Dr. Aditi Nayak, Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology Kolkata, India
Dr. Aditi Nayak is an Assistant Professor at Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (GNIPST), Kolkata, with research expertise spanning cancer biology, molecular oncology, bioinformatics, and translational biomedical research. She obtained her Ph.D. in Bioscience from the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar in 2022, where her doctoral research investigated the oncogenic potential of the AAA+ ATPase ATAD2 in stomach cancer under the guidance of Dr. Anasuya Roychowdhury. Her research has particularly focused on hypoxia-driven cancer progression, oncogenic signaling, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, protein–protein interactions, structural bioinformatics, and therapeutic targeting of cancer-associated proteins. She has contributed extensively to peer-reviewed research and scholarly book chapters and has received several competitive travel grants, fellowships, research awards, and academic distinctions from organizations including DST-SERB, ASCB, AACR-related scientific forums, the Indian Academy of Sciences, IIT Bhubaneswar, and Vanderbilt University.
Online Profiles
Dr. Aditi Nayak maintains an active academic research profile through several internationally recognized scholarly platforms. Her ResearchGate profile is available at researchgate.net/profile/Aditi-Nayak, while her Google Scholar identifier is 2kQD_mcAAAAJ. Her Scopus Author ID is 57213626479, her ORCID is 0000-0002-3301-1174, and her Web of Science Researcher ID is JVZ-3452-2024. These profiles provide access to her research publications, scholarly contributions, citation records, and broader academic activities.
Education
Dr. Aditi Nayak completed her Higher Secondary education in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology from BJB Junior College, Bhubaneswar, in 2008 with 75.16% marks. She subsequently obtained her B.Sc. (Honours) in Zoology from BJB Autonomous College, Bhubaneswar, under Utkal University, in 2012 with 83.5% marks and completed her M.Sc. in Life Sciences from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, in 2014 with a CGPA of 9.34. She earned her Ph.D. in Bioscience from the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar in 2022. Her doctoral thesis, titled “Investigating the Oncogenic Potential of AAA+ ATPase ATAD2 in Stomach Cancer,” was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Anasuya Roychowdhury.
Research Focus
Her principal research interests lie in cancer biology, molecular oncology, molecular mechanisms of tumor progression, and computational bioscience. A major component of her research has been the investigation of ATAD2, an oncogenic AAA+ ATPase, particularly its role in gastric cancer and hypoxia-mediated tumor progression. Her work has demonstrated the significance of HIF-1α-dependent ATAD2 regulation in cancer-cell proliferation and migration and has explored ATAD2 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Her broader research interests include pan-cancer analysis, protein–protein interaction studies, molecular docking, virtual screening, structural bioinformatics, cancer biomarkers, exosomal biology, tumor microenvironment remodeling, therapeutic target identification, natural products, secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways, and emerging cancer therapeutics including mRNA vaccines and PROTAC technology.
Experience
Dr. Aditi Nayak began her academic teaching career as an Assistant Professor at Academy of Management and Information Technology (AMIT) College, Bhubaneswar, where she served from 7 June 2022 to 16 November 2022. Since 19 December 2022, she has been serving as an Assistant Professor at Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Kolkata. Alongside teaching responsibilities, she has been actively engaged in research supervision and postgraduate mentoring, with M.Sc. project guidance involving five students completed in 2023, eight in 2024, three in 2025, and three projects currently ongoing.
Research Timeline & Research Publications
Dr. Nayak’s research trajectory developed from early academic achievements and research fellowships into specialized work in molecular oncology and cancer biology. Her early research exposure included an Indian Academy of Sciences Summer Research Fellowship at CDFD, Hyderabad, in 2013, followed by postgraduate research at NIT Rourkela and doctoral research at IIT Bhubaneswar. Her publications began with research on protective autophagy and cancer-related molecular mechanisms and subsequently developed toward ATAD2-mediated oncogenesis, hypoxia signaling, biomarker discovery, structural biology, cancer therapeutics, plant and microbial secondary metabolism, natural products, and emerging biomedical technologies. Her publication record includes peer-reviewed research articles, reviews, conference abstracts, and numerous scholarly book chapters published through internationally recognized academic publishers.
Research Impact
Her research has contributed to understanding molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression, particularly through studies of ATAD2 and related oncogenic proteins. Her work on HIF-1α-dependent ATAD2 upregulation provided insights into how hypoxic conditions can promote proliferation and migration of stomach cancer cells. Her subsequent pan-cancer investigations have explored the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of ATAD2, NVL/NVL2, PSMC4, and related molecular targets. Her research combining experimental cancer biology with computational approaches has also supported the identification and evaluation of potential therapeutic intervention points, while her recent work extends into cancer vaccines, natural-product-based therapeutics, and molecular approaches to disease management.
