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Research in Gupta Lab focuses on key biological processes related to Cell Signalling, Cell Proliferation and Cell Differentiation. The questions of our interest are:

  • How cells respond to external signals,
  • How the timing and number of cell division are controlled,
  • How cells acquire unique identities,
  • How environmental signals modulate animal behavior

These questions form the basis of our work to understand the mechanisms of normal processes and diseases, such as cancer and neuronal degeneration. For this we are using two well-known nematode (worm) model organisms C. elegans and C. briggsae. These tiny animals (roughly 1 mm long) are particularly useful in discovering the roles of conserved genes and pathways in processes that are shared among all eukaryotes.

Our approach is multidisciplinary and includes techniques in genetics, genomics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and engineering. We collaborate extensively with other laboratories, both at McMaster and outside, to develop new tools and resources. The applied aspect of our work involves making use of basic research findings and in-house tools to carry out drug discovery projects.


Research projects in our lab are currently funded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). In previous years we were also supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation (MRI), Canadian Research Chairs (CRC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ontario Innovation Trust (OIT), and National Institutes of Health (NIH).


Department of Biology, Life Sciences Building, Room 322, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada

Phone: 26451 (office) / 23594 (lab)
Email: guptab[at]mcmaster[dot]ca


Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments and feedback. Thank you!


Jan 28-Feb 2, 2016
Bhagwati gave a talk in the 1st Indian C. elegans meeting held in Mumbai India. He was also one of the instructors of the satellite workshop.

Dec 10-14, 2015
Devika and Sangeena successfully defended their Ph.D. degrees within a span of 5 days. We wish them all the best in their future careers.

Oct 7, 2015
Simon Zhang's poster won 2nd place in the Undergraduate division of McMaster Water Week annual event. Congratulations Simon!

  • Last modified: 2022/01/07 20:20