Faculty Bio

1. Kerala State Young Scientist Award 2014 by KSCSTE (Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment)
2. Young Scientist Award- International Society of Nutraceuticals and Chronic Diseases (2018)
3. Scientific Track Speaker at the 5th International Conference and Exhibition on Natural & Alternative Medicine hosted by OMICS International, Beijing.
4. DBT Research Associateship, Department of Biotechnology, Govt.of India (2010)
5. DST- SERB Young Investigator Project Grant, Govt. of India (2015)
6. KSCSTE Travel grant for presentation at International conference abroad (2016)
7. CICS Travel grant for attending International conference abroad (2016)
8. UGC Junior and Senior Research fellowship (2004 and 2006)

PhD and postdoctoral studies were primarily in hypertension, cardiovascular disease and their interventions. Research has been mainly focused on delineation of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac hypertrophy to identify drug targets. Collaborative and interdisciplinary projects with the chemistry group of CSIR-NIIST such as targeted drug delivery in cancer cells using novel peptide-based constructs, cancer diagnosis using novel dyes,etc.

1. Role of mitophagy in cardiac hypertrophy- an in vitro cell line approach”- The project aimed at evaluating autophagy as well as mitophagy as potential drug targets in an in vitro disease model of cardiac hypertrophy (Funding-SERB, Govt.of India, Total cost- 33.8 lakhs, Project completed in 2019)
2. Natural compounds targeting autophagy: an insight into development of novel drugs for cardiac hypertrophy (Proposal submitted to DHR, 2020)

• Research methodology (BIO 317): B.Sc. Semester 5
• Pharmacology (BIO 319) B.Sc. Semester 6
• Cell and Molecular Biology Lab (BIO 281) B.Sc. Semester 3
• Immunology Lab (BIO 282) B.Sc. Semester 4
• Biochemistry Lab (BIO 180) B.Sc. Semester 2
• Working as Associate with University of Arizona (2021 onwards) for the M.Sc Dual degree program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Project Approved (as PI): SERB Power Grant (April 2022)
Project Title: ” Therapeutic targeting of autophagy in hypertrophied myocardium: potential effects of compounds from Desmodium gangeticum.”
Co PI1: Dr. Nandita Mishra
Co PI2: Dr. Chinchu Bose

Opportunity for PhD Candidates in the above Project

There is a vacancy for JRF / PhD student in the above project with a duration of 3 years. Interested PhD applicants can contact for further details in the Email ID: vandanasankar@am.amrita.edu

1. “National Seminar on Current vistas in Cell and Molecular Biology”, University of Kerala, Karyavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram, March 26th, Topic of the talk: “A lysosome-targeted drug delivery system based on sorbitolbackbone towards efficient cancer therapy”
2. Seminar on “New Avenues in Bioscience Research” supported by DST-PURSE organized by School of Biosciences, MG University, Kottayam, March 20th, Topic of the talk: “Experimental models in cardiovascular disease: emphasis on hypertensive, hypertrophic and heart failure models”

1. Poster presentation at the Joint Annual Meeting of International Society of Heart Research (ISHR) & International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS) (India), Jan 12- 14, 2006, Madras Medical Mission,Chennai
2. Oral presentation at the National Symposium on Current Trends in the Development of Herbal Drugs and 27^thAnnual Conference of Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists (IABMS), Nov 25-27, 2006, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram
3. Oral presentation at the 26^thAnnual symposium of Indian Society for Atherosclerosis Research (ISARCON 2013), Nov 22-23, 2013, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences,
4. Oral presentation at 46^th Annual Conference of Indian Pharmacological Society, (IPSCON 2013) and International Conference on Translational Pharmacology, Dec 16-18, 2013, NIMHANS Convention centre,
5. Oral presentation at 47^th Annual Conference of Indian Pharmacological Society, (IPSCON 2014), Dec 28 -30, 2014, Guwahati Medical College and Hospital Convention Centre, Bhangagarh, Guwahati, Assam
6. Oral presentation of the Kerala State Young Scientist award-winning work at the 27^th Kerala Science Congress, Jan 27-29, 2015, held at Pathirappally, Alappuzha
7. Oral presentation at the Indo-Canadian Symposium on Heart Failure, Progress and Prospects, March 11-14, 2015, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram.
8. Oral presentation at the 49^th Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmacological Society /IPSCON-2016, Oct 21-23, 2016, PGIMER,
9. Poster presentation at the 3^rd International Conference on Nutraceuticals and Chronic diseases, Sep 14-16, 2018, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun.
10. Poster presentation (online) at the 34^th Kerala Science Congress, 10^th-12^th February 2022

• Life membership – Kerala Academy of Sciences (KAS)
• Life membership – Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences
• Life membership- International Society of Nutraceuticals and Chronic Diseases (ISNCD)