PEOPLE
Nisha N Kannan
Associate Professor
School of Biology, IISER TVM
I completed Master’s Degree in Biotechnology from Kannur University, Kerala. My exposure to research during this period motivated me to pursue a PhD at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore. At the Chronobiology Laboratory in JNCASR, I had the opportunity to design experiments and explore scientific questions. Following my PhD, I joined Prof. Kenji Tomioka’s lab at Okayama University, Japan, as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where I focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying thermal entrainment of circadian clocks. In 2015, I joined the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram as an Assistant Professor and as an Early Career Fellow of DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance.
Beyond research, I enjoy science outreach, traveling, landscape photography, painting, arts and crafts, and spending quality time with children.
I completed my Master’s degree in Human Genetics from Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. Chronobiology is a really intriguing subject, and the more I study circadian rhythms, the more it fascinates me. I joined the chronobiology lab in August 2020. I will be working with chrono precise population of Drosophila melanogaster focusing on deciphering the molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock precision in these populations.
Apart from lab and science, I am a bibliophile and enjoy reading books. I also enjoy music, painting, and art and crafts in general.
I completed my master's degree in Zoology from University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. I chose chronobiology for my PhD because I was genuinely intrigued by how our body's internal clocks affect our day-to-day experiences, it's like unravelling the secrets of our daily story! I joined the Chronobiology lab in August 2023, and here I'll be working on understanding microRNA mediated regulation of circadian rhythms in Drosophila. Besides my research, I'm all about music, dancing, movies, and even some calligraphy on the side.
I completed my master's in Zoology from Christ University, Bangalore. My journey toward chronobiology began with a foundation interest in neurobiology. I joined the chronobiology lab in August 2025 and will be working on understanding the connection between sleep, metabolism and neurodegeneration.
Apart from research, I enjoy music, movies and travelling.
I am a postgraduate in Molecular Medicine from the Central University of Punjab, where I worked to understand the neurotoxic effects and mitochondrial alterations caused by cadmium and how quercetin would ameliorate them. My curiosity lies in exploring different brain regions and their capacity to rewire and generate new connections by training them. Chronobiology caught my attention when I discovered the synchronised working of the central and peripheral clocks in regulating circadian rhythms and their functionalities. In the lab, I'll be assessing the specific roles of the core clock genes in carbohydrate metabolism and the related neuroendocrine signalling.
I am a fitness enthusiast by interest and will find time for badminton. Loves to binge-watch through platforms and is a melophile.
I completed my Master’s degree in Zoology from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and joined the Chronobiology Lab in January 2026 as a PhD scholar. I am currently working on Drosophila populations from an evolutionary perspective within the broader framework of chronobiology, with an interest in understanding how biological rhythms vary and evolve across populations. Outside the lab, I enjoy binge-watching movies, listening to music, and drawing, which help me stay balanced and creatively engaged.
I completed my bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from MAKAUT, West Bengal. What drew me to chronobiology was the possibility of tracing something as intangible as behaviour back to molecular mechanisms, a curiosity rooted in my broader fascination with the biological basis of behaviour and memory. For my master’s project, I’ll be investigating the role of microRNA, particularly miR-7, in regulating the light input pathway and its effects on circadian behaviour. Beyond the lab, I unwind by crocheting, singing, or switching between death metal, indie, and ghazals—perhaps all in the same day at times.
I am a fifth-year BS-MS student currently working on my major project. My interest in chronobiology developed through a course on the subject, where I learned about the importance of maintaining proper circadian rhythms and the molecular machinery underlying circadian rhythm regulation. I was always curious about the circadian rhythm and this coursework made me more curious and motivated me to explore the field in greater depth.
Currently, I work on understanding how microRNAs help in regulating core clock components at the post-transcriptional level and contribute to the maintenance of circadian rhythms.
Apart from research, I enjoy movies, music, cricket and travelling.
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I am a fifth-year BS-MS student and my interest in chronobiology
began during my internship in this lab, where I was introduced to ways
in which biological processes are organized according to time. I was
particularly fascinated by sleep,not just as a basic physiological
need, but as a process that is closely connected to many aspects of
brain function and overall health.
During this experience, I became curious about how disturbances in
sleep could influence processes such as neurodegeneration, and how
changes in the brain associated with neurodegenerative diseases could,
in turn, affect sleep. This connection between two seemingly different
processes made me want to understand the underlying biological
mechanisms in greater detail.This experience sparked my curiosity to
explore the relationship between sleep, metabolism and
neurodegenerative processes, which is the focus of my project. Beyond
academics and research I enjoy drawing, watching movies, and getting
lost in a good book.
I am a fifth-year BS-MS Biology student currently pursuing my Master’s thesis in a Chronobiology Laboratory .The convergence of the rhythms we experience in real life with their scientific basis led me to the world of chronobiology, where I can explore these rhythms and translate their understanding towards the betterment of society. Currently I am focusing on how the core clock circadian gene and crosstalk between the central and peripheral clock helps in maintaining the metabolic rhythm .Also I am interested in how the disruption in circadian rhythm leads to psychiatric disorders and possibility of convergence of circadian rhythm and metabolism for the diagnosis of various psychiatric disorders.
Apart from our research I would like to portray different characters and pen down the stories I would like to see visually.
I am a fifth-year BS-MS student currently working on my major project in the Chronobiology Lab. My interest in chronobiology began during an internship in the lab, which later led me to take a course in chronobiology and further explore the mechanisms underlying biological timekeeping.
My current research interest is in understanding how nutritional state interacts with the circadian clock to influence behavioural responses, particularly light-avoidance behaviour in Drosophila larvae. Through my major project, I hope to explore how changes in an organism’s physiological state can modulate its interaction with environmental cues. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, listening to music and I love to do classical dance.
Aleida and Aarav
Visiting fellows
Under the guidance of PI !
