Dr Mitali Chatterjee is a Professor of Pharmacology, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (IPGMER), Kolkata, India. Upon completing her MBBS from Medical College, Kolkata, she obtained a M.Sc. (Medical Sciences) from the Cancer Research Unit, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. She subsequently completed her MD (Pharmacology) from University College of Medicine, University of Calcutta followed by a PhD from Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata.

Her initial scientific career during the period (1990-1995) was focussed on visceral leishmaniasis (VL) when antimonial resistance was a major impediment and she delineated in clinical isolates the multiple contributory factors, as also established a Leishmania parasite repository. Her current research is focussed on delineating the immunopathology of post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, PKDL, the dermal sequel of VL. In the absence of an animal model for PKDL, she is involved in the delineating the immunosuppressive microenvironment along with identification of putative biomarkers, and is actively facilitating data sharing through development of a digital platform and collaboration(s) across geographic borders. The group’s role in active surveillance for PKDL has translated into quantifying the neglected burden of macular PKDL cases as also development of tests for monitoring parasite kinetics in Indian leishmaniasis.