ICMR - NICED


ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases

आई सी एम आर - राष्ट्रीय कॉलरा और आंत्र रोग संस्थान

Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
स्वास्थ्य अनुसंधान विभाग, स्वास्थ्य और परिवार कल्याण मंत्रालय, भारत सरकार
WHO Collaborating Centre For Research and Training On Diarrhoeal Diseases

NICED : Scientists

Dr. Alok Kumar Chakrabarti

Dr. Alok Kumar Chakrabarti

Dr. Alok Kumar Chakrabarti, Ph.D., Scientist E, ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, is a biomedical research scientist. He is serving the Indian Council of Medical research since September 2006 after joining as a Scientist at ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune. Since July 2016 he working at the National Institute of Cholera and enteric Diseases, Kolkata. After his post-graduation from University of Calcutta, Kolkata in 1993, he joined National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata as a research fellow and earned his PhD degree under the University of Calcutta. He moved to the USA and worked as a post-doctoral researcher from 2000-2006. He worked in the department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics of the University of California, Los Angeles and also in the department of Microbiology and Immunology of University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston Texas. Throughout his research career he is involved with research in Virology and worked on a wide range of organisms including animal viruses like influenza, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Adenovirus and bacterial viruses like bacteriophages of Cholera, Shigella and Salmonella.
His research interest has been concentrated on virus diagnostics, characterization of viruses, host-virus interactions, bacteriophage therapy and phage typing. He worked in a number of research projects in different capacities on different aspects of viral and diarrheal diseases, including diagnostics, strain typing, host-virus interactions, generation of seed vaccine strains for influenza and vaccine trials for COVID-19. He has worked as principal investigator in a number of intramural and extramural funded projects. Apart from the research activity, he is involved in teaching and served as a faculty for M.Sc Virology, National Institute of Virology, Pune University and as invited lecturer for Department of Microbiology, Pune University.
Dr. Chakrabarti also received training from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA on different aspects of preparation of vaccine seed strain from the highly pathogenic avian influenza and prepared vaccine strain for HPAI H5N1 strain using reverse genetics. He has published several original research articles in peer-reviewed national and international journals in the area of Clinical Microbiology and Virology and attended various national and international conferences and presented papers on his research studies

General Information
Name Dr. Alok Kumar Chakrabarti
Designation Scientist E
Date of joining ICMR 18th September 2006
Date of joining present post 1st September 2019
Discipline Virology, Molecular Biology, Bacteriophage
Division Virology
Specialization Virology
Email : chakrabarti.alok@icmr.gov.in , aloke8@yahoo.com
Academic Qualification  
Graduation B.Sc. University of Calcutta
Post Graduation M.Sc. University of Calcutta
Doctoral Ph.D. University of Calcutta

