The Centre for Brain and Mind (CBM-NIMHANS) focuses on supporting research on five mental disorders — schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder & dementia. The centre employs several tools & techniques to understand the complexities of brain & mind conditions. This is a collaborative effort of the National Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) & the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), supported by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies. Welcome Updates Research Events Jobs Rohini Nilekani Centre for Brain and Mind About Us The Centre for Brain and Mind is a collaborative, premier research centre focused on supporting research on five mental disorders — schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder and dementia. With a partnership between the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), the centre employs several tools & techniques to understand the complexities of brain and mind conditions. Learn More Introduction New at CBM Dr Reeteka Sud awarded the PGRN–Myriad Research Grant 2025! Career Development Fellowship Awardee - Dr Kalyani B Karunakaran Congratulations to Dr Kalyani B Karunakaran for being awarded the Career Development Fellowship at CBM-NIMHANS! Dr Karunakaran's work focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying cross-disorder relationships & psychiatric drugs with cross-disorder effects. Join us at Manotsava 2025! Manotsava, India's largest mental health festival, returns to Bengaluru on November 8-9, 2025 at the Lalit Ashok! Get involved in research! We're bringing together scientists, clinicians, members of the public, individuals with lived experiences and their caregivers to talk about our research in psychiatric and neurological illnesses. A Cerebellar Paradox Offers Clues in SCA12 Research Our new paper unveils a fascinating paradox: the brain region most vulnerable in SCA12 appears surprisingly resilient. New publication! CAG Repeat Instability and Region-Specific Gene Expression Changes in the SCA12 Brain Welcome to our incoming batch of Ph.D. students! (L-R) Manasadeepika, Shama, Chandrakanta, Blossom, Joyce, Lakshmi, Shweta Our e-book is out now! "MIND: The Gap" blends research, personal stories, and insights from our events to explore mental health holistically. Through the Looking Glass Art Exhibition Visit our art exhibition, running at the NIMHANS Heritage Museum from Oct-Nov 2024 in celebration of World Mental Health Day! Welcome to our incoming batch of Ph.D. students! (L-R) Deepankan, Shrinkhala, Pannaga (Not pictured) Rashmi, Blossom Coffee, Cinema and Community: Mental Health Redefined | July 15 - 21, 2024 From book talks to film discussions, and art exhibitions to storytelling workshops - let's talk about mental health, Bengaluru! New publication alert! Exploring the genetics of lithium response in bipolar disorders Dr Suhas G awarded 2024 Society of Biological Psychiatry Travel Fellowship Award Dr Bhagyalakshmi S awarded the 2024 WFSBP Young Investigator Award New publication alert! Altered neuroepithelial morphogenesis and migration defects in iPSC-derived cerebral organoids and 2D neural stem cells in familial bipolar disorder Excited volunteers trying out the EEG caps at National Science Day celebrations Welcome to our incoming batch of Ph.D. students! (L-R) Akshayaa, Mythri, Lakshana, Shreevidya We were at the India Science Festival 2024 at IISER Pune! Srividya and Romita's farewell lunch - good luck & we'll miss you! Our Research Groups Clinical Group Endophenotype Group Genetics & Stem Cell Group Patients undergo extensive clinical investigations, including neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments at regular intervals as part of a longitudinal study Learn More Advances in stem cell technology allow us to investigate specific molecular mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders and offer insights into genetic variations and their effects on neuronal functioning in neural cell models. Learn More Endophenotypic clues derived from various assessments enhance the reliability of research on brain function by offering insights into genetic factors of a psychiatric disorder Learn More Learn more Do you want to participate in our research studies? Click here to learn more Opportunities Laboratory Associate Contact

