Specialization

Biophysical chemistry, Spectroscopy, Protein and peptide-based supramolecular chemistry, Nanoscale biophysics, Protein-nanoparticle interactions

Email

mily.bhattacharya@thapar.edu, milybh@gmail.com

Homepage: https://sites.google.com/site/milybhattacharyamohali/

 

Professional Affiliations:

• Assistant Professor (July 2017 – Present)

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar University, Patiala

 

• Lecturer (July 2016 – June 2017)

School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar University, Patiala

 

• SERB-DST Young Scientist (October 2014 – June 2016)

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Punjab

Area of research: Protein-nanoparticle interactions, Nanophotonics of protein amyloids.

 

• DST-Woman Scientist (July 2010 – June 2013)

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Punjab

Area of research: Biophysical chemistry of peptides & proteins and nanoscale biophysics.

 

• Research Associate (July 2009 - June 2010)

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Punjab

Area of research: Biophysical chemistry of protein aggregation.

 

• Scientific Associate (November 2007 - January 2008)

Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, California, USA.

Area of research: Synthesis of HIV protease inhibitors and precursors of catalytic antibodies.

 

• Doctoral (Ph.D.) work (July 2001 - February 2007)

Department of Inorganic & Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

Advisor: Prof. Puspendu K. Das

Title of thesis: Quadratic nonlinearity in covalently and non-covalently linked molecules in solution

Area of research:  Organic supramolecular Chemistry, Materials Chemistry and Nonlinear Optics.  

 

Education and Training:

 

• 2009-2010: Research Associate, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali.
• 2007-2008: Scientific Associate, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
• 2001-2007: Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
• 1998-2001: M.S. (Integrated Ph.D.) Chemical Sciences; Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
• 1995-1998: B.Sc. Chemistry (Hons.); Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

Teaching Activities:

 

Ph.D. courses (Chemistry), DCBC, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology:

 

DCB 003: Advanced Instrumentation Techniques

 

M.Sc. courses (Chemistry and Biochemistry), DCBC, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology:

 

PBC 103: Bioinorganic and Biophysical Chemistry

PCY 402: Advanced Topics in Chemistry

PCY 104: Quantum Chemistry

PCY 201: Electrochemistry and Thermodynamics

 

B.E./B.Tech., Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology:

 

UCB 009: Chemistry; Lectures & Practicals

UCB 028: General Chemistry – I; Lectures, Tutorials & Practicals

UCB 008: Applied Chemistry; Lectures, Tutorials & Practicals

 

Integrated BS-MS students, IISER Mohali:

 

CHM 101: Chemistry of elements and chemical transformations (Aug-Dec 2009, 2010)

CHM 201: Spectroscopic and other physical methods (Aug-Dec 2010)

 

 

List of Publications:

 

" Preferential Binding of Cations Modulates Electrostatically-Driven Protein Aggregation and Disaggregation", D. Singla and M. Bhattacharya*  J. Phys. Chem. B 2024, (In press)

 

"Green transformation of biomass-derived Indian gooseberry into fluorescent intrinsic nitrogen-functionalized carbon quantum dots for real-time detection of vitamin B2 in the nanomolar range", M. Kaur, M. Bhattacharya*, and B. Maity* RSC Sustain. 2024, 2, 1472.

 

"Deciphering conformational changes in human serum albumin induced by bile salts using spectroscopic and molecular modeling approaches", M. Kaur, M. Bhattacharya*, and B. Maity* J. Mol. Liq. 2023, 390, 123026.

 

 “Salt-induced dissolution of protein aggregates”, D. Singla and M. Bhattacharya*  J. Phys. Chem. B 2022, 126, 8760-8770.

 

 “The protein–surfactant stoichiometry governs the conformational switching and amyloid nucleation kinetics of tau K18”, J. Kaur, A. Giri and M. Bhattacharya* Euro. Biophys. J. 2020, 49, 425-434. (* Corresponding Author)       

 

 “Unraveling the mechanism of functional and pathological amyloid formation from intrinsically disordered proteins”, M. Bhattacharya*, A. Giri, J. Kaur, P. Dogra, S. Mukhopadhyay Biophys. J. 2020, 118 (3), 59a (Abstract).

 

“Proton-Induced Switching of an Intrinsically Disordered Domain of a Melanosomal Protein into a Polymorphic Functional Amyloid”, P Dogra, SS Roy, M Bhattacharya, SS Prabhu, S Mukhopadhyay

Biophys. J. 2018, 114 (3), 590a (Abstract).

