Lab members | My Site

Dr. Tapasree Roy Sarkar, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Tapasree Roy Sarkar received her Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE), Purdue University. Dr. Sarkar did her postdoctoral research at the NIH/NCI and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She received a prestigious NIH T32 Bioinformatics fellowship at Texas A&M University. She is trained in an interdisciplinary field bringing together the knowledge of Cancer Biology, Bioinformatics, Metabolomics, Molecular Biology, and Nanotechnology. Her research work is published in PNAS, Oncogene, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cancer Research, Oncotarget, Genome Biology, Neoplasia, Breast Cancer Research, Bioinformatics. Dr. Sarkar serves as an associate editor for the Cancer Cell International, and, the Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapeutics. She serves on the editorial board of Frontiers in Oncology, Acta Scientific Cancer Biology and The Journal of Analytical Oncology.

Education & Training:

Ph.D., Purdue University, Biological Engineering

Postdoc, National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI)

Postdoc, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Selected Awards:

Panther Research and Innovation for Scholarly Excellence (PRISE) Award, 2024
Southeastern Conference (SEC) Faculty Travel Program award, 2024
TAMU Junior Faculty Travel Award, 2023
Advanced NCFDD Faculty Success Fellow, Spring, 2023
NIH T32 Bioinformatics Fellowship, 2018
Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE), NIH, 2011
Scholar-in-Training Award, EMT and Cancer Progression and Treatment, AACR, Arlington, VA, 2010
Travel Grant Award at the 6th Annual Plant Sciences Institute Symposium. 3rd International Congress on Plant Metabolomics, Iowa State University, 2004
Sigma-Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research (Biochemistry /Cell Biology Division), 2003

Research Personnel

Olajumoke Ogunlusi

Kayla Carter

Trenton Stewart

Graduate Students

Ola is a Ph.D. student in the Sarkar Lab (Joined in 2022, fall). She has a Bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Her research investigates the impact of circadian disruption on mammary tumorigenesis and mammary microenvironment. Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time with family and friends during her free time.

Kayla is a Ph.D. student in the Sarkar Lab (Joined in 2023, Fall). She has a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Mississippi State University. She is investigating the role of cancer associated fibroblasts in tumor progression and drug response in breast cancer. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, shopping, and spending time with family.

Trenton is a Ph.D. student in the Sarkar Lab (Joined in 2024). He has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Texas A&M University. His research is investigating the impact of circadian disruption on mammary gland. In his free time he enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Harshini Davuluri

Harshini is a graduate student (Joined in 2023) in MBIOT at Texas A&M and holds a bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology, India. Her research interests include Molecular Biology, Stem cell Engineering, and Cancer Biology. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading books and traveling.

Undergraduate Students

David Arreola

David Arreola is a biology student from Flower Mound, Texas. He is planning on going to medical school. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies and playing board games. He is expecting to graduate in 2025 from the College of Science Biology department with a B.S. in Biology.

Christan Nguyen

Christian is a Biology major from Colleyville, TX. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in 2026, Christian plans to go to medical school. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano, competing in tennis, playing video games, and spending time with his friends and family!

Subiksha Sankar

Subiksha Sankar is a Biology major from Prosper, TX. She will graduate in 2025 and plans on entering medical school. In her free time, she loves to go on hikes, listen to music, and try new cuisines with friends!

Hamzah Mir

Hamzah is a Biology major from Houston, Texas. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in 2026, he plans on attending medical school. In his free time, Hamzah enjoys playing basketball and powerlifting. He is working on the effect of circadian disruption on breast tumor progression.

Soham Mazumdar

Soham is a class of 2026 Biology Honors major from Houston, Texas. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in 2026, he plans on attending medical school. In his free time, Soham enjoys playing basketball, watching movies, and listening to music

Manasa Nekkanti

Manasa Nekkanti is a Neuroscience (Molecular and Cell) major in the Class of '28 from Prosper, TX. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her dog and friends, reading, dancing, and journaling.

Micaiah Pitor

Micaiah Pitor is a Biology major in the class of 28’ from Katy, TX. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school. In her free time, she enjoys writing, singing, exercising, spending time with family, and volunteering

Nikhil Murali

Nikhil is an undergraduate student in the Class of 2028, majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. Upon graduation, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and continue a career in research. Outside the lab, Nikhil loves both Indian and Western classical music, playing the cello, tabla, and writing music.

