1. Dr. Arindam Sarkar
Ph.D
Phone (Mob.): +91-9832116751
email: arimicro.sarkar@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Ph.D: Microbiology (2015); The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India.
M.Sc: Microbiology; Passed in 2007 with 1st
Class (67.5%); The University of Burdwan,
West Bengal, India.
B.Sc: Microbiology (Hons.); Passed in 2005 with 1st
Class (60%); The University of Burdwan,
West Bengal, India.
Higher secondary Examination: Passed in 2001 with 2nd
Class (53.8%); W.B.C.H.S.E.,
West Bengal, India.
Madhyamik (Secondary) Examination: Passed in 1999 with 1st
Class (75.5%); W.B.B.S.E.,
West Bengal, India.
AWARDS / HONOURS
Awarded as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) & promoted to Senior Research Fellow (SRF) by
the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of West Bengal.
PERSONAL PROFILE
Date of Birth: 01.12.1983
Nationality: Indian
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Present Address: Arindam Sarkar
C/o Shri Swapan Kumar Sarkar
39, Tentultala, Near Mandar Cinema Hall
Garia main road, Garia
Kolkata -700084, West Bengal
India
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2. PUBLICATIONS
1. Arindam Sarkar, Somenath Datta, Bani K. Pathak, Subhra K. Mukhopadhyay and
Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Japanese Encephalitis Associated Acute Encephalitis
Syndrome Cases in West Bengal, India: A Sero-molecular Evaluation in relation to
Clinico-pathological Spectrum. Journal of Medical Virology, 2015; 00:1-10.
Doi:10.1002/jmv.24165.
2. Arindam Sarkar, Bansi B. Mukhopadhyay, Somenath Datta, Bani k. Pathak, Subhra
K. Mukhopadhyay and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. A comparative study of
seroprevalence and clinico-epidemiologic features of Japanese encephalitis virus
infection between pediatric-adolescents and adults hospitalized with acute
encephalitis syndrome in the districts of West Bengal, India. BioMed Research
International, In Press.
3. Debasis Karak, Avishek Banik, Arindam Sarkar, Shyamalendu Chatterjee, Jesús
Sanmartín Matalobos, Subhra Kanti Mukhopadhyay and Debasis Das. 9-Acridone-4-
carboxylic acid: Crystal structure, immune-fluorescence detection of viral antigen
and cell imaging studies. Journal of Indian Chemical Society, 2014; 91:245-251.
4. Shyamalendu Chatterjee, Tanuja Khatun, Arindam Sarkar and Debjani Taraphdar.
An overview of dengue infections during 2000–2010 in Kolkata, India. Dengue
Bulletin, 2013; 37:77-86.
5. Arindam Sarkar, Avishek Banik, Bani K. Pathak, Subhra K. Mukhopadhyay and
Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Envelope protein gene based molecular characterization of
Japanese encephalitis virus clinical isolates from West Bengal, India: a comparative
approach with respect to SA14-14-2 live attenuated vaccine strain. BMC Infectious
Diseases, 2013; 13:368. doi:10.1186/1471-2334-13-368.
6. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar, Subhra K. Mukhopadhyay, Sekhar
Chakrabarti and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Molecular evidence for the occurrence of
Japanese encephalitis virus genotype I and III infection associated with acute
Encephalitis in Patients of West Bengal, India, 2010. Virology Journal, 2012; 9:271.
doi:10.1186/1743-422X-9-271. (This manuscript has also been cited in Nature
India with the title of “Co-circulating JEV strains question vaccine efficacy” in
“Research highlight” section. doi:10.1038/nindia.2012.166).
7. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar, Bansi B. Mukhopadhyay, Manish Kumar,
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3. Subhra K. Mukhopadhyay and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Influence of socio-economic
status and environmental factors on serologically diagnosed Japanese encephalitis
cases in the state of West Bengal, India during 2005-2010. Health, 2012; 4(1):6-12.
doi:10.4236/health.2012.41002.
8. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar, Subhra K. Mukhopadhyay, Sekhar
Chakrabarti and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Serological and molecular diagnosis of
Japanese encephalitis reveals an increasing public health problem in the state of West
Bengal, India. Transaction of the Royal society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,
2012; 106(1):15-19. doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2011.08.011.
9. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar, Bansi B. Mukhopadhyay, Debabrata
Chakraborty, Tanuja Khatun and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Increasing trend of
Japanese encephalitis cases in West Bengal, India - a threat to paediatric population.
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease, 2012; 2(5):358-361. doi:10.1016/S2222-
1808(12)60078-4.
10. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar, Bansi B. Mukhopadhyay and Shyamalendu
Chatterjee. A Comparative Study of Clinical Features between Monotypic and Dual
Infection Cases with Chikungunya Virus and Dengue Virus in West Bengal, India.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2012; 86(4):720–723.
doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0704.
11. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar, Bansi B. Mukhopadhyay, Sekhar Chakrabarti
and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Rapid spread of Chikungunya virus following its
resurgence during 2006 in West Bengal, India. Transaction of the Royal society of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2012; 106(3):160-166.
doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2011.10.016.
12. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Mass scale
screening of common arboviral infections by an affordable, cost effective RT-PCR
method. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 2012; 2(2):97-101.
doi:10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60200-1.
13. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Molecular
Typing of Dengue Virus Circulating in Kolkata, India in 2010. Journal of Tropical
Medicine, 2012; 2012:1-5. doi:10.1155/2012/960329.
14. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Investigations of
Recurrent outbreaks of unknown fever, establish rural dengue activity in West
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4. Midnapore, a costal district in West Bengal, India. Archives of Clinical
Microbiology, 2010; 1(4):2. doi:10:3823/215.
Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar, Mihir K. Bhattacharya and Shyamalendu
Chatterjee. Sero diagnosis of dengue activity in an unknown febrile outbreak at the
Siliguri Town, District Darjeeling, West Bengal. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical
Medicine, 2010; 3(5):364-366. doi:10.1016/S1995-7645(10)60088-0.
Proceedings:
1. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar, Subhra K. Mukhopadhyay and Shyamalendu
Chatterjee. Impact of socio-economic status and environmental factors on Japanese
encephalitis cases in the state of West Bengal, India during 2005-2009. In: Proceeding of
the 99th
Annual Conference of Indian Science Congress Association, 2012; P-155-156,
Art-22.
2. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Encephalitis due to
Arboviral infections in West Bengal, India. In: Proceeding of the 99th
Annual Conference
of Indian Science Congress Association, 2012; P-235-236, Art-104.
3. Arindam Sarkar, Debjani Taraphdar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Detection of JEV
Activity in Some Districts of West Bengal, India. In: Proceeding of the 98th
Annual
Conference of Indian Science Congress Association, 2011; P-284, Art-124.
4. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Reemergence and
Rapid Spread of Chikungunya Virus All Over West Bengal. In: Proceeding of the 98th
Annual Conference of Indian Science Congress Association, 2011; P-283, Art-123.
5. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Isolation and
identification of JE virus in some districts of West Bengal, already vaccinated against JE
virus. In: Proceeding BIT’s 1st
World Congress of Virus and Infections 2010. July 31st
to
August 3rd
, 2010. Venue: Busan Exhibition & Convention Centre, Korea.
6. Debjani Taraphdar, Arindam Sarkar and Shyamalendu Chatterjee. Serodiagnosis of
Japanese Encephalitis amongst the Economically Backward Classes in the Different
Districts of West Bengal. In: Proceeding of the 96th
Annual Conference of Indian Science
Congress Association, 2009; P-55, Art-66.
PRESENTATION/ TRAINING PROGRAMMES ATTENDED
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5.  Presented a paper/poster at 98th
Indian Science Congress, held at SRM University,
Chennai from January 3-7, 2011 on “Detection of JEV Activity in Some Districts of
West Bengal, India.”
 Participated in the short term course on “Bioinformatics in Genomics, Proteomics
and Metabolomics” organized by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur,
Kharagpur, India: September 2011.
 Participated in one day seminar lecture series on “Basic and Applied Microbiology”
held on 14th
May 2010 organized by Department of Microbiology, The University of
Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India.
