Research Interests
Integrative and Network-Based Approaches in Computational Biology: The lab has a strong focus on the integration and analysis of multidimensional biological data, including genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and physiological datasets. Key areas include the development of algorithms and computational pipelines for large-scale data analysis, along with data curation, integration, visualization, and storage. Emphasis is placed on applying network biology approaches to uncover complex biological relationships, assess correlations across diverse datasets and analysing them to identify novel biomarkers. Additional interests include building robust computational platforms and tools based on machine learning for efficient data-driven discovery, and advancing interdisciplinary strategies to translate complex biological data into actionable knowledge for real-world applications.
Bio-sketch :
She completed her graduation and post-graduation degree in Microbiology from University of Delhi, followed by PG Diploma and PhD in Bioinformatics from Jawaharlal Nehru University and National Institute of Immunology, Delhi. She then worked as a Scientist at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), where she was serving as Principal Investigator in the Computational Biology department for 17 years.
Her work focuses on data analysis, algorithm development, and pipeline development across multiple types of biological data, integrating them to generate actionable knowledge. She is actively involved in the retrieval, curation, and analysis of multidimensional datasets, including genetic, proteomic, metabolomic and physiological data. She integrates these datasets with biological insights and applies network biology tools to assess correlations and identify novel biomarkers.
She specialises in articulating and executing technology and process development in areas such as data curation, data integration, data visualization, and data storage and retrieval. She has developed several efficient processes, platforms, exploration tools, and strategies to address gaps in the computational biology tool portfolio. She works effectively in interdisciplinary teams with both internal and external collaborators.
She has an extensive record of peer-reviewed publications in high-profile journals and has delivered several invited talks at various national and international conferences/symposiums. She has 1 patent published and 2 copyrights granted for developed softwares. Her achievements include the CSIR JRF-NET (2002), CSIR Travel Grant (2007), the MS Malhotra Best Paper Publication award (2021), the prestigious BIRD (Bioclues Innovation, Research and Development) award (2022) for her outstanding contributions in Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics. She has also been featured in VIDUSHI (2023), a compilation of outstanding women scientists of DRDO, and in “365 Indian Women in STEM” by TheLifeofScience.com (TLoS) (2021) for her remarkable contributions.
Selected publications :
- Pathak, S., Khurana, P*. (2026) Developing High-Altitude Acclimatization Metrics from Hematological Signatures. SN Compr. Clin. Med. 8, 48.
- Gupta, A., Pathak, S., Varshney, R. Pankaj Khurana*. (2023) HighAltitudeOmicsDB, an integrated resource for high-altitude associated genes and proteins, networks and semantic-similarities. Scientific Reports 13, 9307. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35792-3
- Pankaj Khurana*, Rajeev Varshney, Apoorv Gupta (2022) A network-biology led computational drug repurposing strategy to prioritize therapeutic options for COVID-19, Heliyon, Volume 8, Issue 5, , e09387.
- Jai Chand Patel, Ajeet Singh, Rajkumar Tulswani, Yogendra Kumar Sharma, Pankaj Khurana, Sugadev Ragumani (2021) Identification of VEGFA-centric temporal hypoxia-responsive dynamic cardiopulmonary network biomarkers, Life Sciences, Volume 281, 119718, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119718.
- Pankaj Khurana*, Apoorv Gupta, etal (2020) HAHmiR.DB: a server platform for high-altitude human miRNA–gene coregulatory networks and associated regulatory circuits, Database (Oxford) baaa101, https://doi.org/10.1093/database/baaa101
- Khurana, P.*, Gupta, A., Sugadev, R. et al. (2020) nSARS-Cov-2, pulmonary edema and thrombosis: possible molecular insights using miRNA-gene circuits in regulatory networks. ExRNA 2, 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41544-020-00057-y
- Gupta, A., Srivastava, S., Suryakumar, G. et al. (2020) MyomirDB: A unified database and server platform for muscle atrophy myomiRs, coregulatory networks and regulons. Scientific Reports 10, 8593. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65319-z
- Patel, J.C., Khurana, P., Sharma, Y.K. et al. (2020) Google trend analysis of climatic zone based Indian severe seasonal sensitive population. BMC Public Health 20, 306 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8399-0
- Paul, S., Gangwar, A., Bhargava, K. Khurana, P. et al. (2020) Plasma protein(s)–based conceptual diagnostic tool for assessing high-altitude acclimation in humans. Funct Integr Genomics 20, 191–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10142-019-00712-0
- Gupta A, Ragumani S, Sharma YK, Ahmad Y, Khurana P.* (2019) Analysis of Hypoxiamir-Gene Regulatory Network Identifies Critical MiRNAs Influencing Cell-Cycle Regulation Under Hypoxic Conditions. Microrna.;8(3):223-236.
- Patel JC, Khurana P, Sharma YK, Kumar B, Ragumani S. (2018) Chronic lifestyle diseases display seasonal sensitive comorbid trend in human population evidence from Google Trends. PLoS One. Dec 12;13(12):e0207359. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207359
- Gupta A, Sugadev R, Sharma YK, Khurana P. (2018) Role of miRNAs in hypoxia-related disorders. J Biosci. 2018 Sep;43(4):739-749. PMID: 30207319.
- Paul S, Gangwar A, Bhargava K, Khurana P, Ahmad Y. (2018) Diagnosis and prophylaxis for high-altitude acclimatization: Adherence to molecular rationale to evade high-altitude illnesses. Life Sciences Jun 15;203:171-176. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.04.040.
- Khurana, P., Tiwari, D., Sugadev, R. et al. (2016) A comprehensive assessment of networks and pathways of hypoxia-associated proteins and identification of responsive protein modules. Network Model Anal Health Inform Bioinforma 5, 17.
- Khurana P, Sugadev R, Jain J, Singh SB. (2013) HypoxiaDB: a database of hypoxia-regulated proteins. Database (Oxford).;2013:bat074. doi: 10.1093/database/bat074. PMID: 24178989; PMCID: PMC3813937.
- Srivastava M, Khurana P, Sugadev R. (2012) Lung cancer signature biomarkers: tissue specific semantic similarity based clustering of digital differential display (DDD) data. BMC Res Notes. 2012 Nov 2;5:617
- Khurana, P., Gokhale, R.S. & Mohanty, D. (2010) Genome scale prediction of substrate specificity for acyl adenylate superfamily of enzymes based on active site residue profiles. BMC Bioinformatics 11, 57
- Pankaj Kamra, Rajesh S. Gokhale, Debasisa Mohanty, (2005) SEARCHGTr: a program for analysis of glycosyltransferases involved in glycosylation of secondary metabolites, Nucleic Acids Research, Volume 33, https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gki449