Akanksha Behl

Innovative life scientist with background in developing and implementing experimental studies across various biological systems. Skilled in data analysis, scientific writing, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to advance research objectives. Demonstrated ability to innovate in laboratory settings, leading to improvements in research methodologies and contributing to published findings. Committed to solving complex biological problems through rigorous experimentation and critical thinking.

• 45 days, Basic techniques of molecular biology, Biotechnology Division of Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR), Palampur, H.P., India
• 6 months, In vivo anticancer studies in murine model, Cancer Pharmacology Division of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR), Jammu, India
• 1 month, In vitro human cell culture, MTT assay and cell-based assays such as cell cycle and western blotting, Cancer Pharmacology Division of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR)

Drug delivery system:

· Development and design of biodegradable polymers based on ethylene glycol and caprolactone and preparation of nanoparticles based on PEG-PCL with double emulsion method.

· Encapsulation of an anti-cancer drugs (alone and in cocktail) into the polymeric nanoparticles and checked its in vitro release study.

· Optimization and characterization of the developed nano-formulation by various tools such as Particle size analyzer, GPC, SEM, TEM, FTIR.

In vitro:

· Good experience in mammalian cell culture techniques.

· Apoptosis Studies (In-vitro and In-vivo, Mechanistic).

· In-vivo toxicity evaluation of the prepared nano-formulations by MTT assay, LD50, histopathological analysis and blood biochemistry.

In vivo:

· Handling and experimental exposure to various animals such as Balb/c mice, C57B/6J Mice, Swiss Albino mice, NOD-SCID mice and Wistar rats.

· Expertise in dosing of animals in all routes: oral, intra-peritoneal, intra-venous and isolation of various organs from rat and mice such as lung, kidney, heart, brain etc.

· Stereotactic Intracranial surgery, Perfusion and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Molecular Biology:

· Western blotting (immunoblotting), DNA fragmentation, Bacterial transformation, Plasmid Isolation.

· Practiced various molecular biology techniques like cellular culture, DNA cw2dcxcloning, extraction of DNA, extraction of plasmids, Polymerase Chain Reaction: copying DNA, Gel electrophoresis: separating molecules per length, DNA sequencing and DNA: mutations.

Microscopy:

· Phase contrast, Fluorescence, Confocal and Immunofluorescence.

· DAPI, Hoechst, Acridine orange, DCFHDA staining and Annexin-V.

• Monoclonal antibodies in breast cancer: a critical appraisal, Akanksha Behl, Zahoor A. Wani, Nagendra Nath Das, Virinder S. Parmar, Shashwat Malhotra, Christophe Len and Anil K. Chhillar, Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 183, 2023, 103915
• Biodegradable PEG-PCL nanoparticles for co-delivery of MUC1 inhibitor and Doxorubicin for the confinement of Triple-negative breast cancer, Akanksha Behl, Subhash Solanki, Shravan Kumar Paswan, Tirtha Kumar Datta, Adesh K. Saini, Reena V Saini, Shashwat Malhotra, Virinder S. Parmar, and Anil K. Chhillar, Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 31(3), 2023, 999-1018
• Co-delivery of MUC1 Inhibitor and gemcitabine using PEG-PCL nanoparticles for metastatic breast cancer therapy, Akanksha Behl, Parul Sarwalia, Sushil Kumar, Chittaranjan Behera, Mubashir Javed Mintoo Tirtha Kumar Datta, P N Gupta, Anil K. Chhillar, Molecular Pharmaceutics, 19(7), 2022, 2429-2440
• Computational design for identification of human anti-MUC1 heteroclitic peptides in treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer through neural network training and monomeric based design, Akanksha Behl, Nagendra Nath Das, Krishan Kant Sharma, Namita Sharma, Prity Gulia and Anil Kumar Chhillar, Current Cancer Drug Targets, 23, 2023, 235-241
• Nano-Based drug delivery of anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs targeting breast cancer, Akanksha Behl and Anil K. Chhillar, Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery, 18, 2023, 325-342
• Biomolecule-based Polymeric Nanomaterials for the Anticancer Delivery, Akanksha Behl and Anil K. Chhillar, Annals of Biology, 2021, In press
• Chemotherapeutic Strategies for Combating Staphylococcus aureus Infections, Sharma N, Chhillar AK, Dahiya S, Punia A, Choudhary P, Gulia P, Behl A, Dangi M, Mini Rev Med Chem, 22(1), 2022, 26-42
• Biodegradable diblock copolymeric PEG-PCL nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and applications as anticancer drug delivery agents, Akanksha Behl, Virinder S Parmar, Shashwat Malhotra, Anil K Chhillar, Polymer, 207, 2020, 122901
• A novel quinazolinone-chalcone derivative induces mitochondrial dependent apoptosis and inhibits PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in human colon cancer HCT-116 cells, Wani ZA, Guru SK, Rao AV, Sharma S, Mahajan G, Behl A, Kumar A, Sharma PR, Kamal A, Bhushan S, Mondhe DM, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 87, 2016, 1-11
• Quinazoline based small molecule exerts potent tumor suppressive properties by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling in experimental colon cancer, Qazi AK, Hussain A, Khan S, Aga MA, Behl A, Ali S, Singh SK, Taneja SC, Shah BA, Saxena AK, Mondhe DM, Hamid A, Cancer Letters, 359, 1, 2015, 47-56
• Design and synthesis of antitumour Heck coupled Sclareol analogues: Modulation of BH3 family members by SS-12 in autophagy and apoptotic cell death, Bilal Rah, Shabir H. Lone, Reyaz Ur Rasool, Saleem Farooq, Debasis Nayak, Naveed Anjum Chikan, Souneek Chakraborty, Akanksha Behl, Dilip Manikaro Mondhe, Anindya Goswami, and Khursheed Ahmad Bhat, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 58, 2015, 3432-3444
• Anticancer activity and toxicity profiles of 2-Benzylidene indanone lead molecule, Aastha Singh, Kaneez Fatima, Arjun Singh, Akansha Behl, M.J. Mintoo, Mohammad Hasanain, Raghib Ashraf, Suaib Luqman, Karuna Shanker, D.M. Mondhe, Jayanta Sarkar, Debabrata Chanda, Arvind S. Negi, European journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 76, 2015, 57-67
• Anticancer activity of a novel quinazolinone-chalcone derivative through cell cycle arrest in pancreatic cancer cell line, Zahoor A. Wani, Anup S. Pathania, Girish Mahajan1, Akanksha Behl, Mubashir J. Mintoo, Santosh K. Guru, A. Viswanath, Fayaz Malik, Ahmed Kamal, Dilip M. Mondhe, Journal of Solid Tumors, 5, 2015, 73-85

