Dhriti Sinha, PhD

Biography

Dr. Sinha is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Medical School. She earned her Ph.D. degree in microbiology from Indiana University Bloomington in 2014, working with Dr. Malcolm Winkler where she focused on identifying small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) and studying the roles of RNA-binding proteins on Streptococcus pneumoniae physiology and virulence. After that, she moved to Houston in 2015 to join Dr. Nicholas De Lay’s lab at UTHealth as a postdoctoral research fellow to study the molecular mechanisms by which proteins primarily involved in RNA decay promote sRNA-mediated gene regulation in Escherichia coli.

Dr. Sinha’s research interest lies in investigating the regulatory networks that pathogenic bacteria employ to interact with their hosts and their environments. How microbes sense a myriad of environmental cues to fine-tune gene expression and adapt under various harsh conditions, is fundamental for understanding the mechanisms that enable bacterial pathogens to cause disease. She is particularly interested in understanding functional roles of diverse bacterial regulators including sRNAs in mediating host-pathogen interactions. Dr. Sinha’s current ongoing research revolves around determining the functions of sRNAs in mediating S. pneumoniae physiology and pathogenesis.