About

Brief Biography: Calmette & Yersin Pasteur Network Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) at the Evolutionary Genomics Group, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece, investigating the de-novo origin of the antimicrobial resistome and its evolutionary trajectory in microbial pathogens. 

A first-gen doctoral graduate, driven by passion, I have earned Ph.D. in Biotechnology (2017-2023) from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, supported by Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), under the aegis of Dept. of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of Gujarat, Gandhinagar. My research subjects are centrally focused on the computational biology, bioinformatics, NGS data analysis, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), microbial genomics, pathogen surveillance, SARS-CoV-2, epidemiology, and host-microbiome interactions, with an aim to make an impact in the life of millions around the globe. 

Previously, I served as Post-doctoral Research Fellow / PDF at the Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Telangana, India in a project on lipids and cyclic nucleotides-mediated regulation of lytic cycle in Toxoplasma gondii sponsored by DST-Core Research Grant Project funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India until Jan 2025.  

I was born and raised in a small village of Jhunjhunu district in the state of Rajasthan, India. Studied at Rashtriya Military School, Ajmer (RMSA), Rajasthan, Formerly King George Royal Indian Military School, category ‘A’ establishment under the Directorate General of Military Training (DGMT), Ministry of Defense (MoD), Government of India. I obtained M.Tech (Integrated) in Biotechnology from Singhania University, Rajasthan and carried out one year master's thesis research work on differential gene expression studies. The research project included peptide mass fingerprinting using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS facility at ACTREC, Mumbai) during early somatic embryogenesis in Phyllanthus fraternus with possible role in hormonal regulations and functional metabolomics. This master's dissertation work was carried out at the Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division (NA&BTD), Bio-Sciences Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, Maharashtra, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India.  

After completing my master degree, I have joined at Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC), Ahmedabad, as Science Communicator on board mobile science exhibition train, Science Express Biodiversity Special (Phase-III) & Science Express Climate Action Special (Phase-I). Science Express was a Unique Mega-Outreach Initiative of National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. It was flagged-off in association with The Max Planck Society, Germany in 2007 by then Hon. German Vice Chancellor and Hon. Prime Minister of India at New Delhi and holds several entries in the Limca Book of World Records. Further, continued as Project Associate at Model Rocketry Laboratory, VASCSC, Ahmedabad contributing towards the Centre's Mandate of Science Popularization, Teacher's Training Programme in different districts of Gujarat, School Science Forum (SSF) and fundamental concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) using innovative Hands-On-Approaches.   

Following an awe-inspiring journey, I have served at Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission (GSBTM) and Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Gandhinagar, Gujarat (India) under the aegis of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of Gujarat. I have been part of the research team to understand the textile industry wastewater microbiome using shotgun sequencing, reconstruction of the metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) from industrial effluents to explore uncultured microbial diversity for development of multi-omics based treatment technologies and address the challenges due to toxic environmental pollutants. I was appointed in a multi-national project funded by GCRF-UKRI One Health Poultry Hub (OHPH) to investigate the food borne pathogens in poultry sector such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and Escherichia coli, prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, and understanding gut microbiome composition of poultry associated human subjects, in a broader sense to cater the needs for safer poultry production while minimizing the risk to public health due to zoonotic diseases. 

I have made significant contributions towards the SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis, NGS data analysis, variant calling, phylogenetic analysis, nasopharyngeal microbiome analysis, genomic surveillance study in non-human hosts, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) during the COVID-19 pandemics as a part of the bioinformatics data analysis team, GBRC in the state of Gujarat. I was involved in the capacity building program, teaching, and training participants in NGS Data Analysis, Metagenomics, Basic and Advanced Bioinformatics modules sponsored by GSBTM, DST, Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar along with collaborating institutes. 

Besides that, I actively participated in co-curricular activities, National Cadet Corps (NCC) camps, Bharat Scouts and Guides camps, and leadership roles in school. I love playing volleyball, cricket, badminton, swimming, and amateur boxing and won several medals at different levels, enjoy nature trips, passionate about traveling and photography. 

Living the Perceptions! 

YOur's

Dinesh Kumar