Anisha Shakya

Anisha Shakya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of New Mexico. Her research focuses on understanding how biochemical processes in cells are organized via membraneless condensates and their role in disease mechanisms, employing interdisciplinary approaches including thermodynamic analysis, super-resolution imaging, and in-vitro assays.

Education: B.S. in Microbiology (2007, Tribhuvan University), B.S. in Chemistry (2010, McNeese State University), Ph.D. in Chemistry (2016, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor).

Research interests include biophysics, biochemistry, and the study of biomolecular condensates in health and disease. She explores how protein and RNA molecules colocalize into phase-separated droplets and how dysregulation of these condensates contributes to neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Her lab develops methods to target condensate properties for therapeutic intervention.

Key methodologies include modern optical microscopy, high-throughput imaging, and computational modeling. Recent work highlights the prediction of phase separation via protein unfolding thermodynamics and the role of DNA flexibility in condensate assembly.

Advising: Supervises first-year graduate students Sean and Mikayla, and undergraduate Juliet. The Shakya Lab focuses on foundational frameworks for condensate formation and stability, with applications in biomedical research.