Lalita L
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at Mumbai University, India
Expertise
Microbiology [bacteriology and virology], immunology, molecular biology
Bio
I hold a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Mumbai and have over 20 years of teaching experience — 16 years in India and four in the USA. Through my platform, BioEd Initiative, I design research-based biology programs that introduce students to scientific writing and modern research methods. I also mentor U.S. students for the AP Biology exam, fostering strong conceptual and analytical skills in the life sciences.Project ideas
FOXP3 gene expression in Treg biology
The 2025 Nobel Prize recognized pioneering discoveries on Regulatory T cells (Tregs). We explore how the FOXP3 gene, the master regulator of Treg, maintains immune tolerance. Develop skills to write a scientific review paper using FOXP3 as a model gene. Employ bioinformatics tools to study gene regulation, sequence analysis, and functional prediction.
PROTAC Technology — A Transformative Approach to Next-Generation Cancer Therapeutics
PROTAC stands for Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera. It is a novel therapeutic technology designed to degrade disease-causing proteins inside cells rather than simply inhibiting their activity. As of now, PROTACs are among the most cutting-edge technologies in therapeutic drug design. They represent a shift from traditional enzyme inhibition to protein degradation, with enormous implications for targeting previously “undruggable” proteins. Many PROTACs have been developed against oncoproteins: androgen receptor (AR) in prostate cancer, estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer, BET proteins (BRD4) in multiple cancers, BRAF, etc. Project involves reviewing the mechanism of PROTAC with reference to particular oncogene.