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Junior Research Fellow (Neuroimaging for ANC) LinkedIn fernandesblossom98@gmail.com Back Back to People Page Back MRI/EEG Team Blossom Fernandes Junior Research Fellow (Neuroimaging for ANC) Blossom is a JRF for Neuroimaging ANC at the Centre for Brain and Mind. With a Masters degree in Medical Imaging Technology with experience in clinical MRI and other modalities in imaging. She enjoys watching movies and TV series, exploring new places and playing badminton

Adminstrative Officer Instagram ao.cbmnimhans@gmail.com Back Back to People Page Back Admin Team Shatabdi Pal Adminstrative Officer Shatabdi is an Administrative Officer at the Centre for Brain and Mind. With a master's degree in commerce, specializing in accounts, she has over 8 years of dedicated experience in the fields of administration and accounts. Her primary responsibility involves providing vital administrative support to the scientific team, ensuring the seamless operation of the centre's activities. Outside the realm of numbers and paperwork, Shatabdi indulges her creative side as an illustrator during her spare time.

Attender ranjithamaniranjithamani812@gmail.com Back Back to People Page Back Support Team Ranjitha M Attender

Genetics and Stem Cell Group Molecular disturbances involving multiple genes contribute to the complexity of psychiatric disorders, requiring a focus on cellular and molecular changes. Advances in stem cell technology allow us to investigate specific molecular mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders and offer insights into genetic variations and their effects on neuronal functioning in neural cell models using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This offers potential for improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Dr Biju Viswanath Lead Investigator, Bipolar Disorder Cohort Dr. Meera Purushottam Senior Scientific Officer, Molecular Genetics Lab, Department of Psychiatry Dr. Suhas Ganesh Clinician Scientist, MQ: Transforming Mental Health Fellow, Department of Psychiatry Dr. Reeteka Sud Lab Senior Scientist, Department of Psychiatry Affiliated Labs and Centre Molecular Genetics Laboratory (MGL) Bhalla Lab Padinjat Lab ADBS Data Centre Facilities Sanger Sequencing SeqStudio Flex 24-cap Genetic Analyzer High-capacity computational cluster Master Node: CPU: 4x Intel Xeon Gold 6150, 144 cores Memory: 2TB DDR4 ECC @ 2666 MT/s Storage: 20TB SSD + auxiliary SAN Storage:500TB via LVM Compute Nodes (2): CPU: Dual Intel Xeon Gold 5115, 40 cores each Memory: 128GB DDR4 ECC @ 2666 MT/s each Storage: 1TB SSD each Integrated with SAN Storage for data management Cell Culture Facility Biosafety Level 2 Inverted Fluorescence Microscope Sample Biorepository Liquid Handling Robot epMotion 5075 Genetic Analyzer 3500xl Genetic Analyzer for Human Identification Featured Publications Prasad G, P. et al. (2025b) “Unstable FGF14 GAA repeat expansions in Indian ataxia patients: a broader phenotype and involvement of modifier loci?,” Journal of Human Genetics, pp. 1–7. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s10038-025-01390-6 . Parthaje, S. et al. (2025) “CAG Repeat Instability and Region-Specific Gene Expression Changes in the SCA12 Brain,” The Cerebellum, 24(3), p. 60. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-025-01808-z . Karunakaran, K.B., Jain, S., Widera, D. et al. Spatial and functional profiles distinguish target sets of Parkinson’s disease and antipsychotic drugs with different clinical effects. Transl Psychiatry 15, 124 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03351-1 Cabrera-Mendoza, B. et al. (2025) “Equitable Collaboration Between LMIC and HIC Researchers, Part I: A Preliminary Framework for Capacity Building in Psychiatric Genetics Research,” American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, n/a(n/a), p. e33042. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.33042 . Phalnikar, K. et al. (2024) “Altered neuroepithelial morphogenesis and migration defects in iPSC-derived cerebral organoids and 2D neural stem cells in familial bipolar disorder,” Oxford Open Neuroscience, 3, p. kvae007. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/oons/kvae007 . Vinod, P. et al. (2024) “Does Apolipoprotein E polymorphism play a role in familial Alzheimer’s Dementia,” Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 20(S1), p. e087257. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.087257 .

