Soumi Sukla
Head, Animal Care Facility and Research Scientist
Dr Soumi Sukla received her MVSc and PhD in Animal Genetics and Breeding from National Dairy Research Institute and Indian Veterinary Research Institute respectively. Her post-doctoral research at the University of Cambridge, UK was focussed on viral immunology and preclinical development of a new class of antiviral drugs against herpesviruses called Helicase-Primase Inhibitors (HPIs). Some of the HPIs are currently under clinical trials and one has now been approved for clinical use in Japan. She also served as a Lecturer in the University of Lincoln, UK. Thereafter, she joined CSIR-IICB as a Scientist under the CSIR-Scientists’ Pool Scheme. She played an instrumental role in the research that linked a virus in the aetiopathogenesis of kala-azar in India. During her tenure as a Veterinarian at NIPER-Kolkata, she taught MS students and supervised seven MS students for their dissertation works. Lately, her research is focussed on dengue and SARS-CoV-2 viruses with special emphasis on studying their epidemiology, cross-reactivity, pathogenesis, diagnosis and antiviral development. Dr Sukla holds a patent in a nucleic acid-based rapid dengue diagnosis that does not involve separate RNA extraction or PCR amplification.
Dr Sukla joined CHINTA, TCG-CREST as the Head, Animal Care Facility and Research Scientist. Dr Sukla aspires to contribute to CHINTA’s research programs with her expertise in virology and genetics.