Poushalee Dutta works at the Institut de Biologie Structurale.

Her project: Molecular insights into the Chondroitin Sulfate Synthase

Hello, I am Poushalee from India. Primarily educated in Human Physiology (i.e., 1st master’s degree) at Presidency University, Kolkata, India. I specialized on female infertility, followed by a career as a teacher in undergraduate colleges. After moving to France, I resumed my studies at Université de Grenoble-Alpes (UGA) and changed my field through two-year master’s degree in Structural Biology of Pathogens.

Currently, I am pursuing my PhD at SAGAG group in Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS) under the supervision of Dr. Rebekka Wild and Dr. Hugues Lortat-Jacob. My research topic is “Molecular insights into the Chondroitin Sulfate Synthase”. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan that is composed of alternating N-acetylgalactosamine and D-glucuronic acid molecules. It is covalently attached to the core protein to form a proteoglycan. It has different physiological roles in cytokinesis, morphogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, neuronal plasticity etc. CS chain polymerization is carried out by four different golgi localized enzymes, known as chondroitin sulfate synthases. My aim is to do structural and functional studies of CS chain polymerization, a key step of CS chain production, and a potential drug target to control CS level to treat various diseases like cancer.

Besides my research activities, I enjoy my leisure time in calligraphing, reciting and painting. I love the fact that Grenoble allows me to live by the Alps with its charming scenic beauty, co-existing with a bustling city. Professionally, I feel myself privileged to be a part of EPN campus, where all cutting-edge instruments of structural biology are strategically located under a single umbrella.