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SOUTH ASIAN UNIVERSITY

A University Established by SAARC Nations

SOUTH ASIAN UNIVERSITY

A University established by SAARC Nations

Sumit Kumar

DBT Ramalingaswami Fellow
PhD (International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 2016)

Contact Details

sumitflsb(at)sau.int
South Asian University, New Delhi, India
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Profile

Research Interests:

We are interested in understanding the design and mechanisms of cell-autonomous innate immunity against intracellular pathogens. Intracellular infection represents a dynamic state of cross-regulation between host and pathogenic factors, each counteracting the other for their respective survival or proliferation. We primarily employ the eukaryotic apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis in humans, to identify and characterize novel host pathways involved in pathogen restriction and the parasitic effectors that subvert them.

Research Experience:

Staff Scientist, Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, US (2021-24) Postdoctoral Research Associate, Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, US (2016-21)

Qualifications

  • Ph.D., International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India (2016)
  • M.Sc. Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India (2009)
  • B.Sc. (Hons.) Biomedical Sciences, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India (2007)

Research Interests

  1. Cell-autonomous immunity.
  2. Parasitology (Apicomplexan; Toxoplasma gondii).
  3. Development of Host-Directed Therapeutics against infectious diseases.

Recent Publications

Authored as Sumit Kumar Matta (Matta SK)

1. Matta SK, Kohio HP, Chandra P, Brown A, Doench JG, Philips JA, Ding S, Sibley LD. Genome-wide and targeted CRISPR screens identify RNF213 as a mediator of interferon gamma-dependent pathogen restriction in human cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Jan 2;121(1):e2315865120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2315865120. PubMed PMID: 38147552.

2. Rinkenberger N, Abrams ME, Matta SK, Schoggins JW, Alto NM, Sibley LD. Over-expression Screen of Interferon-Stimulated Genes Identifies RARRES3 as a Restrictor of Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Elife. 2021 Dec 6;10. doi: 10.7554/eLife.73137. PubMed PMID: 34871166.

3. Matta SK, Rinkenberger N, Dunay IR, Sibley LD. Toxoplasma gondii infection and its implications within the central nervous system. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2021 Feb 24. doi: 10.1038/s41579-021-00518-7.

4. Matta SK, Olias P, Huang Z, Wang Q, Park E, Yokoyama WM, Sibley LD. Toxoplasma gondii effector TgIST blocks type I interferon signaling to promote infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Aug 27;116(35):17480- 17491. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1904637116. Epub 2019 Aug 14. PubMed PMID: 31413201; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6717281.

5. Matta SK, Patten K, Wang Q, Kim BH, MacMicking JD, Sibley LD. NADPH Oxidase and Guanylate Binding Protein 5 Restrict Survival of Avirulent Type III Strains of Toxoplasma gondii in Naive Macrophages. mBio. 2018 Aug 28;9(4). doi: 10.1128/mBio.01393-18. PubMed PMID: 30154263; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6113620.

Awards & Honours

  1. 2007: Meritorious scholarship during M.Sc. by DBT, India.
  2. 2010: Research fellowships during PhD by DBT, India.
  3. 2019: Best poster award at Global Health and Infectious Disease Conference, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
  4. 2024: Ramalingaswami Re-Entry Fellowship, DBT, India.

Last Updated : 25 Jul 2025