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition by 5,7-dihydroxy-8-(3-hydroxy-1-methylpiperidin-4yl)-2-methyl-4H-chromen-4-one analogs, Indian Patent, 1142DEL201, WO 2014/170914 A1

• Protease-cleavable bispecific antibody therapy for Brain Metastasis, Graduate Research Day, Augusta University, US, 03/08/24
• AB copolymeric PEG-PCL amphiphilic nanoparticles for anticancer drug delivery, Webinar on Cancer Science and Oncology, 03/10/21
• Chemo drugs loaded polymeric nanoparticles for breast cancer therapy, 4th Virtual Conference on Cancer Science and Oncology, 09/27/21 - 09/28/21
• Recent trends and future perspective of flavonoids as anti-cancer agents., International Conference on Microbes for Health and Wealth, MD University, Rohtak, Haryana, 11/14/17
• Biodegradable AB diblock copolymer PEG-PCL biomaterial for anti-cancer drug delivery., International Symposium on Biodiversity and Banking (Biodiverse 2018), Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, 01/27/18 - 01/29/18
• Bioethics in Research: A need or Compulsion, National Workshop, 11/15/18
• PEG-PCL copolymeric nanoparticles for the delivery of anti-cancer agents., National Conference on Emerging Trends in biochemistry (ETIB 2017), MD University, Rohtak, Haryana, 09/15/17 - 09/16/17
• 101st Indian Science Congress, University of Jammu, Jammu, India, 02/03/14 - 02/07/14
• A Novel Chalcone derivative IICT-396 triggers cell cycle arrest and Targets PI3k Pathway in colon cancer., XIII Annual conference of ISVPT on Development of Anticancer Drugs from Botanicals, SKUAST, Jammu, 11/20/13 - 11/22/13
• Modes of action of Flavonoids with anticancer activity, XIII Annual conference of ISVPT on Development of Anticancer Drugs from Botanicals, SKUAST, Jammu, 11/20/13 - 11/22/13
• In vivo Optical imaging in Anticancer Drug Discovery, XIII Annual conference of ISVPT on Development of Anticancer Drugs from Botanicals, SKUAST, Jammu, 11/20/13 - 11/22/13

• Women Scientist Fellowship (WOS-A), DST, 02/01/17 - 10/31/21
• Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE 2011), Life Science
• Gold medalist in B.Sc. life science, Himachal Pradesh University
• Best poster award, Thirteen annual conferences of Indian Society of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, A novel Chalcone derivative IICT-396 triggers cell cycle arrest and target PI3K pathway in Colon Cancer
• Reviewer, Molecular Carcinogenesis

• College Joint Secretary.
• Won best artist award in painting.
• Won beauty pageant.

• Prof. Anil K. Chhillar, Professor, Centre for Biotechnology, MD University, Rohtak, Haryana, 124001, India, anil.chhillar@gmail.com
• Prof. Virinder S. Parmar, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Medgar Evers College, The City University of New York, 1638 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11225, USA, virparmar@gmail.com
• Dr. P. N. Gupta, Principal Scientist, PKPD Division, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu, 180001, India, pngupta@iiim.ac.in