 Participated in the workshop on “Advanced techniques in Biotechnology”, 22-24
February, 2008, organized by Department of Biotechnology, The University of
Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India.
 Participated in “5th National Conference on current researches in Plant and
Microbial Sciences”, 26-27 November, 2005, organized by Department of Botany,
The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, India.
TECHNIQUES FAMILIAR WITH
 Microbiological Techniques: Isolation of Microbes from Different Sources,
Handling of bacterial cultures & their characterization (based on data from
morphological, biochemical, physiological), Identification, Maintenance and
preservation. Microscopic enumeration, growth curves studies, Screening of
bacterial cultures for bioprospecting (screening for antimicrobial active metabolite
potential, protease, lipase, amylase, and cellulase), Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing,
determination of potability of water and IMVIC test.
 Immunological Techniques: Widal test, Tuberculin test, Mac-ELISA, HAI assay,
Biochemical assays.
 Tissue culture Techniques: Experience in handling and passaging of mammalian
and mosquito cell culture.
 Molecular biological Techniques: Isolation of plasmid DNA from E. coli.,
Isolation of genomic DNA from bacterial cultures, light & immunofluorescent
Microscopy, Agarose Gel Electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE (coomassie staining),
Viral RNA extraction, RT-PCR, Real-Time PCR, Sequencing.
 Spectroscopic Techniques: UV-Visible spectroscopy.
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6.  Chromatographic Techniques: TLC.
 Experience in handling Human blood samples.
 Knowledge of Bio-informatics: BLAST, FASTA, Clustal W, Sequence alignment,
molecular phylogeny (by MEGA software), use of online servers regarding epitope
mapping, use of PyMol software.
RESEARCH WORK DURING M.Sc
Title: The development of a new alcohol based beverage form green coconut water using
isolated yeast strain
For development of a new alcohol based beverage form green coconut water using
isolated yeast strain, firstly the yeast strain was isolated from exudates of date palm tree during
late winter of 2007. The biochemical test and electron micro photograph performed for yeast
strain where all negative for cellulose, protease, amylase and lipase. Alcohol production from
green coconut water was studied both in vivo and in-vitro condition with or without addition of
various supplement of glucose and yeast extract. In all cases alcohol production in the final
fermented broth was below 3% and no objectionable odour was observed.
RESEARCH WORK DURING Ph.D
Thesis title: Studies on Japanese Encephalitis Virus circulating in West Bengal, with
special emphasis on envelope protein gene and effect of natural bio-molecules
on JEV
Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a life threatening disease caused by the mosquito-borne
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a member of the genus Flavivirus under the family
Flaviviridae. It is one of the major causes of severe neurotropic disease which includes fever,
aseptic meningitis, acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) or classic
meningomyleo encephalitis in humans. It is a disease of major public health importance due to
its lack of specific treatment, high epidemic potential, high case fatality rate and neurological
sequelae among survivors. The worldwide incidental scenario of JE is 30,000-50,000 cases per
year, the estimated mortality is 10,000 per year, whereas about 30% of survivors, especially
pediatric-adolescents (aged 2-15 years) develop serious permanent neuropsychiatric problem.
Pig-mosquito-pig and bird-mosquito-bird transmission cycle is responsible for the
maintenance of JEV in nature; where Culex spp. mosquitoes primarily involving as vectors,
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7. wading birds as reservoir host, pigs as amplifying host and Humans are the accidental “dead
end” hosts. JEV is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, but disease
develops in <1% of infected persons. Direct person-to-person spread of JEV does not occur
except rarely through intrauterine or transplacental transmission. On the basis of experience
with other flaviviruses, blood transfusion and organ transplantation also are considered potential
modes of JEV transmission. In endemic areas, the occurrence of JE is mainly in pediatric-
adolescents. However, in areas where JEV was recently introduced, adults have also developed
the disease. The symptomatic JE has a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. JEV transmission occurs
primarily in rural agricultural areas and does not usually occur in urban areas. In the subtropics
and tropics of Asia, transmission can occur year-round, often intensifying during and/or after
the rainy season. Since the isolation of this virus in Japan in 1935, it has been detected
worldwide becoming a major public health problem. JE occurs throughout most of Asia and
parts of the western Pacific. The first half of the 20th
century, the disease was recognized
principally in temperate areas of Asia including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and mainland China.
