Biochemistry & Phytochemistry Research Division
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Translational proteomic research and their applications in clinical science through the discovery of specific protein biomarkers for diagnosis and disease monitoring in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions
The Biochemistry lab focuses on clinical proteomics of chronic inflammatory diseases. Identifying the proteins involved in inflammatory signaling cascade and their protein -protein interactions (PPI) are the main areas of our research. The discovery of unidentified proteins in blood would aid in better understanding the downstream molecular signalling in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease pathophysiology. Moreover, this will help in better prognosis and therapeutic management for chronic inflammatory diseases and also in unveiling the potential of protein profiles for the development of personalized medicine. The Phytochemistry lab focuses on the extraction & characterisation of secondary metabolites from tropical plants and evaluation of its biochemical effect using in vitro and in vivo models.
Clinical Proteomics
Identifying the proteins involved in the inflammatory signaling cascade and their protein protein interactions (PPI) constitutes the central focus of our research. The discovery of previously unidentified proteins in blood samples will provide deeper insights into the downstream molecular signaling mechanisms underlying chronic inflammatory disease pathophysiology as well as discovery of newer biomarkers. Major diseases in focus are autoimmune diseases of neuronal and systemic origin, COPD, Ischemic stroke and Psychiatric disorders
Metabolomics
Metabolomics approach involves identifying lipid molecules involved in pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases and their utility in diagnostic and prognostic applications
Phytochemistry
The Phytochemistry lab focuses on the extraction & characterization of secondary metabolites from tropical plants and evaluation of its biochemical effect using in vitro and in vivo models.
Lists
of External Funded projects as Principal Investigator
Lipid protein multi-omics integrative approaches for differential diagnosis of autoimmune neuromyelitis optica disease spectrum – a comparative cross sectional study Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research
Budget: 36 Lakhs
Lists
of External Funded projects as Co- Investigator (Collaborative projects)
1. Elucidating
the association of serum protein levels and genetic polymorphisms of FABP4 with
obesity and breast cancer risk in post-menopausal obese women.
Funding Agency: Indian
Council of Medical Research
2. Non-invasive
treatment of uterine fibroids through rationally designed Selective progesterone receptor modulators. Department of Health Research
Services
Immunoflourescence assay (IIFT)- detection of auto antibodies in blood and CSF
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum diseases (NMOSD)
N- Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor (NMDA-R)
Trainings
Fundamentals of proteomics for mass spectrometric analysis
SDS PAGE, Western Blot
Biochemical assays
2026
- J A, K K, George A, Prakash A, John M. Phytochemical characterization and biological evaluation of Carica papaya L. leaf alkaloids: In vitro and in silico insights into antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activities. J Herbmed Pharmacol. 2026;15(1):66-74. doi: 10.34172/jhp.2026.5325
2025
- Mohan V, Krishnan S, Balan S, Das S, Earali J, Maria E, Nair D, John M. Myosin Light Chain 12b and MASP1 as Novel Biomarker Candidates in Active Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Combined Proteomics/Bioinformatics Approach. Journal of Proteome Research. 2025 Feb 11.
- Das S, Adiody S, Varghese J, John M. Relationship between autoimmunity and COPD: an investigation based on proteomic profiling and antinuclear antibody screening. Journal of Immunoassay and Immunochemistry. 2025 May 8:1-4.
- Kumar SS, Remya C, Krishnakumar K, Maria E, Dileep KV, John M. Modulation of COX-2, 5-LOX, and cytokine signalling by Carica papaya L. Leaf cultivar Red Lady flavonoids in inflammation: in-vitro and in-silico insights. Natural Product Research. 2025 Sep 27:1-7.
- Kumar SS, Prakash A, Keerthana PV, John M. 7-Ketocholesterol as a Critical Oxysterol: Impact on Human Health and Safety in Food Systems. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2025 Sep 5:106856.
2024
- Das S, Varghese J, Adiody S, John M. Relevance of Trace Elements and Oxidative Stress in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Medical Journal of Dr. DY Patil University. 2024 Nov 1;17(Suppl 2):S353-60.
