Nihar Bhattacharyya
Ph.D. Student
Department of Cell and Systems Biology
University of Toronto
25 Harbord St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5
Email: n.bhattacharya@mail.utoronto.ca
Current Research
- Investigating the role of the chromophore in rhodopsin thermal stability
- Snake retinal evolution and the presence of rhodopsin in cone-like photoreceptors
- Investigating the effects of retinitis pigmentosa mutations on the intracellular trafficking of rhodopsin in vitro
Education
Ph.D. (2018) — University of Toronto, Cell and Systems Biology
Advisor: Dr. Belinda Chang
M.Sc. (2012) — McGill University, Anatomy and Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Elaine C. Davis
B.Sc. (2009) — Simon Fraser University, Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry (Major), Biology (Minor)
Advisor: Dr. David L. Baillie
Publications
Bhattacharya, N., Darren, B., Schott, R. K., Chang, B. S. W., 2017. Cone-like rhodopsin expressed in the all-cone retina of the colubrid pine snake as a potential adaptation to diurnality. Journal of Experimental Biology. 220: 2418-2425
Castiglione, G.M., Hauser F.E., Liao B.S., Lujan N.K., Van Nynatten A., Morrow J.M., Schott R.K., Bhattacharyya N., Dungan S.Z., and B.S.W. Chang (2017). Evolution of nonspectral rhodopsin function at high altitudes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114 (28): 7385-7390.
Morrow, J. M., Castiglione, G. M., Dungan, S. Z., Tang, P. L., Bhattacharya, N., Hauser, F. E. and Chang, B. S.W. (2017), An experimental comparison of human and bovine rhodopsin provides insight into the molecular basis of retinal disease. FEBS Lett, 591: 1720–1731.
Schott, R. K., Müller, J., Yang, C., Bhattacharya, N., Chan, N., Xu, M., Morrow, J. M., Ghenu, A., Loew, E. R., Tropepe, V., Chang, B. S. W. (2016) Evolutionary transformation of rod photoreceptors in the all-cone retina of a diurnal garter snake. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 113:2 356-361
Canuel, M., Bhattacharyya, N., Balbis, A., Yuan, L., Morales, CR. (2009) Sortilin and prosaposin localize to detergent-resistant membrane microdomains. Experimental Cell Research. 315:2 240-247
Publications in Preparation/Submitted
Luk, H.L., Bhattacharya, N., Montisci, F., Morrow, J.M., Melaccio, F., Wada, A., Sheves, M., Fanelli, F., Chang, B.S.W, Olivucci, M., Submitted. Modulation of thermal noise and spectral tuning in Lake Baikal cottoid fish rhodopsin. For Scientific Reports
Scholarships & Awards
Vision Science Research Scholarship (University Health Network), 2016
General Motors Women in Science & Mathematics Award, 2016
Vision Science Research Scholarship (University Health Network), 2015
Vision Science Research Scholarship (University Health Network), 2014
University of Toronto Fellowship, 2013
University of Toronto Fellowship, 2012
Provost’s Graduate Fellowship (McGill University), 2009
Summit Scholarship (Simon Fraser University), 2004
Provincial Scholarship (Government of British Columbia), 2004
University Scholarship (Lower Mainland Bengali Cultural Society), 2004
Presentations
Bhattacharya, N., Darren, B., Schott, RK., Chang, B. S. W. Evidence for evolutionary transformation of rod to cone photoreceptors in Northern Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus. Evolution meeting, Austin, TX. 2016 (Poster)
Bhattacharya, N., Morrow, J.M., Heon, E., Chang, B. S. W. Functional effects of retinitis pigmentosa mutations in the EL2 of rhodopsin. 58th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto, ON. 2016 (Poster)
Bhattacharya, N., Morrow, J. M. M., Heon, E., Chang, B. S. W. The in vitro trafficking of rhodopsin retinitis pigmentosa mutants. 57th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network, Toronto, ON. 2015 (Poster)
Schott, RK.*, Yang, C., Bhattacharya, N., Chan, N., Xu, M., Loew, ER., Morrow, JM., Tropepe, V., Müller, J., Chang, B.S.W. Blue-shifted rhodopsin expressed in transmuted cones of the diurnal colubrid snake Thamnophis proximus. Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution Meeting. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 2014 (Talk)
Schott, RK.*, Yang, C., Bhattacharya, N., Chan, N., Xu, M., Loew, ER., Morrow, JM., Tropepe, V., Müller, J., Chang, B.S.W. 2014. Blue-shifted rhodopsin expressed in transmuted cones of the diurnal colubrid snake Thamnophis proximus. 56th Annual Vision Science Research Day, University Health Network. Toronto, ON. 2014 (Talk)
Bhattacharya, N., Patterson, C. E., Wolter, N., Bissonnette, R., Li, L., Davis, E. C. Investigating the Role of FKBP65 in Type I Collagen Secretion and Assembly. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology Research and Teaching Symposium, McGill University, Montreal, QC. 2011 (Poster)
Patterson, C. E., Pickett, A. E., Bhattacharya, N., Wolter, N., Bissonnette, R., Davis, E. C. FKBP65 Expression in Tissue Growth & Remodeling. 17th Annual Canadian connective Tissue Conference, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC. 2011 (Poster)
Lee, D. P., Simms, C. L., Bhattacharya, N., Mah, A. K., Tu, D. K., Baillie, D. L. Characterization of defects and regulatory elements of glutamate dehydrogenase in Caenorhabditis elegans. 2nd Annual Canadian Human Genetics Conference, Vancouver, BC. 2009 (Poster)
Bhattacharya, N., Jones, M. R., Lee, D. P., Chua, S. Y., Baillie, D. L. Characterizing the interaction of rol-3 suppressors in Caenorhabditis elegans. Seattle-Vancouver Meeting of VanWoRM, University of Washington, Seattle, OR. 2009