Research Projects

Ongoing/Approved Extramural Research Projects

Project Title: Identification and validation of early predictive biomarkers of acute kidney injury in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigators: Dr. Saurabh Saigal, Dr. Jagat R Kanwar, Dr. Mahendra Atlani, Dr. Abhishek Goyal. Technically Approved by LSRB, DRDO (Budget: Rs. 60.0 lacs). Duration: 3 Years

Project Title: Understanding the mechanism for aberrant expression of Sphingosine Kinase 1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigators: Dr. Vikas Gupta, Dr. Neha Arya, Dr. Rashmi Chowdhary, Dr. Vikas Gupta, Dr. Saikat Das. Technically Approved by ICMR (Budget: Rs. 47.0 lacs). Duration: 3 Years; (5/13/24/2022/NCD-III) DoS: 16.01.2023

Project Title: Screening synthetic extracellular matrix for culturing patient-derived breast cancer cells: towards personalized therapy.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigators: Dr. Neha Arya, Dr. Vinay Kumar, Dr. Foreign Collaborator: Aurelien Forget Funded by DST-DAAD (Budget: Rs. 40 lacs). Technically Approved. Duration: 2 Years

Project Title: Unravelling chemoresistance and S1P signalling in a bioengineered 3-D oral squamous cell carcinoma model: implications in cancer therapy.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigators: Dr. Neha Arya, Dr. Rashmi Chowdhary, Dr. Vikas Gupta, Dr. Saikat Das Funded by ICMR (Budget: Rs. 56.5 lacs). Duration: 3 Years; (5/13/93/2021/NCD-III) DoS: 30.03.21

Project Title: Setting up of registry and targeted exome sequencing in children with renal tubular disorders.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Girish Bhatt, Dr. Shikha Malik, Co-Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Funded by ICMR, Budget: 110 Lakhs (Sanctioned)

Project Title: Development of Rapid Electrochemical based Diagnostics for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

PI: Dr. Raju Khan (CSIR-AMPRI), Site – PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-ordinator: Prof. Sarman Singh, Co-Investigators: Prof. debases Biswas, Dr. Saurabh Saigal, Dr. Sagar Khadanga. Funded by SERB (IRHPA) (Budget: Rs. 72.5 lacs). Duration: 3 Years. DoS 11.08.2020 (File No. SERB/IPA/2020/000130)

Project Title: Screening of CGG repeat in FXTAS, monogenic disorder in Indian patients and its role and mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial mediated inflammation.

PI: Dr. Nirendra Rai, Co-PI Dr. Ashok Kumar and Dr. Rajesh Singh, Funded by DHR, ICMR (Budget: Rs. 45 Lacs). Duration: 3 Years; Technically Approved

Project Title: Developing CRISPR/Cas9 proximity ligation assay (PLA) for the diagnosis of mitochondrial DNA mutations of complex-I showing and its heteroplasmy in human cell lines types from different origin.

PI: Dr. Rajesh Singh (MSU Baroda), Co-PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigators: Dr. Nirendra Rai, Dr. Ashwani Tandon, Funded by DBT, Govt of India (Budget: Rs. 150.0 lacs). Duration: 3 Years; Technically Approved

Project Title: Setting up of registry for renal complications in Indian children with Sickle Cell Disease: The Indian Sickle Cell Nephropathy (ISN) Consortium.

PI: Dr. Tanya Sharma. Co-Investigators: Dr. Girish Bhatt, Dr. Bhavna Dhingra Bhan, Dr. Shikha Malik, Dr. Ankur Joshi, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr Neelkamal Kapoor, Dr. Deepti Joshi, Dr. Garima Goel, Dr. Narendra Chaudhary. Funded by ICMR (Budget: Rs. 54.8.0 lacs). Duration: 3 Years; DoS: 1st Dec 2020

Project Title: Development of bioengineered lung organoids as high throughput drug and radiation testing platform for SARS-CoV2 infection.

PI: Dr. Neha Arya, Co-Investigators: Dr. Saikat Das, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Rupinder Kaur, Dr. Debasis Biswas, Dr. Raghvendra Vidua. Funded by ICMR (Budget: Rs. 96.5 lacs)

Project Title: Elucidating cancer-associated adipocytes-mediated metastasis in a 3-D biomimetic co-culture model: applications in breast cancer therapy” Technically approved by SERB.

