Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Oncology
“Our goal is to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and affordable cancer diagnostics — making early detection accessible to every patient, regardless of where they live.”
Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among Indian women, while colorectal cancer incidence is rising rapidly — particularly early-onset CRC in younger populations. Current screening tools are often expensive, require specialized infrastructure, and are inaccessible to the majority of India's population. The gut microbiome's role in cancer development is poorly understood in Indian populations, where dietary patterns, genetics, and microbial exposures differ significantly from Western cohorts.
Dr. Bose's laboratory employs a multi-pronged translational research strategy: developing affordable biomarker-based screening tools (DAS-ELISA for HPV/p16 detection), characterizing the colorectal cancer-associated gut microbiome using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and whole metagenome analysis, and building international research networks to compare microbial patterns across populations. The lab collaborates with institutions in the UK, Chile, Argentina, and Vietnam through GCRF-funded networks, and coordinates a 12-center pan-India consortium (PEACOCC) to study early-onset CRC. Machine learning models are being applied to microbiome data for predictive diagnostics.
The p16 DAS-ELISA technology for cervical cancer screening was successfully developed and transferred to HLL Lifecare Limited — a Government of India Enterprise — for large-scale manufacturing and deployment. Gut microbiome profiling has revealed that India-specific CRC microbiome signatures show geographic distinctness but share universal CRC-associated patterns with UK cohorts. A notable finding from the international E. coli (pks+) study showed 4% prevalence in Indian CRC patients compared to 31% in the UK NHSBCSP cohort, suggesting distinct genotoxic mechanisms. The PEACOCC consortium is generating the first comprehensive characterization of early-onset CRC microbial composition across India.
| Project | Funding Agency | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large bowel microbiome — a network approach to unravelling the relationship between gut microbiota and colorectal cancer in India and the UK | Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), UK | Co-PI | Completed |
| OPTIMISTICC Grand Challenge | Cancer Research UK | PI (India Site) | Ongoing |
| ID-PPP-OTN: Infectious Diseases — Public Private Partnerships on Treatment and Novel diagnostics | SERB, Department of Science and Technology | Co-PI | Completed |
| PEACOCC: Pan-India Early-onset CRC Microbial Composition Characterization | DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance | Site-PI | Ongoing |
| MolOnco-DnT-CenTr: Molecular Oncology Diagnostics & Therapeutics Centre | ICMR-CAR | Site-PI | Ongoing |
Funding: Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), UK
Role: Co-PI
Funding: Cancer Research UK
Role: PI (India Site)
Funding: SERB, Department of Science and Technology
Role: Co-PI
Funding: DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance
Role: Site-PI
Funding: ICMR-CAR
Role: Site-PI
Thomas J, Ohlsson L, Sena M, Kumar V, Nair S, Kalarani D, Aishwarya P, Singarayer de Sylva A, Priya VM, Bose M, Quirke P, Hasan S, Sejnova D, Vymetalkova V, Vodickova L, Brennan P, Vodicka P, Sillo T, and Cross A
Ohlsson L, Thomas J, Shinde V, Bose M, Sena M, Jain V, Fonseca F, Miquel S, and Cross A
Sena M, Kumar V, Bose M, Kalarani I, Yoosuf S, Aishwarya P, Priya VM, Akshaya, Nair S, Ohlsson L, Brennan P, Thomas J, and Cross A
Bose M, Sena M, Kumar V, Kalarani I, Yoosuf S, Priya VM, Aishwarya P, Akshaya, Nair S, Ohlsson L, Cross A, and Thomas J
Jayalakshmi K, Bose M, Vanitha NS, Lavanya M, Priya VM, Baskar K, Krishna Priya S, Nair S, and Thomas J
We are looking for motivated researchers to join our team.
Eligibility: Prospective PhD candidates with own fellowship (Inspire / DBT JRF / ICMR-JRF / CSIR-NET)
View Open PositionsDepartment of Molecular Oncology
Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Chennai — 600 036
b.mayilvahanan@cancerinstitutewia.org