Clinical Group Psychiatric disorders commonly emerge in young adulthood and significantly impact career choices and lifespan. Early onset of symptoms, usually before age 24, underscores the need for comprehensive support and intervention. The absence of a clear link between genes and observable traits makes treatment plans more complex. The neuropsychiatric disorders we study often have origins in early development, necessitating a shift towards understanding developmental trajectories. Dr Y C Janardhan Reddy Lead Investigator, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Cohort Dr. Vivek Benegal Lead Investigator, Addiction Cohort Dr Biju Viswanath Lead Investigator, Bipolar Disorder Cohort Dr. PT Sivakumar Co-Investigator, Dementia Cohort Dr. Vijay Kumar K.G. Co-Investigator, Schizophrenia Cohort Dr Jayant Mahadevan Co-Investigator, Addiction Cohort Dr. Preethi V. Reddy Co-Investigator, Bipolar Disorder Cohort Dr. Lekhansh Shukla Co-Investigator, Addiction Cohort Dr. Srinivas Balachander Co-Investigator, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Cohort Dr Suhas Satish Co-Investigator, Schizophrenia Cohort Dr. Vijaykumar S Harbishettar Co-Investigator, Dementia Cohort Affiliated Labs & Centres Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS Schizophrenia & Metabolic Clinic Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic Centre for Addiction Medicine (CAM) Geriatric Clinic Featured Publications Nayok, S.B. et al. (2025) “Gaze fixation stability is a transdiagnostic marker of major psychiatric disorders: A high-density family-based study.” medRxiv, p. 2025.06.23.25330103. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.23.25330103 . Durbagula, S. et al. (2024) “Genetic insights into male autism spectrum disorder in a small cohort of Indian simplex families: findings from whole exome sequencing,” General Psychiatry, 37(6), p. e101606. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/gpsych-2024-101606 . Muthukumaran, M. et al. (2024) “Shared deficits of education, marital and occupational functioning in unaffected siblings of multiple affected families with major psychiatric illness,” Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 101, p. 104216. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104216 . Lakkireddy SP, Balachander S, Dayalamurthy P, et al. Neurocognition and its association with adverse childhood experiences and familial risk of mental illness. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2022;119:110620. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110620 Vinod, P. et al. (2024) “Does Apolipoprotein E polymorphism play a role in familial Alzheimer’s Dementia,” Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 20(S1), p. e087257. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.087257 .

