Dr. Deepak Kumar Assistant professor Department of Plant Science, Central University of Jammu Temporary Academic Block, Sainik colony, Jammu-180011, India Mobile: +91-9873259890 / 7006917847 E-mail: deepakinjnu@gmail.com ; deepakkumar@cujammu.ac.in AREA OF SPECIALIZATION Plant Stress Physiology, Metabolic Engineering, Functional Genomics, Plant Tissue Culture AREA OF RESEARCH The major area of my work is focused on understanding the mechanisms involved in abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in plants and also studying modulation of gene expression in various systems applying the transgenic approach for functional validation of potential genes that help combating stress tolerance to crop plants and understanding the molecular and biochemical circuitry operative under such stress conditions. This approach will be applied to develop futuristic crops that can secure the food and nutritional needs of upcoming generations. ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS Ph.D (Biosciences, 2014) Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia / School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi, India. M. Sc (Life Sciences, 2006) School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. B.Sc (Biotechnology, 2004) Bihar National College, Patna University, Patna, India EMPLOYMENT/ RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Assistant Professor: July, 2016 - Present, Department of Plant Sciences, Central University of Jammu, J&K (India). Assistant Professor: July, 2015 - July, 2016, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Rajasthan (India). Research Scientist: February 2015 July, 2015, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (India). Advisor: Prof. Neera Bhalla Sarin. Visiting Fellow: July, 2014- September, 2014, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester (United Kingdom) Advisor: Prof. Phil M. Mullineaux.
PUBLICATIONS 1) Rustagi A, Shekhar S, Kumar D, Jayaswal A, Bhat V, Sarin NB (2016) Genetic fidelity of in vitro cultures of an elite Indian Musa (AA) variety Matti. Advances in Plants & Agriculture Research 4(3): 00141. 2) Rajwanshi R, Kumar D, Yusuf MA, DebRoy S, Sarin NB (2016) Stress-inducible overexpression of glyoxalase I is preferable to its constitutive overxpression for abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic Brassica juncea. Molecular Breeding, 36:76. 3) Singh P, Kumar D, Sarin NB (2016) Multiple abiotic stress tolerance in Vigna mungo is altered by overexpression of ALDRXV4 gene via reactive carbonyl detoxification. Plant Molecular Biology, 91: 257-273. 4) Kumar D, Shekhar S, Bisht S, Kumar V, Varma A, Kumar M (2015) Ectopic Overexpression of Lectin in Transgenic Brassica juncea Plants Exhibit Resistance to Fungal Phytopathogen and Showed Alleviation to Salt and Drought Stress. J Bioengineering & Biomedical Science. 5(1): 1-7. 5) Rustagi A, Jain S, Kumar D, Jain M, Shekhar S, Bhat V, Sarin NB (2015) High efficiency transformation of banana [Musa acuminata L. cv. Matti (AA)] for enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stress through overexpression of a peanut Salinity-Induced Pathogenesis- Related class10 protein. Molecular Biotechnology, 57: 27-35. 6) Kumar D, Yusuf MA, Singh P, Sardar M, Sarin NB (2014) Histochemical Detection of Superoxide and H 2 O 2 Accumulation in Brassica juncea seedlings. Bio-Protocol, vol 4, Issue 8. 7) Rustagi A, Kumar D, Shekhar S, Yusuf MA, Misra S, Sarin NB (2014) Transgenic Brassica juncea plants expressing MsrA1, a Synthetic Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide, Exhibit Resistance to Fungal Phytopathogens. (Equal author contribution) Molecular Biotechnology, 56:535-545. 8) Kumar D, Yusuf MA, Singh P, Sardar M, Sarin NB (2013) Modulation of antioxidant machinery in α-tocopherol enriched transgenic Brassica juncea plants tolerant to abiotic stress condition. Protoplasma, 250: 1079-1089. 9) Singh M, Kumar D, Yusuf MA, Sardar M, Sarin NB (2013) Effects of wild type and α- tocopherol enriched transgenic Brassica juncea on the components of xenobiotic metabolism, antioxidant status, and oxidative stress in the liver of mice. Transgenic Research, 22: 813-822. 10) Kumar D, Singh P, Yusuf MA, Upadhyaya CP, Hohn T, Sarin NB (2013) The Xerophyta viscosa aldose reductase (ALDRXV4) confers enhanced drought and salinity tolerance to transgenic tobacco plants by scavenging methylglyoxal and reducing the membrane damage. Molecular Biotechnology, 52(2): 292-303.
