UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA
FACULTY ACADEMIC PROFILE/ CV
Full name of the faculty member: SAJAL RAY
Designation: PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGY
Specialisation : INVERTEBRATE IMMUNOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY
Contact information : Department of Zoology
University of Calcutta
35, Ballygunge Circular Road
Kolkata- 700019, West Bengal, India
E-mail:
[email protected] Ph. No.:+91-33-2461-5445
Fax:+91-33-2461-4849
Academic qualifications:
College/ university from which the degree Abbreviation of the degree
was obtained
Master of Science, Calcutta University M.Sc.
Master of Philosophy, Calcutta University M.Phil.
Doctor of Philosophy, Jadavpur University Ph.D.
Positions held/ holding:
Lecturer of Zoology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary
College, Rahara, West Bengal.
Lecturer and Senior Lecturer of Zoology, Vidyasagar University,
Medinipur, West Bengal.
Fogarty post doctoral visiting research fellow at the National Institute of
Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Maryland, U.S.A.
Professor of Zoology, University of Calcutta, West Bengal (current
position).
Research interests: 200 – 250 words max
Our research involves understanding of the different levels and mechanisms of innate
immunological reactivities of aquatic invertebrates. We investigate the cell mediated and humoral
responses of sponges, annelids, crabs and molluscs exposed to agrotoxins, geogenic toxins,
industrial xenobiotics and nanoparticles. Our research is aimed to develop cellular and molecular
markers of aquatic toxicity in specific indicator species. Mechanism and radiation of
immunotoxicological reactivities from urmetazoans and living fossils to their evolutionary
descendents are being researched with reference to biological response modifications.
Parallely, xenobiotic induced cellular and biochemical stress analyses are being investigated in
the multiple types of aquatic invertebrates with ecological, biotechnological and medicinal
importance. Immunological resilience of invertebrates in the faces of environmental adversities
and chemical stress are analysed both in the field and laboratory conditions. Estimation and
analyses of physiological stress are being carried out in different test species exposed to diverse
groups of chemical toxins i.e. arsenic, pyrethroids, azadirachtin, washing soda, diesel, copper
nanoparticle etc. Effects of toxin exposure on different blood parameters, cytotoxicity, apoptotic
response, oxidative status, cyto and histoarchitecture, activities of lysozyme and other target
enzymes are examined in selected aquatic invertebrates. Contaminant induced genotoxicity and
lysosomal membrane fragility of invertebrate blood cells and other target cells are being
quantitated for analysis of the magnitude of chemical stress experienced by the organisms
inhabiting a biologically unsafe environment. Immunotoxicity of organic contaminants of
vehicular origin is screened in the benthic organisms of the ecologically sensitive region of
Sunderbans biosphere reserve.
Research guidance:
Number of researchers awarded M.Phil/ Ph.D degrees: M.Phil. -1, Ph.D. -7.
Number of researchers pursuing M.Phil/ Ph.D: Ph.D -3.
Projects :
Completed projects:
Early detection of neurovascular damage due to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax
and research for preventive and curative formulations of herbal origin. Defence Research
Laboratory, DRDO, Tezpur, Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India
Experimental studies on interaction of carbamates, stress and organophosphates ( Collaborative
with Dept. of Physiology, WB State University). Defence Research Development Establishment
(DRDE), Gwalior, Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India
Toxicological response of fresh water edible molluscs exposed to detergent and arsenic.(As
participatory scientist of Zoology Department). University Grant Commission (SAP-DRS I).
Screening and analyses of immunotoxicity of fenvelerate and cypermethrin in the economically
important freshwater molluscs of West Bengal.(As mentor scientist). Department of Science and
Technology (DST-WOS-A), Govt. of India
Current projects:
Membership of Learned Societies:
Life member, Zoological Society, Kolkata.
Fellow, Institute of Chemists, Calcutta.
Fellow, Zoological Society, India.
Awards : Fogarty visiting fellow at NHLBI, NIH, USA.
Tie - ups and collaborations:
Research group:
Dr. Mitali Ray
Dr. Niladri Sekhar Bhunia
Dr. Anindya Sundar Bhunia
Dr. Pallab Banerjee
Mr. Krishnendu Das
Mr. Soumalya Mukherjee
Mr. Arunodaya Gautam
Select list of publications: maximum limit of 10 publications (best and latest)
1. Ray, M., Bhunia, N.S., Bhunia, A.S., Ray, S. 2016. Expression analyses of interferon gamma,
tumor necrosis factor alpha and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the hemocyte morphotypes of
two commercially important Indian molluscs. Aquac. Rep. 4, 30-35. Elsevier.
2. Mukherjee, S., Ray, M., Ray, S., 2016c. Shift in aggregation, ROS generation, antioxidative
defense, lysozyme and acetylcholinesterase activities in the cells of an Indian freshwater sponge
exposed to washing soda (sodium carbonate). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C 187, 19-31. Elsevier.
3. Mukherjee, S., Bhunia, A.S., Bhunia, N.S., Ray, M., Ray, S., 2016a. Immunomodulatory effects of
temperature and pH of water in an Indian freshwater sponge. J. Therm. Biol. 59, 1–12. Elsevier.
4. Bhunia, A.S., Mukherjee, S., Bhunia, N.S., Ray, M., Ray, S., 2016. Immunological resilience of a
freshwater Indian mollusc during aestivation and starvation. Aquac. Rep. 3, 1–11. Elsevier.
5. Mukherjee, S., Ray, M., Ray, S., 2016b. A report of hailstorm damage to two species of freshwater
sponge (Demospongiae: Haplosclerida: Spongillidae) populations of West Bengal, India. J. Threat.
Taxa 8(4), 8719–8727.
6. Mukherjee, S., Ray, M., Ray, S., 2015b. Immunotoxicity of washing soda in a freshwater sponge
of India. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safe. 113, 112–123. Elsevier.
7. Mukherjee, S., Ray, M., Dutta, M.K., Acharya, A., Mukhopadhyay, S.K., Ray, S., 2015c.
Morphological alteration, lysosomal membrane fragility and apoptosis of the cells of Indian
freshwater sponge exposed to washing soda (sodium carbonate). Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safe. 122,
331–342. Elsevier.
8. Mukherjee, S., Ray, M., Ray, S., 2015a. Phagocytic efficiency and cytotoxic responses of Indian
freshwater sponge (Eunapius carteri) cells isolated by density gradient centrifugation and flow
cytometry: a morphofunctional analysis. Zoology 118, 8–18. Elsevier.
9. Ray, M., Bhunia, N.S., Bhunia, A.S., Ray, S., 2013a. A comparative analysis of morphological
variations, phagocytosis and generation of cytotoxic agents in flowcytometrically isolated
hemocytes of Indian molluscs. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 34, 244–253. Elsevier.
10. Ray, M., Bhunia, A.S., Bhunia, N.S., Ray, S., 2013b. Density shift, morphological damage,
lysosomal fragility and apoptosis of hemocytes of Indian molluscs exposed to pyrethroid
pesticides. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 35, 499–512. Elsevier.
