Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences
tkchowdary@niser.ac.in
Ph.D - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad - 2007
M.Sc - University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore - 2002
Virology - advanced course for M.Sc and PhD students
Enzymology - advanced course for M.Sc and PhD students
Introductory Biology practical courses for undergrad students
Biochemistry - an introductory course for undergrad students
Structural biology of viral molecular machines
My research interest is to understand structure-function relationship of viral proteins in viral entry, genome replication and packaging into capsids.
Cell-entry of alphaviruses: Chikungunya virus, an aedes mosquito-transmitted alphavirus, enters cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis, and membrane fusion in acidic pH of endosome. Two viral surface proteins, E1 and E2 facilitate entry process. E1 'pulls' apposing endosomal and cell membranes close enough, after endosome acidification, so that they fuse and open a pore. My lab is interested in understanding the acidic-pH triggering mechanism for E1 and structural changes in the protein that lead to membrane fusion.
Nucleic acid packaging in dsDNA viruses: Viruses with double stranded DNA genome pack DNA into capsids at very high densities. Some bacteriophages Human herpesviruses (one of those with large genomes) pack their genome into pre-formed capsid through concerted action of a portal complex and terminase complex. Terminase complex of herpesviruses can be a good drug-target. My lab studies structure-function relationship of terminase protein complex components to explain the mechanism of action of the complex.
Replication complexes of flaviviruses: another interest in the lab is on replication complexes of flaviviruses. Dengue virus, a member of the virus family, forms a complex of more than five different proteins (nsp1,2a, 2b, 3, 4a, 4b and 5) formed from a single polyprotein through proteolytic processing. Special membrane-bound replication complexes are formed from ER membrane surface and viral RNA is amplified inside these vesicles. We aim to characterize these complexes and study interactions amongst the proteins in complex.
Postdoctoral fellows:
Dr. Rajasree Chakraborty
Ph.D. students:
Mr. Satyamurthy Kundarapu
Mr. Naresh Kumar Gudigamolla
Mr.Simanchal Dora A
Ms. Snehal Balaso Bhongale
Integrated M.Sc students:
Ms. Rupali Kapoor
Ms. Raga Sahiti Datti
Ms. Veena Birudula
Ms. Neha Sanal Kumar
TIRUMALA KUMAR CHOWDARY
Reader-F
Room 212, Second Floor,
School of Biological Sciences,
National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar
PO Padnapur-Jatni, ODISA - 752050
Ph: +91-674-2494197
e-mail:tkchowdary@niser.ac.in