RNA Biology Lab – Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty
The RNA Biology Lab, under Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty, is pioneering innovative genome engineering solutions, utilizing advanced CRISPR-Cas9 technologies to develop curative therapies for genetic disorders, with a current focus on hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell anemia (SCA), beta-thalassemia and rare disorders.
Working in close collaboration with Dr Souvik Maiti's Lab, researchers are focused on building a clinically meaningful pathway for translating genome editing therapies within India's unique scientific and public health landscape. Recognizing that the promise of CRISPR-based gene therapies must extend beyond high-resource settings, the lab works to bridge precision genome engineering with scalable, safe, and regulatory-aligned clinical implementation.
Their approach emphasizes translational robustness — ensuring compatibility with stem cell biology, long-term therapeutic durability, and practical manufacturability within emerging healthcare ecosystems. Beyond molecular innovation, the group actively engages with challenges of cost, infrastructure, GMP adaptation, and regulatory harmonization to enable equitable access to advanced therapies for diseases such as SCA that disproportionately affect underserved populations.
By integrating scientific rigor with national health priorities, the Chakraborty laboratory proposes a sovereign and scalable model for genome editing translation that may serve as a framework for broader global deployment in low- and middle-income countries.
Advanced genome engineering tools targeting hemoglobinopathies including sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia.
Bridging precision genome engineering with scalable, regulatory-aligned clinical implementation within India.
Enabling equitable advanced therapies for underserved populations in low- and middle-income countries.
BIRSA101 – India's First Indigenous CRISPR Therapy
Biomedical Innovation for Relief from Sickle-Cell Anemia (BIRSA) through gene correction–101 is an ex vivo gene editing therapy currently being developed for severe SCA patients. It is India's first indigenous CRISPR-based therapy aimed at providing an affordable and accessible one-time cure to India's underserved tribal populations, the primary demographic affected by this disease.
Clinical trial Phase-I is expected to commence in 2027.
FELUDA – CRISPR-Based Diagnostic Assay
A prominent achievement from this lab has been the development of a CRISPR-Cas9-based system called FnCas9 Editor Linked Uniform Detection Assay (FELUDA), for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The test is optimised for resource-limited settings, is conducted within 1 hour, and shows 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity in clinical samples across a range of viral loads, with results displayed using a simple lateral flow output. The lateral strip results are read using the True Outcome Predicted via Strip Evaluation (TOPSE) smartphone application.