Prof. Barry J Marshall Research Centre for Helicobacter pylori
Introduction
Under the visionary leadership of Dr. D. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman of AIG Hospitals, the Prof. Barry J Marshall Research Centre for H. pylori India has been established at the Asian Healthcare Foundation, AIG Hospitals. Named in honor of Prof. Barry J. Marshall, co-discoverer of H. pylori and co-recipient of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Centre was formally inaugurated by Prof. Barry J Marshall himself on November 8, 2024.
This pioneering centre is dedicated to advancing cutting-edge research on Helicobacter pylori through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach involving leading basic scientists and clinical experts. Key focus areas include mechanisms of virulence, patterns of antibiotic resistance, genomic evolution, and gastrointestinal microbiome alterations associated with H. pylori infection, employing state-of-the-art metagenomic and molecular techniques.
The centre aims to serve as a global hub for basic and translational research, driving innovations in the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of H. pylori-related diseases.
Prof. Barry J Marshall Research Centre for Helicobacter pylori
Dr. Santanu Chattopadhyay
PhD
Scientist,
Barry Marshall Research Centre for Helicobacter pylori,
Asian Healthcare Foundation
Hyderabad
Biography
Dr. Santanu Chattopadhyay completed his PhD from National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Kolkata (now ICMR-NIRBI) on H. pylori genotype and antibiotic resistance. He did Post-Doc at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA on viral RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp). Aftercoming back to India, he joined Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, Kerala, where his laboratory worked on H. pylori virulence, antibiotic resistance, genome and microbiome. Now he heads the Barry Marshall Centre for Helicobacter pylori at Asian Healthcare Foundation, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad, Telangana.
Areas of Expertise
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H. pylori
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Genome
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Microbiome
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Microbe-Microbe Interaction
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Virulence
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Antimicrobial Resistance
Research
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Using genomics and metagenomics to understand H. pylori virulence and antibiotic resistance
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Using microbe-microbe interaction to appreciate microbial ecology in stomach and intestine in the context of H. pylori infection
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Developing a genome and microbiome-based eradication of H. pylori
Dr. Nishant Nandanwar
PhD
Scientist,
Barry Marshall Research Centre for Helicobacter pylori,
Asian Healthcare Foundation
Hyderabad
Email: dr.nishantn@ahcf.co.in
Biography
Dr. Nandanwar completed his Ph. D at the Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Freie University, Berlin, Germany. He worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Biotechnology, University of Hyderabad, India. He then moved to the United States of America where he worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, California, USA. His research focuses on understanding bacterial pathogenesis associated with infectious diseases.
Areas of Expertise
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Dr. Nandanwar research interest focuses on understanding the mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis associated with infectious diseases and the interplay of host-pathogen interactions. Dr. Nandanwar has expertise in the fields of microbiology and infection biology and has massive experience in handling pathogenic organisms associated with varied infectious diseases
Research
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Bacterial pathogenesis and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in gastric pathogen H. pylori associated with the gastric disorders
Research
Overview
Research Focus Areas
1. H. pylori virulence leading to peptic ulcer and gastric cancer
2. H. pylori antibiotic resistance
3. H. pylori genome evolution
4. H. pylori induced alteration of gastrointestinal microbiome
5. Genome and microbiome-based eradication of Helicobacter pylori
6. Genomic and metagenomics insights on Helicobacter pylori virulence and antimicrobial resistance. SERB-DST.
7. Evaluating the possibility of using new Bifidobacterium strains as probiotic supplements along with standard antimicrobial therapy against Helicobacter pylori and understanding the mechanism. DBT.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Santanu Chattopadhyay
HOD and Scientist
Dr. Nishant Nandanwar
Scientist In-Charge
Team Members
Sanjit Biswas
Udita Mukherjee
Himanshi Sharma
Maram Keerthana
SK Arif
Genome-wide accumulations of non-random adaptive point mutations drive westward evolution of Helicobacter pylori. Retnakumar R. J., Chettri P., Lamtha S. C., Sivakumar K. C., Dutta P., Sen P., Biswas S., Agarwal N., Nath A. N., Devi T. B., Thapa N., Tamang J. P., Chattopadhyay S. BMC Microbiology. 2025; 25:229.
Benefiting from microbes: Challenges in getting the ‘pros’ and avoiding the ‘cons’. Chattopadhyay S., Murugaiyan G., Hajela N., Ramakrishna B. S. Frontiers in Gastroenterology. 2023; 2:1293448. doi:10.3389/fgstr.2023.1293448.
Unusually high clarithromycin resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus isolated from human gastric epithelium. Chouhan D., Retnakumar R. J., Devi T. B., Dharmaseelan S., Alexander S. M., Devadas K., Chattopadhyay S., Nair G. B., Pillai M. R. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2023; 14:1193380. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1193380.
