Amit Kumar, Ph.D.
- Staff Scientist, Department of Genetics
Area of research
- My research focuses on understanding the role of cell competition, genomic instability, and the ribosome signaling network in cancer.
Phone
Location
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus 1300 Morris Park Avenue Ullmann Building 805 Bronx, NY 10461
Research Profiles
Professional Interests
Good health and disease prevention depends on removing abnormal cells from our body. My area of expertise is cell competition, which eliminates viable but less fit cells that are present next to more fit cells through cell death. By colonizing healthy cells, cell competition aids tissue homeostasis, promotes regeneration and slows ageing. Fast-growing tumour cells are shown to eliminate neighbouring healthy cells to create space for themselves. To study cell competition, we use Drosophila as a model organism and focus on heterozygous mutants of the ribosome protein-encoding genes (Rp+/-). Although viable in a homotypic surrounding, Rp+/- cells are eliminated through cell competition when present next to wild-type cells. This form of cell competition is shown to eliminate aneuploid cells. Our studies are directed to identify genetic players that control Rp+/- mediated cell competition. Apart from cell competition, we study Rp encoding genes for their role in disease-like ribosomopathies and cancer.
Selected Publications
1. Amit Kumar and Nicholas E. Baker. The CRL4 E3 ligase Mahjong/DCAF1 controls cell competition through the transcription factor Xrp1, independently of polarity genes. Development, 2022, PubMed/36278853.
2. Thamarailingam Athilingam, Saurabh Singh Parihar, Rachita Bhattacharya, Mohd. Suhail Rizvi, Amit Kumar and Pradip Sinha. Proximate larval epidermal cell layer generates forces for Pupal thorax closure in Drosophila. Genetics, 2022, PubMed/35166774.
3. Amit Kumar*, Suhail Rizvi*, Thamarailingam Athilingam*, Pradip Sinha (with cover image), Heterophilic Cell-Cell Adhesion of Atypical Cadherins Fat and Dachsous Regulate Epithelial Cell Size Dynamics during Drosophila Thorax Morphogenesis. MBoC, 2020, Pubmed/31877063.
4. Zhejun Ji, Marianthi Kiparaki, Virginia Folgado, Amit Kumar, Jorge Blanco, Gerard Rimesso, Yang Liu, Deyou Zheng, and Nicholas E. Baker, Drosophila RpS12 controls translation, growth, and cell competition through Xrp1. Plos Genetics, 2019; Pubmed/3184152.
5. Chang-Hyun Lee, Marianthi Kiparaki, Jorge Blanco, Virginia Folgado, Zhejun Ji, Amit Kumar, Gerard Rimesso, Nicholas. E. Baker. A regulatory response to ribosomal protein mutations controls translation, growth, and cell competition. Developmental cell. 2018; Pubmed/30253171.
6. Mohit Kumar Jolly, Suhail Rizvi, Amit Kumar, Pradip Sinha, Mathematical Modeling of Sub-Cellular Asymmetry of Fat-Dachsous Heterodimer for Generation of Planar Cell Polarity. PLoS One. 2014; 9(5): e97641.