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Dr. Souvik Dey is an Assistant Professor and DBT-Ramalingaswami Fellow at the Manipal Centre for Biotherapeutics Research (MCBR), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India.
Research Interests
My current research interest lies in the area of male contraceptive development and on better understanding of the biochemistry of the gamete functions in mammalian systems, with special emphasis on the interrelation between (glycogen synthase kinase 3) GSK3 and FTO/ALKBH5 (RNA-specific demethylases) in the regulation of mammalian spermatogenesis and fertility. Our research group is also developing gene editing and small molecule therapeutics-based approaches to target GSK3 isoform-selectively, to mitigate the symptoms and side effects in human acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and Alzheimer’s disease, using invitro/in vivo model.
During my post-doctoral research tenure, I worked on the biochemistry of mammalian sperm function, specifically delineation of the interrelation between GSK3 and Calcineurin in the regulation of sperm motility and fertility. Earlier I worked on the elucidation of signal transduction mechanism regulating sperm Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) activities under influence of the cAMP-PKA axis. It also included the identification of substrates of Protein kinase A and GSK3 using the Chemical-genetics and Proteomics approaches. During my doctoral research work, I was involved in the purification, characterization, and deciphering signal transduction mechanism of a glycoprotein from mammalian blood serum.
My current research interest lies in the area of male contraceptive development and on better understanding of the biochemistry of the gamete functions in mammalian systems, with special emphasis on the interrelation between (glycogen synthase kinase 3) GSK3 and FTO/ALKBH5 (RNA-specific demethylases) in the regulation of mammalian spermatogenesis and fertility. I am also developing gene editing-based approaches to target GSK3, isoform-selectively, to mitigate cancer phenotypes in human acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines and clinical samples.
During my post-doctoral research tenure, I worked on the biochemistry of mammalian sperm function, specifically delineation of the interrelation between GSK3 and Calcineurin in the regulation of sperm motility and fertility. Earlier I worked on the elucidation of signal transduction mechanism regulating sperm Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) activities under influence of the cAMP-PKA axis. It also included the identification of substrates of Protein kinase A and GSK3 using the Chemical-genetics and Proteomics approaches. During my doctoral research work, I was involved in the purification, characterization, and deciphering signal transduction mechanism of a glycoprotein from mammalian blood serum
Qualification
PhD degree obtained in November 2015 from the Department of Life Science & Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.
MSc degree (1st Class) received in August 2008 in Microbiology & Microbial Technology from the University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, India.
BSc (Hons. in Physiology, with Chemistry and Zoology) degree (1st Class) obtained in August 2006, from Vidyasagar College, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Experience
Assistant Professor & DBT-Ramalingaswami Fellow (November, 2021 – present):
In Manipal Center for Biotherapeutics Research (MCBR), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India.
DBT-Ramalingaswami Fellow (August, 2020 – October, 2021):
In the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Postdoctoral Research Associate (December, 2015 – June, 2020):
In the Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Ohio, USA.
Doctoral Fellow (JRF & SRF) (November, 2010 –November, 2015):
In the Division of Cryobiology, Centre for Rural & Cryogenic Technologies (CRCT), Jadavpur University, Kolkata. PhD guides: Prof. Gopal C. Majumder and Dr. Debdas Bhattacharyya.
Pre-doctoral Researcher (January, 2009 –November, 2010):
In the Department of Immunoregulation & Immunodiagnostics (IRID) in Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Kolkata, WB, India.
Expertise:
Protein biochemistry
Mammalian sperm biology
GSK3 biology
Current Grants
1. Study on the Pharmacological Inhibition of Human Sperm GSK3α and Calcineurin on Fertilization Parameters to Develop Male Contraceptives
Funding period: 2025-03 to 2028-03
Funding agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Govt. of India; GRANT_NUMBER: IIRPSG-2024-01-06557
Total allocated fund: ₹ 79.9 lakh
2. Investigation on the Cohesive Roles of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 alpha and FTO in Regulation of Mammalian Spermatogenesis
Funding period: 2025-04 to 2028-04
Funding agency: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India (New Delhi, IN); GRANT_NUMBER:
BT/PR53889/BMS/85/260/2024
Total allocated fund: ₹ 64.17 lakh
3. Regulatory roles of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3α and calcineurin in mammalian sperm physiology: development of potential male contraceptives
Funding period: 2020-08 to 2025-08
Funding agency: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India (New Delhi, IN) through RCB, India; GRANT_NUMBER: BT/RLF/Re-entry/08/2019
Total allocated fund: ₹ 1.13 Cr
Awards and Honors
- Awarded Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship in 2020 by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India.
- Received NIH Travel Awards for attending 43rd and 44th Annual Conference of American Society of Andrology as an oral presenter in Portland, Oregon, USA held on April 21-24, 2018 and in Chicago, Il held on April 6-9, 2019, respectively.
- Awarded Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 2014.
- Received Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) on Project by DBT, India in 2010.
- CSIR-UGC NET (LS) in 2010 and 2008 by Council for Scientific & Industrial Research-University Grant Commission, India.
- Awarded Institutional Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) by Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata in 2009.