Research Overview The Rohini Nilekani Centre for Brain and Mind tackles the global challenge of psychiatric disorders with a pioneering study focusing on high-risk families. Clinical investigations, including neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments, are conducted on these cohorts regularly. Through our collaborations with NCBS, patient blood samples are used to establish disease-specific cellular models using immortalised cell lines and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Clinical Group Endophenotype Group Genetics and Stem Cell Group By analysing these patient-derived cell lines through genetic studies & cell-based assays, alongside large-scale clinical data, our research aims to unravel the complex relationship between cellular phenotypes and psychiatric disorder progression. This interdisciplinary approach promises to advance our understanding and facilitate the development of innovative therapies, ultimately improving mental health outcomes. For Researchers For General Public Clinical Assessments Our clinicians conduct comprehensive evaluations of patients’ behaviours and symptoms. This is followed by a psychiatric screening that assesses family history, charts hereditary traits & measures the severity of the disorder. Neuropsychological tests evaluate cognitive skills in individuals with & without psychiatric disorders, considering their family history Genetic Studies We assess changes in DNA sequence in psychiatric patients, their immediate relatives & in unrelated controls (people without a psychiatric diagnosis). Understanding why & how these changes happen can help scientists understand how genetic risk translates to disease. Multimodal Neuroimaging We use imaging techniques such as eye-movement tracking, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, MRIs and EEGs. These help us evaluate the structural changes in the brain & its activity linked to psychiatric diseases. Bioinformatics Using powerful computers, we study differences in the DNA of individuals with & without psychiatric disorders in different populations. This genetic information helps us find the cause & predict the chances of developing these psychiatric disorders. Stem Cell Research Stem cells, developed from blood cells, are used to investigate differences in brain cells during disease. We study whether these cells function differently than those of non-affected people. Clinical Assessment Our doctors examine you for the presence of any psychiatric disorders & take a blood sample. They make a chart of your family history to understand if any psychiatric disorder runs in your family. They also assess how severe your disorder is & evaluate your cognitive skills. Brain Imaging Our researchers use different methods to peek inside the brain and check for any changes in its structure & function. EEG records the electrical signals from the brain. It helps us find changes in brain activity. We also use other techniques such as eye tracking & near infrared spectroscopy to study different forms of brain activity and function. MRI uses a powerful magnet to take detailed pictures of your brain, and allows doctors to check the structure for any potential abnormalities. Genetic Studies Remember the blood sample we took? We isolate DNA from blood cells & study the genetic sequence. We try to understand whether changes in the DNA are linked to certain psychiatric disorders. We also aim to understand the differences in DNA sequences using mathematical models. This helps us learn if these differences make it more likely for someone to develop psychiatric symptoms. Stem Cell Research We also use blood samples to create stem cells, which are special cells that can grow into many different kinds of cells in the body. We turn them into brain cells to understand how they function in people with & without psychiatric disorders. All of this information together, helps us understand psychiatric disorders better & can lead to development of better treatments!

Endophenotype Group Endophenotypes are measurable and heritable traits or behaviors linked to a disorder, that sit between the genetic factors and the observable symptoms of the condition. Psychiatric disorders are increasingly viewed as neurodevelopmental disorders, which are influenced by genetic, epigenetic & environmental factors. These clues offer insights into genetic underpinnings of these disorders. Utilising endophenotypes derived from various assessments like neuroimaging can enhance the reliability of research on brain function. Dr. John P. John Professor, Department of Psychiatry Dr. Venkatasubramanian Ganesan Professor, Department of Psychiatry Dr. Jitender Saini Professor, Department of Neuro Imaging & Interventional Radiology Dr Bharath Holla Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry Dr. Sreeraj V S Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry Affiliated Labs and Centre ADBS Neuroimaging Centre (ANC) Centre for Brain Mapping (CBM) Translational Psychiatry Lab (TransPsych) Multi-modal Brain Imaging Analysis Lab (MBIAL) Facilities Eye Tracking Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) MRI Scanner Philips Ingenia 3.0T CX MRI EEG Featured Publications Parekh P, Vivek Bhalerao G; ADBS consortium, John JP, Venkatasubramanian G. Sample size requirement for achieving multisite harmonization using structural brain MRI features. Neuroimage. 2022;264:119768. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119768 Lakkireddy SP, Balachander S, Dayalamurthy P, et al. Neurocognition and its association with adverse childhood experiences and familial risk of mental illness. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2022;119:110620. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110620 Bhalerao GV, Parekh P, Saini J, Venkatasubramanian G, John JP; ADBS consortium. Systematic evaluation of the impact of defacing on quality and volumetric assessments on T1-weighted MR-images. J Neuroradiol. 2022;49(3):250-257. doi:10.1016/j.neurad.2021.03.001 Parekh P, Bhalerao GV, Rao R, et al. Protocol for magnetic resonance imaging acquisition, quality assurance, and quality check for the Accelerator program for Discovery in Brain disorders using Stem cells. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2021;30(3):e1871. doi:10.1002/mpr.1871 Holla B, Dayal P, Das A, et al. Transdiagnostic neurocognitive endophenotypes in major psychiatric illness. medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory). February 2020. doi:10.1101/2020.02.14.20022863