Biosensors for point-of-care testing and personalized monitoring of gastrointestinal microbiota. Ngashangva L., Chattopadhyay S. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2023; 14:1114707.
Gastrointestinal microbiome in the context of Helicobacter pylori infection in stomach and gastroduodenal diseases. Retnakumar R. J., Nath A. N., Nair G. B., Chattopadhyay S. In: Das B., Singh V., editors. Human Microbiome in Health and Disease – Part B. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science. Vol. 192. Elsevier; 2022. p. 53–95.
Peptic ulcer and gastric cancer: Is it all in the complex host-microbiome interplay that is encoded in the genomes of ‘us’ and ‘them’? Nath A. N., Retnakumar R. J., Francis A., Chhetri P., Thapa N., Chattopadhyay S. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2022; 13:835313.
Antimicrobial resistance and virulence in Helicobacter pylori: Genomic insights. Mehrotra T., Devi T. B., Kumar S., Talukdar D., Karmakar S. P., Kothidar A., Verma J., Kumari S., Alexander S. M., Retnakumar R. J., Devadas K., Ray A., Mutreja A., Nair G. B., Chattopadhyay S., Das B. Genomics. 2021; 113:3951–3966. (*Co-first and co-corresponding authors)
Helicobacter pylori in human stomach: The inconsistencies in clinical outcomes and the probable causes. Alexander S. M., Retnakumar R. J., Chouhan D., Devi T. B., Sanjai D., Devadas K., Thapa N., Tamang J. P., Lamtha S. C., Chattopadhyay S. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2021; 12:713955.
Low Bifidobacterium abundance in intestinal microbiome is related to Helicobacter pylori infection and severe gastric diseases. Devi T. B., Devadas K., George M., Gandhimathi A., Chouhan D., Retnakumar R. J., Alexander S. M., Varghese J., Sanjai D., Sivakumar K. C., Das B., Nair G. B., Chattopadhyay S. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2021; 12:631140.
Intestinal microbiota and vaccine efficacy in children in resource-poor settings: Potential impact for the usefulness of probiotics? Hajela N., Chattopadhyay S., Nair G. B., Ganguly N. K. Beneficial Microbes. 2020; 11(4):319–328.
Mycobacterium abscessus infection in the stomach of patients with various gastric symptoms. Chouhan D., Devi T. B., Chattopadhyay S., Dharmaseelan S., Nair G. B., Devadas K., Pillai M. R. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2019; 13(11):e0007799.
Fermented foods: Are they tasty medicines for Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulcer and gastric cancer? Nair M. R. B., Chouhan D., Sen Gupta S., Chattopadhyay S. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2016; 7:1148.
Multiple infection and microdiversity among Helicobacter pylori isolates in a single host in India. Patra R., Chattopadhyay S., De R., Ghosh P., Ganguly M., Chowdhury A., Ramamurthy T., Nair G. B., Mukhopadhyay A. K. PLoS One. 2012; 7(8):e43370.
Distinct repeat motifs at the C-terminal region of CagA of Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from diseased patients and asymptomatic individuals in West Bengal, India. Chattopadhyay S., Patra R., Chatterjee R., De R., Alam J., Ramamurthy T., Chowdhury A., Nair G. B., Berg D. E., Mukhopadhyay A. K. Gut Pathogens. 2012; 4(1):4.
Intact cag pathogenicity island of Helicobacter pylori without disease association in Kolkata, India. Patra R., Chattopadhyay S., De R., Datta S., Chowdhury A., Ramamurthy T., Nair G. B., Berg D. E., Mukhopadhyay A. K. International Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2011; 301(4):293–302.
Domain within the C protein of human parainfluenza virus type 3 that regulates interferon signaling. Mao H., Chattopadhyay S., Banerjee A. K. Gene Expression. 2010; 15(1):43–50.
Structural and functional properties of the vesicular stomatitis virus nucleoprotein–RNA complex as revealed by proteolytic digestion. Sarkar A., Chattopadhyay S., Cox R., Luo M., Banerjee A. K. Virology. 2010; 401:61–69. (*Co-first author)
N-terminally truncated C protein (CNΔ25) of human parainfluenza virus type 3 is a potent inhibitor of viral replication. Mao H., Chattopadhyay S., Banerjee A. K. Virology. 2009; 394(1):143–148.
Phosphoprotein P of human parainfluenza virus type 3 prevents self-association of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L. Chattopadhyay S., Banerjee A. K. Virology. 2009; 383:226–236.
Indistinguishable cellular changes in gastric mucosa between Helicobacter pylori-infected asymptomatic tribal and duodenal ulcer patients. Saha D. R., Datta S., Chattopadhyay S., Patra R., De R., Rajendran K., Chowdhury A., Ramamurthy T., Mukhopadhyay A. K. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009; 15(9):1105–1112.
