymorphisms in human immune response genes and the outcomes of Dengue virus infection in Indian populations. I was supervised in this research by Dr. K. Alagarasu at the National Institute of Virology, India.
From 2012 to 2017, I worked on my Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology under the supervision of Dr. Anne Stone and Dr. Michael Rosenberg at Arizona State University, Tempe, U.S. My dissertation research involved using cutting-edge ancient DNA and next-generation sequencing methods to elucidate the evolutionary histories of the pathogens causing two major human diseases - leprosy and tuberculosis.
From 2017 to 2024, I worked as a Research Assistant Professor with Dr. Cecil M. Lewis Jr., in the Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research (LMAMR) at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, U.S. In this role, I co-led numerous projects investigating the evolution of the human microbiome in response to migration, lifeways, and behavior, which included a National Science Foundation-funded project on the oral microbiome.
In 2025, I started a remote position as a Bioinformatics Scientist working with Dr. Charlotte Avanzi in the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories (MRL) at Colorado State University. In 2026, our group transitioned to the One Health Microbial Evolution Lab (OHMEL) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. In this role, I am working on projects studying the transmission dynamics of leprosy in human and animal hosts. I also lead ancient DNA projects studying the evolution of the human oral microbiome and pathogens.