A recent work from Prof. Vrati's Lab, published in the Journal of Virology, identifies AGPAT1 as a novel receptor for CHIKV on human cells and demonstrates that AGPAT1 has implications for understanding the virus pathogenesis and designing the receptor-blocking CHIKV antivirals.

A recent study by Adhikary, Ghosh, and Jain, published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications from Dr. Deepti’s lab, uncovers an unexpected function of one of the key proteins SiaD, otherwise involved in biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
SiaD is traditionally known for synthesizing a small signalling molecule cyclic-di-GMP in the bacterial cells. The production of c-di-GMP signals downstream regulators and drives the transition of free-floating motile Pseudomonas aeruginosa to robust sessile biofilm state.