PI: Dr. Neha Arya, Co-Investigators: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Swagata Brahmachari, Dr. Vinay Kumar, Dr. Deepti Joshi, Dr. M Murli

Project Title “A clinical and molecular study to explore the effect of Homoeopathy in Psoriasis.

Funded by Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH). Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Rohit Saluja, Dr. Juhi Gupta. Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. S.K. Mishra, Dr. Anil Khurana, Dr. Anupriya.

Project Title: Casein kinase-1ε as a novel therapeutic target against small cell lung cancer.

Dr. Dinesh Ahirwar (PI), Dr. Ashok Kumar (Co-PI), Approved by Department of Defence, USA.

Project Title: Inhibition of RET Proto-Oncogene as novel immune-based Strategy against SCLC.

Dr. Dinesh Ahirwar (PI), Dr. Ashok Kumar (Co-PI), Approved by Department of Defence, USA

Project Title: Clinicopathological and molecular profiling of adult and pediatric cases of Membranous Nephropathy.

PI: Dr. Tanya Sharma. Co-Investigators: Dr. Girish Bhatt, Dr. E Jayashankar, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Mahendra Atlani, Dr. Vaibhav Ingle, Dr. Sramana Mukhopadhyay

Project Title: Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label, Blinded End Point (PROBE), Pilot Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of an AYUSH propriety medicine T-AYU-HMTM as an adjunct to Hydroxyurea in the Management of Sickle cell Disease patients.

Dr. Sachin Bansal, Dr. Danish Javed, Dr. Manisha Shrivastava, Dr. Garima Goel, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar. Funded by CCRAS

Project Title: Flowcytometric analysis of lymphocyte cytokine expression in tubercular effusion samples.

Dr. Ujjwal Khurana, Dr. Garima Goel, Dr. Hemlata Panwar, Dr. Anand Maurya, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Sagar Khadanga, Dr. Alkesh Khurana. Funded by NHM under National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).

Project Title: Effect of Music as a medicine on re-entrainment of Circadian Rhythm and stress in Mechanically ventilated patients

Dr. JP Sharma, Dr Saurabh Saigal, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr Ankur Joshi, Dr Rachna Parashar, Dr Abhishek Goyal. Funded by ICMR 2022 (Budget 38 Lakhs).

Completed Project

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Mentored Research Projects

  • Association and functional characterization of single nucleotide polymorphisms in microRNAs with the susceptibility to oral squamous cell carcinomas. Funded by Department of Health Research. Sanctioned Budget Rs. 45.6 Lakhs. PI: Dr. Shikha Tiwari, DHR Women Scientist, Mentor: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigators: Dr. Saikat Das, Dr. Vinay Kumar, Dr. Vikas Gupta (File No. R. 12013/11/2021-HR/E-office:8111586). DoS: 05.08.2021
  • Project Title “Investigating cancer-associated fibroblasts-driven metastasis in a bioengineered 3-D breast cancer co-culture model: towards cancer therapy”. Ms. Pallavi Kulkarni (ICMR-SRF)- Technically approved on 15.10.2020 (till Nov 2023) Guide: Dr. Ashok Kumar

 Completed Extramural Research Projects

  • Project Title “Role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate signaling pathway in oral carcinogenesis” sanctioned by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt. of India. Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar (Budget: Rs. 48.5 lacs) (Aug 2017-Feb 2021). (EMR/2016/005009)
  • Project Title: Case Control Study to evaluate the environmental toxins as a cause of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown cause (CKD u) in Central India. Principal Investigator: Dr. Mahendra Atlani. Co-Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. SK Goel, Dr. Ashutosh Shrivastava Budget: 78.5 Lakhs, 3 years (Oct 2019 onwards)
  • Project Title: “Involvement of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling in oral cancer patients” funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under Start Up Research Grant (Young Scientists). Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar (Registration No. SERB/LS-487/2013) Jun 2014-Sep 2017 Total Budget: Rs. 22 lacs. Project Stat Date: 10th June 2014, Project Completion Date: 9th Sep 2017
  • Project Title: Role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate signaling pathway in lung carcinogenesis” funded by Madhya Pradesh Council of Science & Technology (A/RD/RP-2/2015-16/50) Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar Total Budget: 8.0 Lakhs, Project Start Date: July 2016 Duration 2 years
  • Project Title: “MicroTumor Tek: A high throughput screening platform for personalized therapy” funded by BIRAC. PI Dr. Neha Arya, Co-PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Saikat Das, Dr Neelkamal Kapoor (May 2019 onwards-May 2022)

