Welcome to the Laboratory of Samrat Mukhopadhyay

The overarching goal of our lab is to investigate a wide range of fascinating aspects of intrinsically disordered proteins/regions (IDPs/IDRs) that undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and amyloid formation. IDPs challenge the tenets of the traditional structure-function paradigm and exist as a rapidly interconverting conformational ensemble rather than a single well-defined structure. The conformational plasticity allows them to adopt different structures depending on their binding partners. Therefore, a single polypeptide sequence is capable of accomplishing a range of functions. It proposed that retaining disorder is an evolutionary strategy that allows complex functions within a compact genome of higher organisms. Additionally, the dysfunction of many IDPs is associated with a range of deadly diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and cancers. In our lab, we utilize a diverse array of tools and concepts from physical chemistry to chemical biology to biophysics and molecular biology to study the intriguing behavior of IDPs. Our efforts are aimed at delineating the fundamental molecular mechanism by which liquid-like condensates are formed and dissipated. We are also studying the liquid-to-solid phase transition into amyloid-like aggregates that are associated with deadly neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and so forth. 

We are interested in the following specific aspects of IDPs:

• Conformational characteristics of IDPs and IDRs

• Biomolecular condensation & liquid-liquid phase separation

• Mechanism of amyloid formation

• Functional prions and amyloids

• Interactions of IDPs with lipid membrane

• Hydration water in IDPs

• Development and adaptation of new methodologies

 For more details, see our Research page.