Professional Experience
After receiving M.Sc degree from University of
Calcutta he joined as a junior research fellow at the
National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases. His
research work on Vibrio cholerae O139 bacteriophages
resulted in the development of a phage typing scheme for
the identification and discrimination of highly virulent
Vibrio cholerae O139 strains which is in routine use for
nationwide screening of phage types of Vibrio cholerae
O139. After completion of his PhD work, he moved to the
USA as a post-doctoral researcher where he gained
expertise in the field of biology and virology. During
his stay at University of California, Los Angeles in the
department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular
Genetics, he worked on influenza A H1N1 viruses, rescued
influenza A virus from cloned plasmids using reverse
genetics and on the generation of recombinant influenza
viruses to use influenza virus as a vector for gene
transfer. Later at the University of Texas Medical
Branch (UTMB), Galveston he performed research on
replication of HIV-1 in the Department of Microbiology
and Immunology. Afterwards he joined National Institute
of Virology, Pune as a regular faculty and started
working on influenza viruses. He became the Head of the
Microarray Division at the National Institute of
Virology. His research at NIV, Pune on molecular
diagnostics of influenza largely contributed in the
management of bird flu outbreak in India. His work on
the genetic analysis of Influenza A H5N1 viruses of the
2008-09 widespread outbreaks in India suggest a third
independent introduction into the country. He developed
reverse genetics modified vaccine strain for the highly
pathogenic H5N1 influenza A viruses in collaboration
with CDC, Atlanta, USA. His work on host influenza virus
interactions revealed that delicate differences in the
ability to induce specific host responses like apoptotic
mechanism and immune responses make the highly
pathogenic viruses (H5N1) more virulent and also
attributed the high transmissibility of pandemic
influenza virus (pH1N1) in the year 2009-2010 to its
better subversion of host immune responses compared to
the seasonal influenza viruses. His laboratory have
discovered important mutations in PB-F2 gene of
influenza viruses, demonstrated that contribution of
PB1-F2 protein to influenza pathogenicity is greatly
strain specific which involves multiple host factors and
also reported the role of non-structural proteins (NS1
and PB1-F2) of influenza viruses of diverse
pathogenicity. His research analysis on global database
of H7 viruses described the emergence of H7N9 viruses in
china and we have also focused the usefulness of PB1-F2
mutations in viral fitness. Besides influenza, He is
actively involved in the research work on the recent
Besides research and training Dr Chakrabarti also worked
as a faculty for teaching MSc Virology at National
Institute of Virology, Pune University for 10 years and
also worked as invited faculty for the Department of
Biotechnology at Pune University. Other than working for
many institutional committees at NIV, he was also the
in-charge of NIV library as an additional charge from
2013-2016.
Since July 2016 Dr Chakrabarti is working as a Scientist
in the Division of Virology, ICMR-National Institute of
Cholera and Enteric Diseases on viral diagnostics and
host-virus interactions. His lab at NICED has worked on
the role of HMGCR and AMFR in influenza virus infection
which revealed that AMFR plays a crucial role in the
downregulation of HMGCR and the activation of innate
immunity following influenza virus infection. His lab is
working on reverse genetic modification of influenza
viruses and role of host proteinsin case of influenza
virus infection.He is a part of Indian Network of
population-based Surveillance Platforms for Influenza
and other Respiratory viruses among Elderly (INSPIRE)
and worked to estimate the burden of Acute Respiratory
Infection (ARI) and associated Influenza and Respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV) infections in terms of incidence
at community level, outpatient clinic visits,
hospitalization and mortality among the elderly (≥60
years) population through surveillance in the community
and laboratory diagnostics.
Dr Chakrabarti actively participated to work on pandemic
preparedness and worked on diagnostics, isolation and
characterization of SARS-CoV-2 virus. His study
indicates that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 clade G was
one of the prime reasons for the onset of the second
wave and associated increase of COVID-19-positive cases
in India, which were >400,000/day in May 2021. He has
worked to create COVID-19 bio-repository at ICMR-NICED
and developed a lab score system for predicting COVID-19
patient severity.
Over the years he is actively participating in
investigation of viral and diarrhoeal outbreaks as a
microbiologist. As a part of central team, MoHFW, GOI,
Dr Chakrabarti investigated influenza and avian
influenza virus outbreaks, acute diarrheal disease
outbreaks and in recent past he was involved in
SARS-CoV-2 outbreak investigations to understand the
situation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to provide
necessary suggestion for better implementation of
COVID19 diagnostics, containment plans and micro plans
including better hospital management.
He is involved in phage typing study of V.cholerae O1
biotype ElTor strains. Since his doctoral research days,
his research interests have concentrated on
characterization and application of lytic bacteriophages
in strain discrimination. Incidentally, bacteriophage
holds a very promising area of research under the
current threat of Anti-Microbial Resistant (AMR) which
is now a global health concern and gradually increasing
risks for mankind. Bacteriophages can successfully be
used as an alternate of antibiotics to treat AMR
bacterial diseases. His ongoing work on bacteriophages
and their lytic proteins as alternative treatments
remained helpful to curate a phage bank at ICMR-NICED.
He developed a collection of characterized
bacteriophages which have shown efficacy and may be used
as therapeutic phage for treatment of Cholera, Shigella
and Salmonella in future upon approval from the
competent authorities. His group also investigating the
therapeutic potential of lytic proteins from phage
against drug resistant bacteria
Research Interests
His field of research interest includes work on
respiratory viruses, as well as host-pathogen
interactions. A major focus of his research is on
influenza viruses which are one of the globally
important human pathogens and a leading public health
risk problem. Emergence of highly pathogenic avian
influenza (HPAI) strains and pandemic H1N1 indicated a
persistent need to work on influenza viruses to
understand the pathogenesis of influenza A and
development of vaccines and therapies. He is working on
investigating the molecular pathogenesis and biology of
influenza viruses. Apart from influenza viruses, he is
working on SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses like
adenovirus. Phage typing of Vibrio cholerae is an
ongoing activity of ICMR-NICED. He is working in pahge
typing of V.cholerae and characterization of cholera
bacteriophages. Recently he have generated phage bank at
ICMR-NICED and working on phage therapy.
Membership of Association
The Indian Science Congress Association
Awards
- Prof A K Mukherjee Memorial Gold Medal, 1993
- Junior Research Fellowship from Indian Council of
Medical Research
- Senior Research Fellowship Indian Council of Medical
Research
Students:
- Mr. Devendra Natyh Tewari, SRF
- Mr. Sanjoy Biswas, SRF
- Ms. Debarima Chatterjee UGC-SRF
- Ms. Anneshwa Bhattacharya, UCG-JRF
- Ms. Sampurna Biswas, ICMR-SRF