The Das lab explores genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of chromosome inheritance and aging during meiosis and early development. Specifically, the lab aims to define how the centromere, an epigenetic mark that controls chromosome segregation, is inherited through unique challenges presented by reproduction and embryogenesis.  Another focus of our research program is to explore the molecular mechanisms of aneuploidy in early embryo development. By integrating evolutionary cell biology and genetics, microscopy, comparative reproductive biology, and biochemistry the Das lab addresses open fundamental questions in chromatin biology and epigenetics.

The lab uses a range of model systems such as mouse, fly, and horse to study molecular mechanisms of genome stability in reproductive aging, and epigenetic reprogramming in embryogenesis. Our mouse and fly work looks at epigenome stability in embryos while our equine genomics studies focus on the incredible evolution of centromeric repeats and its consequences on in vivo biological processes. The Das lab is an active member of the Cornell Center for Reproductive Sciences, Center for Vertebrate Genomics, and Cornell Equine. 

Dr. Das teaches in the Cornell Veterinary School curriculum in Foundation Course III and is also the lead Faculty designing an advanced graduate level core laboratory course in for a future MS program in Reproductive Medicine. Besides teaching, Dr Das also mentors graduate student thesis projects, undergraduate research, and MS/MPH Capstone projects for students interested in advancing their knowledge of fundamental mechanisms in biology. She also mentors summer students for the Veterinary Investigator and Leadership program (VILP). 

Ph.D., Cell and Developmental Biology, Rutgers University, 2016
M.Sc, Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 2009
B.Sc, Chemistry, St. Xavier’s Unviersity, Calcutta, 2007

Dr. Arunika Das did her undergraduate training in Chemistry, and an MS program in Biochemistry from the University of Calcutta, India. This piqued her interest in fundamental biological questions in cell division. She pursued her Graduate thesis project in Dr. Kim McKim’s lab at Rutgers University, studying Drosophila meiosis and chromosome segregation. Dr. Das received co-mentored postdoctoral training with Drs. Michael Lampson and Ben Black at the University of Pennsylvania. This work focused on the plasticity of an essential epigenetic chromosome feature, the centromere, in mammalian embryos, and exploring consequences of female reproductive aging on chromosome segregation and fertility. Her work, combining genetics and cell biology, has transformed the field and highlighted the inherent plasticity of histone inheritance through reproduction and early embryo development. The current Das lab projects build on these concepts and extends them to other model organisms such as the fly and horse, leveraging comparative biology to answer a wide range of questions.

Centromere specifying nucleosomes persists in aging mammalian oocytes in the absence of their    nascent assembly.
Arunika Das, Katelyn G. Boese, Sung Hee Baek, Kikue Tachibana, Michael A. Lampson, Ben E. Black, Current Biology, 2023

Novel insights into reproductive ageing and menopause from genomics
Arunika Das*, Aspasia Destouni*, Human Reproduction, 2022. *= Co-corresponding author

Epigenetic, genetic and maternal effects enable stable centromere inheritance
Arunika Das, Aiko Iwata-Otsubo, Jennine M. Dawicki McKenna, Aspasia Destouni, Katelyn G. Boese, Ben E. Black, Michael A. Lampson, Nature Cell Biology, 2022

Equalizing epigenetically imprinted centromeres in early mammalian embryos
Gabriel Manske, Kelsey Jorgensen, Binbin Ma, Mansour Aboelenain, Catherine Tower, Saikat Chakraborty, Rajesh Ranjan, Arunika Das, Michael A Lampson, Ben E Black, Karen Schindler, Xin Chen, Saher Sue Hammoud, bioRxiv, 2022

Maternal inheritance of centromeres through the germline
Arunika Das, Ben E. Black and Michael A. Lampson, Current Topics In Developmental Biology,2020

Sister centromere fusion during meiosis I depends on maintaining cohesins and destabilizing microtubule attachments
Lin-Ing Wang, Arunika Das, Kim S. McKim, PLoS Genetics, 2019

Kinesin 6 Regulation in Drosophila Female Meiosis by the Non-conserved N- and C- Terminal Domains.
Arunika Das, Jeffry Cesario, Anna-Maria Hinman, Janet K. Jang, Kim S. McKim. G3 May 2018

Centromere inheritance through the germline
Arunika Das, Evan M. Smoak, Ricardo Linares-Saldana, Ben E. Black, Michael A. Lampson, Chromosoma, October 2017

Spindle Assembly and Chromosome Segregation Requires Central Spindle Proteins in Drosophila Oocytes
Arunika Das, Shital J. Shah, Bensen Fan, Daniel Paik, Daniel J. DiSanto, Anna Maria Hinman, Jeffry M. Cesario, Rachel A. Battaglia, Nicole Demos, Kim S. McKim, Genetics, January 2016.

Society for the Study of Reproduction - Emerging Investigator Award - 2024-2025
S. Walter Englander Postdoctoral Research Award (Perelman School of Medicine) - 2022
Honorable Mention - Keith R. Porter Award for Research Excellence (ASCB) - 2022
Fellowship - Marine Biological Laboratory for Frontiers in Reproduction course - 2017
Benedict-Michael Fellowship - 2014-2015
Charles and Joanna Busch Graduate Student Fellowship - 2023-2013
Lectureship, Center for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-NET), India - 2009

American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
Genetics Society of America (GSA)
Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR)
American Society for Reproductive Medicine