Journal of Stem cell Research and Therapy

Affiliation: Laboratory oncology Unit, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

I have been actively involved in Biomedical research for more than two decades with expertise in molecular biology, immunology, and oncology. My ongoing research is focused on understanding the role of tumor microenvironment with special focus on stem cells and immune status in influencing the phenotypic and functional heterogeneity in haematological malignancies. We are using single cell transcriptomics to obtain a better understanding of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) pathogenesis and chemo-resistance, especially the role of leukemic stem cells that contribute to high rate of relapse in AML. In parallel, another research focus is on the potential use of minimally invasive plasma-derived circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker for real-time disease monitoring in AML. This may facilitate better prognostic risk stratification, options for targeted therapy, MRD assessment and relapse prediction in AML. Moreover, the genotype guided risk classification of AML with concurrent evaluation of immune phenotype in AML patients using cell free nucleic acids (ctDNA and circulating cell free RNA) is being investigated as a novel approach for disease monitoring that may facilitate the design of preclinical and early clinical studies of immunotherapeutic combinations for precision medicine in AML.