 

“pH-responsive mechanistic switch regulates the formation of dendritic and fibrillar nanostructures of a functional amyloid”, P. Dogra, M. Bhattacharya* and S. Mukhopadhyay* J. Phys. Chem. B 2017, 121, 412-419.      (* Corresponding Author)              

“Water rearrangements upon disorder-to-order amyloid transition”, S. Arya, A.K. Singh, T. Khan, M. Bhattacharya, A. Datta, and S. Mukhopadhyay J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2016, 7, 4105-4110.

 

“Direct observation of the intrinsic backbone torsional mobility of disordered proteins by fluorescence depolarization kinetics”, N. Jain, D. Narang, K. Bhasne, V. Dalal, S. Arya, M. Bhattacharya, and S. Mukhopadhyay Biophys. J. 2016, 111, 768-774.                 

 

“Self-assembly of ovalbumin amyloid pores: Effects on membrane permeabilization, dipole potential and bilayer fluidity”, M. Bhattacharya*, and P. Dogra Langmuir 2015, 31, 8911-8922.

(* Corresponding Author)       

 

 “Appearance of annular ring-like intermediates during amyloid fibril formation from human serum albumin”, S. Arya, A. Kumari, V. Dalal, M. Bhattacharya*, and S. Mukhopadhyay* Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2015, 17, 22862-22871.              (* Corresponding Author)                                                                                               

 “Conformational switching and nanoscale assembly of human prion protein into polymorphic amyloids via structurally labile oligomers”, V. Dalal, S. Arya, M. Bhattacharya, and S. Mukhopadhyay Biochemistry 2015, 54, 7505-7513.              

 

 “Nanophotonics of protein amyloids”, M. Bhattacharya*, and S. Mukhopadhyay* Nanophotonics 2014, 3, 51-59.                    (* Corresponding Author)       

 

 “Nanoscale Assembly of Proteins into Amyloid Oligomers, Pores and Fibrils”, M. Bhattacharya, N. Jain, P. Dogra, V. Dalal, D. Narang, P. K Sharma, S. Samai, S. Mukhopadhyay Biophys. J. 2014, 106 (2), 683a (Abstract).

 

 “Nanoscopic amyloid pores formed via stepwise protein assembly”, M. Bhattacharya*, N. Jain, P. Dogra, S. Samai and S. Mukhopadhyay* J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2013, 4, 480-485.  

(* Corresponding Author)  

 

 “Structural and dynamical insights into the molten-globule form of Ovalbumin”, M. Bhattacharya* and S. Mukhopadhyay* J. Phys. Chem. B 2012, 116, 520-531.   

(* Corresponding Author)   

 

 “Nanoscale fluorescence imaging of single amyloid fibrils”, V. Dalal*, M. Bhattacharya*, D. Narang, P.K. Sharma, and S. Mukhopadhyay J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2012, 3, 1783-1787. (*Equal Contribution)         

 

 “Chain collapse of an amyloidogenic intrinsically disordered protein”, N. Jain*, M. Bhattacharya* and S. Mukhopadhyay Biophys. J. 2011, 101, 1720-1729.  (*Equal Contribution)   

Featured as a ‘Must Read’ article in the Faculty of 1000 (http://f1000.com/13409028)  

 

 “Insights into the mechanism of aggregation and fibril formation from Bovine Serum Albumin”, M. Bhattacharya, N. Jain and S. Mukhopadhyay J. Phys. Chem. B 2011, 115, 4195–4205.   

    

        

 “pH-induced conformational isomerization of bovine serum albumin studied by extrinsic and intrinsic protein fluorescence”, M. Bhattacharya, N. Jain, K. Bhasne, V. Kumari and S. Mukhopadhyay J. Fluorescence 2011, 21, 1083-1090.      

 

 “Kinetics of surfactant-induced aggregation of lysozyme studied by fluorescence spectroscopy” N. Jain, M. Bhattacharya and S. Mukhopadhyay J. Fluorescence 2011, 21, 615-625.     

 

 “Quadratic nonlinearity of one- and two-electron oxidized metalloporphyrins and its switching in solution”, A. Wahab, M. Bhattacharya, S.Ghosh, A.G. Samuelson and P. K. Das. J. Phys. Chem.  B 2008, 112, 2842-2847.                                                                                                     

 

 “Enhancement of quadratic nonlinearity via multiple hydrogen bonded supramolecular complex formation”, M. Bhattacharya, A.G. Samuelson and P. K. Das J. Phys. Chem.  B 2007, 111, 7122-7126.  

