Research background: Rohan’s research focuses on understanding tissue homeostasis using the hematopoietic system in Drosophila. He has uncovered the role of intracellular and intercellular signalling in stem cell maintenance. He has shown that endocytic molecules act as important regulators of cellular signalling. His work on septate junctions revealed that a permeability barrier maintains the stem cell micro-environment in the fly hematopoietic organ and is required for immune activation. He also deciphered a signalling role for septate junctions in growth regulation and cellular differentiation via the Hippo pathway. Rohan’s recent work has delineated the role of integrin mediated cell-ECM (extracellular matrix) adhesion in stem cell maintenance.
Current research and importance/impact: Currently, his goal is to understand how stem cell – niche interactions and their micro-environment changes during development versus disease conditions. This work will be important in understanding the mechanistic details of changes in cellular signaling during the onset and progression of a disease thereby bearing significant clinical implications.