Dr. Aarti Sevilimedu
Principal Research Scientist
Research Coordinator -Rare diseases research program
Aarti obtained her Ph.D. in 2008 from Cornell University (Prof. John Lis) where she studied molecular interactions in the transcription initiation machinery in S.cerevisiae using RNA aptamers as molecular tools. Further as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical school (Prof. Danesh Moazed), she was trained in cell biology and genetics of S.pombe, where she investigated the role of repeat DNA elements and protein networks in RNAi mediated silencing (2009-12).
Dr. Aarti’s group is interested in understanding how gene expression is regulated via RNA molecules or motifs, and in the development of nucleic acid tools and reagents for mechanistic studies as well as therapies. As part of the Rare disease initiative at DRILS, her group is involved in developing Zebrafish models of rare genetic disorders, which are then used for mechanistic studies as well as therapy development, specifically, mRNA therapies. As part of a collaborative India Alliance funded CRC grant together with KMC, MAHE and IOB Bangalore, Aarti’s group is involved in contributing to functional studies to establish novel disease-gene associations. Additionally, her team contributes to the molecular biology and microbiology aspects of Industry programs at DRILS.