Dr. Anil Thakur
Associate Professor
  • PhD 2013, Institute of Microbial Technology
  • Postdoc at National Institutes of Health – USA
anil[dot]thakur[at]rcb[dot]res[dot]in

Molecular and Translational Dynamics of Fungal Virulence and Antifungal Resistance
Candida species present a growing concern due to their increasing drug resistance, making fungal infections challenging to treat. These pathogens infect millions worldwide, particularly immunocompromised individuals, with high mortality rates, emphasizing the urgency of developing effective antifungal strategies.
To address this, we are understanding the intricate world of protein translation within Candida species, a fundamental cellular process crucial for fungal growth, development and virulence. Translational regulation that fine-tunes the translation of mRNA subgroups of pathogens required for host adaptation for virulence needs to be thoroughly investigated. Therefore, our broad objective is to unveil the molecular mechanisms that govern the synthesis of virulence factors, increasing the growth fitness of the fungus. By targeting key components of the translation machinery of the fungus, we aim to disrupt its growth and survival within hosts. This approach could potentially lead to the development of new antifungal agents that overcome the current limitations in treatment options.  

My lab focus is on two major objectives.
1.    Identifying and characterising the protein synthesis machinery in response to host-induced stresses in Candida species.
2.    Investigating the factors that influence the accuracy of translation initiation and their role in pathogenesis and drug resistance.
3.    Uncovering and characterising the mechanisms behind drug resistance in Candida species

  • Aishwarya Rana

    PhD student

  • Nidhi Gupta

    PhD student

  • Shumaiza Asif

    PhD student

  • Ashik Francis

    PhD student

  • Bharti

    Integrated MSc-PhD student

  • Ijabani Immanuel

    Integrated MSc-PhD student

  • Surbhi Kohli

    MK Bhan Fellow

  • Sandeep Hans

    Research Associate

  • Shivam

    Project JRF

  • Anjali

    Project Associate

  • Recipient of Ramalingaswami Fellowship - 2020
  • Visiting postdoctoral fellowship at National Institutes of Health – USA, in 2013-2019
  • ESF EMBO young scientist travel award in (2011) to attend the conference on “Glutathione and Related Thiols in Living Cells” at Spain.
  • Travel award in 2011 from CSIR and DBT India to attend the conference on “Glutathione and Related Thiols in Living Cells” at Spain.
  • Awarded Senior Research Fellowship from CSIR India in year 2009-2012.
  •  Awarded Junior Research Fellowship from CSIR India in year 2007-2009. 
  • Placed among top 20 percent candidates in National Eligibility Test (NET) for Lectureship by CSIR India, December 2006.
  • Qualified GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering) in life sciences. 
  • Awarded best student resident trophy from Govt. College Sector – 11 Chandigarh

