RESEARCH

Using cyanobacteria as model organisms

Our laboratory investigates fundamental questions in biodiversity, evolution, systematics, and microbial ecology through six interconnected research themes.

Our laboratory investigates cyanobacterial diversity and taxonomy using an integrative polyphasic approach that combines morphology, ecology, molecular phylogeny, and genomics. We focus on discovering novel taxa and resolving evolutionary relationships within heterocytous cyanobacteria to advance our understanding of their diversity and evolution.

We study the evolutionary history of cyanobacteria through phylogenetic and genomic analyses, integrating multiple molecular markers and genome-scale datasets to understand diversification, speciation, and adaptation across different cyanobacterial lineages.

We conduct biodiversity surveys in understudied and biodiversity-rich regions, including Northeast India, the Himalayas, freshwater habitats, and terrestrial ecosystems. Our research aims to understand patterns of species distribution, endemism, and habitat specialization, and to uncover the environmental and geographical factors shaping microbial diversity.

We investigate cyanobacterial communities from unique habitats such as polar regions, biological soil crusts, caves, hot springs, and other ecologically distinctive environments. In collaboration with colleagues at the Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, and Charles University, Prague, we study the diversity, ecology, evolution, and adaptation of these specialized communities.

In collaboration with colleagues at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, and Banaras Hindu University, we integrate genomics and metabolomics with molecular systematics to uncover cryptic diversity, refine species boundaries, and explore the ecological and biotechnological potential of cyanobacterial metabolites. Our long-term goal is to link evolutionary relationships with metabolic diversity and ecological adaptation.

We are committed to the preservation and documentation of cyanobacterial diversity through culture collections, reference databases, and international collaborations. These resources support taxonomic, ecological, and biotechnological research while contributing to global efforts in microbial biodiversity conservation and accessibility.