Shweta Saran

Education

PhD (1990) Zoology              Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
M.Sc.(1982)                        Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
B.Sc.(1980)                        Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Career

Since July 05                       Associate Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
September, 03-05                Reader,   University of Delhi.
March, 01-August, 03           Research Assistant, Wellcome Trust, University of Dundee,UK.
May, 00-March, 01               Research Associate, University of Delhi.
Jan, 99-April, 00                  Guest Scientist*, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
May, 97-Dec, 98                  Young Scientist, DST, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Jun, 94-April, 97                   Pool, Officer, CSIR, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Apr, 93-Nov, 93                   Visiting Scientist, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.
Aug, 92-Oct, 92                   Postdoctoral Fellow, Sonderforschungbereich: 156 Univ. of Konstanz, Germany.
Sep, 92-Mar, 93                   Postdoctoral, DBT Fellow, Indian Institute of Science.
Apr, 90-Jul, 90                     Research Associate, UGC, Banaras Hindu University.
*(Worked as a guest researcher in JNU in Prof. Samar Chatterji’s lab without any financial support).

Area of Research

    Pattern formation and differentiation program in Dictyostelium.
cAMP and calcium signaling in Dictyostelium.
Caspase independent cell death pathway in Dictyostelium.

Research Projects

1. Cell death in Dictyostelium discoideum, DST, India, 1995-1998.

2. Analysis of Caspase independent Cell death pathway: The role of Transglutaminase enzyme using Dictyostelium discoideum as a model system, DBT, India, 2005-2008.

3. Autophagy in Dictyostelium discoideum: The role of the Tor (target of rapamycin) gene, CSIR, India, 2005-2008.

Awards and honours

1. Stood second in the order of merit in MSc Zoology, Banaras Hindu University.

2. Awarded Swami Pranavananda Science Award for Young Scientist by the Indian Society for Developmental Biologists, 1992.

3. Reader at University of Delhi, 2003.

4. Research Assistant, Wellcome Trust Biocentre, University of Dundee, Scotland, 2001-2003.

5. DST Young Scientist, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1995-1998.

6. Visiting scientist, National Institute for basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan, 1993.

7. Postdoctorsl Fellow, University of Knostanz, 1992.

8. Postdoctoral fellow, Indian Institute of Science, 1990-1993.

Membership

Selected Publications

1. Saran S and Schaap P (2004) Adenylyl cyclase G is activated by an intramolecular osmosensor. Mol Biol Cell 15:1479-1486.
2. Muhia DK, Swales CA, Ludwig UE, Saran S, Polly SD, Kelly JM, Schaap P, Krishna S and Baker DA (2003) Multiple splice variants encode a novel adenylyl cyclase of possible plastid origin expressed in the sexual stage of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. J Biol Chem 278: 22014-22022.
3. Saran S (1998) Changes in endogenous polyamine levels are associated with differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum. Cell Biol Inter 23 (6):399-405
4. Saran S, Nakao H, Tasaka M, Iida H, Tsuji FI, Nanjundiah V and Takeuchi I (1994) Intracellular free calcium level and its response to cAMP stimulation in developing Dictyostelium cells transformed with jelly fish apoaequorin cDNA. FEBS Letters 337:43-47.
5. Saran S, Azhar M, Manogaran P, Pande G and Nanjundiah (1994) The level of Ca²⁺ chlortetracycline fluorescence in freshly starved amoeba of Dictyostelium discoideum as a predictor of cell fate. Differentiation 57: 163-169.