New faculty spotlight: Sandipan Brahma, PhD

Sandipan Brahma, PhD, is a new faculty member at UNMC.

• Name: Sandipan Brahma, PhD
• Hometown: Kolkata, India
• Title and department at UNMC: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy

Research interests: My research focuses on investigating epigenetic and chromatin-based mechanisms underlying gene regulation. I am intrigued by why each cell in the human body behaves distinctly despite sharing the same genetic information and how dysregulation in these mechanisms lead to cancer. To tackle these fundamental inquiries in biology, our laboratory employs state-of-the-art genomics and biochemistry techniques.

How I fell in love with academic research in biology: My appreciation for academic research in biology grew as I experienced the fulfillment of exploring complex ideas and fundamental problems that hold the potential for breakthrough discoveries. While this endeavor captivates me, the opportunity to contribute to critical medical advancements is gratifying. Additionally, training and inspiring young minds through research activities serves as an additional source of motivation, further igniting my passion for the field.

Education:

• Postdoctoral fellow, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
• PhD, Southern Illinois University and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• MSc and BSc, University of Calcutta, India

Three things people may not know about me:

• I won an Iron Chef award in grad school.
• I can play several musical instruments, but I have mastered none.
• The protein complex that my research focuses on is my namesake – The Brahma Complex, named in Drosophila, also called SWI/SNF or BAF.