Areas of Current Research Interest:

• Industrial Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Microbial Taxonomy
• Peptides and Proteins-Structure-Activity Studies.

Contribution to Teaching:

• Awarded with SERB-TARE project
• Completed almost 4 years of PG teaching at Kannur University, offering various courses for the MSc Molecular Biology Program as given below
• Serving as Chairman, Board of examiners, MSc Molecular Biology, Kannur University
• Member, UG and PG Board of Studies in Microbiology, MG University (2017 onwards)
• As Member, FLAIR-Fostering Linkages in Academic Innovation and Research, Department of Collegiate Education, Govt. Of Kerala (2018-19) participated in the Faculty Development Program under FLAIR, Govt of Kerala at Teaching Learning Centre, IIT Madras, 11-20 February 2019.
• Recipient of INSA Visiting Scientist fellowship 2019-20 and JNCASR Visiting Fellowship -Biological Sciences 2016-17.

1. Principal Investigator, Minor Research Project under Innovative Research Program by Govt. Of Kerala 01-12-2018 to 28-02-2020 (Rs 4 lakhs) “Screening and biological activity studies of Cyclotides from Medicinal plants of Kerala.
   
2. As JNCASR Visiting fellow conducted two months research at Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore during 01-04-2017 to 31-05-2017 under the Guidance of Prof. P. Balaram.
   
3. SERB Fast track Young Scientist & Project Investigator, IISc, Bangalore, India (25th June 2013-14th Dec 2015. In Prof. P. Balaram’s Group, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore). The project entitled “Isolation and characterization of bioactive peptides from marine fungi and cone snails” was funded by Govt of India for 3 years with a total grant of INR 28.6 lakhs.

