Dr Kalpana Surendranath

My primary objective as an academic is to empower students with lifelong learning skills by actively involving them in various processes of knowledge construction. In pursuit of this goal, I am consistently seeking innovative approaches to engage students in knowledge creation, with a specific focus on scientific research. I lead the University's Genome Engineering Laboratory (www.westmingenlab.uk), providing a sustainable platform for scholarly student innovation and short-term internships and  international visiting fellowships for skill development to support their research ambitions.

Education: BSc Biotechnology;MSc Microbial Gene technology; PhD Life Sciences (Molecular Cell Biology), PGCert Higher Education

Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy - SFHEA

Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology – FRSB

Member of Academic Council of the University of Westminster

Awards/recognitions:  Vice Chancellor's WestminSTAR award (2019); chosen as 1 million women in STEM role model; Women of Westminster award (2020)-under category innovation; Westminster champion award for student experience (2019); Aurora women Leadership in Higher Education champion and role model (2018); Award of individual teaching excellence from CETI (2019), University of Westminster

My key priorities include:

* Implementing a structured and transparent approach to research and knowledge exchange

* Advocating for the representation of women's voices in research

* Mentoring colleagues in identifying international research income opportunities

* Creating platforms for sharing research-engaged, research-led and research- informed practices across schools.

About me:

In 1999, I earned my BSc in Biotechnology from Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Bharathiar University, achieving the distinction of a university medal recipient. Following this, I pursued an MSc degree in Microbial Gene Technology, securing my place through a national-level selection process at the Department of Microbial Technology, Madurai Kamaraj University. My academic journey continued with a Council for Scientific and Industrial Research lectureship and research fellowship (CSIR), obtained through a highly competitive national-level selection. This opportunity led me to join the top research institute in the country, the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bangalore, India.

During my PhD studies at the Indian Institute of Science (2001-2007), I made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying neutralising antibodies against Abrin, a highly potent RNA-degrading protein. My research findings, including the identification of the antibody D6F10 with clinical application potential, were published in prestigious international journals. Further recognition for my academic contributions includes the Edward Youde grant allowing me to deliver an invited talk at City University of Hong Kong in 2003. Additionally, I initiated an interdisciplinary collaboration with the Physics department of IISc and Brookhaven National Laboratory (USA) aimed at elucidating the structure of Abrus Agglutinin. My doctoral thesis was published as a comprehensive book by Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany, in 2009. Driven by a profound interest in the nuclear events that influence human cell health and disease, I dedicated four years to serving as a European Framework for DNA Repair Postdoctoral Research Fellow in one of the leading labs in DNA mismatch repair research within the Institute of Molecular Cancer Research at the University of Zurich.

Following a five-year maternity break to raise my only child, I joined the University of Westminster in 2015 as a part-time Lecturer. My role involved substantial contributions to teaching across ten undergraduate and postgraduate modules. A significant milestone during this period was my introduction of CRISPR, marking the first instance of its incorporation into both teaching and research extensively at a post-92 university in the country. In 2017, I transitioned into a full-time role and established the Genome Engineering Laboratory (www.westmingenlab.uk). Here, I recruited and mentored PhD students, with a primary focus on identifying novel targetable vulnerabilities in childhood cancers. To date, I have successfully supervised three PhD students to completion. Currently, I supervise one PhD student and co-supervise three other doctoral researchers

United Nations Sustainable Development goals:

My work in academia /research has been in genuine alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as indicated below:

My work on the “Gene Editors of the Future” was highlighted in SDG report of the University on 2021.

Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages: The pilot investigation of the ZFP36L1 protein as a potential therapeutic target in childhood and breast cancers has led to the discovery of novel molecular networks that can be harnessed for cancer therapy. 

Goal 4: Quality Education: I introduced CRISPR genome engineering into both mainstream teaching and research, as well as a short course at the University. This innovation transformed the career paths of students, leading them to roles as researchers and managers in esteemed organizations, reflecting our commitment to providing innovative, inclusive, and equitable high-quality education to undergraduate (BSc), postgraduate (MSc), doctoral (PhD) students, and early career researchers. 

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls: I have been chosen by the University for Aurora, women leadership in Higher Education training programme in 2016 and currently serve as Advance HE UK role model. As co-chairs (with a colleague from professional services) of the Women of Westminster Network (WoW) for Research and Knowledge Exchange, we have played a crucial role in discussing with higher management confidentially about the struggles women face, including those related to career progression, lack of representation, unequal pay, and other related issues.  

Goal 8: Promote sustained and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. I have spearheaded research-driven initiatives like the Gene Editors of the Future (2020) and Discover to Recover (2022). These initiatives have successfully for the first time established a robust platform for PhD, postgraduate, and undergraduate collaborations for over 350 students  while simultaneously improving their employability prospects.

Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation: I created the Genome Engineering Laboratory established a niche for students to explore innovations and made multiple student success stories year after year and, I have successfully guided three PhD candidates to completion, on par with the achievements of leading research institutions.  My work on the “Gene Editors of the Future” has been highlighted in the SDG report of the University and the program is recognised as the largest and longest running Vertically Integrated extracurricular project on CRISPR technology.

