1. Page1
Sohini Chatterjee
Technical Officer for HIV-1 RealTime PCR and HIV1 Plasma Viral Load Lab, National AIDS Control
Organisation, NICED
sohini.titli@gmail.com
Summary
A Molecular Biologist excelling in HIV1 PCR assays and techniques
A leader as presently leading a project as 'Technical Officer'
Quality Management capabilities
Team management
Excelling in handling laboratory related work and techniques
Trained as per ISO 15189:2012 in Accreditation from BIS
Experience
Technical Officer at National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, ICMR
October 2011 - Present (5 years)
1. HIV-1 PCR RealTime Early Infant Diagnosis Qualitative assay from HIV-1 blood of children born to
HIV1 positive mothers(Abbott platform).
2. Performing HIV-1 Quantitative Viral Load assay (Abbott platform).
3. Sample receiving, acceptance/rejection and storage.
4. Result Generation in EID Tool as well as hard copy of report.
5. Providing Training for allocated states under EID (NICED).
6. NABL Accreditation activities; Internal Auditor as per NABL ISO 15189:2012
7. Ensuring documentation as per Operational guidelines.
8. Genotyping And HIV Drug Resistance Mutation Analysis.
9. Abbott DNA/RNA Extraction System (m2000sp) and AbbottRealTime PCR System (m2000rt) from Dried
Blood Spot sample and Plasma specimen
11. Extraction of HIV-1 DNA from Dried Blood Spot (DBS) and Whole Blood Sample
12. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of extracted HIV-1 DNA and Detection using ELISA technique
Education
University of Calcutta
Masters Degree, Microbiology, 2008 - 2010
University of Kalyani
B.Sc (Hons.), Microbiology, 2005 - 2008
Our Lady Queen Of The Missions School (till 12th)
Science (Biological Science), 2003 - 2005

2. Page2
ST. Thomas' Day School (till 10th)
All essential subjects and science, 1992 - 2003
Skills & Expertise
Bureau of Indian Standards trained in Internal
Audit ISO 15189:21012
NABL Accreditation activities
Managerial quality of leading a Team as Technical
Officer
1. HIV-1 PCR RealTime EID Qualitative assay
(Abbott platform)
Performing HIV-1 Quantitative Viral Load assay
(Abbott platform).
Providing Training
Ensuring documentation as per Operational
guidelines
Abbott DNA/RNA Extraction System & RealTime
PCR from HIV samples
Extraction of HIV-1 DNA from Dried Blood Spot
(DBS) and Whole Blood Sample
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of extracted
HIV-1 DNA
Detection of HIV1 DNA using ELISA technique
Isolation of Plasmid DNA from recombinant
cultures
Plasmid Curing (using Acridine Orange, SDS)
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Negotiation
Molecular Biology
Microbiology
Lifesciences
Business Analysis
Certifications
Medical Laboratories and Quality Management System and Internal Audit as per IS/ISO 15189/2012
National Institute of Training for Standardization,Bureau of Indian Standards March 2015
Publications
Plasmid-mediated streptomycin and sulfamethoxazole resistance in Shigella flexneri 3a
International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents June 16, 2010
Authors: Sohini Chatterjee, Soumik Barman, Sohini Chatterjee, Goutam Chowdhury, Thandavarayan
Ramamurthy, Swapan Kumar Niyogi, Ranajit Ku, Hemanta Koley#
Shigellosis is a major cause of diarrhoea-related morbidity and mortality, especially in children in developing
countries such as India. Recently, it was estimated that 91 million individuals worldwide contract shigellosis

