Biography
Dr. Pradeep Sheokand earned his Ph.D. in parasitology from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi, India. His doctoral research focused on the functional characterization of lysophospholipase-like proteins in Plasmodium falciparum, unveiling their crucial role in lipid metabolism. Dr. Sheokand identified specific inhibitors with promising parasitical efficacies, holding potential for novel antimalarials.
Following his Ph.D., Dr. Sheokand joined Prof. Lilach Sheiner's group at the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Glasgow for postdoctoral research. There, he initiated a project on the functional and structural characterization of complex III of the mitochondrial electron transport chain in Plasmodium. Using inducible depletion, he demonstrated the essential role of Rieske and complex III in asexual blood stage parasite survival and gametocyte maturation. His contributions included the development and standardization of various mitochondrial biology techniques, leading to the successful purification of Plasmodium complex III, with ongoing efforts towards elucidating its structure.
Current Research Interest
With nine years of experience in parasite research, he recently joined Dr. Kasparas Petkevicius's lab as a postdoctoral researcher to explore a new avenue of research. His current work focuses on understanding how phospholipid-remodelling proteins regulate mitochondrial membrane phospholipid composition, mitochondrial dynamics, mito-ER contacts, respiration, and the mitochondrial stress response.
Selected Publications
Sheokand PK, Yamaryo-Botté Y, Narwal M et al. (2023)
A Plasmodium falciparum lysophospholipase regulates host fatty acid flux via parasite lipid storage to enable controlled asexual schizogony
Cell Rep 42, 112251
Sheokand PK, Narwal M, Thakur V & Mohmmed A (2021)
GlmS mediated knock-down of a phospholipase expedite alternate pathway to generate phosphocholine required for phosphatidylcholine synthesis in Plasmodium falciparum
Biochem J 478, 3429-3444
Saini E, Sheokand PK, Sharma V et.al(2021)
Plasmodium falciparum PhIL1-associated complex plays an essential role in merozoite reorientation and invasion of host erythrocytes
PLoS Pathog 17, e10009750