Current Research

1. Cyclotides from Medicinal plants of Kerala
2. Lectins from Marine fungi
3. Peptides from marine cone snails

• MarimuthuVijayasarathy, Soorej M. Basheer, and PadmanabhanBalaram (2018).Cone Snail GlutaminylCyclase Sequences from Transcriptomic Analysis and Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Two PyroglutamylConotoxins. J. Proteome Res., 17:8; 2695-2703 (IF-4.27).
• MarimuthuVijayasarathy, Soorej M. Basheer, Jayaseelan Benjamin Franklin, and PadmanabhanBalaram (2017).Contryphan Genes and Mature Peptides in the Venom of Nine Cone Snail Species by Transcriptomic and Mass Spectrometric Analysis.J. Proteome Res., 16:763-773 (IF-4.27).
• Soorej M. Basheer, Valerie Bouchez, Alexey Novikov, Luis Augusto, Nicole Guiso and Martine Caroff (2016).Structure-activity characterization of Bordetellapetrii lipid A from environment to human isolates.Biochimie, 120: 87-95(IF-3.188)
• Alexey Novikov, Nita R. Shah, Sami AlBitar-Nehme, Soorej M. Basheer, IlariTrento, AlinaTirsoaga, Michelle Moksa, Martin Hirst, Malcolm B. Perry, Asmaa El Hamidi, Rachel C. Fernandez and Martine Caroff (2014). Complete Bordetellaavium, B. hinziiand B. trematumlipid A structures and genomic sequence analyses of the loci involved in their modifications. Innate Immunity, 20 (6): 659-672 (IF-2.34).
• Annabelle Varrot, Soorej M. Basheerand Anne Imberty. (2013) Fungallectins: Structure, function and potential applications. Current Opinion in Structural Biology 23 (5): 678-685 (IF-7.179).
• Sami AlBitar-Nehme, Soorej M Basheer, Elisabeth Njamkepo, Jean-Robert Brisson, Nicole Guiso and Martine Caroff. (2013). Comparison of lipopolysaccharide structures of Bordetella pertussis clinical isolates from pre- and post-vaccine era.Carbohydrate Research 378:56-62 (IF-2.096).
• Soorej M Basheer, SreejaChellappan,Beena P S, Rajeev K Sukumaran, Elyas K K and M Chandrasekaran(2011). Lipase from marine Aspergillusawamori BTMFW032: Production, partial purification and application in oil effluent treatment New Biotechnology28(6): 627-638 (IF-3.813).
• Soorej M. Basheer, Nicole Guiso, AlinaTirsoaga, Martine Caroff and Alexey Novikov(2011). Structural modifications occurring in lipid A of Bordetellabronchiseptica clinical isolates as demonstrated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry; 25, 1075-1081 (IF 1.998).
• Bijna B, SreejaChellappan, Jissa G Krishna, Soorej M Basheer, Elyas K K, Ali H Bahkali and M. Chandrasekaran(2011). Protease inhibitor from Moringaoleiferaactive against therapeutic proteases.Saudi J. of Biological Sciences 18, 273–281(IF 2.564).
• Bijna B, SreejaChellappan, Soorej M Basheer, Elyas K K, Ali H Bahkali and M Chandrasekaran(2011). Protease inhibitor from Moringaoleifera: Isolation, purification and characterization. Process Biochemistry46:2291-2300(IF 2.497).
• Jissa G. Krishna, Soorej M. Basheer, K.K. Elyas and M. Chandrasekaran(2011).Prodigiosin from Marine Bacterium: Production, Characterization and Application as Dye in Textile Industry. International J. of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, 7(1): 155-191.
• Beena P. S., Soorej M. Basheer, Sarita G. Bhat, Ali H. Bahkali and M. Chandrasekaran(2011). Propyl Gallate Synthesis Using Acidophilic Tannase and Simultaneous Production of Tannase and Gallic Acid by Marine Aspergillusawamori BTMFW032.AppliedBiochemistry and Biotechnology, 164:612–628 (IF- 1.751).
• SreejaChellappan, Jasmin C, Soorej M Basheer, Archana Kishore, Elyas K K, Sarita G Bhat and M Chandrasekaran(2011). Characterization of an extracellular alkaline serine protease from marine Engyodontium album BTMFS10.Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology 38:743–752 (IF-2.81).
• Beena, P.S., Soorej, M. Basheer, Sarita G. Bhat, and Chandrasekaran, M.(2011). Garcinacambogia leaf and seawater as substrate for Tannase enzyme production by marine Aspergillusawamori BTMFW032 under slurry state fermentation. Natural Product Communications 6(12): 1933-1938 (IF-0.884).
• Beena, P.S., Soorej, M. Basheer, Elyas, K.K., Sarita G. Bhat, and Chandrasekaran, M. (2010) Acidophilic tannase from marine Aspergillusawamori BTMFW032. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 20(10): 1403-1414 (IF-1.32).
• Jissa G Krishna, Soorej M Basheer, Beena P S and M Chandrasekaran(2008). Marine bacteria as source of pigment for application as dye in textile industry.In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Biodiversity Conservation and Management (Biocam 2008)Natarajanet al(eds) p 743-750. ISBN: 978-81-907269-7-9 [Young Scientist Award(1st Author) for Best Paper Presentation].
• SreejaChellappan, C. Jasmin, Soorej M. Basheer, K.K. Elyas, Sarita G. Bhat and M. Chandrasekaran(2006). Production, purification and partial characterization of a novel protease from marine Engyodontium album BTMFS10 under solid state fermentation. Process Biochemistry, 41(4): 956-961. (IF 2.497).

Book Chapters

• Chandrasekaran, M., Soorej M. Basheer, SreejaChellappan, Karthikeyan, P.and Elyas K.K. (2012).Food processing industries-an overview.In Valorization of food processing by-products, Ed: Chandrasekaran M. (p.3-34) CRC press, Taylor and Francis group.ISBN:9781439848852
• Chandrasekaran, M., Soorej M. Basheer, SreejaChellappan, Jissa G. Krishna and Beena P.S. (2015). Enzymes in Food and Beverage production- an overview. In: Enzymes in Food and Beverage processing Ed: Chandrasekaran, M. (p. 117-137) CRC Press, Taylor and Francis group. ISBN: 9781482221282.
• Soorej M Basheer and SreejaChellappan (2017). Enzyme engineering In: Bioresources and Bioprocess Technology Vol 2: Exploring potential biomolecules. Eds: S. Sugathan et al., Springer p:151-168. ISBN: 9789811042829

