Pawan Parajuli
Pawan is a postdoctoral fellow working on developing a 3D ex vivo human respiratory model for bacterial infections. This model will be used to study bacterial pathogenesis and screen antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents. Before joining ACDP, he was a postdoctoral research fellow working with Denisse Leyton at the Australian National University (ANU). He completed his PhD from ANU in 2020 under the supervision of Naresh Verma where he studied the genetics and molecular pathogenesis of Shigella flexneri. Pawan has a research background in different aspects of infectious diseases including bioinformatics, molecular biology, functional assays, antimicrobial drug resistance and clinical trials.
Research School of Biology pawan.parajuli@anu.edu.au
The Australian National University
+61 2 6125 2848
46 Sullivans Creek Road
Acton ACT 2601
Australia
Research Interests
I am passionate about studying molecular pathogenesis and evolution of emerging infectious diseases. My PhD research aims in understanding the function of bacteriophage-encoded genes in Shigella flexneri evolution, serotype diversification and virulence. To obtain this goal, I am using whole genome sequencing and functional genomics approach.
Academic Qualifications
2016-ongoing PhD, Bacterial and Bacteriophage genetics
Supervisor: Naresh Verma Australian National University
Canberra, Australia
2008-2010 MSc, Biotechnology
Supervisor: K. Thangaraj, CCMB Osmania University
Hyderabad, India
2004-2007 BSc, Microbiology Tribhuvan University
Kathmandu, Nepal
Scholarships /Awards
Endeavour Postgraduate Awards (PhD) Australian Government, Department of Education and Training
Indian Council for Cultural Relations Scholarship (MSc) Government of India, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dissertation fellowship
(MSc thesis) Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), India
Travel grant for Indo-US workshop Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, India
Professional Experience
2018-ongoing Student Ambassador Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry,
Research School of Biology, ANU, Australia
2017- ongoing Tutor/Lab demonstrator Research School of Biology, ANU, Australia
Courses: Molecular Gene Technology, General Microbiology
2012-2016 Research Assistant Mycobacterial Research Laboratory, Anandaban Hospital, Nepal
2011-2016 Visiting Lecturer SANN International College, Nepal
Courses: Medical Biotechnology, Bioinformatics
2011-2012 Research Assistant Molecular Biotechnology Unit, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Nepal
Selected Certifications/Professional Development
1. Tissue culture training: Invasion and Plaque Assay at the Lab of Prof. Shelley M. Payne, University of Texas, Austin from June 3-14, 2019
2. Whole genome sequencing of bacterial genomes - tools and applications, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), November 22, 2017 (Online via Coursera) (https://www.coursera.org/account/accomplishments/certificate/C9AFXFR9GWNZ)
3. Oxford Nanopore Sequencing Workshop, Australian National University, June 14-16, 2017
4. National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) High-Perfomance Computing summer school, Canberra, February 6-10, 2017
5. Bioinformatics training on Bacterial genome assembly and annotation with Dr. Nandan Deshpande and Prof. Marc Walkins, Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, November 3-4, 2016
6. Introduction to Genomic Technologies, Johns Hopkins University, September 27, 2016 (Online via Coursera)
https://www.coursera.org/account/accomplishments/certificate/RMC677VNSK2F
7. Bioinformatic Methods I, University of Toronto, April 30, 2016 (Online via Coursera)
https://www.coursera.org/account/accomplishments/certificate/DJAGN8MM6N63
8. NIAID-NIH Web-based training course “Good Clinical Practice” August 20, 2014
9. Training on Biostatistics, Peter Nicholls, University to Southampton, UK, June 23-27, 2014 (Performed in Kathmandu, Nepal)
10. Rotor-Gene Q realtime-PCR training, QIAGEN, Germany, January 27-29,2014 (Performed in Kathmandu, Nepal)
Publications
1. Parajuli, P,Rajput MP and Verma NK: Plasmids of Shigella flexneri serotype 1c strain Y394 provide advantages to bacteria in the host. BMC Microbiology, 2019, 19(1): 86.
