Principal Investigator

Smita S Patel, Ph.D.

• Distinguished Professor
• patelss@rutgers.edu
• 732-235-3372
• Google Scholar

Dr. Patel received her Ph.D. in 1988 in Chemistry at the Tufts University with David Walt and postdoctoral training in enzymology and transient state kinetics in the lab of Kenneth Johnson. She joined the Rutgers University in 1999 after serving as a faculty of Ohio State University. She is currently a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

​Dr. Patel's research is focused understanding the mechanisms of RIG-I like innate immune receptors involved in viral recognition and DNA and RNA polymerases involved in mitochondrial replication and transcription. The lab utilizes a combination of cell biology, biochemistry, biophysical, and structural approaches to understand the mechanistic basis of viral RNA recognition and transcription/replication of mitochondrial DNA.  

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Lab Members

Pranita Hanpude Ph.D.

• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Ph.D. Biotechnology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, India
• M.Sc. , Microbiology Devi Ahilya Vishwavidhyalay, India
• ph410@rwjms.rutgers.edu​
• CV

Anupam Singh Ph.D.

• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Ph.D. National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
• M.Sc. , Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
• as2676@rwjms.rutgers.edu
• CV

Brandon D. Schweibenz Ph.D. 2022

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. S. Temple University
• bds107@gsbs.rutgers.edu
• CV
• Moving to NIH as a post-doctoral fellow

Candice Craig

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. S. and M.S. University of Maryland
• cac530@gsbs.rutgers.edu
• CV

Laura Johnson

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. S. University of North Carolina
• lcj35@gsbs.rutgers.edu
• CV

Mihai Solotch

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. S. Rutgers University
• mihai.solotchi@rutgers.edu
• CV

Jiayu Shen

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. S. China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
• ​M.S. Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
• jiayu@gsbs.rutgers.edu
• CV

Kuan-Ying Lee - Neil

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B.S. National Chung-Hsing University (NCHU) Taichung, Taiwan
• M.S. National Taiwan University (NTU) Taipei, Taiwan
• kl854@scarletmail.rutgers.edu​
• CV

Gayatri Patel M.S.

• Research Teaching Specialist IV
• M.S. University of Kentucky
• patelg2@rwjms.rutgers.edu
• Publications​
• CV
• Quantum-Si
  

Patel Lab Alumni

Urmimala Basu Ph.D. 2019

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. Sc.
• ​basu.urmimala@gmail.com
• Pubmed
• Currently: Harvard University

Aparna Ramachandran Ph.D.

• Ph.D., Biochemistry, Northwestern University
• M.Sc. Biochemistry, Delhi University
• raparna82@gmail.com
• Pubmed
• Currently: Research Investigator, Amicus Therapeutics, Cranbury, NJ

Swapnil Devarkar Ph.D. 2017

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B.Sc.
• swapnil.devarkar@gmail.com
• Pubmed
• Currently: Yale University

Shemaila Sultana, Ph.D.

• Ph.D., Biochemistry CUNY Hunter College NYC
• Shemaila@yahoo.com
• Pubmed
• Currently: Licensing Manager, Rutgers University

Manjula Pandey Ph.D.

• Research Scientist RWJ Medical School
• Ph.D. IIT Delhi India
• manjulap17@gmail.com
• Publications
• Currently: Principal Scientist, Quantum-Si Guilford CT

Divya Nandakumar Ph.D. 2015

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B.Tech., Anna University India
  
• divya.nandakumar@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Mechanism of leading strand DNA replication by cooperative activity of T7 bacteriophage helicase and DNA polymerase
• Publications
• Currently: U. C. Berkeley

Aishwarya Deshpande Ph.D. 2014

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• M.Tech., University of Pune, India
• aishwarya14@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Mechanistic studies of transcription initiation by S. cerevisiae mitochondrial RNA polymerase
• Publications
• Currently: Scientist, Novozymes, Bengaluru, India

Anand Ramanathan Ph.D. 2013

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• M.Sc., Bangalore University, India
• anandr16581@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Biochemical and structural basis of RNA recognition and activation by the innate immune receptor RIG-I
• Publications
• Currently: Sr. Scientist, Syros Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge MA

Guo-Qing Tang Ph.D.

