Tanya Das

Tanya Das
Emeritus Scientist

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Previous appointments:


1990-1992                   Research Associate                          Calcutta University, Kolkata

1992-1993                   Fellow Doctor                                   Cleveland Clinic, USA

1994-1995                  Pool Officer                                        Indian Institute of Chemical  Biology, Kolkata

1995-1996                  Pool Officer                                        Bose Institute, Kolkata

1996-2000             Research Scientist                      Bose Institute, Kolkata

Research interests:

(a) To understand the contribution of cancer stem cells in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and metastasis : Is cancer a stem cell disease?

(b)  Role of cancer stem cells in drug-resistance: A mechanistic evaluation for targeting

(c) Cancer stem cells and exosome signaling

(c) To map the molecular mechanisms underlying assymetric division of cancer stem cells: An approach towards targeting

(e) Repurposing of FDA-approved, commonly used, affordable drugs like aspirin for sensitizing highly resistant cancer stem cells

(f) Metabolomic approach towards targeting cancer stem cells: Role of hexokinase 2

(f) Contribution of cancer stem cells in immuno-editing: Involvement of macrophages and T cells 

Contact:

Address: Division of Molecular Medicine
Centenary Campus
Bose Institute
P-1/12 C.I.T. Scheme VII-M
Kolkata - 700054, India
E-Mail: tanya[at]jcbose.ac.in
Phone: +91-33-25693257

Research:


To develop targeted therapy against cancer stem cells


Cancer is a multifactorial disease that involves de-regulation of various signaling pathways. Our aim is to develop a multiple signal modulation therapy of cancer adopting different approaches, i.e., (i) to induce apoptosis even in drug-resistant cancers, (ii) to retard metastasis, and (ii) to inhibit angiogenesis, in cancer cells. According to the recent hypothesis, tumorigenesis, metastasis and drug-resistance are driven by a limited subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells, i.e., cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs retain stem like properties, e.g., ability to self renew, increased proliferative capacity, and ability to differentiate into different lineages. Recent aim of our study is to uproot cancer from its origin by understanding the basic properties of CSCs and targeting them directly. To that end, my laboratory intends to map the molecular mechanisms of CSC-induced drug-resistance, metastasis, and angiogenesis in tumor-bearer and to repurpose commonly used FDA-approved drugs, e.g., aspirin, metformin, etc., and alternative medicines like thuja (homeopathy) in targeting CSCs. Aim of this study is also to delineate the fundamental properties of cancer stem cells in relation to their role in modulating the immune system so that pro-CSC immunity, which might be responsible for the failure of immunotherapy, can be targeted with the final aim of developing an effective immunotherapy of cancer.


 


Publications:

A.      In peer reviewed journals


1.             1.  Chakraborti S, Chakraborty S, Saha S, Manna A, Banerjee S, Adhikary A, Sarwar S, Hazra TK, Das T, Chakrabarti P. PEG-functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells through reactive               oxygen species-dependent impairment of DNA damage repair enzyme NEIL2. Free Radic Biol Med. 103:35-47. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.11.048, 2017 (Das T and Chakrabarti P both are corresponding authors)

2.             Saha S, Mukherjee S, Khan P, Kajal K, Mazumdar M, Manna A, Mukherjee S, De S, Jana D, Sarkar DK, Das T. Aspirin Suppresses the Acquisition of Chemoresistance in Breast Cancer by Disrupting an NFκB-IL6 Signaling Axis Responsible for the Generation of Cancer Stem Cells. Cancer Res. 2016 76(7):2000-12. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-1360. (with cover page illustration from this work)

3.       Mukherjee S, Manna A, Bhattacharjee P, Mazumdar M, Saha S, Chakraborty S, Guha D, Adhikary A, Jana D, Gorain M, Mukherjee  S, Kundu GC, Sarkar DK and Das T.  Non-migratory tumorigenic intrinsic cancer stem cells ensure tumor metastasis by continuous generation of CXCR4+ migrating cancer stem cells. Oncogene  doi: 10.1038/onc.2016.26., 2016

4.      Ray P, Guha D, Chakraborty J, Banerjee S, Adhikary A, Chakraborty S, Das T and  Sa G. Crocetin exploits p53-induced death domain (PIDD) and FAS-associated death domain (FADD) proteins to induce apoptosis in colorectal cancer. Scientific Reports 6:32979. doi: 10.1038/srep32979, 2016

5.      Banerjee S, Bose D, Chatterjee N, Das S, Chakraborty S, Das T, Saha KD. Attenuated Leishmania induce pro-inflammatory mediators and influence leishmanicidal activity by p38 MAPK dependent phagosome maturation in Leishmania donovani co-infected macrophages. Sci Rep. 6:22335. doi: 10.1038/srep22335, 2016 (5.578).