Innovation & Intellectual Property
Dr. Nayak’s research demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach combining experimental molecular biology with computational and structural bioinformatics. Her work includes protein–protein interaction analysis, molecular docking, virtual screening, and investigation of potential inhibitor-binding regions involving the AAA+ ATPase and bromodomain of ATAD2. These approaches support the identification of novel molecular targets and candidate therapeutic strategies in oncology. Her research also incorporates emerging therapeutic concepts such as PROTAC-mediated protein degradation and mRNA-based cancer vaccines. No patents are reported in the provided biodata, and therefore her current innovation profile is primarily reflected through research methodologies, computational discoveries, biomarker investigations, and therapeutic-target research.
Research Projects & Funding
Dr. Nayak has demonstrated success in securing competitive opportunities supporting international scientific collaboration and research mobility. Her professional recognition includes a DST-SERB International Travel Grant to attend and present at the 26th International Symposium on Molecular Medicine in Rome in 2023, as well as ASCB Travel Grants supporting participation in international scientific meetings in the United States. Her research activities also encompass exosomal biology in gastric cancer, including exosomal cargo profiling, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and identification of small-molecule inhibitors, which are described as being directly aligned with the objectives of an ANRF ARG-funded project.
Conference Contributions
Dr. Nayak has actively participated in national and international scientific conferences through poster presentations, abstracts, collaborative research presentations, and professional scientific meetings. Her international conference participation includes the 26th International Symposium on Molecular Medicine in Rome, the Cell Bio2023 Meeting in Boston, and the ASCB│EMBO 2019 Meeting in Washington, DC. Her conference-related scholarly contributions include presentations on ATAD2 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and investigations of PSMC4 and NVL/NVL2 in cancer. Her scientific conference engagement has been supported by competitive travel grants from DST-SERB and the American Society for Cell Biology.
Academic Excellence
Dr. Nayak has demonstrated academic excellence throughout her educational and professional career. She secured first rank in Zoology Honours at BJB Autonomous College in 2012 and subsequently achieved second rank in the M.Sc. Life Sciences programme at NIT Rourkela in 2014. She qualified GATE in Life Sciences in 2014 and was selected for the Indian Academy of Sciences Summer Research Fellowship in 2013. During her doctoral career at IIT Bhubaneswar, she received the 2nd Best Poster Award at the National Science Day and 9th Research Scholars’ Day in 2019. Her record of competitive fellowships, travel grants, academic rankings, research awards, and international scientific exposure reflects sustained academic and research excellence.
Societal / Industry Contribution
Dr. Nayak’s research has potential societal relevance through its focus on cancer diagnosis, prognosis, molecular mechanisms, and therapeutic development. Her investigations of oncogenic proteins and cancer biomarkers contribute to the broader goal of improving molecular understanding of cancer and identifying targets for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Her recent scholarly contributions also address natural products, microalgal biotechnology, agricultural waste, e-waste, sustainable biofuel production, and environmental implications of biological technologies. Through postgraduate research supervision, she additionally contributes to scientific training and the development of future researchers.
Global Recognition
Dr. Nayak has established an international research profile through participation in scientific meetings, international research collaborations, competitive travel grants, and scholarly publications. Her Vanderbilt International Research Grant enabled a two-week collaborative research visit to the laboratory of Dr. Carl Johnson at Vanderbilt University in the United States. She has also received ASCB Travel Grants for international scientific meetings in the United States and a DST-SERB International Travel Grant for participation in a major molecular medicine symposium in Rome. Her memberships in organizations including the American Society for Cell Biology, American Association for Cancer Research, World Academy of Sciences, American Society for Microbiology, Microbiological Society of India, Physiological Society of India, American Society of Gene + Cell Therapy, and International Society for Extracellular Vesicles further demonstrate her engagement with the international scientific community.
Publications
Dr. Aditi Nayak’s publication record encompasses research articles, review papers, conference abstracts, and interdisciplinary contributions across cancer biology, molecular oncology, bioinformatics, natural products, plant genomics, biotechnology, and therapeutic research. The following publication record includes all papers supplied in the biodata, presented in a consistent publication format.
Publication Papers
Polyploid giant cancer cells: the hidden players in ovarian cancer progression and prognosis — Sharanya Roy, Swastika Rakhshit, Sayak Chakraborty, Sampriti Chakraborty, Soumava Jana, Prasmita Sircar, Aditi Nayak. Cell Cycle, Vol. 25, pp. 1–15, 2026.