Profile

Professional Experience

After receiving M.Sc degree from University of Calcutta he joined as a junior research fellow at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases. His research work on Vibrio cholerae O139 bacteriophages resulted in the development of a phage typing scheme for the identification and discrimination of highly virulent Vibrio cholerae O139 strains which is in routine use for nationwide screening of phage types of Vibrio cholerae O139. After completion of his PhD work, he moved to the USA as a post-doctoral researcher where he gained expertise in the field of biology and virology. During his stay at University of California, Los Angeles in the department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics, he worked on influenza A H1N1 viruses, rescued influenza A virus from cloned plasmids using reverse genetics and on the generation of recombinant influenza viruses to use influenza virus as a vector for gene transfer. Later at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston he performed research on replication of HIV-1 in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Afterwards he joined National Institute of Virology, Pune as a regular faculty and started working on influenza viruses. He became the Head of the Microarray Division at the National Institute of Virology. His research at NIV, Pune on molecular diagnostics of influenza largely contributed in the management of bird flu outbreak in India. His work on the genetic analysis of Influenza A H5N1 viruses of the 2008-09 widespread outbreaks in India suggest a third independent introduction into the country. He developed reverse genetics modified vaccine strain for the highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza A viruses in collaboration with CDC, Atlanta, USA. His work on host influenza virus interactions revealed that delicate differences in the ability to induce specific host responses like apoptotic mechanism and immune responses make the highly pathogenic viruses (H5N1) more virulent and also attributed the high transmissibility of pandemic influenza virus (pH1N1) in the year 2009-2010 to its better subversion of host immune responses compared to the seasonal influenza viruses. His laboratory have discovered important mutations in PB-F2 gene of influenza viruses, demonstrated that contribution of PB1-F2 protein to influenza pathogenicity is greatly strain specific which involves multiple host factors and also reported the role of non-structural proteins (NS1 and PB1-F2) of influenza viruses of diverse pathogenicity. His research analysis on global database of H7 viruses described the emergence of H7N9 viruses in china and we have also focused the usefulness of PB1-F2 mutations in viral fitness. Besides influenza, He is actively involved in the research work on the recent
Besides research and training Dr Chakrabarti also worked as a faculty for teaching MSc Virology at National Institute of Virology, Pune University for 10 years and also worked as invited faculty for the Department of Biotechnology at Pune University. Other than working for many institutional committees at NIV, he was also the in-charge of NIV library as an additional charge from 2013-2016.
Since July 2016 Dr Chakrabarti is working as a Scientist in the Division of Virology, ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases on viral diagnostics and host-virus interactions. His lab at NICED has worked on the role of HMGCR and AMFR in influenza virus infection which revealed that AMFR plays a crucial role in the downregulation of HMGCR and the activation of innate immunity following influenza virus infection. His lab is working on reverse genetic modification of influenza viruses and role of host proteinsin case of influenza virus infection.He is a part of Indian Network of population-based Surveillance Platforms for Influenza and other Respiratory viruses among Elderly (INSPIRE) and worked to estimate the burden of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) and associated Influenza and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in terms of incidence at community level, outpatient clinic visits, hospitalization and mortality among the elderly (≥60 years) population through surveillance in the community and laboratory diagnostics.
Dr Chakrabarti actively participated to work on pandemic preparedness and worked on diagnostics, isolation and characterization of SARS-CoV-2 virus. His study indicates that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 clade G was one of the prime reasons for the onset of the second wave and associated increase of COVID-19-positive cases in India, which were >400,000/day in May 2021. He has worked to create COVID-19 bio-repository at ICMR-NICED and developed a lab score system for predicting COVID-19 patient severity.
Over the years he is actively participating in investigation of viral and diarrhoeal outbreaks as a microbiologist. As a part of central team, MoHFW, GOI, Dr Chakrabarti investigated influenza and avian influenza virus outbreaks, acute diarrheal disease outbreaks and in recent past he was involved in SARS-CoV-2 outbreak investigations to understand the situation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to provide necessary suggestion for better implementation of COVID19 diagnostics, containment plans and micro plans including better hospital management.
He is involved in phage typing study of V.cholerae O1 biotype ElTor strains. Since his doctoral research days, his research interests have concentrated on characterization and application of lytic bacteriophages in strain discrimination. Incidentally, bacteriophage holds a very promising area of research under the current threat of Anti-Microbial Resistant (AMR) which is now a global health concern and gradually increasing risks for mankind. Bacteriophages can successfully be used as an alternate of antibiotics to treat AMR bacterial diseases. His ongoing work on bacteriophages and their lytic proteins as alternative treatments remained helpful to curate a phage bank at ICMR-NICED. He developed a collection of characterized bacteriophages which have shown efficacy and may be used as therapeutic phage for treatment of Cholera, Shigella and Salmonella in future upon approval from the competent authorities. His group also investigating the therapeutic potential of lytic proteins from phage against drug resistant bacteria

Research Interests

His field of research interest includes work on respiratory viruses, as well as host-pathogen interactions. A major focus of his research is on influenza viruses which are one of the globally important human pathogens and a leading public health risk problem. Emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains and pandemic H1N1 indicated a persistent need to work on influenza viruses to understand the pathogenesis of influenza A and development of vaccines and therapies. He is working on investigating the molecular pathogenesis and biology of influenza viruses. Apart from influenza viruses, he is working on SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses like adenovirus. Phage typing of Vibrio cholerae is an ongoing activity of ICMR-NICED. He is working in pahge typing of V.cholerae and characterization of cholera bacteriophages. Recently he have generated phage bank at ICMR-NICED and working on phage therapy.

