Dr. Arnab Datta

Assistant Professor

  • PhD, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
  • MPharm, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, India
  • arnabdattaju@gmail.com

Dr. Datta received industrial, translational and basic research trainings in pharmacology, drug development and discovery, quantitative proteomics, phosphoproteomics, bioinformatics, neuroscience, kidney physiology and systems biology from Jadavpur University, and Torrent Research Center (India), Nanyang Technological University, and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (Singapore) and National Institutes of Health (USA) under the supervision of prominent research mentors (Late Prof. Tuhinadri Sen – pharmacology, Prof. Sze Siu Kwan – proteomics and bioinformatics, Prof. Klaus Heese – neuroscience and Dr. Mark A. Knepper – kidney physiology, phosphoproteomics, bioinformatics and systems biology). Dr. Datta holds certificates on ‘Management’ and ‘Research Ethics’ from NIH that is tailored for scientists.

He is acting as an invited reviewer for several journals such as Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, PLoS One, Proteomics, and Experimental Gerontology.

In his present assignment at YRC, he is setting up a research group to decipher the mechanisms of stroke and dementias using pre-clinical models and clinical samples.

Experience

  • Assistant Professor (Nov 2019- till date) – Yenepoya Research Center, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, Karnataka
  • Visiting Fellow (May 2015 – Sep 2019) – National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
  • Research Fellow (Jun 2013 – Feb 2015) – School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Ave, Singapore
  • Research Associate (Mar 2012 – Jun 2013) – Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore
  • Scientist II (Feb 2006 – Dec 2007) – Discovery Pharmacology, Torrent Research Centre, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd., India
  • Research Associate (Jul 2005 – Dec 2005) – Formulation and Development, Rubicon Research Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India

Awards/ Honors

  • Visiting Fellowship, National Institutes of Health, USA (May 2015 – Sep 2019)
  • NIH Travel Grant for poster presentation at Annual Conference of US HUPO at Rockville, MD, USA (Mar 2019)
  • Travel Grant from American Society of Nephrology for poster presentation at ASN Kidney Week at San Diego, CA, USA (Oct 2018)
  • First prize for Outstanding Poster Presentation at 4th Annual Meeting-American Physiological Society at Washington DC, USA (Oct 2017)
  • NIH Travel Grant for poster presentation at Gordon Research Conference on Lysosomes & Endocytosis at Andover, NH, USA (Jun 2016)
  • Student Bursary for poster presentation at 9th Human Proteome Organization World Congress at Sydney, Australia (Sep 2010)
  • Nanyang Technological University Research Scholarship, Singapore (Jan 2008 – Dec 2012, PhD program)
  • University Gold Medal, Master of Pharmacy Examination, Jadavpur University, India (Dec 2005)
  • University Grant Commission Scholarship, Govt. of India, Area: Pharmaceutical Science, Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers Score: 96.94 percentile (Aug 2003 – Jun 2005, Master’s program)
  • Merit Medal for academic excellence, Alumni Association of Jadavpur University, India (April 2003, Bachelor’s Program)

 

 

Research Interest/ Area

Ischemic stroke, Dementias, Target and Biomarker Discovery, Pharmacology, Protein Mass Spectrometry, Bioinformatics and Cell signalling

Research

  • Ischemic Stroke & Non-Alzheimer’s Dementias

Stroke is the second most common cause of death after ischemic heart disease and the predominant cause of adult morbidity with limited treatment option. As late as 2000, India was ranked among the countries lacking sufficient research data on stroke and dementias. However, there is sufficient data to state that these are very much on the rise and poised to become a major threat.

Our laboratory uses a multi-disciplinary systems approach to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ischemic stroke and dementias. We seek to understand how perturbations in protein expression and post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation mediate neurovascular dysfunction in brain injury and repair. A bench to bedside approach comprising of in vitro, in vivo models, human post-mortem brain tissue and patient plasma sample is adopted to detect the deregulated proteins at the cellular and tissue levels in pre-clinical models and clinical samples. We use a combination of tools, including but not limited to biochemical, flow cytometric, molecular biological assays and protein mass spectrometry. These laboratory approaches are complemented by parallel informatics, Bayesian statistics, and extensive mining of prior literature to propose and validate new hypothesis. In addition, our systems level curated datasets will provide new information resource for the basic and clinical research community and facilitate meta-analysis.

