Good day, Manas Mondal. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Myself Doctor Manos Mondo I did my graduation in physics and up at the BSCI did my master degree in in my in Physics and after master degree I did my PhD in Biophysics from Sara Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata and after PhD in 2015. I have more than 10 years of research experience as well as the teaching experience for my current. And university or institute where I working now. So I my research expertise is in the field of biophysics and bioinformatics.

So I use only the computational tool to investigate different part of the biological problem and investigate the bioinformatics tool to identify the disease mechanism and drug design. And and that is the further goal of my desserts. And I will be happy to be the part of the VIT and I because I am interested both in teaching as well as research and I am in the.

In the field of interdisciplinary field of field of this capacity of biology. So though my educational background is physics, but I mainly use the physic based approach to study the biological system in based on the computational tool and the bioinformatics tools. And also I want to use the experimental collaboration to verify my theoretical study or by programmatics prediction to. And participate in the different Pharmaceutical industry or the company to.

To do that development and program project because that will be the beneficial for me to study the bioinforming computational part of the drug design and that can be applied for the industrial research or the pharmaceutical research. So. So I will be but want to be part of the VIT. And as the VIT has the facilities of the teaching as well as the research and also the collaboration with the industry or the Pharmaceutical industry or.

The biopic industry. So I will be happy to be the part of the different collaborative project through VIT and and contribute in the VIT board in some of the research as well as the teaching and all this thing. And I'll be happy to teach major courses in Biological Sciences or bioinformatics or computational biophysics. So, so it will be great pleasure for me if I will get the opportunity to participate in the VIT as a faculty member.

Thank you, Professor Mondo, for sharing your academic journey and expertise. It’s clear you bring valuable experience in biophysics, bioinformatics, and computational biology, and your interdisciplinary focus is compelling. Please hold for a moment.

Yeah, yes.

Please provide an example of how you’ve applied these techniques, Professor Mondal.

Yeah. OK. Let's let me just introduce about a project that where I am that is in my mind. So mainly the for the kind of case of different cancer, cancer mutations, they have a particular phenotype that this kind of cancer is associated with a particular mutation of the particular gene. So first we need a binary pharmacist tool to identify the gene that which is associated with this kind of.

Please like answer or like this and from this mathematics tool we can identify the a pathway of the particular disease and what is the mutation in terms of the genetic mutation in terms of the DNA sequence, we can identify and then we can identify that how this sequence basically affects the function of the particular particular particular antique phenomena like in terms of the disease phenomena. So we can associate the protein which are associated with the particular gene or. Green regulation pathway which is basically misregulated their function due to particular SAT in mutation of the cancer mutation. So we can identify the protein and if we can get the protein identify from the bioinformatics tool then we can get that sequence and their length of the amino acid site chain. And then if we have the structure of the protein in the crystal structure database on NMR database. So based on that we can model the system that how the protein function is misregulated to the particular certain.

And genetic mutation or eat the eats associated with the binding with the other protein partner or the. So how the OR the binding with the particular DNC sequence then how this mutation effects are binding. So we need to understand this microscopic phenomena in atomistic details. So in experiment we can get the broadview but we will not that will not provide us the atomistic level details. So from the molecular modeling and this MD simulation approach, we can get the details about the. Tracks on that as basically he associated with the particular regulation or the particular binding of the protein with the particular DNS sequence. So if the mutation is happened in the DNA, then how this interaction basically disrupt and how their binding is affected. So we can and model the system based on the molecular modeling technique. And if the protein have the structure, then it is will it will be well and good. But if they don't have that structure, they're now based on the now the machine learning approach, we can order AI. Like we all know that the alpha fold 3 we can or others other machine learning technique, we can basically model the protein based on their sequels if they don't have the have the structure. And then from the structure pedic test structure from our AI based tools or based learning technique, we can use that structure to model the system based on the computational design and the computational molecular modeling. And after we can model the system to study the dynamics or the binding interaction. All this thing we can use.

