Shankar Balasubramanian - Biography#

Shankar Balasubramanian conducts cutting-edge research into nucleic acids — complex molecules that are the fundamental building blocks of life. His development of new ways of regulating and altering how particular genes work has revolutionised biology. Shankar’s work holds great potential for medicine, such as in the creation of new treatments for cancer and degenerative diseases.

Research in his laboratory spans chemistry and biology with a primary focus on DNA, which he studies on three levels.

First, the interplay between primary sequences or chemical base modifications and the structure and dynamics of DNA, on a biophysical level.

Second, the elucidation of how secondary structures and chemical modifications alter the structure and function of the genome, typically at the cellular level.

Third, the understanding of the mechanisms by which these features of DNA contribute to biological functions in normal states, during development and also in cancer.

He has developed a number of technologies and methods to support this research and several of these are now widely available.