Mutations and Copy Number Amplifications in ATAD5 Drive Cancer Pathogenesis and Offer Opportunities for Targeted Therapy — Nistha Sinha, Sanjida Mallick, Bibhudutta Mishra, Aditi Nayak. Advances in Cancer Biology-Metastasis, Vol. 17, Article 100191, 2026.
mRNA vaccines in gastrointestinal cancers: Mechanistic basis, translational challenges, and emerging therapeutic strategies — Sayan Saha, Sayak Chakraborty, Aditi Nayak. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Vol. 223, Article 105345, 2026.
mRNA-Based Cancer Vaccines: A Review of the Current Scenario and Future Prospects — Sanchari Bhattacharya, Nilufa Easmin, Atanu Panja, Aditi Nayak, Debjeet Sur. Protein & Peptide Letters, Vol. 32, pp. 776–790, 2026.
Identifying secondary gene clusters involved in metabolite biosynthesis in the Cajanus cajan genome — Ausaf Saleha, Prasmita Sircar, Bipasha Goswami, Aditi Nayak. Botany Letters, pp. 1–10, 2025.
Exploring secondary metabolite biosynthesis clusters in the genome of Zea mays through in silico analysis — Sanjida Mallick, Qurratulain Qamar, Aditi Nayak. Plant Biosystems, Vol. 159, pp. 1446–1462, 2025.
Mechanistic and Clinical Insights into the Antidiabetic Potential of Cinnamomum cassia: A Review — Ishita Debnath, Suman Ghosh, Sobhanjan Bhunia, Aditi Nayak, Sumit Nandi, Soumik Bhattacharjee. Pharmacological Research – Natural Products, Vol. 8, Article 100340, 2025.
Decoding natural products for neuroprotection: Pathway networks and structural insights for drug development — Suman Ghosh, Ishita Debnath, Sobhanjan Bhunia, Sumit Nandi, Sumel Ashique, Aditi Nayak, Susmita Mallick, Souvik Basak. Chinese Herbal Medicines, Vol. 17, 2025.
Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin in Neuroprotection: A Comprehensive Review — Ishita Debnath, Suman Ghosh, Sajal Kumar Jha, Sobhanjan Bhunia, Aditi Nayak, Souvik Basak, Sumit Nandi, Soumik Bhattacharjee. Bio Integration, Vol. 6, 2025.
The mechanism underlying the oncogenic potential of AAA+ ATPase PSMC4 in cancer is revealed by mutations and copy number amplifications — Sanjida Mallick, Qurratulain Qamar, Bibhudutta Mishra, Aditi Nayak. Mutation Research – Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, Vol. 830, Article 111901, 2025.
Unraveling the complexities of colorectal cancer and its promising therapies – An updated review — Sayan Saha, Shreya Ghosh, Suman Ghosh, Sumit Nandi, Aditi Nayak. International Immunopharmacology, Vol. 143, 2024.
Integral Membrane Protein Degradation: A Novel Paradigm by PROTAC Technology — Priyanka Ray, Aditi Nayak, Saini Setua. Current Indian Science, Vol. 2, 2024.
Identification of clusters of secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes in the Camelina sativa genome — Shagufi Zea Siddiqui, Zaryab Saleha, Aditi Nayak. Natural Product Research, Vol. 38, pp. 1–7, 2024.
An in silico study to identify stress-induced microRNAs and their targets from a mangrove Avicennia marina — Sharma A, Datta M, Kundu P, Nayak A. Marine Ecology, Vol. 45, Article e12806, 2024.
Pan-cancer Analysis Portrays NVL2 as a Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker — Datta M, Nayak A. Human Gene, Vol. 39, Article 201254, 2024.
Pan-cancer analysis reveals the oncogenic potential of PSMC4 — Nayak A, Sanjida Mallick. Molecular Biology of the Cell (ASCB Annual Meeting abstract), 2023.
Pan-cancer analysis portrays NVL as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker — Mousumi Datta, Dr. Aditi Nayak. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Vol. 22 (AACR-NCI-EORTC Conference abstract), 2023.
Emerging Oncogene ATAD2: Signaling Cascades and Therapeutic Initiatives — Nayak A, Dutta M, Roychowdhury A. Life Sciences, Vol. 276, Article 119322, 2021.
Oncogenic potential of ATAD2 in stomach cancer and insights into the protein-protein interactions at its AAA+ ATPase domain and bromodomain — Nayak A, Kumar S, Singh SP, Bhattacharyya A, Dixit A, Roychowdhury A. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, Vol. 40, pp. 1–17, 2021.
HIF1α-dependent upregulation of ATAD2 promotes proliferation and migration of stomach cancer cells in response to hypoxia — Nayak A, Roy AD, Rout N, Singh SP, Bhattacharyya A, Roychowdhury A. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 523, pp. 916–923, 2020.
Hypoxia-responsive and HIF1α-regulated AAA+ ATPase ATAD2 shows high oncogenic potential in stomach cancer — Roychowdhury A, Nayak A, Kumar S, Dixit A, Bhattacharyya A. Cancer Research (AACR Annual Meeting abstract), Vol. 82, 2022.