Molecular dynamics simulation method and based on the simulation we can and understand that which are the binding is important for the function and how how they are regulate the different interaction the particular function. So so that way we can proceed to the project. And if we need the more atomistic details like electronic label details like chart stands for or like these kind of phenomena or stacking interaction phenomena that in that in that case we can use for the quantum mechanical technique like DfT. Technique or wave function with other bit relief or ammunition method technique that can be give you give us further insight about the more electronic level details about the interaction in the active side of the protein or the OR the binding partner. So in this way we can think about that how we can I can contribute in a particular project in both environment phonetics approach and the computational biophysics approach. So they are integrated so we can use one knowledge for the others to.

Basically, manifest the system and understand the biological prelimina behind this.

Welcome to.

Now let's move on to your ability to teach theory and laboratory courses. Could you describe a specific experience or approach you've used to effectively teach complex bioinformatics concepts to students?

OK, so just for the complex tool like if we want to start the. If we want to basically understand a particular protein structure, so we have like stool like VMD or the pie mouse, these are the visual tool that we can fast to give insight about the students about the how the molecules looks like and the how the three-dimensional structure looks like. So that will be the initial tools that is very much important for the students to know about to see visualize the structure of the protein or the biomolecules and and how the biomole. After PC have different component like protein, we have know that different secondary the folded confirmation of a protein, they have many secondary structure part like alpha, Helix, beta set or the unstructured or loop region. So based on the visual tool, they can basically visualize the actual thing that they have learned from the textbooks. So they can visualize and they can play with that molecule in the visual tool in the in the lab. So that kind of tool keep the most much more insight.

Note the structure of the molecules and how they interaction. They can interact because based on the these tools, they have their different function that we can choose that what at the hydrogen burning, which are the distance and what are the polar residue, nonpolar residue and how they interact. So these tools can help to to learn more, give more insight as they aim about this thing.

Thank you, Professor Mondal. Using visualization tools like VMD and PyMOL to bridge theoretical concepts with practical understanding seems like a strong approach. Moving ahead, how do you handle student evaluations and exam duties to ensure fairness and effectiveness?

Yeah, OK. Thank you for this question. So for the classroom teaching, I want to evaluate this, evaluate the student based after Co after teaching a particular courses. I want to regulate the student not only for their answer based cost, answer based question by through all the project based question such that they can know more about the insight or much more about the fundamental knowledge behind these things. So if they have the much more deep insight. I about the subject, they can basically build a project and based on some research on the on the way about the the books, they can get knowledge and they can easily come out with some solve some particular project based on the I can give you a small project like if I give a small project like let's find out a, a, a particular protein which is associated with this particular function. So you come with us. Show me the what are the protein involved in this particular function of the pathway and. How they basically interact with each other and what are the 1 interaction basically effects or deep term misregulation effects which kind of disease happens. So so this is a broadview of these. So after teaching a particular courses in this area, if we give a project based on like this, so they will they need to research based on the subject as well as more also need the knowledge that you have that they have learned through the through the courses. So these kind of approach is one that I want to evaluate the student based on the. That is the project based learning and evolution as well as I also want to to show that the practical evolution that I have told that based on visual system or based on the molecular dynamic simulation practice like Romax or the F but they have different approach that I can give you the project that you find out that how these molecules stable in water or in other solution, which solution give stability of this particular protein folded structure and how and which solution.

On this structure so these kind of project can also give that their practical knowledge so they can and build the system by hand they can visualize the system by by himself or herself and then after that they can and earn how to simulate the system how to use the band politics tool to study this their particular molecule. So that is the one basic approach and and and other thing is that along with that the experimental there different spectroscopic method that also will you basically. To school for bimolecular structure and dynamic study. So I also want to ask them to to cooperate your your theoretical data with experimental observation that how experimental give the insight for a particular molecule and all these things. So that will be the interdisciplinary approach to teach it that learning them to board the theoretical approach, both the experimental approach and how they bridge these two knowledge together and come out with a particular. It's a particular summarize or particular.

