Mohan Somasundaran, PhD

Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology

Research Focus: Virus-Cell interactions, Antivirals, Drug Resistance

Scientific Training: For Ph.D., I investigated protein-ligand interactions of sialic acid binding lectin (Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Calcutta and Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ). My postdoctoral studies were on lysosomal storage diseases (Washington University, St. Louis), and on HIV-1 cytopathology (Worcester Foundation/UMass Medical School). I continued as faculty at UMass Medical School to pursue molecular virology projects focusing on genotypic and phenotypic factors of cell-entry, replication, and donor-to-recipient transmission of HIV, EBV, CMV, IAV and emerging infectious human pathogens (SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV2). One of my major research areas involves biology of viruses, and investigating antiviral drugs, small compounds, and siRNA against HIV, Sars CoV2 using in vitro cell model systems and in vivo animal (mouse) model system.

My research program in Virology and Molecular Biology has been continuously funded for the past 35 years by individual and multi-PI grants from the National Institute of Health, Small Business Innovation Research, Center for AIDS Research, Department of Defense (DoD), and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). I have served as the Chair and as a member of grant review committee boards for the NIH. I have served as a reviewer for virology and infectious diseases journals. I have (co)mentored Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students, junior faculty, undergraduate students, and postdocs, and supervised Research Associates/Technicians.

Served as Director of BSL-3 Core Virus Lab (Center for AIDS Research, Program in Molecular Medicine). Currently serving as Supervisor of the BMB Cell-Culture Facility. A voting member of the UMass Institutional Biosafety Committee – Review and Approve PI’s Registrations, Develop, Review, and/or Approve SOPs (BSL-3, BSL-2, Sars-CoV2)

External Community Service: Hosted Saptaswar Community Radio Program (Music, Health and Safety), WCUW 91.3 FM Community Radio Station, Worcester, MA.  

Lab Location: LRB 802
Phone: 508-856-4408