Membership of Association

The Indian Science Congress Association

Awards

  • Prof A K Mukherjee Memorial Gold Medal, 1993
  • Junior Research Fellowship from Indian Council of Medical Research
  • Senior Research Fellowship Indian Council of Medical Research

Students:

  • Mr. Devendra Natyh Tewari, SRF
  • Mr. Sanjoy Biswas, SRF
  •  Ms. Debarima Chatterjee UGC-SRF
  •  Ms. Anneshwa Bhattacharya, UCG-JRF
  •  Ms. Sampurna Biswas, ICMR-SRF

Publications

2023

  1. Tewari DN., Biswas A., Chakrabarti AK.*, & Dutta, S. AMFR promotes innate immunity activation and proteasomal degradation of HMGCR in response to influenza virus infection in A549 cells. 2023. Virology, 587, 109875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2023.109875
  2. Krishnan A, Shekhawat K, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Kanungo S, Rajkumar P, Dutta Bhardwaj S, Kumar R, Prabhakaran AO, Gopal g, Chakrabarti AK, et al Cost of acute respiratory illness episode and its determinants among community-dwelling older adults: a four-site cohort study from India BMJ Public Health 2023;1:e000103. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2023-000103
  3. Majumdar, A., Saha, R., Chatterjee, A., Gupta, R., Chaudhuri, R. D., Chakrabarti, AK., Chawla-Sarkar, M., & Dutta, S. Upsurge in hospitalization of pediatric patients with severe acute respiratory infections in Kolkata and surrounding districts caused by recombinant human respiratory adenovirus type B 7/3. Journal of medical virology, 2023. 95(7), e28897. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.28897 
  4. Bhattacharjee, U., Chakrabarti, AK*., Kanungo, S., & Dutta, S. Evolutionary dynamics of influenza A/H1N1 virus circulating in India from 2011 to 2021. Infection, genetics and evolution: journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases, 2023. 110, 105424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105424
  5. Barman, R. K., Chakrabarti, AK* & Dutta, S. Prediction of Phage Virion Proteins Using Machine Learning Methods. Molecules. 2023, 28(5), 2238. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052238

2022

  1. Sarkar A, Sanyal S, Majumdar A, Tewari DN, Bhattacharjee U, Pal J, Chakrabarti, AK* and Dutta S. Development of lab score system for predicting COVID-19 patient severity: A retrospective analysis. PLoS One. 2022 Sep 9;17(9):e0273006. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273006.
  2. Barman RK, Chakrabarti, AK*, Dutta S. Screening of Potential Vibrio cholera Bacteriophages for Cholera Therapy: A Comparative Genomic Approach. Front Microbiol. 2022 Mar 29;13:803933. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.803933. PMID: 35422793; PMCID: PMC9002330.
  3. Tewari DN, Biswas S, Chakrabarti, AK*, Dutta S. Viral Inactivation and Biocompatibility Study of Electrically Activated Water Mist. Microbiol Insights. 2022 May 13;15:11786361221096651. doi: 10.1177/11786361221096651. PMID: 35591947; PMCID: PMC9112322..
  4. Singh K, Biswas A, Chakrabarti, AK*, Dutta S. Phage therapy as a protective tool against pathogenic bacteria: How far we are? Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2022 Dec 7. doi: 10.2174/1389201024666221207114047. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36503459.

