A facultative mutualist
Abstract
This review summarizes the academic foundation and research trajectory of Pritam Saha. Foundational studies culminated in a B.Sc. in Microbiology from Kalyani Mahavidyalaya, followed by an M.Sc. in Medical Biotechnology from the School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata. Methodological expertise includes multicolour flow cytometry, cell culture, and in vivo murine model handling. Integrating these multidisciplinary approaches has driven significant contributions to infectious disease research. The author is currently seeking PhD opportunities in infectious disease immunology.
Keywords: antimicrobial resistance; Salmonella Typhimurium; Escherichia coli; flow cytometry; immunology; infectious disease
Introduction
Modern infectious disease research requires a deep understanding of how pathogens attack and how the immune system defends. This document outlines the progression of the author whose academic and practical training bridges these critical domains. Initial theoretical coursework provided advanced proficiency in immunology, recombinant DNA technology, and biochemistry.
Transitioning into applied research at the DpN Lab within the Department of Biochemistry at IISc, the author engaged in several key projects. Primary methodologies involved deciphering immune cell dynamics in mouse models of infection, utilizing both virulent and attenuated strains of Salmonella Typhimurium to model sepsis. Additional characterization involved investigating the functional loss of rffG and rfbB genes and their subsequent effects on bacterial morphology and virulence.
Most recently, the author's research focus has involved combating antimicrobial resistance through the identification of small-molecule adjuvants designed to enhance Escherichia coli sensitivity to nitrofurantoin, with specific emphasis on the Lon and MarA pathways. This foundational overview contextualizes the author's technical repertoire, spanning molecular biology, primary cell isolation, and bioinformatics, and establishes a framework for ongoing contributions to the fields of molecular biology and immunogenetics.
Results
Professional research output encompasses significant contributions to the understanding of antimicrobial sensitivity mechanisms in E. coli1, interferon-gamma immunomodulation2, and the evolving therapeutic paradigms of Dengue infection3. Furthermore, empirical observations detailing the alteration of colony morphology and virulence in Salmonella Typhimurium4 and the diagnostic utility of carbon dots5 have been successfully documented and published. Output by year is summarized in Fig. 1.
Discussion and Conclusions
These cumulative experiences indicate a robust academic trajectory characterized by active participation in the broader scientific discourse, evidenced by the author's role on the local organizing committee for Immunocon '24, an international immunology conference hosting 700 attendees at IISc. Prior scientific engagement included membership at the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) Kolkata Biotechnology Lab. The continual development of a digital portfolio indicates a strong commitment to open-access science communication.
Materials & Methods
Model Organisms & Cell Culture: Experimental in vivo protocols utilized C57BL/6 murine models. In vitro assays were performed using established bacterial and animal tissue culture techniques, encompassing primary cell isolation and continuous cell line maintenance.
Molecular & Cellular Assays: Cellular characterization was achieved via multicolour flow cytometry, total and differential blood counts, and compound light microscopy. Molecular quantification and extraction were conducted using qRT-PCR, ELISA, gel electrophoresis, and RNA extraction methodologies.
Computational Analysis: Bioinformatics pipelines were developed and executed utilizing Python and R programming languages, integrating BLAST and Multiple Sequence Alignment algorithms for genomic data interpretation.
Data availability
Comprehensive digital documentation of this author's portfolio, independent projects, and codebase is publicly hosted at https://pritamsaha.co.in and maintained at https://github.com/pritawwm.
References
- . Identification of small-molecule adjuvants that enhance the sensitivity of Escherichia coli to nitrofurantoin: Roles of Lon and MarA. BioRxiv (2026).
- . Immunomodulatory roles of Interferon-gamma: A type II Interferon. Inflammation Yearbook Volume 5 (2026).
- . Interplay between Innate Immune cells and Inflammatory Mediators in Dengue Infection: An Evolving Therapeutic paradigm. Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine (2025).
- . Functional loss of rffG and rfbB, encoding dTDP-glucose 4, 6-dehydratase, alters colony morphology, cell shape, motility and virulence in Salmonella Typhimurium. Frontiers in Microbiology (2025).
- . Emerging diagnostic utility of carbon dots in bacterial and viral infections. Ecofriendly Carbon Dots in Analytical Chemistry (2024).
Acknowledgements
Sincere gratitude is extended to Prof. Dipankar Nandi and the members of the DpN Lab at the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, for providing essential infrastructural and intellectual support during the project assistantship and master's thesis periods. Deep appreciation is also extended to Dr. Sumi Mukhopadhyay and her lab members for their guidance. Foundational academic training was supported by the faculties of Kalyani Mahavidyalaya and the School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata.
Funding
This work was supported by the Government of West Bengal through the Swami Vivekananda Merit-Cum-Means Scholarship (2017–2024).
Author contributions
P.S. conceived the study, performed all experiments, analysed the data, wrote the manuscript and made the tea. Contributions to the co-authored publications cited above are described in the respective articles.
Ethics Declaration
All murine handling, pathogenic infections, and primary cell isolation procedures utilizing the C57BL/6 model organism were executed in strict adherence to institutional animal ethics guidelines and standard biosafety protocols at the Indian Institute of Science.
Competing interests
The author declares no competing financial interests. Non-financial interests include competitive speedcubing (3x3 Rubik's Cube, average solve time <30s on a good day) and strategic participation in analytical sports including chess, badminton, and cricket.
Supplementary Information
Theoretical Coursework: The author has completed coursework encompassing Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, alongside comprehensive biological courses including Recombinant DNA Technology, Immunogenetics, Gene-based Diagnosis and Therapy, Medical Microbiology, and Instrumentation & Bio-techniques.
| Category | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Animal & cell work | C57BL/6 murine models; primary cell isolation; continuous cell line maintenance; bacterial culture |
| Cellular analysis | Multicolour flow cytometry; total and differential blood counts; compound light microscopy |
| Molecular biology | qRT-PCR; ELISA; gel electrophoresis; RNA extraction |
| Computational | Python; R; BLAST; Multiple Sequence Alignment |
Peer review
Peer review information: nature miscommunications thanks Reviewer 2 for their comments, which were mostly "please repeat the experiment". A peer review file is not available because Reviewer 2 is still typing.
Rights and permissions
Open Access. © Pritam Saha 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author and the source.
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