PI
Shaeri Mukherjee
I grew up in Calcutta, India. I started my career in Chemistry (Calcutta University), then did Biochemistry (Calcutta University), Cell Biology (Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY) and finally Microbiology (Yale University, New Haven). Currently, I am interested in understanding host-pathogen interactions. My favorite bug is Legionella, it is a great model: easy to do genetics, easy to infect and study host processes. Most importantly, it manipulates several host cell processes, thus making it a really good tool to study basic cell biology. My other interest in life is photography: I especially like taking landscape shots. I am a big fan of Ansel Adams. I love working at UCSF, it is a truly great place to do science. San Francisco as a city has a great deal to offer, including its proximity to Yosemite National Park. I am currently looking to expand my laboratory. If you are interested in joining us, send me an email with your CV.
Email:Shaeri.Mukherjee@ucsf.edu
Graduate Students
TOM MOSS
7th year Tetrad PhD Student
I grew up in Los Angeles and Virginia. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia, and spent a gap year at the Weizmann Institute before coming to UCSF. Here in the Mukherjee lab, I am a bit of a black sheep in that my research is a step removed from Legionella. A former student discovered that a Legionella kinase phosphorylates the chaperone Hsc70 at a conserved residue, and that this globally decreases translation. I have discovered that this also occurs in human cells independently from Legionella infection. I am attempting to understand the pathway that leads to this phosphorylation, its role in cell biology, and the effects this phosphorylation has on Hsc70.
Email: Tom.Moss@ucsf.edu
Postdoctoral Scholars
Anjali Tripathi, PhD
I was born and raised in Chittaranjan, West Bengal, India. I obtained a Master's degree in Zoology from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). For my Ph.D., I joined the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune, India. During my Ph.D, I expanded my research in virology and cell biology by focusing on understanding the role of Endoplasmic Reticulum- Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) in HIV-1 replication and virion infectivity. To continue my research interest in cell biology, I am working as a postdoctoral fellow in Mukherjee lab to uncover the broader dynamics of UPR beyond its canonical pathways. Outside of research, I am a passionate foodie who enjoys exploring different food joints. I also love long walks, hiking, and exploring new trails around the city.
IRSHAD SHARAFUTDINOV, PHD
I grew up in Kazan, Russia, where I completed both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Genetics at Kazan Federal University. I took my first steps into research at Airat Kayumov's lab, where I later carried out my doctoral work under his supervision, focusing on Staph. aureus antimicrobial resistance. After that, I joined Steffen Backert's lab at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, where I studied the molecular mechanisms of virulence in gastrointestinal pathogens Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni. Here, in Mukherjee lab, I continue my exploration of host-pathogen interactions, focusing on Legionella, which has fascinating molecular machinery for host manipulation. Beyond research, I enjoy reading books, learning languages, and engaging in activities like chess and table tennis.
Puspangana Singh, PHD
I was born in Guwahati (India) and I grew up in Varanasi (India). I have a bachelor's degree in Microbiology from Gargi College, University of Delhi. I pursued my PhD in Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur), where I worked on elucidating the entry and fusion dynamics of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. In Mukherjee lab, I am attempting to explore the local protein synthesis machinery of the Legionella-containing vacuoles (LCVs). I have varied interests outside of the lab, and I am always up for a good hike or a long walk. I love to design and make new clothes, read a lot of Victorian-era literature, watch anime and cook.
SARADINDU SAHA, Phd
I hail from Asansol, West Bengal, India where I attended Asansol Ramakrishna Mission High School. I earned my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Zoology from Visva-Bharati University. Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's Poetry, "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where knowledge is free," I pursued my Ph.D. at IIT Kharagpur. My research revealed how M.tb-secreted virulent kinase hinders macrophage cell death. As a post-doc at UCSF's Mukherjee lab, I explore mitochondrial events using Legionella as a tool. I enjoy long drives to unwind and thrive on making new friends, transcending geographical barriers.
Email: Saradindu.Saha@ucsf.edu
Techs and Undergraduates
Matt Cronin
Junior specialist
(He/Him)
I grew up in boston and studied biochemistry at Colorado College. There, I worked on multiple projects in the Grover lab and began a project using SERS to observe RNA structures. I was also a summer research assistant at the Steckleberg lab at Columbia University. Where I helped Jenine Gezelle use X-ray Crystallography to study RNA structures that resist exonuclease degradation. Here in the Mukherjee Lab, I’m helping Tom Moss study how phosphorylation of Hsc70 at a specific residue, a post-translational modification discovered in the context of Legionella infection, contributes to the DNA damage response. Outside of the lab, I work in freelance graphic design, and love making art. My favorite hobbies are camping, surfing, backcountry skiing, and anything else that gets me outside.
Email: Matt.cronin@ucsf.edu
Alumni
MANISH PAUL - Post Doctoral Fellow (2023-2025)
CHETAN MOKKAPATI - Junior specialist (2023-2025)
ADY STEINBACH - Tetrad Ph.D student (Graduated 2024)
ATTINDER CHADHA - Post Doctoral Fellow (2022-2024)
ALEX WOOLDRIDGE - Junior specialist (2022-2024)
VARUN BHADKAMKAR- Tetrad Ph.D student (Graduated 2023)
ADVAIT SUBRAMANIAN - Post Doctoral Fellow (2018-2023)
ALLISON PASCHACK- Undergraduate researcher (2023-2023)
KATIE FANG- Undergraduate researcher (2022-2023)
TORI TRAN- 1st-year BMS rotation student (Fall 2021)
ARMANDO MARTINEZ- 1st-year Tetrad rotation student (Spring 2021)
CJ SAN FELIPE - 1st-year Tetrad rotation student (Spring 2021)
BRIAN WANG - 1st-year CCB rotation student (Winter 2020)
CJ SARABIA - 1st-year Tetrad rotation student (Fall 2020)
HANA KIMURA - Post-Doctoral Fellow (2018-2020)
JULIA NOACK - Post-Doctoral Fellow (2017-2020)
NNEJIUWA IBE - Tetrad PhD student (Graduated 2020)
ELIAS TAYLOR-CORNEJO - Post-Doctoral Fellow (2016-2020)
STEVEN MOSS - CCB PhD student - joint with Kevan Shokat (Graduated 2019)
RHOGERRY DESHYCKA - 1st year BMS rotation student (Winter 2018)
LILI KIM - 1st Year Tetrad Rotation Student (Fall 2018)
TANYA KUMAR - Summer Research Training Program Student (Summer 2018)
NATALIE WHITIS - 1st year Tetrad Rotation Student (Spring 2018)
HALEY GAUSE - Junior Lab Specialist (August 2017 - July 2018)
RAMIRO PATINO - 1st Year BMS Rotation Student (Winter 2016)
PHILIPP SCHLAERMANN - Post-Doctoral Fellow (2016-2017)
VERONICA ESCALANTE - 1st Year Tetrad Rotation Student (Summer 2016)
REBECCA LEVIN (AKA BECCA) - CCB PhD student - joint with Kevan Shokat (Graduated 2016)