Selected Publications

  1. Nidhi Gupta, Indira Bag, Jyothsna Visweswariah, Alan Hinnebusch and Anil Thakur* (2025). Distinct uS11/Rps14 interactions with the translation preinitiation complex differentially alter the accuracy of start codon recognition. Nucleic Acids Research, 2025, gkaf163, doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaf163
  2. Biswambhar Biswas, Shumaiza Asif, Rekha Puria and Anil Thakur*. A Novel and robust method for investigating fungal biofilm. Bio-protocol, 2025, Jan 5;15(1):e5146.doi: 10.21769
  3. Nirmal Singh Mahar, Surbhi Kohli, Biswambhar Biswas, Immaculata Xess, Anil Thakur, and Ishaan Gupta (2024) Complete Genome Assembly of Candida auris  representative strains of Three Geographical Clades, Microbiology Resource Announcements 2024 Sep 4:e0088223.
  4. Biswambhar Biswas, Aiswarya Rana, Nidhi Gupta, Ishaan Gupta, Rekha Puria andAnil Thakur*. A novel robust method mimicking human substratum to dissect theheterogeneity of Candida auris biofilm formation. MicrobiologySpectrum: Microbiol Spectr 2023 Jul 13;e0089223.doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00892-23
  5. Arsha Khari, Biswambhar Biswas, Garima Gangwar, Anil Thakur and Rekha Puria (2023). Candida auris biofilm: a review on model to mechanism conservation. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther, 20323 Mar:21(3):295-308
  6. Biswambhar Biswas, Garima Gangwar, Vikrant Nain, Ishaan gupta, Anil Thakur* and Rekha Puria* Rapamycin and Trin2 inhibit Candida auris TOR: Insights Through Growth profilling, docking and MD simulations. JBiomol Struct Dyn. 2022Oct 20;1-
  7. Aishwarya Rana#, Nidhi Gupta# and Anil Thakur* (2021) Post-transcriptional and translational control of the morphology and virulence in human fungal pathogens. Molecular Aspects of medicines, Sep 5:101017. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2021.101017
  8. Anil Thakur*, Swati Gaikwad, Anil Vijjamarri and Alan G. Hinnebusch* (2020) eIF2α interactions with mRNA control accurate start codon selection by the translation preinitiation complex. Nucleic Acid research, 9;48(18):10280-10296.
  9. Anil Thakur#, Laura Marler# and Alan G. Hinnebusch (2019) A network of eIF2 interactions with eIF1 and Met-tRNAi promotes accurate start codon selection by the translation preinitiation complex. Nucleic Acid Research, 8;47(5):2574-2593.
  10. Anil Thakur and Alan G. Hinnebusch (2018) eIF1 Loop 2 interactions with Met-tRNAi control the accuracy of start codon selection by the scanning preinitiation complex.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 1;115(18): E4159-E4168.
  11. Jinsheng Dong, Colin Echeverría Aitken, Anil Thakur, Byung-Sik Shin, Jon R. Lorsch , and Alan G. Hinnebusch (2017). Rps3/uS3 promotes mRNA binding at the 40S ribosome entry channel and stabilizes preinitiation complexes at start codons. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 14;114(11): E2126-E2135.
  12. Mohaammad Zulkifil, Shambu Yadav, Anil Thakur, Shiffalli Singla, Monika Sharma and Anand K. Bachhawat (2016) Substrate specificity and mapping of residues critical for transport in the high-affinity glutathione transporter Hgt1p. Biochemical Journal, 1;473(15):2369-82.
  13. Jose L. Llácer#, Tanweer Hussain#, Laura Marler, Colin Echeverría Aitken, Anil Thakur, Jon R. Lorsch, Alan G. Hinnebusch and V. Ramakrishnan (2015) Conformational Differences between Open and Closed States of the Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Complex. Molecular Cell, 6; 59(3): 399–412.
  14. Anil Thakur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2015). Charged/Polar-residue scanning of the hydrophobic face of transmembrane domain 9 of the yeast glutathione transporter, hgt1p, reveals a conformationally critical region for substrate transport. Published in G3 (Genes, Genomes, Genetics) Bethesda, 16;5(5):921-9.
  15. Anil Thakur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2013). Mutation in the N-terminal region of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe glutathione transporter Pgt1 allows functional expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast, 30(2):45-54.
  16. Anand K. Bachhawat, Anil Thakur, Jaspreet Kaur and M.Zulkifli (2013). Glutathione transporters. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1830(5):3154-64.
  17. Prashant R Desai#, Anil Thakur#, Dwaipayan Ganguli, Sanjoy Paul, Joachim Morschhauser and Anand K. Bachhawat (2011). Glutathione utilization by Candida albicans requires a functional Dug pathway and OPT7, an unusual member of the Oligopeptide transporter family. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2;286(48):41183-94.
  18. Anil Thakur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2010). The role of transmembrane domain 9 in substrate recognition by the fungal high-affinity glutathione transporters. Biochemical Journal, 1;429(3):593-602.
  19. Anil Thakur, Jaspreet Kaur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2008). Pgt1, a glutathione transporter from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. FEMS Yeast Research, 8(6):916-29. 

(* Corresponding author)

(# Equal Contribution)

Book Chapter

  1. Aishwarya Rana,  Nidhi Gupta, Shumaiza Asif  and  Anil Thakur* (2024). Surviving the storm: How Candida Species Master Adaptation for Pathogenesis; Recent Advances in Human Fungal Diseases. Springer Nature:109-156
  2. Ajeet Kumar, Ashik Francis, Sandeep Hans,  Anil Thakur* (2024). Unravelling Drug Resistance in Candida Species: Genetic, Biofilm, Transcriptional, and Epigenetic Perspectives. Recent Advances in Human Fungal Diseases. Springer Nature: 203-238
  3. Biswambhar Biswas and Anil Thakur* (2024). Fungal Fighters: A Comprehensive Guide to Antifungal Therapies of the Past, Present, and Future. Recent Advances in Human Fungal Diseases. Springer Nature: 43-65
  4. Bachhawat, A.K., Ganguli, D., Kaur, J., Kasturia, N., Thakur, A., Kaur, H., Kumar, A. and Yadav, A. (2008). Glutathione production in yeast. Yeast Biotechnology: Diversity and Applications