3. Page3
each year. The emergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant strains of Shigella isnow an emerging
global health problem. During the past two decades, much attention was given to re-evaluation of treatment
recommendations. In the present study, we investigated a clinical strain of Shigella flexneri 3a with multiple
drug resistance. This strain was resistant to ampicillin, chlorampheni-col, co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim/
sulfamethoxazole), nalidixic acid, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole,tetracycline and trimethoprim. However,
it was susceptible to 46.7% of drugs tested, i.e. azithromycin,ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin,
kanamycin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin. A 6.3-kb plasmid was cured from this strain using acridine orange.
Following curing, it was observed that 87% of drug resistance loci of
S. flexneri 3a are chromosomal and 13% are plasmid-encoded. This 6.3-kb plasmid was involved in
streptomycin and sulfamethoxazole resistance in S. flexneri 3a strain, which was confirmed by the disk
diffusion method. Clonality was confirmed by pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). This study contributes
to our knowledge on acquired drug resistance in one of the most common Shigella spp., S. flexneri 3a, which
will enable better understanding of effective clinical management of shigellosis.
Diagnosing the Infected Child : The Indian Context The Positive Child Has a Right to a Positive Life:
Action Report on Pediatric HIV in INDIA
Monograph, Section 3.2. Abbott November 2014
Authors: Sohini Chatterjee, Sohini Chatterjee, Srijita Nandi, Mallika Ghosh, Malay Kumar Saha*
Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV is a major challenge. Early Infant
Diagnosis helps to generate evidence of effectiveness of PMTCT program. Virological tests are the
mainstay of diagnosis in exposed children below 18 months of age because persistence of maternal
IgG antibodies may lead to false interpretation of positive HIV antibody tests. Virological tests include
culture of virus, nucleic acid amplification tests, and tests that detect components of HIV virus (P 24
antigen assays). Viral culture is resource intensive and complex test for HIV diagnostic purpose.
Detection of viral RNA (RT- PCR, NASBA, bDNA assay) or proviral DNA (DNA PCR) through
amplification methods are the most widely used methods for HIV diagnosis in infants. Immune
Complex Dissociated P 24 antigen assay is a sensitive method of EID, though less than PCR.
Demonstration of IgA and IgM antibody is an evidence of infection in infants. But, these are not much
sensitive for children less than 3 months of age. In India EID network is based on 1,157 collection

4. Page4
centers and 7 testing labs. In 2012-13, 8,496 HIV exposed children underwent DNA PCR tests on
DBS out of which about 8% were found positive under the EID services of National AIDS Control
Program (NACP).
Languages
English
Bengali
Hindi
Honors and Awards
Viral Load HIV-1 assay refresher training in m2000sp & m2000rt Abbott system
Abbott (DSS Imagetech)
May 2016
Attended one day Annual “Institutional Biosafety Training Program (IBSC)
National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases
February 2016
Abbott DNA/RNA Extraction System (m2000sp) and AbbottRealTime PCR System (m2000rt) from
Dried Blood Spot sample
Abbott (DSS Imagetech)
December 2015
Symposium on “Diarrhoea Diseases and its Modern Perspective
Central Calcutta Society for Advancement of Human Development and Research
July 2015
4 days’ Training Program on “Medical Laboratories Quality Management Systems and Internal Audit as
per IS/ISO 15189:2012
National Institute of Training for Standardization, BIS
March 2015
National Meet on Strengthening HIV Laboratories in India, A Journey of Three Decades
NACO
December 2014
Two days’ “EQAS Workshop and NABL Accreditation for SRLS
National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata
October 2014
Two days’ workshop for “Dried Blood Testing (DBS) under National Integrated Biological and
Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS)”
National AIDS Research Institute (ICMR), Pune
June 2014
Three days’ “Induction training programme for Technical officers”
National AIDS Control Organisation at National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata

5. Page5
February 2013
One-day training on “Early Infant Diagnosis”
NACO
July 2012
three-day International Symposium on "FIFTY YEARS OF DISCOVERY OF CHOLERA TOXIN" -
A Tribute to Dr. Sambhunath De, and presented a poster on topic - “Shigella flexneri 3a encodes drug
resistance due to involvement of 6.3 kb and 47 kb plasmids
October 2010

6. Page6
Sohini Chatterjee
Technical Officer for HIV-1 RealTime PCR and HIV1 Plasma Viral Load Lab, National AIDS Control
Organisation, NICED
sohini.titli@gmail.com
Contact Sohini on LinkedIn