While in the Center of Advanced Vision Sciences, University of Virginia, he investigated how retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cell death occur in Geographic atrophy, a blinding and untreatable form of age-related macular degeneration.

Daipayan’s current research interests entail understanding the molecular mechanism of pterygium progression, a highly prevalent condition in tropical region that is characterized by a benign conjunctiva overgrowth protruding towards the cornea thus affecting vision and quality of life. In the absence of pharmacological intervention, surgical excision is the only available medical intervention. The broad objective is to identify pathways that can be targeted to impede pterygium progression.

Daipayan is also interested in studying the mechanism of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a progressive retinal disorder which is a diabetic complication that can result in blindness and affects millions of people in India. Currently, there is no predictive tool to prognosticate if a diabetic person will develop DR, or if a person develops non-proliferative DR, other than dietary changes, there is no pharmaceutical intervention to prevent developing advanced proliferative DR. The broad objective is to developing prognostic and intervention tools.

Key Publications:

1. Deivarajan et al, Development and Clinical Evaluation of a CRISPR/Cas12a-Based Nucleic Acid Detection Platform for the Diagnosis of Keratomycoses, Ophthalmology Science, 2024 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xops.2024.100522
2. Banerjee D, Langberg K, Abbas S, et al. A non-canonical, interferon-independent signaling activity of cGAMP triggers DNA damage response signaling. Nature Communications. 2021;12(1):6207. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26240-9
3. Fukuda S, Narendran S, Varshney A, et al. Alu complementary DNA is enriched in atrophic macular degeneration and triggers retinal pigmented epithelium toxicity via cytosolic innate immunity. Science Advances. 2021;7(40):eabj3658. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abj3658
4. Fukuda S, Varshney A, Fowler BJ, et al. Cytoplasmic synthesis of endogenous Alu complementary DNA via reverse transcription and implications in age-related macular degeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2021;118(6):e2022751118. doi:10.1073/pnas.2022751118
5. Kerur N, Fukuda S, Banerjee D, et al. cGAS drives noncanonical-inflammasome activation in age-related macular degeneration. Nature Medicine. 2018;24(1):50-61. doi:10.1038/nm.4450
6. Shi L, Banerjee D*, Dobierzewska A, Sathishkumar S, Karakashian AA, Giltiay NV, Nikolova-Karakashian MN. Direct regulation of IGF-binding protein 1 promoter by interleukin-1β via an insulin- and FoxO-1-independent mechanism. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Apr 15;310(8):E612-E623. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00289.2015. Epub 2016 Feb 16.
   *equal authorship
7. Cytoplasmic synthesis of endogenous Alu complementary DNA via reverse transcription and implications in age-related macular degeneration, Shinichi Fukuda, AkhilVarshney, Benjamin J. Fowler…..Daipayan Banerjee…Bradley D. Gelfand, Fred H. Gages, JayakrishnaAmbati, PNAS, 2021.
8. cGAS drives noncanonical-inflammasome activation in age-related macular degeneration, NagarajKerur, Shinichi Fukuda, Daipayan Banerjee et al, Nature Medicine, 2018.