Pratik Mallick

Conducting research on: Designing novel RNA based therapeutics against chronic Hepatitis B infection infection

• My PhD research focuses on developing novel therapeutic strategies for chronic HBV infection. I am working on three key approaches: designing a therapeutic circRNA vaccine to enhance antiviral immunity, using CRISPR-based Base and Prime Editors to inactivate HBV cccDNA, and investigating the role of M6A-modified circRNAs in HBV pathogenesis. Together, these studies aim to advance our understanding of HBV and contribute to innovative antiviral therapies
• Techniques used: [e.g., Molecular cloning, artificial RNA synthesis and purification, protein expression analysis, CRISPR based screening, mammalian cell culture]

• continued working with the drug to determine its role in pre and post treatment during rotavirus infection
• studying post translational modifications that occur during rotavirus infection in-vitro
• learnt the process of sequencing stool samples, submitted to Beleghata I.D. Hospital, showing positive enteric virus infection (Rotavirus, Norovirus, Astrovirus and Adenovirus)
• worked on some computation studies on SARS-CoV-2 infection

• worked under Dr. Mamta Chawla Sarkar at Virology Division of ICMR- National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata for dissertation project on “Repurposing anthelmintic drug, Niclosamide to combat Rotavirus Infection in-vitro”from February,2021 till May,2021.

• Techniques used: (ELISA, Western Blotting, Confocal Microscopy, Mammalian cell culture)