Dr. Tulsi Ram Damase holds a Ph.D. from the University of Idaho in analytical chemistry and an M.Sc. from Tribhuvan University in physical chemistry. Dr. Tulsi Ram Damase joined Houston Methodist in January 2019 and is currently performing research and development in RNAcore that produces clinical-grade RNA. His research in RNAcore is focused on analytical chemistry to develop cost-effective, fast and robust analytical methods and assays to assure quality of mRNA for therapeutics applications. In addition, he is currently doing research on improving manufacturing processes of clinical grade mRNA. In the past, Dr. Damase served as a quality control officer at SR Drugs Laboratories Ltd. in Kathmandu, Nepal. To date, Dr. Damase has published six first authors peer-reviewed journal articles in such prestigious journals as Bioconjugate Chemistry, Scientific Reports and ACS Combinatorial Science. In addition, Dr. Damase routinely performs peer review for several acclaimed academic journals, including the Royal Society of Chemistry and HardwareX.

Accomplishments:

Dr. Damase developed novel, do-it yourself and open-source 3D-printed equipments to study DNA on DNA nanotechnology lab for researchers who lack the funding for more expensive instruments.

Dr. Damase invented a new technique for producing single-strand DNA (ssDNA) from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and created an electroelution technique to extract the purified DNA. Finally, he integrated both techniques he developed into a single step, allowing researchers to perform single strand generation, size separation, and electroelution all at once.

Dr. Damase invented a practical bioanalytical system capable of detecting molecular signal release from one particle type using another particle type even in low concentrations. 

Dr. Damase demonstrated the use of cheap open qPCR instruments instead of expensive instruments to develop and characterize DNA aptamers against various targets. He developed a sandwich-type luminescence bioassay to detect the flies infected with virus Drosophila C, DCV.