 

 “Second order nonlinearity in oligoamides”, M. Bhattacharya and P. K.  Das Synth. Met. 2005, 155, 389-392.                                                                                                           

 

 “Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of some donor-acceptor oxadiazoles”, S. H. Mashraqui, R. S. Kenny, S. G. Ghadigaonkar, A. Krishnan, M. Bhattacharya and P. K. Das, Opt. Mater. 2004, 27, 257-260.    

 

 

Book chapters

 

1. "Studying protein misfolding and aggregation using fluorescence spectroscopy" M. Bhattacharya, and S. Mukhopadhyay Reviews in Fluorescence, 2015 Chris D. Geddes (Ed.) Vol. 8, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland.

 

2. “Nonlinear Optical Properties of Organometallic and Metalloorganic Compounds”, M. Bhattacharya, P. K. Das and A. G. Samuelson, in Handbook of Organic Electronics and Photonics, 2008  H. S. Nalwa (Ed.) Vol. 2, American Scientific Publishers, California, USA.

 

 

Sponsored Research Projects:

 

“Spectroscopic investigation into the modulatory effects of Hofmeister ions on the condensation and aggregation of dietary proteins of diverse origin”; CSIR-ASPIRE Research Grants Scheme, Rs. 16 Lakhs, (Sanctioned).

 

“Gaining molecular insights into complex coacervation of food proteins using spectroscopic techniques”; MoE-STARS (MHRD) Research Grants Scheme, Rs. 42 Lakhs, 2024-2027 (Ongoing).

 

“Deciphering prion-like amyloid assembly mechanisms of Tau using biophysical tools”; SERB-POWER Research Grants Scheme, Rs. 29.11 Lakhs, 2021-2024 (Completed).

 

“Nanoscale biophysics of protein amyloids: creating nanoparticle-based amyloid superstructures”; DST-SERB Young Scientists’ Scheme, Rs. 32 Lakhs, 2014-2016 (Completed).

 

“Synthesis, characterization and aggregation studies on prion octapeptide and its covalently-linked oligomers”; DST-Women Scientists’ Scheme, Rs. 22.08 Lakhs, 2010-2013 (Completed).

 

Oral and Poster Presentations:

 

2024: Poster; 68^th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society Philadelphia, USA.

 

2020: Poster; 64^th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society San Diego, California, USA.

 

2018: Poster; Gordon Research Conference on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins, Les Diablerets, Switzerland.

 

2016: Invited speaker; 6^th International Conference on Perspectives in Vibrational Spectroscopy (ICOPVS-16), The University of Lucknow, Lucknow.

 

2016: Poster; Optics Within Life Sciences (OWLS 2016), TIFR, Mumbai.

 

2015: Invited speaker; Inside Raman, IISER Mohali, Punjab.

 

2015: Oral (flash) & Poster; Challenges in Organic Materials and Supramolecular Chemistry (ISACS18), IISc, Bangalore.

2014: Poster; 58^th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, San Francisco, California, USA.

 

2013: Invited speaker; Conference on Condensed Matter and Biological Systems, BHU, Varanasi.

 

2013: Poster; International Conference on Biomolecular Forms and Functions: Celebration of 50 years of the Ramachandran Map, IISc, Bangalore.

 

2012: Poster; 56^th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society San Diego, California, USA.

 

2011: Poster; Fluorescence Workshop ‘FCS-2011’, ICGEB, JNU & IIT Delhi, New Delhi.

 

2010: Poster; British Biophysical Society, Cambridge, UK.

 

2009: Invited speaker; Chandigarh Science Congress CHASCON-2009, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

 

2005: Poster; International Conference on ‘Optical Probes’, IISc, Bangalore.  

 

2003: Poster; National Symposium in Radiation and Photochemistry, IIT, Kanpur.

 

 

 

Awards/Honours/Fellowships:

 

2024: CSIR-ASPIRE Research Grant (Sanctioned).

 

2024: MoE-STARS (MHRD) Research Grant.

 

2021: SERB-POWER Research Grant.

 

2014: SERB-DST Young Scientists’ Grant.

 

2014: International travel award; Biophysical Society, USA.

 

2014: International travel award; Centre for International Co-operation in Science (CICS), Chennai.

 

2012: International travel grant; Department of Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi.

 

2010: International travel award; CICS, Chennai.

 

2010: Women Scientists’ Grant (WOS-‘A’); DST, New Delhi.

 

2003: Best poster award; National Symposium in Radiation and Photochemistry, IIT, Kanpur.

                    

2002: Vasudevamurthy-Soundararajan prize for best seminar; IPC, IISc, Bangalore.

 

2001-2006: Junior and Senior research fellowships (JRF & SRF); Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.