- Das S, Adiody S, Varghese J, Vanditha M, Maria E, John M (Corresponding author). Exploring the novel duo of Reticulocalbin, and Sideroflexin as future biomarker candidates for Exacerbated Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Clinical Proteomics. 2024 Dec;21(1):10
- Kumar SS, Krishnakumar K, Maria E, John M (Corresponding author). Exploring the cytoprotective potential of flavonoid fraction from Carica papaya L. Cultivar Red Lady'Leaf: Insights into Nrf2 activation via in-vitro and in-silico approaches. South African Journal of Botany. 2024 Sep 1;172:373-87.
- Das, S., John, M., & Adiody, S. (2024). Relevance of copper/zinc ratio and its association with redox status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 11(6), 22912295. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20241487
- Kumar SS, Gayathri TV, Krishnakumar K, John M (Corresponding author). Antioxidant potential and mineral elemental profiling of young and mature fruit and leaf of Carica papaya L. cultivar Red Lady Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals. 2024 May 31:100166.
2023
- Das, S., John, M (Corresponding author). Maria, E. et al. A journey to unravel the pathophysiology of stable and exacerbated Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease through erythrocyte proteomics: a combined mass spectrometry/bioinformatics approach. J Proteins Proteom 14, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42485-023-00120-w
- Kumar SS, Krishnakumar K, John M (Corresponding author). Antihemolytic activity of flavonoids from butanolic extract of Carica papaya L. cultivarRed Ladyleaf. Food and Humanity. 2023 Dec 1;1:159-64.
- Babu A, John M, Liji MJ, Maria E, Bhaskar SJ, Binukmar BK, Sajith AM, Reddy EK, Dileep KV, Sunil K. Sub-pocket-focused designing of tacrine derivatives as potential acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Computers in Biology and Medicine. 2023 Feb 11:106666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106666
2022
- Kumar SS, Krishnakumar K, John M (Corresponding author). Flavonoids from the butanol extract of Carica papaya L. cultivar'Red Lady'leaf using UPLC-ESI-Q-ToF-MS/MS analysis and evaluation of the antioxidant activities of its fractions. Food Chemistry Advances. 2022 Oct 1;1:100126.
- Maria E , Das S , Varghese An , Harisuthan T , and John M (corresponding author) Differentially Expressed Erythrocyte Proteins in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders and Their Functional Annotation Using DAVID Bioinformatics Tool. Neurochem J (2022) 16(4):465-71. (Springer Nature, Impact factor: 0.5)
- Maria E, Yohannan M, Harisuthan T, John M (corresponding author) Comparative Proteomics of Lipid Transport Proteins and Assessment of Oxidative Stress Parameters in Acute Ischemic Stroke and Healthy Control. Int J of Biochem & Biophys. (2022),10(1):1-7
2021
- John M (corresponding author) , Maria E, Das S. Identification of Novel Serum Proteins Associated with Myelination and Cholesterol Transport in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders by Mass Spectrometry. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry. 2021 Nov 12:1-0.DOI: 10.1007/s12291-021-01004-w (Springer Nature, Impact factor: 1.6)
- John M Priyanka S, George JB, Maria E, Unni G. Oxidative stress parameters in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease high and low risk score groups as indicators of acute myocardial infarction. Int J Medical Sciences and Technology. 2021, 10(1):1-7 (EBSCO Indexed),
2019
- Siddiqua MSH, John M, Manoj V.C, Santhakumar R. Cystatin C- an early marker indicative of renal dysfunction in critically ill children: a prospective cohort study. International J of Contemporary pediatrics. International J of Contemporary pediatrics. 2019; 6(5): 1981-84.
- Kumar M, John M*, Madhavan M, James J, Omkumar RV. Alteration in the phosphorylation status of NMDA receptor GluN2B subunit by activation of both NMDA receptor and L-type voltage gated calcium channel. Neuroscience letters, 2019; 709 (14): 134343 * Equal contribution as first author
Dr. Sonu Das
Post doctoral fellow
Dr Leena C O
Associate Professor