Sanjay Philip

Sanjay is a Biochemistry major with a minor in Genetics and Business from Houston, Texas. After receiving his undergraduate degree in 2027, he plans on attending medical school. In his free time, Sanjay enjoys running, reading, and playing drums.

Alumni
Shaikh Aslam (2018-2019)
Valerie Cantu (2018-2019)
Cody King (2019-2020)
Jonathan Hoar (2020-2021) (Current position: Research Assistant, UTSW)
Issa Abujeries (2021) (Medical School: Texas Tech)
Rachel RajaSuresh (2021-2022)
Anuj Maniyar (2021-2022) (Current position: Medical School, University of North Texas)
Christina Garcia (2021-2022) (Current position: Texas A&M Medical School)
Laura Lee (2021-2022)
Quinn Fan (2020-2022) (Current Position: Sam Houston Medical School)
Tristan Nguyen (2021-2023, (Current Position: MD-PhD, UTMB/MD Anderson)
Esheksha Gundre, (Current position: Andelyn Biosciences)
Ashley Nguyen (2021-2023)
James Sampson (2022-2024), (Current position: NMED, Texas A&M University)
Elaina Moss (2023-2024)
Aaryan Amin (2022-2025)
Leslie Favela (2023-2025)

Summer Interns (STEM):
Mansi Patel (Clemson High School, Summer, 2022)
Saketh Sadhanala (Rick Reedy High School, Summer, 2022)
Mrunmayee Gokhale (Cypress Ranch High School, Summer, 2023)
Christopher Teichmann (Austin College, Summer, 2024), NSF-SURGe Program
Carrington Williams (PVAMU, Summer, 2024), NIH- GREAT Genomics UG Research Experience #STEM
Abhimanyu Arekere, (University of Texas, Austin, Summer, 2024) #STEM
Mariam Taha (College Station High School, Summer, 2024) #STEM

Education & Training:

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Research Personnel

Olajumoke Ogunlusi

Kayla Carter

Trenton Stewart

Graduate Students

Trenton is a Ph.D. student in the Sarkar Lab (Joined in 2024). He has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Texas A&M University. His research is investigating the impact of circadian disruption on mammary gland. In his free time he enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Harshini Davuluri

Undergraduate Students

David Arreola

David Arreola is a biology student from Flower Mound, Texas. He is planning on going to medical school. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies and playing board games. He is expecting to graduate in 2025 from the College of Science Biology department with a B.S. in Biology.

Christan Nguyen

Christian is a Biology major from Colleyville, TX. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in 2026, Christian plans to go to medical school. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano, competing in tennis, playing video games, and spending time with his friends and family!

Subiksha Sankar

Subiksha Sankar is a Biology major from Prosper, TX. She will graduate in 2025 and plans on entering medical school. In her free time, she loves to go on hikes, listen to music, and try new cuisines with friends!

Hamzah Mir

Hamzah is a Biology major from Houston, Texas. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in 2026, he plans on attending medical school. In his free time, Hamzah enjoys playing basketball and powerlifting. He is working on the effect of circadian disruption on breast tumor progression.

Soham Mazumdar

Soham is a class of 2026 Biology Honors major from Houston, Texas. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in 2026, he plans on attending medical school. In his free time, Soham enjoys playing basketball, watching movies, and listening to music

Manasa Nekkanti

Manasa Nekkanti is a Neuroscience (Molecular and Cell) major in the Class of '28 from Prosper, TX. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her dog and friends, reading, dancing, and journaling.

Micaiah Pitor

Micaiah Pitor is a Biology major in the class of 28’ from Katy, TX. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school. In her free time, she enjoys writing, singing, exercising, spending time with family, and volunteering

Nikhil Murali

Nikhil is an undergraduate student in the Class of 2028, majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. Upon graduation, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and continue a career in research. Outside the lab, Nikhil loves both Indian and Western classical music, playing the cello, tabla, and writing music.

Sanjay Philip

Sanjay is a Biochemistry major with a minor in Genetics and Business from Houston, Texas. After receiving his undergraduate degree in 2027, he plans on attending medical school. In his free time, Sanjay enjoys running, reading, and playing drums.