6.      Khan P, Manna A, Mohanti S, Saha S, Mukherjee S, Mazumdar M, Guha D, and Das T. Aspirin inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and migration of oncogenic Ras-expressing NSCLC cells by E-cadherin up-regulation via repression of slug transcription. BMC Cancer, 16:39, DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2078-7, 2016 (3.362)

7.      Cross-talk between Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress and the MEK/ERK Pathway Potentiates Apoptosis in Human Triple Negative Breast Carcinoma Cells: ROLE OF A DIHYDROPYRIMIDONE, NIFETEPIMINE. Ghosh S, Adhikary A, Chakraborty S, Bhattacharjee P, Mazumder M, Putatunda S, Gorain M, Chakraborty A, Kundu GC, Das T, Sen PC. J Biol Chem, 290: 3936-49. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M114.594028, 2015 (Das T and Sen PC both are corresponding authors) (4.651)

8.      Saha S, Bhattacharjee P, Guha D, Kajal K, Khan P, Chakraborty S, Mukherjee S, Paul S, Manchanda R, Khurana A, Nayak D, Chakrabarty R, Sa G, Das T.  Sulphur alters NFκB-p300 cross-talk in favour of p53-p300 to induce apoptosis in non-small cell lung carcinoma. Int J Oncol. doi: 10.3892/ijo. 3061, 2015 (3.025)

9.      Mahata B, Biswas S, Rayman P, Chahlavi A, Ko J, Bhattacharjee A, Li YT, Li Y, Das T, Sa G, Raychaudhuri B, Vogelbaum MA, Tannenbaum C, Finke JH, Biswas K. GBM Derived Gangliosides Induce T Cell Apoptosis through Activation of the Caspase Cascade Involving Both the Extrinsic and the Intrinsic Pathway. PLoS One. 10(7):e0134425. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134425. eCollection 2015 (3.234)

10.  Bhattacharya S, Ahir M, Patra P, Mukherjee S, Ghosh S, Mazumdar M, Chattopadhyay S, Das T, Chattopadhyay D and Adhikary A. PEGylated-thymoquinone-nanoparticle mediated retardation of breast cancer cell migration by deregulation of cytoskletal actin polymerization through miR-34a. Biomaterials, 51, 91-107, 2015 (8.557)

11.  Chakraborty S, Das K, Saha S, Mazumdar M, Manna A, Chakraborty S1, Khan P, Mukherjee S, Adhikary A, Mohanty S, Chattopadhyay S, Sa G and Das T. Nuclear matrix protein SMAR1 represses c-Fos-mediated HPV18 E6 transcription through chromatin remodelling.  J Biol Chem. pii: jbc.M114.564872., 2014 (4.651)

12.  Mukherjee S, Mazumdar M, Chakraborty S, Manna A, Saha S, Guha D, Khan P, Bhattacharjee P, Adhikary A, Mukhjerjee S, and Das T. Curcumin inhibits breast cancer stem cell migration by amplifying E-cadherin/β-catenin negative feed-back loop. Stem Cell Res. Ther. 5:116, 2014 (4.634)

13.  Adhikary A, Chakraborty S, Mazumdar M, Ghosh S, Mukherjee S, Manna A, Mohanty S, Nakka KK, Joshi S, De A, Chattopadhyay S, Sa G, Das T.  Inhibition of Epithelial to Mesenchymal transition by E-cadherin up-regulation via repression of Slug transcription and inhibition of E-cadherin degradation: Dual role of SMAR1 in breast cancer cells. J Biol Chem. pii: jbc.M113.527267. 2014 (4.651)

14.  Saha S, Mukherjee S, Mazumdar M, Manna A, P Khan, Adhikary A, Kajal K, Jana D, Sa G, Mukherjee S, Sarkar DN and Das T. Mithramycin A sensitizes therapy-resistant breast cancer stem cells towards genotoxic drug doxorubicin. Translational Res. pii: S1931-5244(14)00384-3. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2014.10.011., 2014 (5.030)

15.  Mohanty S, Saha S, Hossain DMS, Adhikary A, Mukherjee S, Manna A, Chakraborty S, Mazumdar M, Ray P, Das K, Chakraborty J, Sa G and Das T. ROS-PIASg cross-talk channelizes ATM signaling from resistance to apoptosis during chemo-sensitization of resistant tumors. Cell Death Dis. 5: e1021; doi:10.1038/cddis.2013.534, 2014 (5.014)

