Hello! I am a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Nevada Bioinformatics Center at the University of Nevada, Reno. My primary research focus is on analyzing multi-omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and microbiomics) and developing novel scientific software, pipelines, and strategies to better analyze these complex datasets. I am committed to the principles of open science, open-source software, and reproducible research.

During my Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock (UALR) and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), I had the privilege of working under the mentorship of Dr. Stephanie Byrum. In my doctoral research, I developed a reproducible proteogenomics pipeline that integrates, curates, and annotates multi-omics data (genomics and transcriptomics). The custom protein sequence databases generated by this pipeline are used to detect novel proteoforms (protein isoforms) in conjunction with proteomics data, advancing the field of proteogenomics. My work has been centered on advancing the analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based data, which is fundamental to understanding complex biological systems.

I earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Microbiology from Vijaygarh Jyotish Ray College (affiliated with the University of Calcutta) in India. My journey into bioinformatics began in 2017 when I attended a seminar on cancer by Dr. Mary-Claire King. That experience sparked my passion for genomics and bioinformatics, leading me to transition from experimental lab work to bioinformatics.

In addition to my research, I am passionate about spending time outdoors. Hiking has been a lifelong interest of mine, having been introduced to the activity by my father in the Himalayas. Over time, I have developed a love for backcountry camping and rock climbing. When not working, you’ll often find me on trails or pursuing my other creative outlet—illustrating with watercolor techniques.

This website provides an introduction to my background, research, and interests. I am excited to continue exploring the intersections of systems biology, computer science, and statistics, and to contribute to open science.

Thank you ! 😊

Kanishka Manna
Postdoctoral Scholar, Nevada Bioinformatics Center
University of Nevada, Reno