Our Team
Dr. Bikul Das is a distinguished oncologist and stem cell researcher renowned for his pioneering work in stem cell altruism. After completing his medical training and practicing in India, Bhutan and Canada, he went on to earn a PhD in Oncology from the prestigious Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto in 2007.
Dr. Das's groundbreaking research focuses on the concept of altruism at the cellular level. In 2012, while working at Stanford University, he made a significant discovery: the identification of altruistic behavior in human embryonic stem cells. This research challenged existing dogma in evolutionary theory and opened new avenues for understanding diseases like cancer.
Driven by this discovery, he has since published impactful research, including the role of stem cell altruism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis dormancy, which has been validated by laboratories worldwide. His research has been widely cited, solidifying his position as a leading figure in stem cell altruism research.
Dr. Lekhika Pathak serves as the Associate Director of KaviKrishna Laboratory at IIT Guwahati Research Park, where she leads the administrative and executive functions along with the lab’s real-time research activities. Under her leadership, the laboratory secured a prestigious DBT grant for tuberculosis research and achieved FCRA registration in 2023. She completed her Ph.D. at IIT Guwahati under the guidance of Dr. Bikul Das, laying the foundation for her distinguished career.
Her pioneering research in “Stem Cell Altruism” has opened new avenues in understanding the role of stem cell niche defense in tuberculosis and cancer dormancy. This innovative approach, inspired by Indian Vedic philosophy, has earned her international recognition—including presenting at the 37th SITC Annual Conference in Boston—and her first-author paper on the subject has significantly impacted the development of potential COVID-19 treatments.
Beyond the laboratory, Dr. Pathak has been a driving force in community-based initiatives. She reorganized KaviKrishna Telemedicine Care, established the KaviKrishna Living Muga Museum, and spearheaded community participatory research in the Sualkuchi-Hajo cultural complex. Her commitment to mentoring is evident in the extensive research training programs she has initiated, successfully guiding over 40 students from India and several from the US in cutting-edge biomedical research.
Partha Jyoti Saikia is a dedicated researcher at KaviKrishna Laboratory, driven by a passion for scientific research. With a postgraduate degree in Biotechnology, he joined the laboratory in 2018 as an intern, and subsequently, as a research scholar in 2019. His primary research focus is on the role of the oral oral microbiota/microbiome in oral cancer. His Ph.D. project delves into the mechanisms by which the oral microbiota can modulate the tumor microenvironment, especially targeting cancer stem cells to induce an aggressive phenotype.
Partha's contributions extend to the laboratory's TB project, where he has been involved in sample collection, downstream experiments, and administrative tasks. He has also been instrumental in training the next generation of researchers, conducting sessions and practical demonstrations for multiple batches of research interns. He has also been a collaborative member of the laboratory, actively assisting fellow Ph.D. students and researchers with their experiments and their projects.
Beyond his benchwork, Partha has been actively involved in clinical research and patient care. He has contributed to KaviKrishna Telemedicine Care, providing essential care to cancer patients and gaining invaluable insights into the complexities of palliative care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a pivotal role in KTC-led projects, participating in patient care and diagnostics. This involved home visits to collect samples from COVID-19 patients and patients in ICU care in the hospitals of Sualkuchi and Hajo.
Partha's dedication to research, patient care, and mentorship, coupled with his strong technical skills and collaborative spirit, makes him a valuable asset to the KaviKrishna Laboratory community. His work has the potential to significantly impact the understanding and treatment of oral cancer and other related diseases.
Assists the research scholars in executing their experiments and also looks after the sterility maintenance of the lab
Currently working on project titled "Identification of Evolution of Multi-Drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-Mtb) Strain in Sputum and Mesenchymal Stem Cells of TB Subjects to Target the MDR-Mtb Strain Intracellular."
Research Interest: Host-pathogen interaction, Computer aided drug discovery, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).
Working in targeting anti-angiogenesis pathways associated with tumor stemness defense.
Research Interest: Angiogenesis, Cancer stem cell niche, Molecular signaling pathways.
Understanding tumor stemness defense mechanism of cancer stem cells and its significance in therapy resistance.
Research Interest: Cancer stem cells, Stem cell niche, Cancer Systems Biology.