Over the past few decades, the disease appears to have spread south and west with increased
JEV transmission reported in Southeast Asia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. In the
1990s, JEV spread east and was recognized for the first time in Saipan and then Australia,
initially in the outer Torres Strait islands and subsequently on the northern mainland. The
reasons for this increased geographic distribution are uncertain but might include rapid travel
habit or migration of the population or changes in climate, ecology, agricultural practices,
animal husbandry, or migratory bird patterns. These factors could contribute to further spread,
including potentially beyond Asia and the western Pacific. Countries which have had major
epidemics in the past, but which have controlled the disease primarily by vaccination, include
China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand whereas other countries that still have periodic
epidemics include Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Nepal, and Malaysia.
Like other flaviviruses, JEV, an enveloped positive-sense single stranded RNA (~ 11kb
in length) virus contains single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polyprotein that is
processed into three structural (Capsid, C; Membrane, M; and Envelope, E) and seven
nonstructural (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5) proteins, flanked by 5'- and 3'-
non-translated regions (NTRs)/untranslated regions (UTRs). Among the three structural
proteins, the E protein is considered as the most antigenic part of the viral genome and is found
to be involved in disease manifestation by means of the majority of the biological properties of
the virus, such as binding to the cell receptor, inducing immunological responses
(neutralization, passive protection and antibody dependent enhancement), virion assembly and
fusion activity at low pH. In addition, this E protein is vulnerable and mutation takes place
frequently, which ultimately liberates new strain creating epidemic. Moreover, the amino acid
substitutions in E protein have a major role in determining the neuorovirulence or
neuroinvasiveness. The nucleotide sequence of full-length E gene of JEV is an
established/reliable phylogenetic marker because this region has got no selective pressure
supporting obscure long-term evolutionary relationship. Based on the nucleotide sequence of E
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8. gene, JEV can be divided into five distinct genotypes. Mostly genotype III (GIII) is circulated in
the Southeast Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Vietnam,
Philippines, and India. However, it has been recently documented that GIII is replaced by
genotype I (GI) in South Korea, Thailand and China.
In India, the existence of JEV was first reported serologically in 1954. However, the
disease was first recognized in India at Vellore (in the state of Tamil Nadu) in 1955. Since then,
epidemics of JE in different states have been recorded. It was mentioned that genotype III is
predominant in India, but recently genotype I has been introduced in this country.
In West Bengal, the first major outbreak of JE took place in 1973 in the rural district of
Burdwan and Bankura where more than 700 cases and 300 deaths have been reported. Since
then many outbreaks have been observed. Though the State Health Department, Govt. of West
Bengal has conducted vaccination programme against JE in different rural districts of West
Bengal, still sporadic JE cases and deaths are being reported every year from the state.
Therefore, JE is really becoming of grave public health concern due to its complexity and lack
of any specific treatment with poor JE surveillance system in the state. Moreover, the reports of
JE incidences or endemicity of JE in the state might be the indications of partial vaccination
although the emergence of mutated/new strain of JEV that ignore the vaccine could not be
excluded.
Regarding the above said contextual aspects; the first question (chapter 3) we asked
what was the actual disease burden or actual JE cases occurred in the West Bengal state? To
answer this question, we have performed serological and molecular tests to detect JE cases
admitted in the hospitals with AES that will give an idea about the total number of cases or
disease burden in this region. Results of these experiments suggested that: (A) JE cases have
been recorded in the pediatric-adolescent age group (0–10 years, followed by 11–20 years), in
the male individuals. (B) As regards the seasonal variations, JE cases started from June and
attain the maximum number of cases in September, followed by October and November.