 Completed Mentored Funded-Research Projects

  • Project Title: Role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate and RORs signaling pathway in lung carcinogenesis Sanctioned by DHR-ICMR. Budget: 30 Lakhs, Duration 3 Years PI: Dr. Rajeev Nema, Mentor Dr. Ashok Kumar, Project Start Date: 26.11.2018 
  • Project Title: “Crosstalk of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate and RORs signaling pathways and  their relevance in lung cancer” funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) ICMR Research Associateship to Dr. Rajeev Nema Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar (File No. No.3/2/3/234/2014/NCD-III) Project Start Date: 4th Dec 2014; Project End Date: 3rd Dec 2017 Duration: 3 years 
  • Project Title “Deciphering the role of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate signaling pathway in tongue squamous cell carcinoma” sanctioned to Mrs Supriya Vishwakarma (ICMR-SRF)- Guide: Dr. Ashok Kumar.  Initiated on 16th Aug 2019 (Till Aug 2022).
  • Project Title “Deciphering CXCR4/CXCL12 signalling on tissue engineered bone-mimetic 3D in vitro co-culture model: Role in breast cancer therapy”. Mrs. Jaya Thilakan (ICMR-SRF)-  Co-Guide: Dr. Ashok Kumar. Initiated on 23rd April 2019 (Till April 2022).

Intramural/Students’ Research Projects

  • Project title “Association of serum iron profile with disease severity of COVID19 patients: A retrospective study from central India”. Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Jagat Kanwar, Dr. Saurabh Saigal, Dr. Ashish Jadhav, Dr. Garima Goel, Dr. Vaibhav Ingle, Dr. Sukhes Mukherjee, Dr. Navneet Kumar.
  • Project title “Assessment of concordance between direct low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (dLDL-C) and calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (c-LDL-C) using Friedwald Equation”. Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Rashmi Chowdhary, Dr. Divya Gupta.
  • Project title: To assess the utility of serum IL-1Beta and IL-10 levels as a diagnostic marker in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) Patients. ICMR-Short-term Studentship to Mr. Subhojit AjitKumar Halder (2018) Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar
  • Project Title: Assessment of modified silver nanoparticles in treatment of cholera in a mouse model. ICMR-Short-term Studentship to Mr. Siddharth Raina (2018) Principal Investigator: Dr. Anand Maurya, Co-PI: Ashok Kumar
  • Project Title: Association of miRNA-146a and miRNA-499 polymorphisms with the susceptibility to oral squamous cell carcinoma. Intramural project, PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-PI: Dr. Vikas Gupta, Student Investigator: Amit Bahmnia (MBBS 2ndYear)
  • Project Title: Spectrum and utility of novel urinary markers of early renal injury in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. ICMR STS project, PI: Dr. Rajnish Joshi, Co-PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-Investigator: Dr. SK Goel. Student Investigator: Himanshu Mishra (MBBS, 2nd Year).
  • Project Title: “To determine the gene expression of sphingosine kinases and sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase in oral cancer”. ICMR-Short-term Studentship to Ms. Sruthy Mohan (2013-14) Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar
  • Project Title: “Validation of salivary Cyclin D1 levels as a non-invasive biomarker in potentially malignant oral lesions (PMOL) and neoplastic lesions”. ICMR-Short-term Studentship to Mr. Anupam Halder (2015) Principal Investigator: Dr. Ashok Kumar, Co-PIs: Dr. Pankaj Goel & Dr. Rahul Agarwal
  • Project Title: “Role of A1555G mitochondrial DNA mutation in Non-syndromic Sensorineural Hearing Loss in central India: A pilot study”. ICMR-Short-term Studentship to Mr. Dilan Davis (2015) PI: Dr. Vikas Gupta, Co-PIs: Dr. SK Goel & Dr. Ashok Kumar
  • Project Title “Quantitative analysis of ROR1 and ROR2 in squamous cell carcinoma”. MDS Dissertation of Dr. Swati Nema, People College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal; Co-PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar
  • Project Title “Association of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) polymorphisms with the susceptibility of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma”. MSc Dissertation of Ms Ritu Pandey, AKS University, Satna; PI: Dr. Ashok Kumar 
  • Project Title “To determine the association of Interleukin 10 (IL 10) Polymorphism (-1082 A/G) with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) in Indian population” ICMR STS project. MBBS Student Name: Ajay Pal Singh
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