16.  Chakraborty S, Adhikary A, Mazumdar M, Mukherjee S, Bhattacharjee P, Guha D, Choudhuri T, Chattopadhyay S, Sa G, Sen A, Das T. Capsaicin-Induced Activation of p53-SMAR1 Auto-Regulatory Loop Down-Regulates VEGF in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer to Restrain Angiogenesis. PLoS One. 9:e99743. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099743, 2014 (3.234)

17.  Chakraborty S, Mazumdar M, Mukherjee S, Bhattacharjee P, Adhikary A, Manna A, Chakraborty S, Khan P, Sen A & Das T. Restoration of p53/miR-34a regulatory axis decreases survival advantage and ensures Bax-dependent apoptosis of non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. FEBS Lett. pii: S0014-5793(14)00018-0. doi: 10.1016/j. febslet.2013.11.040, 2014 (3.341)

18.  Ghosh S, Adhikary A, Chakraborty S, Bhattacharjee P, Mazumdar M, Putatunda S, Gorain M, Chakraborty A, Kundu GC, Das T, Sen PC Cross-talk between ER stress and the MEK/ERK pathway potentiates apoptosis in human triple-negative breast carcinoma cells: Role of a dihydropyrimidone, Nifetepimine. J Biol Chem. 2014 Dec 19. pii: jbc.M114.594028 (4.651)

19.  Chaudhuri S, Singh MK, Bhattacharya D, Acharya S, Chatterjee S, Kumar P, Bhattacharjee P, Basu AK, Sa G, Das T, Ghosh TK and Chaudhuri S. The novel immunotherapeutic molecule T11TS moduates glioma-induced changes of key components of the immunological synapse in favor of T-cell activation and glioma abrogation. J Neurooncol. DOI 10.1007/s11060-014-1528-9, 2014 (3.214)

20.  Saha S, Bhattacharjee P, Mukherjee S, Mazumdar M, Chakraborty S, Khurana A, Nayak D, Manchanda R, Chakrabarty R, Das T, Sa G. Contribution of the ROS-p53 feedback loop in thuja-induced apoptosis of mammary epithelial carcinoma cells. Oncol Rep. 31:1589-98. doi: 10.3892/or.2014.2993, 2014 (2.301)

21.  Hossain DMS, Panda AK, Mohanty S, Manna A, Bhattavharyya P, Kar RK, Das T, Chatterjee S and Sa G. Novel funsction of FoxP3 as a co-transcription factor of STAT3 in tumor-induced Treg cells. Immunity doi:pii: S1074-7613(13)00504-9. 10.1016/j.immuni.2013.11.005., 2013 (21,561)

22.  Mukherjee S, Ghosh S, Choudhury S, Adhikary A, Manna K, Dey S, Sa G, Das T, Chattopadhyay S. Pomegranate reverses methotrexate-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in hepatocytes by modulating Nrf2-NFkB pathways. J Nutr Biochem 24:2040-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.07.005., 2013 (4.552)

23.  Mazumdar M, Adhikary A, Chakraborty S, Mukherjee S, Manna A, Mohanty S, Ray P, Dutta A, Saha S, Chattopadhyay S, Banerjee S, Chakraborty J, Ray AK, Sa G and Das T. Targeting RET to induce medullary thyroid cancer cell apoptosis: An antagonistic interplay between PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway and death receptor-independent p38-MAPK/caspase-8 pathway. Apoptosis 18:589-604, doi: 10.1007/s10495-013-0803-0, 2013 (3.684)

24.  Saha S, Hossain DM, Mukherjee S, Mohanty S, Mazumdar M, Mukherjee S, Ghosh UK, Nayek C, Raveendar C, Khurana A, Chakrabarty R, Sa G, Das T.Calcarea carbonica induces apoptosis in cancer cells in p53-dependent manner via an immuno-modulatory circuit. BMC Complement Altern Med. 13:230, 2013. (1.987)

25.  Chatterjee S,  Chakraborty P,  Banerjee K,  Sinha A, Adhikary A, Das T, Choudhuri SK. Selective induction of apoptosis in various cancer cells irrespective of drug sensitivity through a copper chelate, copper N-(2 Hydroxy acetophenone) glycinate: crucial involvement of glutathione. Biometals 26:517-34. doi: 10.1007/s10534-013-9637-z, 2013  (3.284)

26.  Saha B, Adhikary A, Ray P, Saha S, Chakraborty S, Mohanty S, Das K, Mukherjee S, Mazumdar M, Lahiry L, Hossain Dewan Md S, Sa G and Das T. Restoration of tumor suppressor p53 by differentially regulating pro- and anti-p53 networks in HPV-18-infected cervical cancer cells. Oncogene 31:173-86, 2012 (8.459)