- Qualified GATE-Life Sciences in 2008-2009 by Human Resource Development Group, GOI.
- Awarded National Scholarship for performance in Madhyamik (10th standards) by Govt. of West Bengal, India.
Membership Of Scientific Societies
• Royal Society of Biology, London (Elected Member, MRSB) (Membership # P0142853)
• American Society of Andrology (Associate membership # 197381, 2019-22)
• The Physiological Society of India (Life membership # PSI-LM869)
• Society for Reproductive Biology & Comparative Endocrinology (Life membership # LM-511-2021)
• Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction and Fertility (Life membership # 1570)
• The Society of Biological Chemists (India) (Life membership # 4278)
• Manipal Government of Karnataka Bioincubator (Lifetime membership # BIL/2022/L/401)
Teaching assignments
- MBT501 – Introduction, and scope of Protein Engineering
- MBT501 – Strategies for protein identification
- MBT503 – Bioprocessing of recombinant proteins
Consultancy
Enzymatic assays, RNA methylation, knockout mouse based research, protein purification.
Publications
1. Indrashis Bhattacharya*, Lakshmi K Nalinan, Anusree KV, Ahmed Saleel, Aditi Khamamkar, and Souvik Dey*. (2025). Evolving Lessons on Metazoan Primordial Germ Cells in Diversity and Development. Molecular Reproduction & Development. 92(5):e70027. doi: 10.1002/mrd.70027. (Impact factor: 2.7). *Co-corresponding authors.
2. Rounak Roy and Souvik Dey*. “The curious case of sperm RNAs: Significance in male fertility”. Special Issue on: Epigenetic Mechanisms In Reproductive Biology. 2025. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32385.7; Issue: 33, Page No. 41-48. Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction and Fertility (ISSN 2395-2806). *Corresponding author.
3. Kabi, M., Khamamkar, A., Kyei-Baffour, K., Weïwer, M., Vijayaraghavan, S*., & Dey, Souvik*. (2025). A non-hormonal reversible contraceptive targeting GSK3α, a protein kinase, essential for epididymal sperm maturation. Andrology. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.13838. PMID: 39748754. (Impact factor: 3.2). *Co-corresponding authors.
4. Dey, Souvik*,#, Nofal, W., Brothag, C., Kabi, M., Khamamkar, A., Choudhari, N., & Vijayaraghavan, S. (2025). PP1γ1 is unable to substitute for the mammal-specific PP1γ2 isoform to support male fertility and sperm function. Reproduction (Cambridge, England), 2025. 169(2), e240256. https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-24-0256. (Impact factor: 3.7). *Co-corresponding authors. #Joint first authors.
5. Ghosh Alok C., Samanta Saptadip., Dey Monalisha., Raviraja N S., Dey Souvik*. Role of Alpha-fetoprotein in Pathogenesis of Cancer. Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology. 2024. 43(2):57 – 76 (2024) (Impact factor: 2.4). *Corresponding author
6. Bhattacharya Indrashis*, Dey Souvik*, Arnab Banerjee. Revisiting the Gonadotropic Regulation of Mammalian Spermatogenesis: Evolving Lessons During the Past Decade. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2023. (https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1110572). (Impact factor: 6.05). *equal contribution.
7. Bhattacharya Indrashis and Dey Souvik*. Emerging concepts on Leydig cell development in fetal and adult testis. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2022. (doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1086276). (Impact factor: 6.05). *Corresponding author; equal contribution.
8. Mukherjee Soumyadeep, Kar Arpita, Paul Paramita, Dey Souvik, Biswas Avik and Barik Subhasis. In Silico Integration of Transcriptome and Interactome Predicts an ETP-ALL-Specific Transcriptional Footprint that Decodes its Developmental Propensity. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 2022. 10(899752) (Impact factor: 6.68). (doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.899752).
9. Eisa Alaa, Dey Souvik, Ignatious Alex, Nofal Wesam, Hess Roy, Kline Douglas, Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan. The protein YWHAE (14-3-3 epsilon) in sperm is essential for male fertility. Andrology. 2021. 9(1):312-328 (doi: 10.1111/andr.12865). (Impact factor: 3.842).
10. Dey Souvik*, Eisa Alaa, Kline Douglas, Wagner Florence, Abeysirigunawardena Sanjaya, Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan. Roles of glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha (GSK3α) and calcineurin in regulating the ability of sperms to fertilize eggs. FASEB Journal. 2020. 34:1247-1269 (doi: 10.1096/fj.201902163R) (Impact factor: 5.498). *Corresponding author.
11. Eisa Alaa A., Bang Scott, Crawford Katherine J., Murphy Emily M., Feng William W., Dey Souvik, Wells Wendy, Kon Ning, Gu Wei, Mehlmann Lisa M., Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan, and Kurokawa Manabu. X-Linked Huwe1 Is Essential for Oocyte Maturation and Preimplantation Embryo Development. iScience. 2020. 23(9):101523 (Impact factor: 5.458). (doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101523).