All Publications

  1. Nidhi Gupta, Indira Bag, Jyothsna Visweswariah, Alan Hinnebusch and Anil Thakur* (2025). Distinct uS11/Rps14 interactions with the translation preinitiation complex differentially alter the accuracy of start codon recognition. Nucleic Acids Research, 2025, gkaf163, doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaf163
  2. Biswambhar Biswas, Shumaiza Asif, Rekha Puria and Anil Thakur*. A Novel and robust method for investigating fungal biofilm. Bio-protocol, 2025, Jan 5;15(1):e5146.doi: 10.21769
  3. Nirmal Singh Mahar, Surbhi Kohli, Biswambhar Biswas, Immaculata Xess, Anil Thakur, and Ishaan Gupta (2024) Complete Genome Assembly of Candida auris  representative strains of Three Geographical Clades, Microbiology Resource Announcements 2024 Sep 4:e0088223.
  4. Biswambhar Biswas, Aiswarya Rana, Nidhi Gupta, Ishaan Gupta, Rekha Puria andAnil Thakur*. A novel robust method mimicking human substratum to dissect theheterogeneity of Candida auris biofilm formation. MicrobiologySpectrum: Microbiol Spectr 2023 Jul 13;e0089223.doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00892-23
  5. Arsha Khari, Biswambhar Biswas, Garima Gangwar, Anil Thakur and Rekha Puria (2023). Candida auris biofilm: a review on model to mechanism conservation. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther, 20323 Mar:21(3):295-308
  6. Biswambhar Biswas, Garima Gangwar, Vikrant Nain, Ishaan gupta, Anil Thakur* and Rekha Puria* Rapamycin and Trin2 inhibit Candida auris TOR: Insights Through Growth profilling, docking and MD simulations. JBiomol Struct Dyn. 2022Oct 20;1-
  7. Aishwarya Rana#, Nidhi Gupta# and Anil Thakur* (2021) Post-transcriptional and translational control of the morphology and virulence in human fungal pathogens. Molecular Aspects of medicines, Sep 5:101017. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2021.101017
  8. Anil Thakur*, Swati Gaikwad, Anil Vijjamarri and Alan G. Hinnebusch* (2020) eIF2α interactions with mRNA control accurate start codon selection by the translation preinitiation complex. Nucleic Acid research, 9;48(18):10280-10296.
  9. Anil Thakur#, Laura Marler# and Alan G. Hinnebusch (2019) A network of eIF2 interactions with eIF1 and Met-tRNAi promotes accurate start codon selection by the translation preinitiation complex. Nucleic Acid Research, 8;47(5):2574-2593.
  10. Anil Thakur and Alan G. Hinnebusch (2018) eIF1 Loop 2 interactions with Met-tRNAi control the accuracy of start codon selection by the scanning preinitiation complex.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 1;115(18): E4159-E4168.
  11. Jinsheng Dong, Colin Echeverría Aitken, Anil Thakur, Byung-Sik Shin, Jon R. Lorsch , and Alan G. Hinnebusch (2017). Rps3/uS3 promotes mRNA binding at the 40S ribosome entry channel and stabilizes preinitiation complexes at start codons. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 14;114(11): E2126-E2135.
  12. Mohaammad Zulkifil, Shambu Yadav, Anil Thakur, Shiffalli Singla, Monika Sharma and Anand K. Bachhawat (2016) Substrate specificity and mapping of residues critical for transport in the high-affinity glutathione transporter Hgt1p. Biochemical Journal, 1;473(15):2369-82.
  13. Jose L. Llácer#, Tanweer Hussain#, Laura Marler, Colin Echeverría Aitken, Anil Thakur, Jon R. Lorsch, Alan G. Hinnebusch and V. Ramakrishnan (2015) Conformational Differences between Open and Closed States of the Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Complex. Molecular Cell, 6; 59(3): 399–412.
  14. Anil Thakur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2015). Charged/Polar-residue scanning of the hydrophobic face of transmembrane domain 9 of the yeast glutathione transporter, hgt1p, reveals a conformationally critical region for substrate transport. Published in G3 (Genes, Genomes, Genetics) Bethesda, 16;5(5):921-9.
  15. Anil Thakur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2013). Mutation in the N-terminal region of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe glutathione transporter Pgt1 allows functional expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast, 30(2):45-54.
  16. Anand K. Bachhawat, Anil Thakur, Jaspreet Kaur and M.Zulkifli (2013). Glutathione transporters. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1830(5):3154-64.
  17. Prashant R Desai#, Anil Thakur#, Dwaipayan Ganguli, Sanjoy Paul, Joachim Morschhauser and Anand K. Bachhawat (2011). Glutathione utilization by Candida albicans requires a functional Dug pathway and OPT7, an unusual member of the Oligopeptide transporter family. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2;286(48):41183-94.
  18. Anil Thakur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2010). The role of transmembrane domain 9 in substrate recognition by the fungal high-affinity glutathione transporters. Biochemical Journal, 1;429(3):593-602.
  19. Anil Thakur, Jaspreet Kaur and Anand K. Bachhawat (2008). Pgt1, a glutathione transporter from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. FEMS Yeast Research, 8(6):916-29. 

(* Corresponding author)

(# Equal Contribution)

  1. Biswambhar Biswas
  2. Ajeet Kumar   
  3. Shirish Gangber
  4. Rashmi Yadav
  5. Farman Ansari
  6. Anaswara Sugathan
Dr. Anil Thakur
Associate Professor

Regional Centre for Biotechnology
NCR Biotech Science Cluster
3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway
P.O. Box No. 3, Faridabad - 121 001
Haryana (NCR Delhi), India e-mail: anil dot thakur at rcb dot res dot in
Phone: 91 0129-2848738

no text anil[dot]thakur[at]rcb[dot]res[dot]in
no text 91 0129-2848738

Accessibility Tools