Current Research Projects: S. No. Name of the Project Duration Source of Funding Amount of Funding (Rs) 1. Study of intermolecular interactions and reactions involving DNA bases and amino acids: causes, repair and prevention of DNA damage 2010- 2012 UGC, New Delhi 6.0 lacs 2. Base Level Damage and Repair of DNA: Study of DNA-Protein and Other Intermolecular Interactions and Reactions 2008- 2011 CIRS, New Delhi 10.0 lacs Academic Qualifications: S. No. Degree Institution Year 1. M.Sc. Banaras Hindu University 1968 2. Ph. D. Banaras Hindu University 1970

Our research group has been interested in the study of biologically important molecules using experimental and theoretical techniques. Electronic spectra and excited state life-times (nano-second) of several biomolecules have been studied. The molecules studied included the DNA bases, their analogues and other biologically important molecules. We observed fluorescence of urocanic acid, a molecule that occurs in the human skin epidermis and is involved in UV radiation-induced skin cancer, for the first time. This work has been well cited. We have carried out the following two types of theoretical studies in the recent years which may be mentioned: (i) Development of the scheme of Hybridization-Displaced Charges (HDC), a new charge distribution scheme for molecules that takes care of atomic orbital hybridization explicitly. The HDC scheme is the only theoretical scheme that accounts for point charges located away from the atomic sites. (ii) Quantum theoretical study of molecular mechanisms of reactions of the guanine base of DNA that are known to be involved in initiation of mutation and cancer. Several reactions of this category have been studied extensively.