• Post-doc., RWJ Medical School, NJ
• Ph.D. Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto Japan
• guoqingt@gmail.com
• Publications
• Currently: Associate Director, Ra Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge MA

Doyel Sen Ph.D. 2011

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• M. Sc. Calcutta University India
• doyelsen@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Biochemical characterization of the human mitochondrial DNA helicase
• Publications
• Currently: Scientist, Stealth Biotech Start-up, San Carlos, CA

Swaroopa Paratkar Ph.D. 2010

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. Tech.
• swaroopaparatkar@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Structural and biochemical characterization of S. cerevisiae mitochondrial RNA polymerase
• Publications
• Currently: Associate Director, Johnson & Johnson

Vaishnavi Rajagopal Ph.D. 2009

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• M. Sc. IIT Bombay, India.
• vaishnavi.rajagopal@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Characterization of the mechanism of translocation and unwinding by hepatitis C virus NS3 helicase
• Publications
• Currently: Sr. Scientist, CAMP4 Therapeutics, Cambridge MA

Ilker Donmez Ph.D. 2008

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. Sc. Turkey
• Dissertation: Mechanisms employed by T7 helicase-primase with and without assistance from T7 DNA polymerase
  
• Publications

Vasanti Anand Ph.D. 2007

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Student
• B. S. Rutgers University
• vasantianand@gmail.com
• Dissertation: Mechanism of transcription elongation catalyzed by single subunit bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase
• Publications
• Currently: Sr. Scientific writer, Bristol Myers Squibb

Yong-Joo Jeong Ph.D.

• Post-doc Rutgers - RWJ Medical School
  
• Ph.D. Korea
  
• ​jeongyj@kookmin.ac.kr
• Currently: Professor Kookmin University, Seoul Korea

Natalie Stano Ph.D. 2003

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry Ph.D. Student
• B. Sc.
• Dissertation: Mechanism of transcription initiation by T7 RNA polymerase and the regulation of this process by T7 lysozyme
  
• Currently: Lecturer Chemistry Dept. Gannon University, PA

Rajiv Bandwar Ph.D.

• Research Scientist Rutgers- RWJ Medical School
  
• Ph.D. IIT Bombay India
  
• ​rbandwar@gmail.com
  
• Currently: Principal Scientist at the Allied Innovative Systems NJ

Mikhail Levin Ph.D. 2002

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry Ph.D. Student
  
• M.S. Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology Russia
• ​mihail.levin@southwestern.edu
• gfit (program for global regression analysis of data)
• Dissertation: DNA unwinding mechanism of the helicase from Hepatitis C virus
• Currently: Instructor Biomedical Informatics at UT Southwestern Medical Center TX

Kristen Picha Ph.D. 2000

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry Ph.D. Student
• B. S. Miami University OH
• ​kpicha@cntus.jnj.com
  
• Dissertation: The mechanisms of dTTP hydrolysis and DNA binding by the T7 DNA helicase-primase and the role of Mg2+ in these processes
• Currently: Director of Biology Centyrex, Johnson & Johnson Philadelphia

Dong-Eun Kim Ph.D. 2001

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry Ph.D. Student
• B. Sc.
• kimde@konkuk.ac.kr
• Dissertation: Kinetics of nucleic acid and nucleotide interactions with hexameric helicases: E. coli transcription termination factor and bacteriophage T7 gp4 helicase
• Currently: Professor Konkuk University, Seoul Korea

Peter Ahnert Ph.D. 2000

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry Ph.D. Student
  
• B. S. University of Leipzig Germany
• ahnert@uni-leipzig.de
• Dissertation: The initiation and progression of DNA unwinding by the bacteriophage T7 gp4 helicase - kinetics studies, single molecule techniques, and computer modeling
• Currently: Lab Head of Molecular Diagnostics - Microarray techniques at the Universitat Leipzig Germany

Michael Todd Washington Ph.D. 1998

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry  Ph.D. Student
  
• B. S. The Ohio University
• ​todd-washington@uiowa.edu
• Dissertation:Biochemical analysis of T7 DNA helicase mutant proteins: The structure-function relationships and the mechanism of energy transduction
• Currently: Professor University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Yiping Jia Ph.D. 1998

• The Ohio State University BiochemistryPh.D. Student
  
• B. Sc.
• ​yiping.jia@fda.hhs.gov
• Dissertation: Mechanistic studies of DNA-dependent transcription initiation and RNA synthesis by bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase
• Currently: Research Chemist Food and Drug Administration MD

Manju Hingorani Ph.D. 1996

• The Ohio State University Biochemistry Ph.D. Student
  
• B. S. University of Bombay India
• mhingorani​@wesleyan.edu
• Dissertation: Role of hexameric structure and dTTPase activity in bacteriophage T7 helicase-catalyzed unwinding of double-stranded DNA
• Currently: Professor Wesleyan University and NSF Program Director