Abstract: 

Intracellular organelles support cellular physiology in diverse tissue microenvironments. Broadly, my current research focus is to understand the role of tissue-specific modulation of intracellular organelles in physiology and their alteration in disease. My recent work emphasizes convergent modulation of the organelles of endocytic and secretory pathways with the generation of a new class of secretory lysosomes during skin epidermis development. Skin epidermis facilitates organismal living through its unique barrier, immune and sensory functions, and regenerative potential. Failure in skin regeneration in chronic wounds and in cancer is associated with multi-organ failure. I will emphasize my current findings on the promising roles of the Endo-lysosomal pathway in skin epidermis development and its implications in skin hydration, pathologies, and regeneration. 

About the Speaker:

Dr. Sarmistha Mahanty has been working as an India Alliance Early Career Fellow at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, since 2019 and as a visiting researcher at Institut Curie, France, since Nov 2021. She is a cell biologist, and her research aims to understand how the intracellular organelles adapt to tissue-specific microenvironments, achieving homeostasis and their alterations in pathological conditions. Currently, she is studying skin homeostasis with respect to a special class of organelle called skin lamellar bodies that are produced by differentiated skin keratinocytes. With respect to these organelles, her future studies will be directed toward a detailed understanding of skin immunoregulation and inflammatory skin diseases, for instance, psoriasis and vitiligo.