CURRENT AFFILIATION: Senior professor and Director @ Center for Nanobiotechnology, VIT University, Vellore
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
• BE, Metallurgical Engg, from Bengal Engg & Science University, 1996
• ME, Metallurgical Engg, from IISc, Bangalore, Metallurgy, 1999
• Ph. D., Metallurgical Engineering, August 2000-April 2004. Indian Institute of Science
AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS:
- YOUNG SCIENTIST AWARD/ fellowship (under FAST TRACK scheme) from Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, May, 2004.
- PROFESSOR R M MALLYA PROCESSING AWARD from Department of Metallurgy, Indian Institute of Science for the Best Thesis among MSc and PhD in 2003-2004.
- FRSC FELLOWSHIP from Royal Society Of Chemistry (RSC), UK and FRSB FELLOWSHIP from Royal Society Of Biology (RSB), UK 2016.
- BEST FACULTY AWARD from Cognizant during 2016–2017.
- Secured Rank 10 in top 10 scientists in subject area 'Chemical Engineering' in India, In the National level DST report on the publications from India (2009–2014). Source – SCOPUS Database.
- The Faculty Research Awards by Career 360 has given recognition as 'Top 10 knowledge producers in Environmental Science discipline in India for 2017–2018 and Outstanding Research Faculty.
- BEST FACULTY AWARD from Cognizant during 2018–2019.
CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Nano eco-toxicology: Ecotoxicological Effects of inorganic Nanoparticles, metal oxides, silver gold; Flow of nanoparticles in the ecosystem, bio-concentration, and bio uptake. Specific effects on microorganisms, algae, daphnia, aquatic ecosystem. Funded by Ministry of Environment & Forests, and DRDO, Govt of India
- Bio mimetic synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles: Biomimetic synthesis of silver, gold, Zinc oxide nanoparticles, by biological resources. Effect of processing parameters on shape and size; mechanistic aspects of the biomimetic process.
- Studies on the stability of commercially used nanomaterials in environmental matrices: investigating the stability of inorganic nanomaterials especially silver in different environmentally relevant matrices. Funded by CSIR, Govt of India
- Nanosensors for biomarkers and heavy metals: Functionalization studies on silver, gold for sensing biomolecules like cysteine, glutathione, bio/chem. warfare agents, and chemical pollutants. Funded by DST-TSG, DST-WTI, and DRDO, Govt of India.
- Environmental remediation of heavy metals using biological means: Bioremediation of hexavalent chromium species from a typical chromite mine in Sukinda, Orissa; Funded by DST-SERB., Govt of India
DOCTORAL GUIDANCE:
Guided eighteen PhD students (2007-2020), co-guided one PhD student, one MS by Research student.
Editorial responsibilities
- Academic Editor of PLOS One since July 2014.
- Delegating Editor, Advanced Powder Technology, since February 2021
- Associate Editor, Frontiers in Nanotechnology since April 2020.
- Member of Editorial Board, Proceedings of National Academy of Science, India (Biology) since June 2015.
- Member of Editorial Board, Toxicology Reports since November 2015.
- Member of Editorial Board, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Frontiers in Molecular BioSciences since March 2020.
- Member of Editorial Board, SN Applied Sciences since March 2020.
- Member of Editorial board, Science of the Total Environment, since November 2020.
- Member of Editorial board, Environmental Pollution since April 2021
RESEARCH GRANTS FROM GOVT AGENCIES:
15 completed, Four ongoing research projects to the tune of 50 million Rs as principal investigator
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP:
American Chemical Society (ACS), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Royal Society of Biology (RSB), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
PATENTS
Two granted patents and 12 filed patents