Oral Presentations/Invited talks

• Soorej M. Basheer (Invited Speaker). Advances in Molecular Biology. UYARE 2020-As part of the Centenary Celebrations of GVHSS Madappally on 19th January 2020 GVHSS, Madappally, Vadakara, Kozhikode
• Soorej M. Basheer (Resource Person). Bacterial Cell Wall. Refresher course in Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology and Microbiology, UGC-Human Resource Development Centre, Kannur University, held at Thalassery Campus on 15th February 2018.
• Soorej M. Basheer (Invited Speaker). Unveiling the peptide diversity of Indian marine cone snails by combining transcriptomic and mass spectrometric analysis. NGBT Conference 2016 during 3-5 October 2016 held at LeMeridian, Kochi, India (http://www.sgrfconferences.org/2016/NGBT/program.php#).
• Soorej M. Basheer. Isolation and characterization of lectins from pathogenic fungi and Algerian desert truffle. Institute Seminar, CERMAV (CNRS), Grenoble, 12th Nov 2012, France
• Soorej M. Basheer. Role of endotoxins in bacterial virulence: structural diversity of lipopolysaccharides. Seminaire annuel de l’IGM; 25-26 June, 2009, Orsay, France.
• Soorej M. Basheer. Lipid A structural modifications occuring in clinical isolates of Bordetella bronchiseptica and B. petrii. Séminaire MIPA-IGM, University of Paris, Sud 11, Orsay, 11th April 2011, France.
• Soorej M. Basheer. Endotoxin structural modifications in Bordetella bronchiseptica and B. petrii clinical isolates and their correlation with virulence. Seminaire annuel de l’IGM; 22nd June, 2011, France.
• Dorte Hundling, Josef Houser, Soorej M Basheer, Audfray, Valérie Chazalet, Markus Künzler, Jean-Philippe Bouchara, Anne Imberty, Michaela Wimmerova and Annabelle Varrot. Adhesive glycostrategies from opportunistic filamentous fungi. INTERNATIONAL CARBOHYDRATE CONFERENCE (ICS27), January 12-17, 2014 held at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
• Soorej M. Basheer, Doerte Hundling, Josef Houser, Aymeric Audfray, Valérie Chazalet, Markus Künzler, Agnès Marot, Anne Imberty, Michaela Wimmerova and Annabelle Varrot. Fungal lectins: targets for anti-adhesive therapy. 3rd Meeting of the ECMM/ISHAM Working Group: Fungal respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis patients (Fri-CF) June 5-6, 2014 Angers, France.

Conference Posters (Presented author is underlined)

National

• Soorej M. Basheer, Marimuthu Vijayasarathy and P. Balaram. Characterization of bioactive peptides from the marine cone snail, Conus frigidus using Transcriptomic and Mass spectrometric approaches. First DST-SERB School on Chemical Ecology, 3-16 July 2017 held at NCBS, Bangalore.
• Soorej M Basheer, Shibu Raj and Abraham T K. Optimisation of cultural conditions for antimicrobial antibiotic accumulation by a Streptomyces strain TBGA120. National seminar on recent advances in Biological sciences-Biospectrum 2000. (2nd Best poster award)