27.  Ghosh S, Adhikary A, Chakraborty S, Nandi P, Mohanty S, Chakraborty S, Bhattacharjee P, Mukherjee S, Putatunda S, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty A, Sa G, Das T, Sen PC. Nifetepimine, a dihydropyrimidone, ensures CD4+ T cell survival in a tumor microenvironment by maneuvering sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA). J Biol Chem. 287:32881-96, 2012 (4.651)

28.  Chowdhury SK, Chakrabarty P, Chatterjee S, Ganguly A, Saha P, Adhikary A, Das T and Chatterjee M. Reprogramming of tumor associated macrophage (TAM) towards proimmunogenic type through regulation of MAP kinases using a redox active copper chelate. Journal of Leukocyte Biology 91:609-19, 2012 (4.289)

29.  Sen GS, Mohanty S, Bhattacharyya S, Hossain DMS, Banerjee S, Chakraborty J, Ray P, Mandal D, Bhattacharya A, Chattopadhyay S, Das T and Sa G. Curcumin enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy by tailoring p65NFkB-p300 cross-talk in favor of p53-p300 in breast cancer. J. Biol. Chem. 286:42232-47, 2011 (4.651)

30.  Lahiry L, Saha B, Chakraborty J, Adhikary A, Banerjee S, Das K, Sa G and Das T. Curcumin target Fas/caspase-8 and Akt/pBad pathways to induce apoptosis in p53-mutated human breast cancer cells. Carcinogenesis  31:259-68, 2010

31.  Adhikary A, Mohanty S, Lahiry L, Hossain D Md. S, Chakraborty S and Das T. Curcumin retard human breast cancer cell migration by inhibiting NF-kB via p53-dependent ROS generation. FEBS Letts. 584:7-14, 2010

32.  Chakraborty J, Banerjee S, Ray P, Hossain DM, Bhattacharyya S, Adhikary A, Chattopadhyay S, Das T, Sa G. Gain of cellular adaptation due to prolonged p53 impairment leads to functional switchover from p53 to p73 during DNA damage in acute myeloid leukemia cells. J Biol Chem. 285:33104-33112, 2010 (4.651)

33.  Bhattacharyya S, Hossain D Md. S, Mohanty S, Sen GS, Chattopadhyay S, Banerjee S, Chakraborty J, Das K, Sarkar D, Das T and  Sa G. Curcumin reverses T cell-mediated adaptive immune dysfunctions in tumor‐bearing host. Cell. Mol. Immunol. 7: 306-315, 2010

34.  Das T, Sa G, Saha B and Das K. Multifocal signal modulation therapy of cancer: Ancient weapon, modern targets. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 336:85–95, 2010

35.  Chattopadhyay S, Bhattacharyya S, Saha B, Chakrabarty J, Mohanty S, Hossain DMS, Banerjee S, Das K, Sa G and Das T. Tumor-shed PGE2 impairs IL2Rgc-signaling to inhibit CD4+ T cell survival: Regulation by curcumin. PLoS One 4:e7382, 2009

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Recognition:

  • Fellow of National Academy of Sciences (Allahabad), 2016
  • RajKristo Dutta Memorial Award of Indian Science Congress Association, India, 2014
  • Prof. P. B. Sen Memorial Oration Award of Physiological Society of India, 2012
  • Sananda Nihar Samman , 2012
  • Fellow of WB Academy of Science, India, and Fellow of Physiological Society, India , 2011
  • National Young Woman Bio-scientist Award from DBT, Govt. of India , 2004
  • Rupa Chakrabarty Memorial Award from Bethune College, Kolkata, for excellence in Science. ,
  • Banglar Gourab Award for excellence in science, from Social Welfare Organization ‘Rupamanjari’, India ,
  • Seva Samman for contribution in science and culture from Dakshin Kolkata Krira-O-Sangskriti Sangstha, India,
  • Woman of the Year Award from Anwesa (a social welfare organization), India, for contribution in science and culture,

Teaching:

Board Member of Integrated M.Sc/Ph.DS course of Bose Institute


Teaching:

For Integrated M.Sc./Ph.D. students:

1st semester: Co-ordinator of Cell Biology and teach in the same course

2nd semester: Co-ordinator of Cell Signaling and Developmental Biology courses and teach in Cell Signaling course

3rd semester: Co-ordinator of Specialization 'Molecular and Cellular Biology', and teach in the same course 

For Ph.D. students:

Co-ordinator of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, and teach in the same course

Students:

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