About Me

I was born and brought up in a small town in central India. After doing my Undergrad and Masters at IIT Bombay, I worked as R&D Engineer at Central Transmission Utility of India (Powergrid Corp.) for 3 years. I joined University of Minnesota, Twin Cities as a PhD student in 2016. Here, I am part of Salapaka Lab (formerly known as Nano Dynamics Systems Laboratory). My research focus is on creating novel instruments and biochemical assays to investigate the mechanisms of intracellular transportation in eukaryotic cells. Outside academics, I am an amatuer Jazz drummer and like to watch sports, specially soccer.

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Education

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities

PhD in Electrical Engineering • August 2016 - Present

Thesis: Regulation of intracellular transport by molecular motors: Theory, Instrumentation, and DNA based Single Molecule Techniques

Masters in Mathematics • August 2020 - Present

Thesis: Markov Chains Meet Molecular Motors

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Master of Technology in Energy Systems Engineering • awarded on August 10th, 2013

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Bachelor of Technology in Energy Science and Engineering • 2008-2013

Work Ex.

BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA

Systems Engineering Intern • June 2019 - August 2019

Automated fault detection algorithms for next generation flow cytometers

Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.

R&D Engineer • August 2013 - August 2016

Design and Commissioning of world's highest voltage level (1200kV) electricity transmission station

Aarhus University, Denmark

Visiting Researcher at School of Engineering • June 2011 - July 2011

High-fidelity, continental scale renewable (solar + wind) energy systems models

Awards

Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

Graduate School, UMN • 2021-22

Student Research Achievement Award

Biophysical Society Meeting, San Francisco• 2022

Publications

Multimodal regulation of myosin VI ensemble transport by cargo adaptor protein GIPC

Journal of Biological Chemistry • February 2022• Download pdf

Stiffness of cargo–motor linkage tunes myosin VI motility and response to load

ACS Biochemistry • November 2019• Download pdf

Understanding the impact of lifestyle on individual carbon-footprint.

Journal of Social and Behavioral Sciences • August 2013 • Download pdf

Bi-Directional Transport Properties of 2-Species Molecular Motor Ensemble

Abstract published in ASCB 2017 Proceedings • December 2017• Download pdf

Knowledge Base

Throughout my academic career, I have aimed to develop a rigorous mathematical understanding of the techniques I am using to solve any systems level problem. I have taken several math courses on analysis and stochastic processes to accurately model the systems I am working with and work with guarantees. I apply the knowledge gained through my academic course and solve Kolmogorov's master equations to understand the nature of intracellular transportation.

  • Probability and Stochastic Processes
  • Optimization
  • Machine Learning
  • Control Theory
  • Mathematical Analysis
  • Systems Engineering

Check Out Some of My Ongoing Research Projects

News and Recent Updates

• Our work on role of cargo-motor interaction kinetics during multi-motor intracellular cargo transport has been recognized with Student Research Achievement Award (SRAA) at 2022 Annual Biophyisical Society Meeting held at San Francisco, CA

• I have been awarded Graduate School's prestegious Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for academic year 2021-22. I thank the committee to recognize the efforts our team has put into achieving our research goals.

• Our study titled "Stiffness of cargo–motor linkage tunes myosin VI motility and response to load" has been selected as the cover article for November 2019 issue of ACS Biochemistry journal.

• I delieverd a talk on our study about the role of linkage stiffness during intracellular cargo transport at 2022 American Physical Society March meeting.

• I recently presented a poster in ASCB 2017 held in Philadelphia PA. The title of the poster was "Bi-Directional Transport Properties of 2-Species Molecular Motor Ensemble" The details of this work can be found in "Research" section.

Favourite movie dialogues

  • I'll make him an offer he can't refuse.

    The Godfather

  • If you are good at something, never do it for free.

    Joker from The Dark Knight

Get In Touch.

If you have a question regarding my work, or want to discuss potential research projects on which we can collaborate, feel free to give me a shout below. I usually reply within 1-2 days.

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