Research Interests
I study the evolutionary arms race between plants and pathogens, trying to understand the molecular interactions underlying disease establishment. I employ comparative genomics, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), AlphaFold-based protein structure prediction, and large-scale omics analysis to address these questions.
During my PhD, I used GWAS on Arabidopsis natural accessions to identify RPB1 — a novel non-NLR resistance gene conferring broad-spectrum resistance against clubroot disease affecting Brassica crops. In my previous postdoc, I co-assembled the first telomere-to-telomere genome of the clubroot pathogen and utilized AlphaFold2 to map the structural secretome of gall-forming microbes. I now study galling insects, which are some of nature's best genetic engineers, to understand how they reprogram plant development to form novel organs.
Experience
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of New Mexico, USA (2025–present)
Conserved plant responses to gall formation
Advisor: Prof. Ellen O. Martinson
Postdoctoral Fellow
Université Laval, Quebec, Canada (2023–2025)
Structural Genomics of clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae
Advisor: Prof. Edel Perez Lopez
Education
Ph.D. in Plant Genetics
Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland (2017–2022)
View ThesisM.Sc. in Biotechnology
St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, India (2013–2015)
B.Sc. in Biotechnology
St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, India (2010–2012)
Research Projects
Conserved Effectors and Plant Responses During Gall Formation
Active — USDA funded
Investigating wasp effectors that modify plant immunity and metabolism, and studying common host plant pathways exploited by gall-forming pathogens to induce morphological changes.
Secretome of Gall-Forming Microbes
Used AlphaFold2 to map the structural landscape of the secretome of taxonomically distant gall-forming microbes, revealing effector diversity, structural mimicry, and evolutionary adaptation.
Read PaperT2T Genome of Clubroot Pathogen
Combined short and long-read sequencing to generate the complete T2T genome of Plasmodiophora brassicae, now serving as the species reference genome.
Read PaperIdentification of Clubroot R Gene
A genome-wide association study on Arabidopsis natural accessions identified RPB1, a non-NLR R gene conferring broad-spectrum resistance to clubroot.
Read PaperPublications
*Co-First Authors †Corresponding Author
My Setup
Being a tech enthusiast, I am frequently asked for recommendations on everyday electronics. Here's my current device roster.
Desktop Build
Case
Fractal Design North
CPU
Intel i5 13600K
GPU
Nvidia RTX 4070 Super
Motherboard
MSI PRO Z790-P WIFI
RAM
Corsair DDR5 5200 64GB
Storage
Crucial P3 Plus 2TB
Display
Asus ROG XG27UCDMG
27" 4K 240Hz QD-OLED
Peripherals
Audio
Creative Pebble Pro
Excellent value
Bose QC Ultra
ANC daily driver
TANGZU Wan'er
IEM
Webcam & Mic
OBSBOT Meet 2
4K webcam
Elgato Wave Neo
USB microphone
Camera
Fujifilm XE-4
XF 23mm f/2.8 R WR
Devices
MacBook Pro 14"
M4
iPad Pro 11"
M1 + Magic Keyboard + Pencil 2
Watches
Martinson Lab
Department of Biology
University of New Mexico
Castetter Hall, Room 243
219 Yale Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA