Junior Associate Professor / PI / PI Board Chair

Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam

Research Interest

Bio-inspired Therapeutics, Epigenetics

My research goal is to create “Smart Genetic Switches” that precisely ON and OFF the genetic and epigenetic factor(s) of interest. Harnessing the genetic information acquired by high-throughput technologies, we can gain artificial control over desired cell-type-specific genes using DNA-based epigenetic switches and achieve targeted reprogramming and differentiation. Advancing our synthetic strategy to construct tailor-made switches for therapeutically important genes associated with diseases like diabetes, autism and cancer could open new vistas of clinical opportunities.

What I like about my science

I enjoy my science because it allows me to keep a sense of wonder and live my childhood passion for exploring and decoding mysteries like the cell’s secret codes. Tunability of our chemical tools and the necessity to integrate diverse disciplines rekindles my creative capacity.

Researcher Q & A

Where are you from?

Tirunelveli, TamilNadu (A state in India where people speak world’s oldest language).

Why did you become a researcher?

I was amazed to see how a genetic material could be orchestrated to regenerate dinosaurs in the movie “Jurassic Park” and felt inspired to pursue a career in research.

What is your favorite experiment, theory, device, reagent, lab equipment? Why do you like it?

My favorite is `Game theory` because of its versatile application in wide-range of phenomenon including genetic and epigenetic codes. Since the status of all life systems depends upon the decisions they make at right place and time, this theory on strategic decision-making excites me and assists in gaining insights into disease and regulatory processes.

What is your hobby?

I refresh myself by playing chess. Even with restricted moves, this game (also an art) offers infinite possibilities and lets my imagination soar. Also, it promotes my decision-making skills.

With SUE – the largest Tyrannosaurus rex in The Field Museum, Chicago, USA
Schematic representation of how our synthetic switches ON and OFF the target gene(s).

Members

Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam 　Junior Associate Professor / PI / PI Board Chair
Hiroshi Sugiyama 　Specially Appointed Professor
Shanmugavel, Chinnathambi 　Program-Specific Research Associate
Wenyin SHEN 　Program-Specific Research Associate
Gengo Kashiwazaki 　Part-time Researcher

Papers

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Media

List

News

Activities

iCeMS Internship 2023 Concludes
Research

Reading RNA modifications more precisely in a pocket-sized device
Activities

2022 Internship Announcement
Activities

[New article available] First Author Interview: Dr Madhu Malinee
Activities

[New article available] First Author Interview: Dr Takuya Hidaka
Activities

[Call for applications] Summer research program for undergraduates (KU Amgen Scholars Program 2022)
Research

Cancer immunotherapy gets PIP boost
Research

Deleting DNA to treat mitochondrial diseases
Research

Near-infrared probe decodes telomere dynamics
Research

Artificial intelligence enhances brain tumour diagnosis
Activities

[New article available] First Author Interview: Dr Yu Zutao
Research

Advancing gene therapies: PIP pip hurray!
Research

Programming synthetic molecular codes to turn genes ‘on’
Research

Regenerating tissues with gene-targeting molecules
Research

Accessing DNA in the cell’s powerhouse to treat disease

Movies

iCeMS Leader Interviews | Dr Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam

Interview

Smart genetic switches for precision medicine

“For the young people who want to be researchers, I encourage them to ask uncomfortable questions...

Junior Associate Professor / PI

Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam

Invigorating Immunotherapy with Epigenetic Modulation

Dr Madhu Malinee was a PhD student at the Graduate School of Medicine of Kyoto University. She wo...

Postdoctoral Research Associate at University o...

Madhu Malinee

A New Approach to Gene Therapy: Targeting Mitochondrial DNA

iCeMS Sugiyama Lab and Namasivayam Lab are conducting chemical-biological research using pyrrole-...

JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow, Visiting Researcher a...

Takuya Hidaka
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