Research Interests
Cell division is a fundamental cellular process involved in embryonic development and mitotic aberrations result in disorders such as microcephaly, aneuploidy syndromes and embryonic lethality. We study the molecular mechanisms regulating cell division to understand the basis of these developmental disorders. We use zebrafish as the model system to study cell division dynamics during embryonic development. The zebrafish embryos are amenable to live cell imaging, genetic manipulation and high throughput genetic screens.

My group is also interested in ecotoxicology and embryo toxicology. In one of our projects, we aim to assess the impact of common industrial byproducts on embryonic development. Our long-term goal is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms which form the basis of developmental defects upon exposure to these industrial byproducts.

Selected Publications

Iyer S., Dhiman N., Zade S., Mukherjee S., Singla N., Kumar M. (2023). Exposure to Tetrabutylammonium Bromide Impairs Cranial Neural Crest Specification, Neurogenic Program, and Brain Morphogenesis. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00728

Prasad, T., Iyer, S., Chatterjee, S., & Kumar, M. (2023). In vivo models to study neurogenesis and associated neurodevelopmental disorders-Microcephaly and autism spectrum disorder. WIREs Mechanisms of Disease;e603 doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/wsbm.603

Mukherjee S., Iyer S., Prasad T., Kumar M.* (2021). Epigenetic regulation of chromatin during mitosis in embryos. Journal of Embryology and Stem Cell Research ;5,1.

Iyer, S., Mukherjee, S., & Kumar, M.* (2021). Watching the embryo: Evolution of the microscope for the study of embryogenesis. BioEssays, e2000238. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.202000238

Mahale P*., Kumar M.*, Sharma A*.,Babu A., Ranjan S., Sachidanandan C. and Mylavarapu V. S. (2016). The Light Intermediate Chain 2 Subpopulation of Dynein Regulates Mitotic Spindle Orientation. Scientific Reports; 6(1); 22.