Facilities Stem cell Laboratory Molecular Genetics Laboratory Clinical and Endophynotype Bioinformatics Stem cell Laboratory Cell culture facility (80 m²) Dedicated space for stem cells & primary cultures Biosafety cabinets x4 CO₂ incubators x6 Controlled environment for growing cells Fluorescence microscopes x2 Visualizing fluorescently labelled cells Phase-contrast microscopes x2 Imaging live, unstained cells Neon electroporator x1 Gene delivery via electroporation Amaxa nucleofector x1 High-efficiency nucleic acid transfection Heated incubators x3 Temperature-controlled storage/growth LN₂ cryo tanks x5 Long-term cryogenic cell storage Ultra-low freezers (−80°C) x6 Biobanking at ultra-low temperatures −30°C freezers Medium-term sample storage Refrigerators Sample and reagent storage High-content imaging system x1 Automated, high-throughput cell imaging Autoclave x1 Equipment & media sterilization Spectrophotometer x1 Sample absorbance/concentration measurement Clinical and Endophenotype Facilities Eye Tracking Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Magnetic resonance imaging Philips Ingenia 3.0T CX MRI Electroencephalography

Senior Scientific Officer, Department of Psychiatry ResearchGate meera.purushottam@gmail.com Parthaje, S., Janardhanan, M., Paul, P., Karunakaran, K. B., Deb, A. P., Shankarappa, B., Pal, P. K., Mahadevan, A., Jain, S., Viswanath, B., & Purushottam, M . (2025). CAG Repeat Instability and Region-Specific Gene Expression Changes in the SCA12 Brain. The Cerebellum , 24 (3), 60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-025-01808-z Patra, C., Ganesh, S., Mahadevan, J., Gujarati, K., Awasthy, D., George, S., Ganapathy, A., Phalke, S., Bettadapura, R., Viswanath, B., Varghese, M., Jain, S., Prasad, P., & Purushottam, M. (2024). W48. PROFILING THE RARE VARIANT GENETIC RISK FOR DEMENTIA WITH WHOLE EXOME SEQUENCING: A STUDY FROM INDIA. European Neuropsychopharmacology , 87 , 126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.08.257 Ratna, N., Venkatesh, S. D., Pasupulati, S., Murari, G., Kamble, N., Viswanath, B., Yadav, R., Varghese, M., Pal, P. K., Jain, S., & Purushottam, M. (2025). Allelic Diversity, de novo CAG Expansions, and Intergenerational Instability at the HTT Locus in a clinical sample of Huntington’s Disease from India . https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.03.21260193 Shankarappa, B., Prasad, V. P., Kumar, S., Rao, R. S., Royal, A. B., Swamy, M., Prasad, P., Niranjana Murthy, A. S., Ganesh, S., Viswanath, B., Jain, S., Purushottam, M., & Thyloth, M. (2024). A Novel Homozygous Variant in CPLANE1 Gene in a Patient with Developmental Deficits. Molecular Syndromology , 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1159/000541167 Vinod, P., Sen, S., Jayasankar, P., Janardhanan, M., Paul, P., Viswanath, B., Jain, S., Harbishettar, V., Sivakumar, P. T., & Purushottam, M. (2024). Does Apolipoprotein E polymorphism play a role in familial Alzheimer’s Dementia. Alzheimer’s & Dementia , 20 (S1), e087257. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.087257 Back Back to People Page Back Investigator Team Molecular Genetics Dr Meera Purushottam Senior Scientific Officer, Department of Psychiatry Dr Meera is Senior Scientific Officer in the Molecular genetics Laboratory where she leads projects on molecular genetics of neuropsychiatric illness. She has a special interest in the role of epigenetics in mental health particularly alcohol addiction. She has also initiated genetic testing of patient samples for several neurological disorders such as spinocerebellar ataxia, Huntington’s disease, spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy .

Attender nshanshak598@gmail.com Back Back to People Page Back Support Team Shashank N Attender