Research Interests

Immune responses in lungs: Modulation by environmental or occupational exposure to airborne pollutants like Diesel Exhaust Particles and Silica dust. A mouse model of BCG lung infection has been standardized and used for dissecting the innate and adaptive immune responses in the lung. US patent filed for a new technique to isolate and quantitatively estimate uptake of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in cells and tissues. Effect of exposure to DEP and crystalline micro fine silica particles on susceptibility to mycobacterial infections.

Nano-toxicology / Nanosciences: Nanoparticles interactions with the living systems. Modulation of lung physiology / immune responses by carbon nano-tubes and their derivatives, nano-diamonds and ultra-fine carbon particles, in vivo and in vitro.

Erythrocyte turnover and susceptibility of blood erythrocytes of different ages to stress and anemia inducing agents like toxic metal ion pollutants and leishmania infection. We have devised a new and unique technique to identify erythrocytes of defined age groups in blood circulation. This has opened up possibilities of studying age related changes in circulating erythrocytes.

Nanoparticles as theraputic agents: We have shown that carbon nanoparticles like carbon nanotubes and nanodiamonds can be used as agents in many clinical diseases like Graft verses Host disease, Autoimmunity, Inflammatory diseases and cancer metastasis.