Sudhanshu Gautam, PhD

I am a curious and passionate researcher deeply fascinated by the molecular mechanisms that drive cellular processes. Currently, I am at Yale University, where my research focuses on understanding neurotransmitter release. Specifically, I study how proteins are organized beneath primed synaptic vesicles (SVs) using cryo-electron tomography and tethered giant unilamellar vesicles (tGUVs) under native-like conditions. This work aims to unravel the complex protein interactions that enable SV exocytosis, a fundamental process in neuronal communication.

During my Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, I explored the structural and functional roles of enzymes regulating DNA repair and cyclic-di-AMP homeostasis in bacterial systems. My work delved into the dynamics of fork remodeling proteins like RecA, DisA, and RadA, as well as the molecular mechanisms of cyclic-di-AMP synthase (MsDisA) and hydrolase (MsPDE) in Mycobacterium smegmatis. While I couldn’t continue this line of research due to time constraints at IISc, it sparked my enduring interest in bacterial enzymology and structural biology. Earlier in my journey, I investigated the effects of silent mutations on the ω-subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and their influence on transcriptional regulation.

My academic foundation was built at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, where I pursued an Integrated B.Sc-M.Sc in Life Sciences. Here, I studied the functional role of a small phosphatidate phosphatase (TtPAH2) in Tetrahymena, showing its contribution to respiratory function rather than membrane biogenesis in yeast.

With a diverse research background that spans structural biology, bacterial enzymology, and neuroscience, I am driven by a desire to uncover the intricate details of life’s molecular machinery and contribute meaningfully to the scientific community.