Sougata Roy

Biography

Dr. Sougata Roy earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, following earlier training with an M.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Calcutta and an M.Tech. in Biotechnology from Jadavpur University. He completed his postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco, where he investigated novel mechanisms of long-range cell–cell communication and helped establish cytoneme-mediated signaling in the Drosophila model system. Dr. Roy joined the University of Maryland faculty in 2014 and was awarded tenure in 2020. His research career has been supported by several prestigious grants, including the NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award and the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) from NIGMS.

Teaching

• Cell Biology (BSCI420/421)
• Molecular Genetics: Bioinformatics and Computation Biology (CBMG699D)
• Genetics: Cell Biology I - Structure and Function (CBMG688D)

Graduate Program Affiliations

• Biological Sciences (BISI): Molecular and Cell Biology (MOCB)
• Biological Sciences (BISI): Physiological Systems (PSYS)

Research Interests

Dr. Roy’s research program focuses on uncovering the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern tissue patterning and morphogenesis during development. His laboratory is recognized for pioneering work on cytoneme-mediated growth factor signaling, a contact-dependent mechanism that enables communication between cells over long distances. Using Drosophila genetics, genome editing, and high-resolution live imaging, his group has revealed how Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signals are precisely prepared, transported, and interpreted through cytoneme-mediated interactions to control cell fate, polarity, and tissue organization. In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Roy is deeply committed to mentoring and training students at all levels and actively serves the broader scientific community through grant review panels, peer review, conference leadership, and outreach initiatives.

Funding: NIH/NIGMS and NIH/NHLBI

Education

• Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, 2006
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Biochemistry and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, 2006-2014

All Publications