Ritu Sarpal

Campus

St. George (downtown)

CSB Appointment

Teaching

Research Areas

Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Genetics / Genomics, Molecular Biology

Education

Ph.D Tata Insititute of Fundamental Research 2004
M.Sc. Indian Institute of Technology 1999

Primary Undergraduate Department

Cell and Systems Biology

Graduate Programs

Cell and Systems Biology

Research Description

Adherens junctions (AJs) are specialized intercellular junctions that act as a “molecular glue’’ to bind epithelial cells together to form various tissues in our body. AJs regulate animal development, control tissue homeostasis, and impact human diseases such as cancer. Using Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model system, I have studied the assembly and function of AJs to understand the molecular mechanisms by which they regulate cell-cell adhesion and control tissue growth. My expertise is in using the tools of fly genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, and live imaging techniques, to shed light on important fundamental questions in this area. As a lecturer, my goal is to create a positive and enjoyable learning environment. I involve students in team-based learning, exploring case studies, and dissecting research papers, in order to encourage active participation and promote critical scientific thinking. I employ teaching strategies such as discussing the history of famous scientific discoveries and the scientists behind them, in order to give students a flavor of how science works. I use technology as an effective teaching tool – from animations for explaining complex molecular processes, to polling students using online tools to get feedback on their understanding during lectures. In addition, I have also been involved in developing labs, creating online labs and tutorials, and in instructing and coordinating graduate teaching assistants to achieve the best learning outcomes for our undergraduate students.