Prakash Kharel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
School of Medicine
University of Kansas Medical Center
pkharel@kumc.edu

Prakash Kharel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center (School of Medicine, University of Kansas). Prakash obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Kent State University, where he studied the role of RNA oxidation on neurodegeneration, with a particle focus on multiple sclerosis neurodegeneration (with Soumitra Basu, now at Texas State University). His work established a molecular link between selective mRNA oxidation and demyelination in multiple sclerosis. He also worked on developing oligonucleotide based therapeutic strategies that are able to target specific G-quadruplex structures (G4s) both in DNA and RNA. Prakash completed his postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School (BWH/HMS) with Paul Anderson and Pavel Ivanov. There, he explored the roles of G‑quadruplex structures in various RNA molecules and uncovered a novel function for mRNA rG4s in cellular stress‑response pathways. His findings provided definitive evidence that RNA G‑quadruplexes are biologically relevant structures in human cells. At KUMC, Prakash will continue to investigate the biological relevance of disease associated G4s, their molecular choreography orchestrated by RNA‑binding proteins (RBPs) and explore therapeutic avenues targeting G4-RBPs. Outside the lab, Prakash enjoys spending time with his family and exploring parks and trails.

Nupur Bhatter, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
nbhatter@kumc.edu

Nupur earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Calcutta in Kolkata, India. She then pursued her Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Following her Ph.D., she joined Drs Paul Anderson and Pavel Ivanov labs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral fellow, where her research focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tDRs) in human cells. She is excited to explore more on the ever-growing and fascinating RNA wonderland here at KUMC! Outside the lab, Nupur enjoys gardening, hiking, and traveling.

Pooja Kharel, IRSD trainee

Pooja completed her master’s degree in industrial pharmacy from Kathmandu University, Nepal in 2021. She has professional experience as an In-Process Quality Control and Assurance Officer at a WHO-GMP certified pharmaceutical company in Nepal. Currently she is exploring RNA science as an International Research Skills Development trainee at KUMC. In her leisure time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with her kids.

Eric Pham, Undergraduate trainee

Eric is a first-year Molecular Biology major at Rockhurst University. He is a first‑generation Vietnamese American, born and raised in Northern California. He is interested in pursuing an MD/PhD and is particularly drawn to the biochemistry and physiology underlying human biology, especially brain function. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends through activities such as pickleball, online gaming, and going to the gym. He also enjoys reading literature, watching movies and TV, and listening to music.

Regan Miller, Undergraduate trainee

Regan is currently a sophomore Biochemistry major at MidAmerica Nazarene University. She plans to continue her education in healthcare by pursuing Physician Assistant school. She enjoys being around people and working collaboratively to accomplish shared goals.