The Chanda Lab

Natasha earned her MSPH with a focus in Tropical Medicine from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in 2014. She then earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from the University of Miami where her work focused on isolating anti-HIV neutralizing antibodies. Currently she is conducting her post-doctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute where she is investigating HIV latency reversal agents. Natasha wants to establish an academic career that focuses on diagnosing and treating viral diseases in underrepresented populations.  In her free time Natasha enjoys watching movies, painting, travelling, and being outdoors.

​Huan, earned her master's degree, specializing in lentiviral-vector-based gene therapy in Virology, at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. She then pursued a Ph.D. in the realm of protein trafficking between cell membranes in Microbiology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. In the Chanda Lab, her work focused on the exploration of new regulators in the innate and adaptive immune responses through the application of CRISPR-CAS9 whole genome screening. During her leisure moments, she treasures the simple pleasures of life, finding joy in the company of her friends.

Saikat accomplished his Ph.D. degree at DBT-Institute of Lifesciences, Bhubaneswar, India. He worked with the molecular virology team, primarily involved in determining the mode of action of several novel or pre-existing compounds against different viruses (CHIKV, HSV1, JEV, and SARS-CoV-2). He also has experience in host-virus interaction, drug discovery and animal handling, especially Chikungunya-animal model development. Saikat is interested in the identification of novel pro and antiviral host factors in different viral infections. He joined Chanda Lab to pursue his aims in the virology field and to a greater extent. He enjoys playing outdoor games like cricket and several activities like acting, thereupon spending quality time with friends and family is the best repossession.