International

• Rohini PS, Sreeja Chellappan and Soorej M Basheer. Role of Nanotechnology in developing vaccines for Human Papillomavirus induced cancer. International Conference on Human Papilloma Virus and Cancer-Recent Advances, January 13, 2019 held at Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala.
• Soorej M Basheer, M Vijayasarathy and P. Balaram. Integrating Next Generation Sequencing and Mass spectrometry to study the peptide diversity of Indian marine cone snails. International Conference PEM7, 2015-7th Peptide Engineering Meeting during 5-7 Dec, 2015 held at IISER, Pune, India
• Annabelle Varrot, Soorej M Basheer, Aymeric Audfray, Valerie Chazalet, Markus Kunzler and Anne Imberty. Structural studies on fungal lectins. Royal Society of Medicine, Regional Programme-11th Jenner Glycobiology and Medicine symposium (Jenner Glycomedicine). April 20-21, 2015 Paris, France.
• Kulsoom Kamal, Archana, Soorej M Basheer and Prema Vasudev. Identification of cyclotides in selected Indian medicinal plants. International Conference on Medicinal Plants: Resource for Affordable New Generation Healthcare. (ICOMP2015) March 20-22, 2015 CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, India.
• Soorej M. Basheer, Abdelbaki Zitouni, Valerie Chazalet, Anne Imberty, Yocef Necib and Annabelle Varrot. Isolation and characterization of lectins from pathogenic fungi and Algerian desert truffle. International Conference on Biomolecular Forms and Functions (ICBFF), Jan 8-11, 2013, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
• Soorej M. Basheer, Alexey Novikov, Alina Tirsoaga, Elizabeth Njamkepo, Nicole Guiso and Martine Caroff. Endotoxin structural modifications occurring in Bordetellae and its role in pathogenicity. International Conference on New Horizons in Biotechnology (NHBT), Nov 21-24, 2011, Trivandrum, India.
• Sreeja Chellappan, Jasmin C, Soorej M. Basheer and M Chandrasekaran. Stability studies and applications of an extracellular alkaline serine protease from marine Engyodontium album BTMFS10. International Conference on New Horizons in Biotechnology (NHBT), Nov 21-24, 2011, Trivandrum, India.
• Sreeja Chellappan, Soorej M. Basheer and M. Chandrasekaran. An extracellular alkaline serine protease from marine Engyodontium album BTMFS10 with potential for application in detergent industry. ECOCASD 2011, International Conference on Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Development. 10-12 February, 2011, Ambo University, Ethiopia.
• Soorej M Basheer, Alexey Novikov, Alina Tirsoaga, Nicole Guiso and Martine Caroff. Impact of endotoxin structural modifications on Bordetella bronchiseptica virulence, as shown by MALDI-MS, in clinical isolates. International conference on mass spectrometry of biological molecules-Desorption 2010, Seillac, France. May 30-June 3.
• Soorej Basheer, Alexey Novikov, Alina Tirsoaga, Nicole Guiso and Martine Caroff. Endotoxin (lipid A) structural modifications in Bordetella bronchiseptica clinical isolates and its correlation with virulence. Ninth International Bordetella Symposium, Baltimore, MD, USA, Sep 30- Oct 3, 2010.
• Martine Caroff, Soorej Basheer, Asmaa Elhamidi, Luis Augusto, Nico Marr, Nita Shah, Adeline M. Hajjar, Rachel Fernandez, Malcolm B. Perry, Elisabeth Njamkepo, Nicole Guiso and Alexey Novikov. The Bordetella Saga: latest updates on B. pertussis, B. parapertussis, B. bronchiseptica and B. petrii lipids A. Joint Meeting between the Society for Leukocyte Biology & the International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society "The Three Rs of Immunity: Recognition, Response and Resolution" Vancouver, Canada, October 7-9, 2010.
• Soorej Basheer, Alexey Novikov, Alina Tirsoaga, Nicole Guiso and Martine Caroff. Endotoxin structural modifications correlate with virulence in Bordetella bronchiseptica clinical isolates. Joint Meeting between the Society for Leukocyte Biology & the International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society "The Three Rs of Immunity: Recognition, Response and Resolution" Vancouver, Canada, October 7-9, 2010.
• Martine Caroff, Imane Chafchaouni-Moussaoui Soorej Basheer, Onya Opota, Bruno Lemaitre, Malcolm B. Perry and Alexey Novikov. A new mild and easy micro-hydrolysis of lipopolysaccharides using triethylamine citrate. Joint Meeting between the Society for Leukocyte Biology & the International Endotoxin and Innate Immunity Society "The Three Rs of Immunity: Recognition, Response and Resolution" Vancouver, Canada, October 7-9, 2010.
• Alexey Novikov, Soorej M Basheer, Asmaa El Hamidi and Martine Caroff. Micromethods for rapid lipid A isolation, profiling and structural characterization. 7th LIPIDOMICS CONGRESS, Anglet/Biarritz, France, 3-6 October 2010.