WELCOME TO
DISEASE BIOLOGY AND CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY LAB
It is strange that only extraordinary men make the discoveries, which later appear so easy and simple-Georg C. Lichtenberg
Dr. Avinash Sonawane, FRSB, FMAS

ABOUT PI
Professor
Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IIT Indore)
Madhya Pradesh, India
Alexander von Humboldt Visiting Professor
Research Centre Borstel
Leibniz Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Borstel, Germany
ABOUT US
+91-7324-306 745


Welcome to the Disease Biology and Cellular Immunology research group at Indian Institute of Technology Indore. Our research is broadly focussed on understanding the molecular mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis in bone marrow stem cells and lung macrophages, host immune evasion mechanisms, development of active small drug compounds and antimicrobial peptides, and targeted drug delivery systems to improve tuberculosis therapy. In addition to this we are also developing novel asparaginase enzyme based therapy for the treatment of primary and relapsed acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL).

EDUCATION
WORK EXPERIENCE
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Ph.D. in Human Medicine, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany (2004)
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M.Sc. in Microbiology, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, India
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
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Professor (2019-Present), Biosciences & Biomedical Engineering, IIT Indore, India.
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Associate Professor (2018-2019), Biosciences & Biomedical Engineering, IIT Indore, India.
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Professor (2015-2018), School of Biotechnology, KIIT University,Bhubaneswar, India.
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Associate Professor (2010-2014), School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
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Assistant Professor (2009-2010), School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
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Post Doctoral Fellow (2007-2008), European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Post Doctoral Fellow (2006 - 2007), Max-Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany.
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Post Doctoral Associate (2004-2006), Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases,University of Florida, Florida, USA.
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Dean International Affairs and Outreach (2020-Present), IIT Indore
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Dean (2016-2018), School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar
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Associate Dean (2012-2016), School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar
AWARDS & HONOURS
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Elected as Fellow of Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), UK
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Elected as Fellow of Maharashtra Academy of Sciences (FMAS)
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Editorial Board Member, Nature Scientific Reports
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Educational Leadership award, Odisha for contribution in promoting education in Odisha state (2017)
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P. A. Kurup Endowment Award in Biological Sciences by Society of Biological Chemistry of India, India (2016)
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Major General Saheb Singh Sokhey award in Biomedical Sciences by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Government of India (2015)
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Best staff award of the year by KIIT University (2014)
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Elected as a member of New Biology Section, Indian Science Congress (2012-13)
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Selected as a Sectional Secretary of New Biology Section, Indian Science Congress (2012)
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Young Scientist award by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India under Fast Track Scheme (2010)
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Young Investigator by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India under Rapid Grant for Young Investigators Scheme (2010)
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Bill and Melinda Gates Global Health award (2009 and 2010)
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Corporate Grant award by American Society of Microbiology, USA (2003)
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS
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Humboldt Fellow (Experienced Researcher): Research Center Borstel, Germany (2017)
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Swiss National Science Fellow: University of Zurich, Switzerland (2014)
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EMBO Fellow: University of Ulm, Germany (2012)
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Swedish Institute Fellow: University of Lund, Sweden (2010)
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JSPS Fellow: NARA Institute for Science and Technology, Japan (2006)