2. Parajuli P, Deimel LP, Verma NK: Genome analysis of Shigella flexneri serotype 3b strain SFL1520 reveals significant horizontal gene acquisitions including a multidrug resistance cassette, Genome Biology and Evolution, 2019,11(2): 335–349.
3. Parajuli P, Adamski M, Verma NK: Bacteriophages are the major drivers of Shigella flexneri serotype 1c genome plasticity: a complete genome analysis. BMC Genomics 2017, 18(1):722.
4. Hagge DA, Parajuli P, Kunwar CB, Rana D, Thapa R, Neupane KD, Nicholls P, Adams LB, Geluk A, Shah M et al: Opening a Can of Worms: Leprosy Reactions and Complicit Soil-Transmitted Helminths. EBioMedicine 2017, 23:119-124.
5. Walker S. L., Hagge D. A. ,Parajuli P, Nicholls P. G., Lockwood D. N.J. et al. on behalf of the Erythema Nodosum Leprosum International STudy Group: ENLIST 1: an International Multi-Centre Cross-Sectional Study of the Clinical Features of Erythema Nodosum Leprosum. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2015, 9(9):e0004065
6. Parajuli P, Nisha Rana, Sangita Shrestha, Jyoti Maharjan, Prabina Rana and Jayashree Sijapati: Isolation and Characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis Strains Containing cryi genes from soil samples of Nepal. Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Environmental science 2015, 17(3):99-104
7. Upadhyay A. K. and Parajuli P: Extended spectrum β-lactamase producing multidrug-resistant Klebsiella species isolated at National Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Nepal. Asian J Pharm Clin Res 2013,6 ( 4) 161-164
Selected Conference Presentations
1. “Bacteriophages are the major drivers of Shigella flexneri serotype 1c genome plasticity: a complete genome analysis”The molecular Biology of Bacterial Pathogens (BacPath 14), Adelaide, Australia, 25-28 September, 2017
2. “Multiplex Real Time PCR for Detection of helminth co- infection in leprosy patients of Anandaban Hospital, Nepal.” The Fifth National Conference on Microbiology, Nepalese Society for Microbiology, Kathmandu, Nepal, November 15- 16, 2014
3. “Isolation and Molecular Identification of Thermophilic bacteria from a Hotspring of Gorkha, Nepal”. The Sixth National Conference on Science and Technology, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Kathmandu, Nepal, September 26, 2012.
Skills and Experiences
1. Molecular Biology tools - PCR, RT-PCR, Sequencing (PacBio, Illumina, MinIon), Recombinant DNA technology (Trasformation), Virulence Assays (Including C. elegans assays)
2. Immunology tools- Immunohisto-Staining, Flow Cytometry, ELISA, PBMC isolation, Cell Culture, Mouse handling
3. Bioinformatics and Statistical tools- Packages for Genome Assembly and Annotation of Bacterial genomes (Platforms: Windows, Unix and HPC); R-package, SPSS, STATA, Epiinfo, GraphPad Prism etc.
Memberships
1. American Society for Microbiology
2. Australian Society for Microbiology
3. International Society for Infectious Disease
Referees
Assoc. Prof. Naresh Verma
Group Leader - Bacterial and bacteriophage genetics, and vaccine development
Research School of Biology, ANU.
Naresh.Verma@anu.edu.au
+61 2 6125 2666 (Office)
Dr. Denisse Leyton
Group Leader -Assembly, function, and applications of nanoscale bacterial surface structures
Research School of Biology, ANU.
denisse.leyton@anu.edu.au
+61 2 6125 4795 (Office)
Assoc. Prof. Carol Behm
Honorary Group Leader - Nematode molecular biology
Research School of Biology, ANU.
carolyn.behm@anu.edu.au
+61 2 6125 2203 (Office)
Dr. Deanna A. Hagge
Director of Research and Laboratories
Mycobacterial Research Laboratories
Anandaban Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
(+977) 01-621-8382 (Nepal office)
deanna.hagge@leprosymission.org