Priyajit Biswal

• DST INSPIRE Fellowship (JRF/SRF), awarded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (2021–Present).
• Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) – Life Sciences: 2021.
• M.Sc. in Life Sciences – Gold Medalist, Sambalpur University (2020).

• Chattopadhyay T., Biswal P., Biswal S., Mallick B. 202531038313 piR-39980-based synergistic composition for tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Pending (Published, 2025).

• miRNA isolation, quantification, and functional analysis
• Gene expression profiling (qRT-PCR, RNA expression analysis)
• miRNA mimic/inhibitor transfection and functional validation
• Molecular cloning and site-directed mutagenesis
• Lentiviral-mediated gene knockdown and overexpression systems

• Western blotting and protein expression analysis
• Co-immunoprecipitation (protein–protein interactions)
• Immunofluorescence-based localization studies
• Cellular trafficking and mitochondrial function assays

• Mammalian cell culture (2D and 3D spheroid tumor models)
• Chemoresistance model development (cisplatin-resistant OSCC cells)
• Drug response assays (MTT, viability assays)
• Flow cytometry for cellular functioning and viability analysis

• Confocal microscopy
• Fluorescence microscopy
• Immunofluorescence imaging for subcellular localization

• Molecular docking and in silico drug screening
• Drug repurposing approaches targeting miRNA-regulated pathways
• Protein–drug interaction analysis
• Functional validation of candidate therapeutics

• Integration of computational and experimental pipelines for target identification
• Data analysis using GraphPad Prism and Microsoft Excel
• Statistical analysis (hypothesis testing, regression, significance testing)
• Interpretation of miRNA and gene expression data

• miRNA-mediated regulation of cancer chemoresistance
• Non-coding RNA biology (miRNA and piRNA) in cancer
• OSCC (Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma) drug resistance mechanisms
• RNA-guided therapeutic targeting and drug discovery

• Strong scientific writing skills
• Experience in manuscript preparation, revision, and peer-review responses
• Ability to design hypothesis-driven experiments independently
• Effective collaboration in interdisciplinary research teams
• Strong presentation skills
• Time management and multitasking across parallel research projects

1. Chattopadhyay T, Biswal P, Lalruatfela A, Mallick B. Emerging roles of PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and PIWI proteins in head and neck cancer and their potential clinical implications. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2022 Sep;1877(5):188772. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188772. Epub 2022 Aug 2.

2. Biswal P, Lalruatfela A, Behera SK, Biswal S, Mallick B. miR-203a-A multifaceted regulator modulating cancer hallmarks and therapy response. IUBMB Life. 2024 Mar;76(3):108-124. doi: 10.1002/iub.2786. Epub 2023 Oct 4.

3. Biswal P, Mallick B. miR-185-5p rewires cisplatin resistance by restoring miR-203a-3p expression via downregulation of SOX9. DNA Repair (Amst). 2024 Oct;142:103750. doi: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2024.103750. Epub 2024 Aug 16.

4. Chattopadhyay T, Biswal P, Biswal S, Mallick B. A piRNA chemosensitizes doxorubicin in tongue squamous cell carcinoma by targeting FDFT1 and inhibiting the EIF3H/HIF1α/CYPOR axis. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2025 Aug;770:110455. doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2025.110455. Epub 2025 May 6.

5. Lalruatfela A, Biswal P, Behera SK, Biswal S, Dash JJ, Behera DK, Mallick B. Silent Guardians Gone Rogue: The Role of PIWI and piRNA in Malignant Transformation. IUBMB Life. 2025 Nov;77(11):e70077. doi: 10.1002/iub.70077.

6. Lalruatfela A, Biswal P, Behera SK, Biswal S, Behera DK, Dash JJ, Mallick B. Cisplatin disrupts OCT1-DNMT1-piRNA epigenetic regulatory axis to suppress GAB2-mediated aggressiveness in OSCC. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2026 Apr;778:110756. doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2026.110756. Epub 2026 Feb 2.

7. Behera, S. K., Lalruatfela, A., Biswal, S., Biswal, P., Dash, J. J., Behera, D. K. & Mallick, B. (2026) KLF5-mediated transcriptional activation of miR-203a inhibits EMT and increases cisplatin sensitivity by targeting SNAI2 in Tongue cancer, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 110845.

8. Biswal P, Biswal S, Behura B, Dash J, Behera D, Behera S, Lalruatfela A, Mallick B MicroRNA-203a-3p promotes cisplatin efficacy through disruption of RAN-dependent RRM2 nuclear localization and mitochondrial health. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Gene regulatory mechanisms. (2025) (Under Revision).

9. Biswal S, Biswal P, Biswal S, Lalruatfela A, Patra J, Debnath A, Dash JJ, Behera DK, Behera SK, Chattopadhyay T, Baig MK, Prusty L, Sahoo H, Mishra A and Mallick B. Attenuating STAT1 oncogenic function alleviates cisplatin resistance in tongue cancer via impaired nuclear translocation and reduced ISGylation of HLA-F. The FEBS Journal (2026) (Under Revision).

10. Biswal S, Dash JJ, Patra J, Biswal P, Lalruatfela A, Sahoo S, Mishra SS, Behera SK, Behera DK, Nehra M, Pangi R, Mallick B Integrated omics and virtual screening predict Tabularin as a dual inhibitor of the prognostic microRNAs mir-19a and mir-32 in colorectal cancer. Seminars in Oncology, 2026. (Minor Revision Submitted)

1. Biswal P, Lalruatfela A, Mallick B (2023) Deciphering the roles of a signature microRNA to overcome cisplatin resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma. The 3rd International Conference on Frontiers in Biological Sciences (INCOFIBS-2023), October 5-7, 2023, p-97.

2. Biswal P, Mallick B (2023) Elucidating the roles of signature microRNAs to combat cancer drug resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma. 92nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists (SBC-2023), December 18-20, 2023, p-223.

3. Biswal P, Lalruatfela A, Behera SK, Biswal S and Mallick B (2024) Restoration of the expression of miR-185-5p rewires cisplatin chemosensitivity in cisplatin resistant OSCC cells through downregulation SOX9. 12th RNA Group Meeting, May 22 – 24, 2024.

4. Biswal P, Lalruatfela A, Behera SK, Biswal S and Mallick B (2025) RRM2 Reduces Cisplatin Response in Oral Cancer by Regulating Cellular ROS Production and Mitochondrial DNA Stability. 44th Annual Meeting of the Indian Association for Cancer Research (IACR), January 16-18, 2025.