Solid-Phase Microextraction Research Laboratory
Team SPiRAL
Dr. Chiranjit Ghosh
Greetings! Welcome to my homepage. I work as an Associate Professor at the Manipal Institute of Technology, which is part of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (formerly known as Manipal University). My educational background includes a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (an autonomous research institute under Dept. of Science and Technology, Govt. of India), Kolkata, India, in the year 2018 (registration under University of Calcutta). As an analytical chemist, my research interests lie in the areas of analytical chemistry, material chemistry, biomedical science, mass spectrometry, clinical chemistry, breath analysis, medical diagnosis, biomarkers detections etc.
Following my Ph.D., I joined Prof. Janusz Pawliszyn's research group at the University of Waterloo in Canada, where I primarily focused on developing analytical sample preparation techniques using microsorbents devices. Specifically, I aimed to enhance the breath analysis technology through the use of solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) and needle trap (NT) devices. After spending almost two years at the University of Waterloo, I joined Harvard as a postdoctoral research fellow in 2020. My research projects involved using animal models to identify novel volatile biomarkers (exhaled breath) of specific fungal and bacterial infections using the GC-MS/MS technique.
I have published my research in more than 40 international journals, including Nature Publishing groups. In addition, I have filed four patents (3 Indian, 1 USA) with my Ph.D. and postdoc supervisors, and three of the patents have recently been granted.
Meet The Team
Harshika Poojary
PhD 2023 - Present
Hi, I’m Harshika, a PhD scholar in analytical chemistry. My research focuses on developing green, reusable microextraction tools for detecting hazardous pollutants like pesticides and phenols in water. I specialize in material synthesis, method optimization, and GC-MS analysis to support sustainable environmental monitoring and portable chemical sensing applications.
Akshata Umesh Rathod
PhD 2025 - Present
I'm Akshata Umesh Rathod, a PhD scholar in analytical chemistry. My research focuses on developing sustainable, reusable microextraction tools for detecting pesticides in dry fruits. I specialize in material synthesis, method optimization, and GC-MS analysis, aiming to advance portable, green chemical sensing platforms for real-world food safety applications.
Sumati Vitthalrao Kulkarni
PhD 2025 - Present
Hi! I’m Sumati, a PhD Scholar currently working in biomedical research. I joined this lab in 2024 as a research intern, and after graduation, I continued as a PhD student. My current work focuses on identifying ketone bodies from human samples using thin film solid phase microextraction (TF-SPME) techniques.
Ashna Chandran M K
PhD 2025 - Present
Hi! I'm Ashna, a PhD researcher in microbiology (CSIR JRF) at the Breathomics Lab. I develop SPME devices to detect pathogen-specific metabolites using in vitro and in vivo models, supporting non-invasive diagnostics. My interests include microextraction, AMR, biomarker detection, and point-of-care tools for clinical applications.
Malavika Thiruvenkatakumar
PhD 2024 - Present
I'm Malavika, a PhD scholar in analytical chemistry, developing eco-friendly microextraction tools for detecting growth promoters in meat. My research integrates material synthesis, method development, and GC-MS/MS analysis, aiming to advance sustainable, reusable devices and contribute to portable, real-world solutions for food safety monitoring aligned with green analytical principles.
Keerthana Selvamuthukumar
PhD 2023 - Present
Hi! I’m Keerthana, a life sciences researcher exploring non-invasive diagnostics through exhaled breath analysis. My work focuses on identifying bacterial infections by detecting pathogen-specific breath biomarkers. I'm passionate about translational research, with interests in breathomics, infectious diseases, analytical techniques, and the development of rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tools.
Sk Rahabar Ali
PhD 2024 - Present
Hi! I'm Sk Rahabar Ali, a PhD Scholar in the SPiRAL Laboratory. I have qualified GATE-XL and JOINT CSIR-UGC NET-LS in 2023 and then I have joined in PhD program. I'm working on the development of Thin Film Solid Phase Microextraction (TF-SPME) patches as well as bacterial metabolomics and breath analysis to diagnose bacterial infections.
Sachin Pradip Naie
Project Associate 2024 - Present
Hey everyone, I’m Sachin, a Project Associate at SPiRAL Lab, focusing on bioinformatics analysis. I’m currently working on detecting BTEX compounds in soil using TFSPME patches. I also collaborate with Harvard Medical School, analyzing and compiling mass spectrometry data related to various diseases for biomedical research applications.
Ankita Das
PhD 2024 - Present
Hello, I’m Ankita Das, a PhD scholar in the Department of Biotechnology. My research focuses on the extraction of pesticide residues from fruits and vegetables using the advanced technique of thin film solid-phase microextraction (TF-SPME), aiming to enhance food safety and analytical efficiency in food quality check.
Debsmita Mandal
PhD 2024 - Present
Hi! I’m Debsmita, with a Master’s in Medical Biotechnology and currently pursuing a PhD. I began my research with non-invasive detection of diabetic ketoacidosis. My current work focuses on breath-based detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae-induced pneumonia using SPME technology, aiming to develop non-invasive diagnostics addressing antimicrobial resistance.