Projects

Ongoing Research Projects 

• Genome Editing for Crop Improvement (Role: PI, Funding: CSIR-Mission Project, Govt. of India)

• CRISPR/Cpf1-based dual-gene editing of OsEBP89 and OsCRK10 genes, and molecular genetic analysis for dual-stress tolerance to brown spot disease-drought in Indica rice (North East Indian) cultivar (Role: PI; Funding: SERB-Core Research Grant, Govt. of India)

• To improve the efficiency of genome editing with CRISPR-Cas9 and- to create novel sources of epigenetic variation in plants (Role: PI; Funding: DBT, Govt. of India (Multi-institutional Project with ICAR-IIRR Hyderabad & BITS Pilani Hyderabad)

• Nutritionally Enriched Indigenous Fruit Peel Waste as Aquaculture Feed (Role: Co-PI; Funding: CSIR-FTT Project, Govt. of India)

• Evaluation of Bacterial Endophytes for Medicinal Plants & Crop Productivity (Role: Co-PI; Funding: State Horticultural Research & Development Dept., Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh)

• Biomedical Genomics Advancement Program for North Eastern Researchers (Role: Co-PI; Funding: DHR-ICMR, Govt. of India)

• Transcriptome-wide identification of early blight disease (Alternaria solani) regulatory genes and CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing system for dual-stress (early and late blight) in tomato cv Arka Vikas (Role: Mentor & Co-PI; Funding: DST-ANRF, Govt. of India)

Completed Projects (Last 5 years)

• Elucidation of the genetic mechanism of brown spot disease-drought stress and development of sustainable dual-stress tolerance in North East Indian rice cultivar through CRISPR-Cas9/Cpf1 mediated active genetics (Role: PI; Funding: CSIR-FBR, Govt. of India; 2020-2023)

• DEAD-box RNA helicases, STRS1 and STRS2 in regulating responses to multiple abiotic stresses (Role: PI; Funding: SERB-Ramanujan Fellowship, Govt. of India; 2015-2020) 

• Development of multiple abiotic and biotic stress resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) through dual-gene multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing (Role: PI; Funding: SERB-Early Career Research Grant, Govt. of India; 2017-2020)

• Development of sustainable brown leaf spot (Drechslera oryzae) disease resistance in rice through multiplex CRISPR-Cas9/Cpf1 genome editing system (Role: PI; Funding: CSIR-FBR Project, Govt. of India; 2018-2020)

• Biofertilizer for yield enhancement in normal to water stress conditions for entrepreneurship development (Role: Co-PI; Funding: DBT, Govt. of India; 2021-2025)

• Deciphering the mechanism(s) of host–endophyte coevolution, enhanced secondary metabolite production and crop productivity (Role: Co-PI; Funding: CSIR-FBR Project, Govt. of India; 2020-2023)

• Characterization and chemical composition of high-yielding varieties of Amada Haldi (Curcuma zedoaria Rose) and Kali Haldi (Curcuma caesia Roxb.): endangered high-value medicinal plants (Role: Co-PI; Funding: NMPB–Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India; 2017-2020)

• Study of potentially novel carbohydrases from cultivable bacteria and functional metagenomics library obtained from biodiversity hotspot of NE India (Role: Co-PI; Funding: DBT-Twinning Project, Govt. of India; 2017-2020)

• Regional mapping of carbon stock, sequestration and sink potential of reserve forest ecosystem of Assam for improvement of ecosystem health and services (Role: Co-PI; Funding: National Mission on Himalayan Studies, Govt. of India; 2018-2021)

• Improvement of grain filling in inferior spikelet of rice through CRISPR-Cas9/ CRISPR-Cpf1 genome editing system (Role: Mentor & Co-PI, Funding: SERB, Govt. of India; 2019-2021)