2021

  1. Tewari DN, Chakrabarti, AK*, Dutta S (2021) Prospect of Ion Channel Inhibitors and Cholesterol Lowering Drugs to Combat COVID-19. J Emerg Dis Virol l 6(2): dx.doi.org/10.16966/2473-1846.162
  2. Sarkar A, Chakrabarti, AK*, Dutta S. Covid-19 Infection in India: A Comparative Analysis of the Second Wave with the First Wave. Pathogens. 2021 Sep 21;10(9):1222.
  3. Viswanathan R, Chakrabarty A, Basu S. Active support after natural disasters: a review of a microbiologist's role. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2021; 115(1):110-116
  4. Krishnan A, Dar L, Amarchand R, Prabhakaran AO, Kumar R, Rajkumar P, Kanungo S, Bhardwaj SD, Choudekar A, Potdar V, Chakrabarti AK, Kumar CG, Parameswaran GG, Dhakad S, Manna B, Choudhary A, Lafond KE, Azziz-Baumgartner E, Saha S. Cohort profile: Indian Network of Population-Based Surveillance Platforms for Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses among the Elderly (INSPIRE). BMJ Open. 2021 Oct 7;11(10):e052473. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052473. PMID: 34620665

2020

  1. Biswas A, Bhattacharjee U, Chakrabarti, AK*, Tewari DN, Banu H, Dutta S. Emergence of Novel Coronavirus and COVID-19: whether to stay or die out?. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2020Mar; 46(2):182-193.   Pubmed
  2. Chakrabarti, AK*, Biswas A, Tewari DN, Mondal PP, Dutta S. Phage types of Vibrio cholerae 01 biotype ELtor strains isolated from India during 2012 -2017. J Global Infect Dis 2020; 12(2):94-100.

2019

  1. Biswas A, Chakrabarti, AK*, Dutta S. Current challenges: from the path of "original antigenic sin" towards the development of universal flu vaccines. Int Rev Immunol. 2019 Nov 9:1-16. doi: 10.1080/08830185.2019.1685990. [Epub ahead of print]  Pubmed

2018

  1. Pasricha G, Mukherjee S, Chakrabarti, AK*. Apoptotic and Early Innate Immune Responses to PB1-F2 Protein of Influenza A Viruses Belonging to Different Subtypes in Human Lung Epithelial A549 Cells. Adv Virol. 2018 Dec 31;2018:5057184.  Pubmed

2017

  1. Sarkar S, Das M, Bhowmick TS, Koley H, Atterbury R, Chakrabarti AK, Sarkar BL. Isolation and Characterization of Novel Broad Host Range Bacteriophages of Vibrio cholerae O1 from Bengal. J Glob Infect Dis. 2018 Apr-Jun;10(2):84-88. Pubmed
  2. Patil S, Shetty P, Kulkarni R D, Ajantha GS, Kalabhavi A, Patil D, Hosamani M, Jain P, Chakraborti A.K. and Shubhada C. Antibiogram and Serotyping of Vibrio cholerae O1 Isolates from a Tertiary Care Centre in South India. J Pure Applied Microbiol 2017 Jun; 11:2 1039-1043

2016

  1. Sarkar BL, Chakrabarti AK, Sarkar S and Dutta S. Vibriophage and Cholera Disease. Indian J.Applied.Microbiol. 2016; 19(2): 9-20.

2015

  1. Muthulakshmi, S., Chakrabarti, AK and Mukherjee, S. Gene expression profile of high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6J mice: in search of potential role of azeliac acid. J PhysiolBiochem 71:1(2015) 29-42

2014

  1. Pasricha, G., Mukherjee, S. and Chakrabarti, AK*. Comprehensive sequence analysis of HA protein of H7 subtype avian influenza viruses: an emphasis on mutations in novel H7N9 viruses. Future Virol 9 (2014) 251-273.