Inhibition of human parainfluenza virus type 3 infection by novel small molecules. Mao H., Thakur C. S., Chattopadhyay S., Silverman R. H., Gudkov A., Banerjee A. K. Antiviral Research. 2008; 77(2):83–94.
Inhibition of STAT1 phosphorylation by human parainfluenza virus type 3 C protein. Malur A. G., Chattopadhyay S., Maitra R. K., Banerjee A. K. Journal of Virology. 2005; 79(12):7877–7882.
Diagnosis and genotyping of Helicobacter pylori by PCR of bacterial DNA from gastric juice. Datta S., Chattopadhyay S., Chowdhury A., Santra A., Saha D. R., Ramamurthy T., Bhattacharya S. K., Berg D. E., Nair G. B., Mukhopadhyay A. K. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2005; 20(8):1253–1259.
Most Helicobacter pylori strains of Kolkata, India, are resistant to metronidazole but susceptible to other drugs commonly used for eradication and ulcer therapy. Datta S., Chattopadhyay S., Patra R., De R., Ramamurthy T., Hembram J., Chowdhury A., Bhattacharya S. K., Berg D. E., Nair G. B., Mukhopadhyay A. K. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2005; 22(1):51–57.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori strains isolated in Bangladesh. Nahar S., Mukhopadhyay A. K., Khan R., Ahmad M. M., Datta S., Chattopadhyay S., Dhar S. C., Sarker S. A., Engstrand L., Berg D. E., Nair G. B., Rahman M. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2004; 42(10):4856–4858.
Multiplex PCR assay for rapid detection and genotyping of Helicobacter pylori directly from biopsy specimens. Chattopadhyay S., Patra R., Ramamurthy T., Chowdhury A., Santra A., Dhali G. K., Bhattacharya S. K., Berg D. E., Nair G. B., Mukhopadhyay A. K. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2004; 42(6):2821–2824.
Association of cdtB locus with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from patients with acute diarrhea in Calcutta, India. Pandey M., Khan A., Das S. C., Sarkar B., Kahali S., Chakraborty S., Chattopadhyay S., Yamasaki S., Takeda Y., Nair G. B., Ramamurthy T. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2003; 41:5277–5281.
Virulence genes and neutral DNA markers of Helicobacter pylori isolates from different ethnic communities of West Bengal, India. Datta S., Chattopadhyay S., Nair G. B., Mukhopadhyay A. K., Hembram J., Berg D. E., Saha D. R., Khan A., Santra A., Bhattacharya S. K., Chowdhury A. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2003; 41(8):3737–3743.
Anti-Helicobacter pylori therapy in India: Differences in eradication efficiency associated with particular vacA gene alleles. Chaudhuri S., Chowdhury A., Datta S., Mukhopadhyay A. K., Chattopadhyay S., Saha D. R., Dhali G., Santra A., Nair G. B., Bhattacharya S., Berg D. E. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2003; 18(2):190–195.
Mitogen-activated protein kinases and NF-κB regulate Helicobacter pylori-mediated IL-8 release from macrophages. Bhattacharyya A., Pathak S., Datta S., Chattopadhyay S., Basu J., Kundu M. Biochemical Journal. 2002; 368(Pt 1):121–129.
Virulence genes in Helicobacter pylori strains from West Bengal residents with overt disease and healthy volunteers. Chattopadhyay S., Datta S., Chowdhury A., Chowdhury S., Mukhopadhyay A. K., Rajendran K., Bhattacharya S. K., Berg D. E., Nair G. B. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2002; 40(7):2622–2625.
Estimation of vacuolating cytotoxin in Helicobacter pylori using bead ELISA and its correlation with bacterial genotype. Datta S., Kurazono H., Chattopadhyay S., Chowdhury A., Chaudhuri S., Bhattacharya S. K., Mukhopadhyay A. K., Berg D. E., Hirayama T., Nair G. B. Indian Journal of Medical Research. 2001; 114:192–198.
Invited Talks in International / National Symposium
The evolving genome of Helicobacter pylori within the human stomach
Chattopadhyay S – Shree Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai, July 3, 2025You, me and our gut microbiome
Chattopadhyay S – Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram (World Microbiome Day), June 27, 2024Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens: why and how?
Chattopadhyay S – Ezhuthachan College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trivandrum, December 20, 2023Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric diseases: not a straightforward story
Chattopadhyay S – International Conf. on Innovations in Biological Sciences, AIHSHE, Coimbatore, Feb 15–16, 2023My Helicobacter–Gut microbiome story
Chattopadhyay S – Govt. Medical College, Kollam, ACPK CON, Sept 1–2, 2022Does lower GI microbiota influence upper GI disorder?