The ultimate aim is to assess novel strategies for neuroprotection and restoration through the discovery of potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

Publications                                                                                                                                            Full list:

  1. Datta A*, Chai YL, Tan JM, Lee JH, Francis PT, Chen CP, Sze SK, Lai MKP.* An iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis reveals dysregulation of neocortical SYNPO in Lewy body Dementias. Molecular Brain 2017, 10(1):36. (*co-corresponding author)
  2. Datta A, Chen CP, Sze SK. Discovery of prognostic biomarker candidates of Lacunar Infarction by quantitative proteomics of microvesicles enriched plasma. PLoS ONE 2014, 9 (4), e94663
  3. Datta A, Akatsu H, Heese K, Sze SK. Quantitative Clinical Proteomic Study of Autopsied Human Infarcted Brain Specimens to Elucidate the Deregulated Pathways in Ischemic Stroke Pathology. Journal of Proteomics. 2013;91:556-68.
  4. Datta A, Jingru Q, Khor TH, Teo MT, Heese K, Sze SK. Quantitative neuroproteomics of an in vivo rodent model of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury reveals a temporal regulation of novel pathophysiological molecular markers. Journal of Proteome Research 2011;10:5199-213.
  5. Datta A, Park JE, Li X, Zhang H, Ho ZS, Heese K, Lim, SK, Tam JP, Sze SK. Phenotyping of an in vitro model of ischemic penumbra by iTRAQ-based shotgun quantitative proteomics. Journal of Proteome Research 2010;9:472-84.

 

Siu Kwan Sze, Christopher Chen, Arnab Datta, Palau Xavier Ramon Gallart.  Plasma Microvesicle Biomarkers for Ischemic Stroke. United States patent WO 2015/038065 A1, Mar 19, 2015

Opening for JRF Position

Position Description

A Junior Research Fellow position is available at the Yenepoya Research Center in the Translational Neuroscience laboratory headed by Dr. Arnab Datta. The Datta lab combines various pre-clinical models and comparable clinical samples to discover potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for ischemic stroke using a systems biological approach. Stroke is the most debilitating among all neurological disorders and the predominant cause of adult morbidity with limited treatment option. We seek to understand how perturbations in protein expression and post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation mediate neurovascular dysfunction in brain injury and repair. In the pursuit, we use a combination of biochemical, flow cytometric, proteomics, bioinformatics, molecular biological tools. It is expected that as a member of this lab, one will have an opportunity to be exposed to all these areas. We value a vibrant and collaborative environment where lab members share ideas, reagents and expertise and desire to work on understanding the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke.

The current project aims to 1) establish an in vitro oxygen glucose deprivation model using cultured brain cells, 2) perform phenotyping of the model using an array of tools 3) characterize the model using protein mass spectrometry 4) understand the cellular signaling using a data-driven systems approach.

Our lab is located in the Yenepoya University campus in Mangalore. The research facilities at YRC are outstanding. It has state-of-the-art facilities for protein mass spectrometry, FACS, and microscopy. The position will be fully funded by the YRC. The successful candidate will interact with a diverse group of scientists with backgrounds in biochemistry, molecular biology, stem cell biology, nanoscience and chemistry. The position offers a generous salary and benefits package as well as the possibility of further career advancement if performance is excellent.

Some sample references include Datta et al. Mol. Brain 2017 [PMID: 28800743], Datta et al. J Prot. Res. 2010. [PMID: 19916522]

Qualifications

The successful candidate must have a M.Sc./M.Pharm. in a relevant discipline (biology, chemistry, pharmacy, engineering, medicine).

Prior hands-on experience with cell culture will be useful. Experience in teaching, pharma R&D or research laboratory will be preferred. Having publications in peer-reviewed journals will be an added advantage. Other requirements include ability to work independently following training, strong verbal and written communication skills in English, strong motivation and most importantly a high level of creativity and enthusiasm for science.

To Apply

Interested applicants should send a CV, names of 2 references, and a brief summary (max. 1 page, font: 11, Arial) of their future career goals to Dr. Arnab Datta: arnabdattaju@gmail.com. Please write “JRF application” in the subject header.

 

Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience