Upasana Ray

Biography

I have done my graduation and post graduation in Zoology from University of Delhi. After completing post-graduation, I was selected as a research scholar at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and I completed my PhD in the field of virology. As a PhD scholar I worked on host-virus interaction/ RNA-protein interaction in the field of Hepatitis C virus. I completed my PhD in 2012 and in March 2012 joined National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda for my post doctoral research. At NIH I worked in the field of virus like particle based vaccine engineering for polyomaviruses. Thereafter, I returned India and current leading my research group as a senior scientist at CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal. My primary areas of interests are SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and Dengue virus NS1 protein. I study the biology of these proteins and also try to target the same by vaccine designing and antivirals.
Other than my research, I have been involved in science outreach activities as a member of the Indian National Young academy of Science (INYAS). My extracurricular activities are long distance running, mountaineering and painting.

Awards