2013

  1. Mukherjee, S. Vipat, VC. and Chakrabarti, AK*. Infection with Influenza A viruses causes changes in promoter DNA methylation of inflammatory genes. Influenza Other Respi Viruses 7:6(2013) 979-86.
  2. Chakrabarti, AK*.andPasricha, G. An insight into the PB1F2 protein and it multifunctional role in enhancing the pathogenicity of the Influenza A viruses. Virology. 440:2 (2013) 97-104.
  3. Pasricha, G., Mishra, AC., and Chakrabarti, AK*. Comprehensive global amino acid sequence analysis of PB1F2 protein of influenza A H5N1 viruses and the Influenza A virus subtypes responsible for the 20th century pandemics. Influenza Other Respi Viruses. 7:1(2013) 497-505

2012

  1. Mukherjee, S. and Chakrabarti, AK*.Impact of Microarray Technology in Influenza Virus Research and Diagnostics. J Proteomics Bioinform S6 (2012), 002
  2. Mukherjee, S., Majumdar, S., Vipat, VC., Mishra, AC., and Chakrabarti, AK.* Non Structural protein of Avian Influenza A (H11N1) virus is a weaker suppressor of immune responses but capable of inducing Apoptosis in host cells. Virol J 6:9(2012)149

2011

  1. Mukherjee, S., Vipat, VC., Mishra, AC., Pawar, S.D. and Chakrabarti, AK.* Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus induces weaker host Immune Responses in vitro a possible mechanism of high transmissibility. Virol J 8:7 (2011) 140

2010

  1. Chakrabarti, AK.*, Vipat, VC., Mukherjee, S., Singh, R., Pawar, SD. and Mishra, AC. Host gene expression profiling in influenza a virus-infected lung epithelial (A549) cells a comparative analysis between highly pathogenic and modified H5N1 virus. Virol J 7 (2010) 219.
  2. Pawar, S., Chakrabarti, AK., Cherian, S., Pande, S., Nanaware, M., Raut, S., Pal, B., Jadhav, S., Kode, S., Koratkar, S., Thite, V. and Mishra, V. A novel avian infleunza A (H11N1) virus from wild aquatic bird revealing a Eurasian -Amricana genetic reassortment. Virus Genes 4:1 (2010) 14-22

2009

  1. Chakrabarti, AK., Pawar, SD., Cherian, SS., Koratkar, S., Jadhav, SM., Pal, B., Raut, S., Thite, V., Kode, SS., Mullick, J. and Mishra, AC. Characterization of the influenza A H5N1 viruses of the 2008-09 outbreaks in India reveals a third introduction and possible endemicity in the region. PloS One.4 (2009) e7846.
  2. Mishra, AC., Cherian, SS., Chakrabarti, AK.,Pawar, SD., Jadhav, SM., Pal, B., Raut, S., Koratkar, S. and Kode, SS. A unique influenza A (H5N1) virus causing a focal poultry outbreak in 2007 in Manipur, India.Virol J 6(2009) 26.
  3. Pawar, SD., Pande, S., Jamgaonkar, A., Koratkar, S., Pal, B., Raut, S., Nanaware, M., Ray, K., Chakrabarti, AK. andKode, S. Avian influenza surveillance in wild migratory, resident domestic birds and in poultry in Maharashtra and manipur, India, during avian migratory season 2006-07. CurrSci 97 (2009) 550.

2005

  1. Booklet on Emergency Contraception by Dr. A. Mondal, Dr. A.K. Chakraborty, Dr. C. Bose

2001

  1. Publication in the book of WHO conference  Consortium on National Consensus for Emergency Contraception, jointly organized by W.H.O., MOHFW & ICMR, New Delhi, January 2001  - Providers Concept of Emergency Contraception by Dr. A.K.Mondal, Dr. A.K. Chakraborty, Dr. P.K. Kalsar, Dr.C. Bose, Dr. A.Kar et al, R.G.Kar Medical College, Kolkata, pg 96 (1.6.7)

1998

  1. Article  - Preterm Labor and medicolegal problems in the book, ''Preterm Labor'' by JAYPEE Brothers (an ISOPARB publication) in 1998 (pg no 221  - 224).

  2. Article - Thyroid disorders in pregnancy and preterm labor in the book, ''Preterm Labor'' by JAYPEE Brothers (an ISOPARB publication) in 1998 (pg no 79 - 81).

1997

  1. Article  - Counseling in medical practice with special reference to Obstetrics & Gynaecology in the book, ''Medicolegal aspects in Obst. & Gynae. By JAYPEE Brothers (a FOGSI publication) in 1997 (pg 185  - 194).