Dr. Kamal Mandal

About

I am a passionate biotechnologist extensively trained in high-end technologies such as proteomics, genome editing and immunoengineering. Using my expertise of advanced proteomics, computational biology and transgenesis, I studied male infertility of animals addressing idiopathic infertility caused due to inability of Sertoli cells (Sc) to attain functional maturation. Notably, I identified YY1 and ROR alpha as lead transcription factors associated with Sc maturation, followed by in vivo validation using in-house generated transgenic knockdown rat models.

Leveraging my expertise of advanced proteomics technologies such as cross-linking mass spectrometry and cell surface proteomics, I developed a novel proteomics technology platform called “structural surfaceomics”, to enable identification of protein conformation-specific cell surface antigens.  I successfully implemented this technology for the development of a novel CAR-T therapy against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and demonstrated its efficacy in NSG mice model. I also gained extensive expertise with generation of Humanized Immune System (HIS) mice model where we reconstitute the human immune system in mice for better toxicity evaluation of novel therapeutics. I have also extensively worked on CRISPR-Cas9 technology for genome editing.

Background

Professional Experience:

Principal Scientist (2023 – 2024), Cell and Gene Therapy, Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Ahmedabad, India

Postdoctoral Research (2018 – 2023), Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA

Education:

PhD (2012 – 2018) National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi, India

M.Tech (2010 – 2012) Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, India

B.Tech (2006 – 2010) Biotechnology, West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, India

Honours and Awards

• Michelson Prize – 2019 (Michelson Medical Research Foundation)
• Abstract Achievement Award – 2022 (American Society of Hematology)
• Selected as a speaker at Quantitative Biosciences Consortium (QBC) – 2022, San Francisco, USA

Research Group Overview

Research Group Overview

My research group would be interested in the following areas:

• Nanobody/Antibody engineering: Antibody development and its applications is experiencing the era of renaissance. This is mainly because of the decline in cost of DNA synthesis, allowing rapid development of high-quality synthetic antibodies in vitro with library-based approach, without using animals. The camelid derived single domain antibodies, also called nanobodies, offers a unique opportunity for therapeutics and diagnostics applications owing to its simpler design with only heavy chains (VHH). We are interested to build a nanobody library in yeast display format, in our pursuit to enable rapid development of therapeutic nanobodies against zoonotic diseases.
• Advanced proteomics platform development: Mass spectrometry (MS) based proteomics technologies have emerged as a powerful tool to probe biology at a much deeper and broader scale. We are interested in proteomics technology development focused on but not limited to cross-linking mass spectrometry and various enrichment proteomics such as cell surface capture. We are also interested in applications of a wide range of proteomics workflows such as targeted proteomics (SRM/PRM), label free quantification, TMT based quantification, DIA-MS etc. We would also be interested in implementation of our proteomics expertise to study host-pathogen interactions and therapeutic target identifications in the context of animal associated pathogens such as brucella, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) etc.
• Genome editing: We are interested in leveraging our extensive expertise on CRISPR-Cas9 technology for mice genome editing, enabling generation of relevant mice models to study various diseases of animals as well as humans. This would include generation of knockout, knock-in and transgenic mice, including genomic locus specific integration. Gradually, efforts would also be made to implement such technologies for farm animals with the aim to enhance productivity.

Patents

• Antibodies and immunotherapies that target the active conformation of integrin-β2 (US patent)

Publications

• Shenoy, S.V. et al. AlphaCross-XL: A Seamless Tool for Automated and Proteome-Scale Mapping of Cross-Linked Peptides Onto 3D Protein Structures. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics (2025)
• Werner, J. et al. Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. Nature Communications (2025).
• Mandal, K. et al. Structural surfaceomics reveals an AML-specific conformation of integrin β2 as a CAR T cellular therapy target. Nature Cancer (2023).
• Ferguson, I. D. et al. Allosteric HSP70 inhibitors perturb mitochondrial proteostasis and overcome proteasome inhibitor resistance in multiple myeloma. Cell Chemical Biology (2022).
• Nix, M. A. et al. Surface Proteomics Reveals CD72 as a Target for In Vitro-Evolved Nanobody-Based CAR-T Cells in KMT2A/MLL1-Rearranged B-ALL. Cancer Discovery (2021).
• Gupta, A et al. Declining levels of miR-382-3p at puberty trigger the onset of spermatogenesis. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids (2021)
• Gupta, A et al. Follicle Stimulating Hormone mediated decline in miR-92a-3p expression in pubertal mice Sertoli cells is crucial for germ cell  differentiation and fertility. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (2021)
• Bose, J. C. et al. Loss of Mitochondrial Localization of Human FANCG Causes Defective FANCJ Helicase. Molecular and Cellular Biology (2020)