Goal 17: Partnership for the goals. I serve as a role model for actively involving students as creators, leaders, and partners in research and education delivery. Presently, I collaborate with more than seven institutions spanning India, Thailand, Dubai, and Kazakhstan, sharing and implementing best practices. I have delivered over 15 online workshops during the pandemic to promote innovations in scientific research including remote parts of the world.

 Scientific Research Interests

Application of  CRISPR- engineered cellular models in human disease research

Theme 1

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are versatile molecules crucial to various aspects of RNA biology, including biogenesis, function, stability, localization, and transport. Eukaryotic cells produce a plethora of RBPs, each with its unique protein-protein interaction characteristics and RNA-binding capabilities.  RNA-binding protein ZFP36L1 is characterised by the CCCH class of tandem zinc finger domains and recognise conserved Adenylate Uridylate-rich elements (AREs)  found in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of mRNAs. They play a pivotal role in promoting mRNA degradation, ultimately leading to mRNA decay. The loss of ZFP36 family members' expression can lead to the dysregulation of several mRNA targets, some of which are critical for the control of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Despite rapid technological advancements in recent years, there remains limited understanding of the functional relevance of RBPs that are found to be differentially expressed in tumours. While there has been remarkable progress in uncovering RNA-binding motifs and the modes of RBP-RNA interactions, many questions persist, including the structural details of these proteins, their subcellular localization, links to genome instability, their precise arrangements in complex RNA assemblies within different cellular compartments, and their connections to various diseases

Theme 2

The health and physiological well-being of an organism hinge on the constant interplay between mechanisms that induce DNA damage and those responsible for its repair. Despite its seemingly protected location, the genetic material, DNA, faces daily threats to its integrity through sources  both internal and external to the cell. These threats manifest in diverse ways, encompassing structural modifications and functional alterations of the key components involved in DNA damage response (DDR). Notably, the majority of cancers exhibit heightened reliance on specific DDR mechanisms, often resulting from the loss of one or more DDR functions during oncogenesis. Empirical investigations have underscored an increased rate of mutations in DDR genes within tumor cells, establishing a clear link between replication stress and tumor progression. By pinpointing these dependencies, we can leverage precision medicine strategies and targeted DDR inhibitors to maximise DNA damage, selectively eradicating cancer cells. 

Theme 3

Bisphenols  and PFAS molecules are endocrine-disrupting chemicals commonly occurring in environments and are detected in higher percentage of the urine samples tested globally. Found in food packaging, toys, water pipes, and medical tubing, it is an environmental health concern due to its potential toxicity. During prolonged exposures, they inactivate tumour-suppressing genes and lead to the activation of oncogenes contributing to breast cancer, one of the most frequently diagnosed among women in developed countries. 

Theme 4

The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for reliable diagnostic tools have directed our focus on innovations in applications of CRISPR tools in diagnostics. In less than five years, CRISPR-based diagnostics have evolved from a basic research tool to efficient clinically relevant diagnostic platforms. Currently, we aim at utilizing the existing opportunities to creating an improved workflow for generation of a portable, highly sensitive, rapid nucleic acid detection platform to aid: monitoring disease epidemiology, diagnostics and in laboratory tasks that require nucleic acid detection. Specifically, our long-term objective is to leverage the expertise of CRISPR within the genome engineering laboratory to create, novel Cas fusion proteins and nucleic-acid -base point-of-care (POC) diagnostic test for routine use in clinical care. Improvements made in this direction will be also utilised to facilitate monitoring genetic markers indicative of cancers which is one of the primary interests of our lab.

Pedagogic Research Interests 

Gene Editors of the Future: A unique model for research-engaged education at the University of Westminster

Since my tenure as a part time lecturer in 2015, I have been committed to align my professional aspirations and contributions with the strategic objectives of the university. The programme has collaborated and co-created with over 500 students and I am delighted to share that this initiative has recently gained recognition as London's largest extracurricular student training programme in CRISPR technology.  In my capacity as a member of the Academic Council, I have had the privilege of assuming a university-wide role. Specifically, I was chosen to serve on the panel tasked with selecting participants for the Academic Council Shadowing Scheme. Moreover, I've contributed to our institution's commitment to academic excellence and future readiness by conducting two impactful workshops on research-informed education in collaboration with CETI. These workshops were specifically designed to support and empower newly recruited colleagues across various colleges.  

https://www.westminster.ac.uk/news/westminster-academics-launch-student-innovation-community-gene-editors-of-the-future-for-students

Surendranath, K (2020). Available at: https://theconversation.com/nobel-prize-two-women-share-chemistry-prize-for-the-first-time-for-work-on-genetic-scissors-147721   Accessed: 16 Jan 2022

Surendranath, K (2020). Available at: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/news/dr-kalpana-surendranath-for-sky-news-round-table-about-editing-human-embryos Accessed: 16 Jan 2022

Surendranath, K (2020). Available at: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/news/genome-engineering-laboratory-organises-international-online-workshop Accessed: 16 Jan 2022

Surendranath, K (2021). Available at: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/news/westminster-academics-launch-student-innovation-community-gene-editors-of-the-future-for-students. Accessed: 16 Jan 2022

New Genome Engineering Laboratory internships introduced through generous alumnus donation | University of Westminster

https://www.westminster.ac.uk/news/westminster-academics-students-an...

https://www.covaichronicle.com/tamil/contentview/guest-lecture-on-ge...

For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.