Chattopadhyay S – 10th India Probiotic Symposium, The Surya, New Delhi, Feb 29 – Mar 1, 2020Involvement of gut microbiome in gastric cancer and peptic ulcer
Chattopadhyay S – 39th Annual Conference of IACR, Uday Samudra, Kovalam, Trivandrum, Feb 5–7, 2020Can the beneficial microbes in diet protect us from Helicobacter pylori associated gastric diseases?
Chattopadhyay S – 51st National Conference of the Nutrition Society of India, RGCB, Trivandrum, Nov 7–9, 2019Linking virome to cardiovascular diseases
Chattopadhyay S – Cardiovascular Research Convergence, THSTI, Faridabad, Haryana, Aug 12, 2017Changing trends in Microbiology: from virulence markers to Microbiome and virome
Chattopadhyay S – National Seminar on Omics & Biomarker Analysis, Univ. of Kerala, June 22–23, 2015
Oral Presentations at International Symposium
Low abundance of Actinobacteria in human fecal microbiome is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection
Chattopadhyay S, Devadas K, Devi T.B., George M, Retnakumar R.J., Chouhan D, Sanjai D, Das B, Nair G.B., Pillai M.R. – Asian Pacific Digestive Week (APDW), Kolkata, Dec 11–15, 2019Characterization of protein kinase activity in VSV phosphoprotein, P
Chattopadhyay S, Sarkar A, Sen P, Banerjee A.K. – 27th American Society for Virology, Cornell Univ., USA, July 12–16, 2008Entire N-terminal region of HPIV3 L-protein required to bind phosphoprotein (P) for proper folding
Chattopadhyay S, Banerjee A.K. – 26th American Society for Virology, Oregon State Univ., USA, July 14–18, 2007Interactions of HPIV3 C protein with P and L proteins
Chattopadhyay S, Malur A.G., Banerjee A.K. – 25th American Society for Virology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, July 15–19, 2006Key virulence gene distribution in H. pylori in West Bengal: disease vs healthy
Chattopadhyay S, Dutta S, Chowdhury A, Choudhuri S, Mukhopadhyay A.K., Rajendran K, Bhattacharya S.K., Berg D.E., Nair G.B. – 9th Asian Conf. on Diarrheal Diseases & Nutrition, New Delhi, Sep 28–30, 2001
Poster Presentations at International Symposium
Genotypes of Helicobacter pylori in India and lack of association with host clinical status
Chattopadhyay S, Dutta S, Chowdhari A, Chowdhari S, Mukhopadhyay A.K., Rajendran K, Bhattacharya S.K., Berg D.E., Nair G.B. – 10th International Congress, International Union of Microbial Societies, Paris, July 27–Aug 1, 2002
Published Abstracts (as Co-author) at International Symposium
Biochemical properties of chymotrypsin digested purified VSV N protein-RNA complex
Sarkar A, Chattopadhyay S, Banerjee A.K. – 27th American Society for Virology, Cornell Univ., USA, July 12–16, 2008Role of HPIV3 C protein in inhibiting IFN signaling
Mao H, Chattopadhyay S, Banerjee A.K. – 27th American Society for Virology, Cornell Univ., USA, July 12–16, 2008Inhibition of HPIV3 primary transcription by novel small molecules
Mao H, Thakur C.S., Chattopadhyay S, Silverman R, Banerjee A.K. – 26th American Society for Virology, Oregon State Univ., USA, July 14–18, 2007
Books / Chapters / Reviews
Battling Helicobacter pylori with Our Microbial Weapons: The Emerging Era of Novel Microbiome-Based Probiotics
Nath A.N., Shaji A.M., Retnakumar R.J., Nair G.B., Chattopadhyay S – In: Cutting Edge Science and Applications: Intestinal Microbiota and Probiotics. Jaypee, 2023Undernourished Children and the Gut Microbiome
Sen Gupta S, Chattopadhyay S, Nair G.B. – In: Probiotics from Bench to Community. Elsevier, 2016Respirovirus
Chattopadhyay S, Esper F, Banerjee A.K. – In: Springer Index of Viruses, 2nd ed., Springer, Germany, 2011Parainfluenza Viruses
Chattopadhyay S, Esper F, Banerjee A.K. – In: The Biology of Paramyxoviruses. Caister Academic Press, UK, pp. 175–209, 2011
National Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Funded by: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India
Year: 2016Best Poster Award – Medical Microbiology
17th International Conference on Infectious Disease (ICID-2016), International Society on Infectious Disease (ISID)
Year: 2016Travel Grant Award – Young Investigator (India)
17th International Conference on Infectious Disease (ICID-2016), International Society on Infectious Disease (ISID)
Year: 2016Dr. D. S. Kothari Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Funded by: University Grants Commission (UGC), India
Year: 2014