Interestingly, a second bout of JE cases was recorded in December. (C) The year-wise record of
our investigation reveals a steady increase JE cases, indicating a possible public health threat in
the near future. We questioned (chapter 4) whether socio-economic status and environmental
factors have played any role in relation to the risk of serologically diagnosed Japanese
Encephalitis cases? Using IgM antibody captured ELISA (Mac-ELISA) experiment; we
observed that socio-economic status and environmental conditions were statistically significant
contextual risk factors for serologically diagnosed JE incidences in West Bengal. The next
question we asked (chapter 5) was whether there were any protective antibody to JEV in the
population of affected areas in the state as well as were there any comparative clinical
features/findings in JE cases from pediatric-adolescent and adult patients with AES? We have
conducted district-wise age-group specific serosurveillence by means of haemagglutination
inhibition (HAI) assay which confirmed that majority of population (especially pediatric-
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9. adolescent) of the state were non-immune to JEV infection. This, in turn, goes to indicate that
they are vulnerable to JEV infection in near future. On the other hand, neck rigidity,
convulsion/seizure, abnormal behavior and mean elevation of aspartate transaminase level were
statistically higher in pediatric-adolescent age group, whereas both headache and myalgia, blood
urea level and the mean elevation of protein and WBC in CSF were found to be prominent in
adults in serologically diagnosed JE cases with AES. The next questions we asked (chapter 6:
Part A & B) were whether there was any change in the molecular pattern of the circulating JEV
and was there any introduction of new JEV genotype which ignored the existing vaccine? E
protein gene based molecular phylogeny revealed that JEV genotype I (GI) has emerged very
recently, co-circulating with JEV genotype III (GIII) in West Bengal. Moreover, using web
based immunoinformatics tools, we also examined crucial amino acid changes in E protein of
both JEV GI and GIII clinical isolates in comparison with live attenuated JE vaccine derived
from GIII strain SA-14-14-2 enabling us to predict to disrupt T-cell epitope
immunogenicity/antigenicity that might largely influence the outcome of vaccine, followed by
analyzing the molecular impact of amino acid substitutions on E protein structure of those
isolates in relation to disease severity. In this connection, the efficacy of the vaccine to protect
against GI of JEV needs careful evaluation. In near future, there is a chance for an impending
threat of JEV outbreak in this region/state, if this vaccine fails to protect sufficiently against GI
of JEV. Lastly we questioned (chapter 8) was there any natural bio-molecules (plant phenolics
and marine bacterial polysaccharides) that acted as anti-JEV agent to combat the disease? Using
a tissue culture based MTS assay and real time RT-PCR method; we planned to evaluate/screen
the natural bio-molecules as an anti-JEV agent. This study was the first report that confirms
polysaccharide from the marine bacterial origin was potent natural antiviral agent against JEV
infection.
Overall, the present thesis/research work attempts to provide new reports on molecular
epidemiology of JEV in the state of West Bengal and effect of natural bio-molecules on JEV.
As no such systematic and extensive studies have yet been carried out in this region till date
or there is paucity of data regarding the actual prevalence of JEV infection, our studies may
very well be considered as pioneer attempt of works in the region/state.
REFERENCES/ REFEREES
1. Dr. Shyamalendu Chatterjee, Scientist D, Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR), Virus Unit, Kolkata-700010, West Bengal, India, email:
shyamalenduchatterjee@gmail.com; Phone (mob.): +91-9433347772
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10. Dr. Subhra kanti Mukhopadhyay, Associate professor, Department of Microbiology,
The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan-713104, West Bengal, India,
email: skmmicro@gmail.com; Phone (mob.): +91-9474376192
Dr. Nilanjan Chakraborty, Scientist E, Assistant Director, Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR), Virus Unit, Kolkata-700010, India, email:
nilanjanchakraborty@ymail.com; Contact no. +91-9163785518
Dr. Pradipta Saha, Assistant professor, Department of Microbiology, The University of
Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan-713104, West Bengal, India, email:
sahaapu@gmail.com; Phone (mob.): +91-9433911957
DECLARATION
I offer an attitude of excellence and diligence backed up with an extraordinary zeal. My
ability to learn quickly, apply what I learn efficiently and love for challenging work would help
in adding value to every study or project that I am a part of. I am looking for an opportunity to be
among the best so that I can work harder to reach my ultimate ambition of being one of them.
I have a strong work ethic and am committed to the highest levels of professional and
personal excellence.
I hereby declare that the above mentioned information is correct upto my knowledge and
I bear the responsibility for the correctness of the above mentioned particulars.
Place: Kolkata (Arindam Sarkar)
Signature
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