1. Ph.D. in Protein Biochemistry (1990 to 1993), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.
2. M.Sc. in Biochemistry (1987 to 1989), Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India.
3. B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (1982 to 1987), Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India.
Professional experiences:
1. 1998 to present: Instructor, Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. Structure-function studies on lipoproteins from the syphilitic bacterium Treponema pallidum.
2. 1997 to 1998: Research Associate, Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. Structural studies on Treponema pallidum zinc-transporter.
3. 1995 to 1997: Postdoctoral Fellow, The S. R. Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK. Glycerolipids and carbon-partitioning in plants.
Invited talks:
1. Structure function studies of the shikimate pathway enzyme, 3-dehydroquinase, in Scottish Protein Meeting, 1992, Scotland, U.K.
2. Over expression of an oleoyl-ACP thioesterase effects glycerolipids partitioning in Arabidopsis leaves, in 5th International Congress of Plant Mol. Bio. 1997, Singapore.
3. Crystal structure of the 47-kilodalton lipoprotein of Treponema pallidum reveals a novel penicillin-binding protein in Gordon Research Conference on Biology of Spirochetes, 2002, Ventura, CA.
Awards:
1. Overseas scholarship for Ph.D. studies in U.K.
2. Merit scholarships for B.Sc. and M.Sc. studies.
Memberships:
1. The Protein Society, USA (2001 to present).
2. American Association for the Advancement of Sc., USA (1995-1998).
3. Biological Society of UK (1990-1994).
Research publications:
1. Deka, R.K., Machius, M., Norgard, M.V. & Tomchick, D.R. (2002) Crystal structure of the 47-kilodalton lipoprotein of Treponema pallidum reveals a novel penicillin binding protein. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 41857-41864.
2. Lee, Y-H., Dorwart, M.R., Hazlett, K.R.O., DEKA, R.K., Norgard, M.V., Radolf, J.D. & Hasemann, C.A. (2002) The crystal structure of zinc-free Treponema pallidum TroA, a periplasmic metal-binding protein, reveals a closed conformation. J. Bacteriol. 184, 2300-2304.
3. DEKA, R.K., Lee, Y-H., Hagman, K.E., Shevchenko, D., Lingwood, C.A., Hasemann, C.A., Norgard, M.V. & Radolf, J.D. (1999) Physicochemical evidence that Treponema pallidum TroA is a zinc-containing metalloprotein that lacks porin-like structure. J. Bacteriol. 181, 4420-4423.
4. Lee, Y-H*., DEKA, R.K*., Norgard, M.V., Radolf, J.D. & Hasemann, C.A.(1999) Treponema pallidum TroA, a periplasmic zinc-binding protein with a helical backbone. Nature Struc. Biol. 6, 628-633. [* equal author]
5. DEKA, R.K. & Post-Beittenmiller, D. (1996) Modification of plant epicuticular waxes. In ?Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of plant lipids?, eds. J.P. Williams, M.V. Khan and N.W. Lem, (Kluwer Academic Publishers) pp. 48-50.
6. Elborough, K.M., Winz, R., DEKA, R.K., Markham, J.E., White, A.J., Rawsthorne, S. & Slabas, A.R. (1996) Biotin carboxyl carrier protein and carboxyl transferase subunits of the multisubunit form of acetyl CoA carboxylase from Brassica napus: Cloning and analysis of expression during oilseed rape embryogenesis. Biochem. J. 315, 103-112.
7. DEKA, R.K., Anton, I.A., Dunbar, B. & Coggins, J.R. (1994) The characterization of the shikimate pathway enzyme dehydroquinase from Pisum sativum. FEBS Letters. 349, 397-402.
8. Moore, J.D., Hawkins, A.R., Charles, I.G., DEKA, R.K., Coggins, J.R., Cooper, A., Kelly, S.M. & Price, N.C. (1993) Characterization of the type I dehydroquinase from Salmonella typhi. Biochem. J. 295, 277-285.
9. DEKA, R.K., Kleanthous, C. & Coggins, J.R. (1992) Identification of the essential histidine residue at the active site of E. Coli dehydroquinase. J. Biol. Chem. 267, 22237-22242.