12. Dey Souvik, Brothag Cameron, Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan. Signaling enzymes involved in sperm maturation and fertilization in mammals. Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology. 2019. 7(341). (doi: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00341). (Impact factor: 6.684).
13. Dey Souvik, Goswami Suranjana, Eisa Alaa, Bhattacharjee Rahul, Brothag Cameron, Kline Douglas, Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan. Cyclic AMP and glycogen synthase kinase 3 form a regulatory loop in spermatozoa. Journal of Cellular Physiology. (Impact factor: 6.384), 2018. 233(9):7239-7252. (doi: 10.1002/jcp.26557).
14. Bhattacharjee Rahul, Goswami Suranjana, Dey Souvik, Brothag Cameron, Woodgett James, Phiel Christopher, Douglas Kline, Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan. Isoform-specific requirement for sperm GSK3α in male fertility. Biology of Reproduction. (Impact factor: 4.285), 2018. 99(2), 384–394. (doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioy020).
15. Andrei Spencer R, Ghosh Monica, Sinharoy Pritam, Dey Souvik, Bratz Ian N, Damron Derek. TRPA1 Ion Channel Stimulation Enhances Cardiomyocyte Contractile Function via a CaMKII-dependent Pathway. Channels (Austin). (Impact factor: 2.581), 2017. 11(6):587-603. (doi: 10.1080/19336950.2017.1365206).
16. Roy Debarun, Das Koushik, Mondol Subhasis, Bhowmick Debajit, Dey Souvik, Mukherjee Biswajit, Majumder Gopal C., Bhattacharyya Debdas. Epididymal protein ASF is a D-galactose-specific lectin with apoptotic effect on human breast cancer cell line MCF7. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. (Impact factor: 6.953), 2016. 84 208–220.
17. Dey Souvik, Roy Debarun, Majumder Gopal C., Mukherjee Biswajit, Bhattacharyya Debdas. Role of forward-motility-stimulating factor as an extracellular activator of soluble adenylyl cyclase. Molecular Reproduction & Development. (Impact factor: 3.113), 2015. 82(12): 1001-1014. (doi: 10.1002/mrd.22586).
18. Roy Debarun, Dey Souvik, Majumder Gopal C., Bhattacharyya Debdas. Role of epididymal anti sticking factor in sperm capacitation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2015. 463(4):948-53. (Impact factor: 3.575) doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.06.040.
19. Dey Souvik, Roy Debarun, Majumder Gopal C., Bhattacharyya Debdas. Extracellular regulation of sperm transmembrane adenylyl cyclase by a forward motility stimulating protein. PLoS One. 2014. 9(10):e110669. doi 10.1371/journal.pone.0110669. (Impact factor: 3.53).
20. Dey Souvik, Roy Debarun, Majumder Gopal C., Bhattacharyya Debdas. Receptor expression is essential for forward motility in the course of sperm cell maturation. Biochemistry and Cell Biology (Impact factor: 3.626), 2014. 92(1): 43-52. (doi: 10.1139/bcb-2013-0080).
21. Roy Debarun, Dey Souvik, Majumder Gopal C, Bhattacharyya D. Occurrence of novel Cu2+-dependent sialic acid-specific lectin, on the outer surface of mature caprine spermatozoa. Glycoconjugate Journal. 2014. 31(4):281-288. (Impact factor: 2.92). (doi: 10.1007/s10719-014-9524-z).
22. Roy Debarun, Dey Souvik, Majumder Gopal C., Bhattacharyya Debdas. Copper: a biphasic regulator of caprine sperm forward progression. Syst Biol Reprod Med. (Impact factor: 3.061) 2014 Feb; 60(1):52-57. (doi:10.3109/ 19396368.2013.848243).
Book Chapter publications
1. Sounak Sadhukhan & Souvik Dey. Biology, Chemistry and Physics of Cancer Cell Motility and Metastasis. In Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics: Current Trends, Challenges and Future Perspective. Edited by S.K. Basu, C.K. Panda, S. Goswami. Springer Nature, Singapore. 2021. eBook ISBN: 978-981-16-4752-9. Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-16-4751-2. Pages 91-109. DOI:10.1007/978-981-16-4752-9.
2. Majumder, G.C., Saha, S., Das, K., Nath, D., Maiti, A., Dey, S., Roy, D., Chakrabarty, J., Dungdung, S. R., et al. (2015). Role of Sperm Surface Molecules in Motility Regulation. In Mammalian Endocrinology & Mammalian Reproductive Biology, S.K.Singh, ed. (CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, USA). eBook ISBN: 9780429068829. pp.197-244. DOI: 10.1201/b18900-9.
3. Majumder, G. C., Das, K., Saha, S., Nath, D., Maiti, A., Das, Dey, S., N., Banerjee, S., Barua, M., Mandal, M., Jaiswal, B. S, Biswas, R., Bhoumik, A., Roy,D., Dey, S., Som, J., Bhattacharyya, D., and Dungdung, S. R. (2012). Purification and Characterization of Novel Sperm Motility-Related Proteins. In Protein Purification, M. Benitez and V. Aguiree, ed. (Nova Publishers, USA) pp 1-90. ISBN: 978-1-61470-098-2.