Conclusion that which is the what method basically give you the best thing and what you what is the pros and cons of difference method in both the experimental and the theoretical and which will give you the best interpretation of or the best output. So that is the one way. And in the classroom experience exam I also want to give they have different kind of multi pools sort answer type question answer that they can give.

The the answers and question that might be in terms of the the basic knowledge and in the technical approach, how their basic knowledge can be applied with the different technology and technology based approach. So the I want to assess the the students and in such a way.

Understood, Professor Mondal. Your approach of integrating project-based evaluations, hands-on practical experiences, and interdisciplinary learning seems well-structured and conducive for comprehensive student growth. How do you guide and mentor students in their research projects to ensure they develop critical thinking and scientific rigor?

Yeah. Thank you for this question. Yeah, for the desserts part of the student, for the PhD student or the other project student in the master degree, final year student or the pro structural student who will be in the VIT. So for them, I just want to say that that for these kind of two guiding the student, the main thing behind this we have need note to note for the particular ask tool particular question in any project, so the question in any research.

This first most fundamental thing is important the question so fast they have to learn the the thing from our part, so the project they want to work with. So I will give them that first. You know the background of this project and give the do do some literature survey and come out out with some summarize that what what is done in this particular project or in this area and what is not answered and who it is.

Which area we can focus and which area we should go so that we can discuss with the students together and also get the feedback from the student or the researchers that at work he's our hard thinking and what he thinks or her think in this area and what that we. So then we can ask the basic questions that we need to solve for our particular this project or problem. So now the solving this process we need to which approach we. The approach or the OR the theoretical or computational or Illinois, the experimental approach can guide us to answer this question that we need to 1st think about and and in this way, we have to basically go around the project because because if we do in the in the research project. So it is not a straightforward that that that there is no particular systematic approach that you do at least this thing and after that this thing after testing. So it is a based on the. But yeah, this is a systematic approach. So one by one, first you have to find out these things. Then if based on the result we can think about what will be the other problem, how to approach the other way and another way. So that is the practical thing as well as so. So based on this approach, so step by step approach, we can answer the basic questions or or in the project and we can and and we also need to know the if it is the project based on the.

A industry based approach that is if is applied research, how we can apply this? You can apply it area that is biotic area, applied biotic area or the pharmaceutical research like a drug design project. So we first need to collaborate with the other group for the sometimes that if we get these kind of things. So how we can experimentally verify these things. So that also the another part that we collaboration with the experimental group and and the other research group based on based on.

Expertise and our expertise or our tools in our lab or all this thing if we need any other tools that we are not in in our our facility. So that might we might be collaborating with other institute or other other group to go to approach them to, to solve this issue together. So the basic thing I can say about the student or the researchers that you have to pass up the particular question and then go to the details. Understanding how to do this and also.

In parallel we also do the literature server and all these things. How this area is progresses and how what are the questions which are not answered or or like this?

Thank you, Professor Mondal. It’s clear that your mentorship emphasizes foundational understanding, collaborative learning, and iterative research processes, which are vital for fostering critical thinking and scientific growth in students. Let's now discuss your publication strengths. Could you highlight a research publication of yours that exemplifies your expertise in bioinformatics or medical microbiology? How did it contribute to the field?

Yeah, So I have about 10 sixteenths of desserts publication. So mostly I work in during my PhD is a protein nucleic acid interaction and nucleic acid structures and function based on the biological.

Computational approach, computational molecular dynamic simulation or the OR the density density functional theory approach. But during my postdoctoral study, I also worked on the protein, protein or protein. Are in the interaction and what Indian interaction with some experimental groups. So I can example example the recent work which is I have done with some collaboration with some other institute in picking universities that is the medical hospital picking University Hospital. So they are now they are working in basically a particular particular bacteria that they have have if which basically cost our our problem in our. Eat and so they these stairs stepped up of these bacteria they have found that they in basically active much more in the acidic environment. So but they don't know how the SAT can place influence the bacterial growth and and this particular treat disease. So we basically. I basically worked with these forior collaborative and I also as a basically corresponding author of the student project to together we published this picture paper last month in a Nature.

