Anurag Adhikari
Research Head/Group Leader, Department of Infection and Immunology
Email: adhikari.a[at]kribs.org.np
Education
Ph.D. in Immunology (Pathology), University of New South Wales, Australia
Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology, Purbanchal University, Nepal
Bio
Anurag Adhikari is an immunologist, currently working on the functional aspect of human adaptive immunity. He studies the polyclonal antibody effector functions to characterize the humoral immunity in viral infection. He is currently adapting the antibody effector functional assays like the antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and antibody-dependent neutralization (ADN), to understand the role of anti-HIV antibodies in HIV pathogenesis and disease. In addition to HIV, he is currently working to understand the humoral and innate immune response against the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi, which causes Scrub typhus disease in humans. Understanding the anti-bacterial antibody induction, associated inflammatory cytokine response, and bacterial evolution among acute febrile patients in the endemic community is the primary outcome of this study.
Apart from humoral immunology during infection, he has a special interest in pathogen-specific B cell induction, maintenance, and proliferation after infection and immunization. In this aspect, he is currently leading the KRIBS anti-Viral Antibody discovery (KaVA)-program to understand the induction and persistence of HIV-specific B cells, to support the research and development of next-generation of anti-HIV therapeutic antibodies and effective vaccines against HIV.
More details are in KaVA-Program [see https://kribs.org.np/kava-program/]
Publications
Google Scholar Publication List
Minu Singh
Research Associate/Programs Manager
Email: singh.m@kribs.org.np
Education
MSc. Biotechnology, Banaras Hindu University
Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology, Purbanchal University, Nepal
Publications
Google Scholar Publication List
Adesh Baral
Research Assistant
Email: baral.a@kribs.org.np
Education
B.Tech in Biotechnology, Kathmandu University
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Supervisory team
Binod Rayamajhee
Research Fellow
Email: binod@kribs.org.np
Education
Ph.D., Optometry, University of New South Wales, Australia
Bio
Binod Rayamajhee is investigating the severity of a devastating eye infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), using cutting-edge molecular techniques, that can lead to blindness and even eye removal. Binod is examining the incidence and type of microbial endosymbionts in clinical and environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba using deep-sequencing techniques and determining whether these different endosymbionts affect the course of ocular infection and the ability to treat Acanthamoeba infection in an animal model. In addition, Binod also worked with infectious diseases such as Scrub Typhus, nosocomial infections, the impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases with further interests in investigating the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from One Health Perspective.
Publications
Google Scholar Publication List
Rajesh Chaudhary
Research Fellow
Email: rajeshchaudhary.np@gmail.com
Education
PhD in Medicine, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and Adelaide
Health and Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
M.Sc. Medical Biochemistry, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
B.Tech in Biotechnology, School of Science, Kathmandu University, Nepal
Bio
My research interest focuses on understanding the complex network of obesity-related pathological conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular, liver, and muscle diseases in relation to autophagy and mitochondrial health and their response under various nutritional intervention states. During my last eight years of research work in Nepal, Thailand, and Australia, I have tried to understand the range of pathological conditions that feed into the process and amplify obesity-associated pathological conditions from physiological to molecular levels. In my upcoming projects, I will be engaged in understanding the behavior of our immune system after myocardial infarction and their role in allograft vasculopathy, including understanding the dynamics of inflammatory milieu after allograft and their contribution in allograft rejection.
Publications
Google Scholar Publication List
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Department of Infection and Immunology Current Research Students/Interns
Prawesh Mohan Bhattarai [Undergraduate Thesis student, January 2022-Present]
Research study: Impaired mycobacterium protein derivate specific IFN-γ response among Nepalese HIV patients
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Sushmita Theeng [Undergraduate Thesis student, April 2022-Present]
Research study: Optimization and validation of interferon-gamma based ELISpot utilizing peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Sauhardra Manandhar [Undergraduate Thesis student, April 2022-Present]
Research study:Optimization and validation of interferon-gamma based ELISpot utilizing peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Shristi Shrestha [Undergraduate Thesis student, April 2022-Present]
Research study: Optimization and validation of interferon-gamma based ELISpot utilizing peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Srijana Niraula [Undergraduate Thesis student, April 2022-Present]
Research study: Optimization and validation of interferon-gamma based ELISpot utilizing peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Nisha Thapa [Research Intern, May 2022-Present]
Research study:
(a) Characterization of adaptive immunity in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
(b) Development of lymphatic filariasis database: a national Spatio-temporal resource.
(c) Development and optimization of the mammalian protein expression and purification system.
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
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Department of Infection and Immunology Alumni
Divyashree Thapa (Science communication intern, July 2022-August 2022)
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Namuna Ghimire [Intern, August 2021-February 2022]
Research study: Development of lymphatic filariasis database: a national Spatio-temporal resource
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Krisha Subedi [Science communication intern, August 2021-December 2021]
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
Prakriti Karki [Intern, March 2021-December 2021]
Research study: Characterization of anti-HIV antibodies for their role in immune effector (neutralizing and Fc mediated) functions
Supervisor: Anurag Adhikari
- Department of Infection and Immunology Advisory Board
Daisy Awale
Gaurab Karki
Ashmita Timilsina
Amina Bania
Sushma Singh
Binod GC
Pratik Koirala