Cross-Cancer Study with a Special Emphasis on Stomach Cancer Reveals ATAD2 as Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker — Nayak A, Kumar S, Bhattacharyya A, Dixit A, Roychowdhury A. Molecular Biology of the Cell (ASCB Annual Meeting abstract), Vol. 30, 2019.
AAA+ ATPase ATAD2 signalling networks in gastric cancer — Roychowdhury A, Nayak A, Bhattacharyya A. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Journal, Vol. 5, 2019.
Bacopa monnieri-Induced Protective Autophagy Inhibits Benzo[a]pyrene-Mediated Apoptosis — Das DN, Naik PP, Nayak A, Panda PK, Mukhopadhyay S, Sinha N, Bhutia SK. Phytotherapy Research, Vol. 30, pp. 1794–1801, 2016.
Book Chapters and Scholarly Contributions
Microalgae—The future of biofuel: An in-depth analysis of thermochemical conversion, challenges, and opportunities — Sanjida Mallick, Shagufi Zea Siddiqui, Ausaf Saleha, Aditi Nayak. In Microalgae Biofuels: Sustainable Production, Conversion and Life Cycle Assessment, Chapter 9, Woodhead Publishing, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-24110-9.00009-8. ISBN: 978-0-443-24110-9.
E-Waste: An Overview of Sources, Properties, and Environmental Consequences — Noorie Shama, Aditi Nayak. Springer Nature Switzerland, 2025. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-97184-6_2. Print ISBN: 978-3-031-97183-9; Online ISBN: 978-3-031-97184-6.
Agricultural Waste: A New Leap Toward Encouraging Global Economy — Sayak Chakraborty, Swastika Rakshit, Ashmaul Husna, Prajita Kundu, Aditi Nayak, Snehalata Majumdar. Springer Nature Switzerland, 2025. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-97184-6_13. Print ISBN: 978-3-031-97183-9; Online ISBN: 978-3-031-97184-6.
Waste Management: Tackling Challenges, Sustainable Practices, and Transforming Waste into Value — Noorie Shama, Subhadra Rajpoot, Aditi Nayak. Springer Nature Switzerland, 2025. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-97184-6_16. Print ISBN: 978-3-031-97183-9; Online ISBN: 978-3-031-97184-6.
Molecular Components of Chromatin Serving as Epigenetic Modifiers in Plants — Susmita Behara, Swastika Rakshit, Titir Guha, Prajita Kundu, Rita Kundu, Snehalata Majumdar, Aditi Nayak. CRC Press, 2026. DOI: 10.1201/9781003589914. eBook ISBN: 9781003589914.
Non-coding RNAs in Epigenetic Regulation — Ashmaul Husna, Noorie Shama, Sayak Chakraborty, Chandan Roy, Rita Kundu, Snehalata Majumdar, Aditi Nayak. CRC Press, 2026. DOI: 10.1201/9781003589914. eBook ISBN: 9781003589914.
Role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in microalgal biofuel production — Sanjida Mallick, Qurratulain Qamar, Aditi Nayak. Woodhead Publishing / Elsevier, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-29262-0.00014-9. ISBN: 978-0-443-29262-0.
Impact of microbial ecology on the microalgal-bacterial nexus for the production of microalgal biomass — Zaryab Saleha, Shagufi Zea Siddiqui, Aditi Nayak. Woodhead Publishing / Elsevier, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-29262-0.00010-1. ISBN: 978-0-443-29262-0.
Microalgae biorefinery concepts in relation to the impacts on the environment and economy — Ausaf Saleha, Aditi Nayak. Woodhead Publishing / Elsevier, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-29262-0.00029-0. ISBN: 978-0-443-29262-0.
Awards, Fellowships & Professional Recognition
Dr. Nayak has received a broad range of competitive academic awards, fellowships, travel grants, and research distinctions. These include the DST-SERB International Travel Grant in 2023, ASCB Travel Grants in 2023 and 2019, the 2nd Best Poster Award at IIT Bhubaneswar in 2019, the Vanderbilt International Research Grant Award in 2016, second rank in M.Sc. Life Sciences at NIT Rourkela in 2014, GATE qualification in Life Sciences in 2014, the Indian Academy of Sciences Summer Research Fellowship in 2013, and first rank in Zoology Honours at BJB Autonomous College in 2012. These achievements reflect sustained excellence from undergraduate education through advanced research and academic career development.
Professional Memberships
Dr. Aditi Nayak is associated with several national and international scientific organizations, including the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), World Academy of Sciences, American Society for Microbiology, Microbiological Society of India, Physiological Society of India, American Society of Gene + Cell Therapy, and International Society for Extracellular Vesicles. These professional affiliations provide opportunities for scientific networking, interdisciplinary collaboration, dissemination of research findings, and continued engagement with developments in biomedical and life sciences research.