Group of Channel Furniture International Journal of Oral Science where we have basically shown that the how the pH environment basically changed the particular function of a of a bacteria in the teeth environment. So the how we we found that the the these bacteria growth is associated with the particular protein, which is which is a basically help to. Form the bacterial outer cell outer cell membrane. So if we can hamper the growth of this outer cell membrane. So these that that can we can and prevent the particular T this is is so so we found that the if the PA is is much lower that acidic base, this bacterial growth is higher. But at normal pH the P the bacterial growth is lower because this is mainly associated with the particular function. It is FTSZ 14. So which is basically accumulate together and they polymerize and form the bacteria particular cell pebrance. But if at acidic pages they are polymerization. It's hired and therefore much more structured or bilayers would that's why the the big bacteria basically is much more functional. So we find out that that the polyp acidic page basically helps since polymerization and protein, protein interaction and contact former formulation. But but from our computational approach, we basically found out that the hooch at the interface residue of the protein basically that helped to form this kind of assembly protein. And if we also identify a particular mutation of this protein that actually basically Hanford the the protein protein assembly in the active site. So the experimental group came out with some experimental data that they have found that this is happening, but they don't have much more understanding about the atomic level. So in this area, we contribute in in terms of the atomistic details interaction and the protein, protein interaction binding and what are the binding interaction as basically responsible and how their binding. In Africa's have worked for a polymerization and we also found that how this why this mutation is basically affect the protein polymerization and and they lose the function of the bacteria elasticity pH which can be important and for the for the particular disease prevention of the disease, disease prevention. So that is the one example that I can tell you that the hired we used for the band pharmaceutics tool. Experimental tool and as well as the simulation, molecular modeling and.

By physical health computational tool that integrating this area research to find out if solve them in medical science on the medical science problem.

Thank you, Professor Mondal. Your collaborative research on bacterial growth in acidic environments and its relevance to oral health is an excellent example of interdisciplinary work. The integration of computational, experimental, and molecular modeling techniques in identifying atomic-level interactions and mutations demonstrates your expertise and contribution to medical microbiology and bioinformatics. We've covered significant ground. Unless there’s anything specific you’d like to add, would you like me to conclude the interview now?

So I just want to conclude that as I I have mentioned that my my basic main expertise in the computational biophysics and bioinformatics. So if I got the opportunity to work in vit, so I will be happy to.

Happy to work in this area and also teach in different area of the biophysics and the bioinformatics as well as the interdisciplinary area. I will also interested because.

I work and I I learn the text in this separately from run from the Internet security area. So and I also want to add that along with that I will be happy to take any administrative.

If if I get any administrative other work so I will be happy to be the part of this thing as well. And mainly the I want to focus in the teaching area because teaching is an important for the learning. So I want a major focus will be the teaching as well as the.

Search and I I will be happy to part any other administrative or the academic outreach program and all of this which is important for the VIT and I can contribute it as well.

So with this I want to conclude that I will be. It is my pleasure to be the part of the interview and of the of.

Thank you, Professor Mondal, for sharing your insights and enthusiasm for teaching, research, and administrative contributions. It was a pleasure interacting with you and learning about your expertise. Would you like me to formally conclude the interview now?

I just want to thank all the, uh, for the administrative and the recruitment and, and the Dean of the VIP for the giving me the opportunity to attend this interview and screen by my CV for the, for the interview. So I'll be looking forward to hear, uh, here for hear from you further. And it will be my pleasure if I get the further opportunity to talk with you or.

The the further uh to join you for joining the CIT.

Thank you, Professor Mondal, for your kind words and your thoughtful participation. Your expertise and commitment to both research and teaching are evident. I wish you the very best for your aspirations. Please confirm if you’re ready to end the interview now.

OK. Thank you very much. It'll be fine.

Thank you, Professor Mondal. Just to confirm, may I end the interview now?

Yeah, sure.