Dr. Abhishek Arun Cukkemane

We are studying the the influence of protein risk-fators using a variety of structural biology tools such as X-ray crystallography, solid-state NMR spectroscopy and electron microscopy to comprehend the 3D architecture of the schizophrenia protein risk factor called Disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 (DISC1); at the same time we are combining bio-physical tools such as iso-thermal titration calorimetry and dynamic light scattering to study the thermodynamics and kinetics of DISC1 aggregation; and surface-plasmon resonance and bio-layer interferometry to study the interaction of DISC1 with other relevant risk factors namely the NUDEL proteins and Lis1.

Also, we are biochemically profiling the biological fluids from schizophrenia patients to comprehend the metabolites and pathways that are critical for identifying patients suffering from the schizophrenia. For which, we are performing qNMR metabolomics studies at the BioNMR facility in the campis and combining it with big data analytics. In latter stages we will employ ML techniques to improve the quality of predictions of the relevant biomarkers.

Vita

Education

1999–2002 Bachelors in Industrial Microbiology & General Microbiology (University of Pune, India)

2002–2004 Masters in Microbiology (University of Pune, India)

2004–2007 PhD studies at the Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1, Cellular Biophysics), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

2007 Dr. rer. nat., Universität zu Köln, Germany

Postgraduate training

2007–2009 Post-doctoral Fellow, Forschungszentrum Caesar, Germany

2009–2014 Post-doctoral Fellow, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

2014–2018 Adjunct Assistant Professor in Microbiology, Tuljaram Chaturchand College, Baramati, India

2018–2019 Post-doctoral Fellow, IISER Bhopal, India

2019-2020 Post-doctoral Fellow, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

2020-current Post-doctoral Fellow, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Germany

Fellowships and Awards

2001 JNCASR-Summer Research Fellowship, India

2003 NCCS-Summer Research Fellowship, India

2004 All India GATE - Ranked 112

2004 State Eligibility test for teaching in Maharashtra & Goa

2007 Poster Prize, European Biophysics Congress, London, UK

2016 Start-up Grant, Ministry of Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India

2016 Start-up Award, DST-AIT, Government of India‑Embassy of Switzerland.

2019 Forschungszentrum Jülich fellowship programme for excellent guest scientists

2021 Helmholtz Enterprise Field Study

2022 Helmholtz Information & Data Science Academy Trainee Network

2023 Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg

Publications

Cukkemane, A., Becker, N., Zielinski, M., Frieg, B., Lakomek, N.A., Heise, H., Schröder, G.F., Willbold, D., Weiergräber, O.H. (2021) Conformational heterogeneity coupled with beta-fibril formation of a scaffold protein involved in chronic mental illnesses. Transl. Psychiatry 11, 639. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01765-1

Cukkemane, A., Kumar, P., and Sathyamoorthy, B. (2020). Understanding the role of synbiotics in functional foods and dietary therapeutics for health, communicable and non-communicable diseases using metabolomics footprint studies. Food Res. Int. 128: 108679 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108679

Ukale, U.D., Bhagwat R.V, Upadhyay S.K, Cukkemane, N., and Cukkemane, A.A. (2016). Metabolic analysis of liquid formulations of organic manures and its influence on growth and yield of Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) crop in field. Biocatal. Agric. Biotechnol. 8: 50-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2016.08.007

Cukkemane, A. and Baldus, M. (2013). Structural characterization of a cyclic nucleotide-activated K⁺-channel and its lipid environment by using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Chembiochem 14(14):1789-1798. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.201300182

Cukkemane, A., Gruter, B., Novak, K., Gensch, T., Boenigk, W., Gerharz, T., Kaupp, U.B., and Seifert, R. (2007). ”Subunits act independently in a cyclic nucleotide-activated K+-channel.” EMBO Reports 8: 749-755. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.embor.7401025

Last Modified: 04.09.2023