11) Jain S, Kumar D, Jain M, Chaudhary P, Deswal R, Sarin N.B (2012) Ectopic overexpression of a salt stress-induced pathogenesis-related class 10 protein (PR10) gene from peanut (Arachis hypogaea) affords broad spectrum abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco. Plant Cell, Tissue and organ culture, 109: 19-31. 12) Yusuf M.A, Kumar D, Rajwanshi R, Strasser R.J, Tsimilli-Michael M, Govindjee, Sarin N.B (2010). Overexpression of γ-tocopherol methyl transferase gene in transgenic Brassica juncea plants alleviates abiotic stress: Physiological and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Bioenergetics, 1797(8): 1428-1438. BOOK CHAPTER 1) Kisku AV, Prasad SC, Agrawal A and Kumar D (2017) Advances in Litchi Biotechnology: Achievement and Opportunities. In: M. Kumar, V. Kumar and A. Varma (eds.), The Lychee Biotechnology, (Springer Nature, Singapore) (ISBN: 978-981-10-3644-6). 2) Rustagi A, Shekhar S, Jain S, Kumar D and Neera Bhalla Sarin (2016) Enhancing Abiotic Stress Tolerance. In: M. Sukhada, R. Kundapura (eds.), Banana: Genomics and Transgenic Approaches for Genetic Improvement, (Springer Nature, Singapore) (ISBN: 978-981-10-1585-4). 3) Prakash A, Sharma V, Kumar D, Kuila A and Sharma AK (2017) Utilization of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Biobutanol Production: A Review. In: Lignocellulosic biomass production and industrial applications. Editors: Arindam Kuila and Vinay Sharma. (Wiley- Scriveners Publishing LLC, USA) (ISBN: 978-1-119-32360-0). AWARDS AND HONORS 2017 Excellent Scholar Award by XIX International Botanical Congress (IBC-2017), Shenzhen, China 2017 100 Fellowship Award Programme for participating in InterDrought-V conference organized by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India 2016 Awarded Erasmus Mundus BRAVE International fellowship by European Commission for Post Doctorate Program at Martin Luther University at Germany. 2016 Young Scientist Travel Award by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for delivering Oral presentation at 2016 World Congress on In Vitro Biology, organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, San Diego, California, USA. 2014 III rd prize in poster competition at National Science Day 2014 organized by Jawaharlal Nehru University and Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. 2013 I st prize in Plant biotechnology student oral competitions at 2013 In Vitro Biology meeting organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
2013 John S. Song Foundation award by Society for In Vitro Biology, for outstanding research in Plant Tissue Culture at 2013 In Vitro Biology Meeting, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. 2011 I st prize for Best Poster presentation at National conference on Recent Trends in Biosciences organized by Sri Pratap College, Srinagar, India. 2011 John S. Song Foundation award by Society for In Vitro Biology, for outstanding research in Plant Tissue Culture and excellent student presentation at 2011 In Vitro Biology Meeting from June 4-8, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. 2011 SIVB Travel award by Society for In Vitro Biology, for attending the 2011 In Vitro Biology Meeting from June 4-8, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. 2011 Young Scientist travel award by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for attending the 2011 In Vitro Biology Meeting from June 4-8, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. 2010 Encouragement award for poster presentation at National symposium on Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture: The Present Scenario at XXXI Annual meeting of Plant tissue culture association, Kolkata, India. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 2016 Summer School on Cellular and Molecular Biology organized by School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi from 23 rd May 1 st July, 2016. 2013 Advanced Tissue Culture workshop: Best Practices in Plant Cell Cultures organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, Providence, Rhode Island, USA on June 15 th, 2013. 2011 Training on safe handling of Radioactive sources in Research Applications by Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India from 10 th -14 th October, 2011 2011 Advances in Cotton Biotechnology, workshop held at Cotton Inc. Cary, North Carolina, USA on June 4 th 2011. 2011 Abiotic Stress Tolerance and Arachis Transformation, short training organized by Platform for Translational Research on Transgenic Crops (PTTC), ICRISAT, India, from 21 st to 26 th March, 2011. 2009 Advanced Course on Confocal Microscopy and Imaging at International Centre of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India, by Nikon Corporation and Towa Optics.
CONFERENCES AND PRESENTATIONS 2017 Oral Presentation at 12 th JK Science Congress 2017 (Science and Technology: Emerging Trends and Innovations) Organized by University of Jammu and J & K State Science, Technology and Innovation Council, Jammu. 2017 Poster presentation at InterDrought-V conference organized by ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India. 2016 Oral presentation at 2016 World Congress on In Vitro Biology Meeting, organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, San Diego, California, USA. 2015 Oral presentation at 2015 In Vitro Biology meeting, organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, Tucson, Arizona, USA. 2014 Oral presentation at UGC-SAP sponsored National seminar on Metal toxicity and Oxidative stress organized by Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. 2014 Invited Oral presentation at International Conference on Frontiers Discoveries and emerging opportunities in Life Sciences, Organized by Department of Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, H.S Gour Sagar University, M.P, India. 2013 Oral presentation at 2013 In Vitro Biology meeting, organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. 2013 Poster presentation at International Conference on Plant Biotechnology, Molecular Medicine and Human Health organized by University of Delhi, India. 2012 Paper presentation at 99 th Indian Science Congress in section Plant Science organized by KIIT, Bhubaneshwar, India. 2011 Poster presentation at Society of Biological chemist meeting organized by CSIR- CIMAP, Lucknow, India. 2011 Poster presentation at National conference on Recent Trends in Biosciences organized by Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Sri Pratap College, Srinagar, India. 2011 Poster presentation at 2011 In Vitro Biology meeting organized by Society for In Vitro Biology, Raleigh convention centre, North Carolina, USA. 2011 Poster presentation at Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology (ISCB) International symposium, organised by Department of Biotechnology and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) at Symposium Hall, NASC Complex, New Delhi, India. 2010 Poster presentation at National symposium on Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture: A Present Scenario organized by Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, kolkata.
RESEARCH PROJECTS S. No Title Agency Period Grant/ Amount (Rs lakh) 1. Unraveling the Role of Calmodulin, A Calcium SERB (DST) 2017-21 42.52 lakhs dependent protein in Potato. 2. Investigations on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces of Jammu and Kashmir for individual and combinatorial effect of heat and drought stresses Minor Research Project (Central University of Jammu) 2017-19 02 lakhs ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT Qualified the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R) - Junior Research fellowship (NET) in life Sciences (2007). Qualified the Indian Council of Medical Research (I.C.M.R) - Junior Research Fellowship, in life Science (2007). PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP Member, Society for In vitro Biology, U.S.A. Member, Society for Biological chemist, India. Member, Indian Science Congress Association, India.