Ravindran C | Microbiology | Research Excellence Award

Published-on by Indian Scientist

Dr. Ravindran C | Microbiology | Research Excellence Award

CSIR-National Instiute of Oceanography | India

Dr. Chinnarajan Ravindran is a distinguished marine-microbial ecologist and oceanographer with advanced training in botany and mycology (Ph.D., M.Phil., M.Sc., B.Sc.). He has forged a prolific scientific career at a leading national oceanographic institute, holding successive research positions including his current role as Senior Principal Scientist, and has accrued extensive international research exposure through post-doctoral appointments and visiting scientist fellowships. Over his career, he has authored 29 peer-reviewed documents, which collectively have been cited 381 times, yielding an h-index of 12. His research spans microbial biodiversity in extreme marine environments (such as hydrothermal vents), coral-microbe interactions, coral health and disease ecology, mangrove-estuarine microbial dynamics, and the use of zebrafish as a model for viral pathogenesis and drug screening. His work has led significant insights into coral mucus biochemistry and microbial community dynamics, the role of ciliates and beneficial bacteria in coral resilience, and microbial adaptations to environmental stress. Recognized with prestigious national awards and fellowships for his contributions, he has also mentored numerous postgraduate researchers and Ph.D. scholars. His sustained efforts advance our understanding of marine microbial ecology and hold promise for conservation and biotechnology applications.

Profiles: Scopus

Featured Publication

Ravindran, C.*, Irudayarajan, L., & Raveendran, H. P. (2025). Environmental regulation of ciliates in corals: A secondary pathogen in coral disease. Protist, 179, 126135.

Ravindran, C.*, & Mukherjee, S. (2025). Zebrafish as a model for SARS-CoV-2 infection, pathogenesis, transmission, and drug screening. Virology, 611, 110662.

Sounak Sarkar | Bacterial Genetics | Excellence in Scientific Research Award

Published-on by Indian Scientist

Dr. Sounak Sarkar | Bacterial Genetics | Excellence in Scientific Research Award

MATS University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh | India

Dr. Sounak Sarkar is an accomplished microbiologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Science at MATS University, Raipur, with extensive experience in bacterial genetics, molecular evolution of microbes, pharmacological screening of therapeutic drugs, and biofertilizer applications in agriculture. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Calcutta, with research conducted at ICMR-NICED, focusing on the dynamic phenotypic changes of Vibrio cholerae due to genetic alterations. He also earned an M.Sc. in Medical Biotechnology and a B.Sc. in Biotechnology, complementing his strong academic foundation. Dr. Sarkar’s professional experience includes roles as Project Associate and Associate Application Specialist at NIPER, Kolkata, and Molecular Biologist in clinical COVID-19 laboratories, alongside his research fellowships in microbiology and bacteriology. His research portfolio encompasses over ten publications in reputed journals and book chapters, with significant contributions in multidrug-resistant Vibrio cholerae, bioethanol production from agro-industrial waste, and antimicrobial studies. He holds an international patent for a bioethanol production system from tea waste. Dr. Sarkar has presented at numerous national and international conferences and has received the Best Academician Award. His work has garnered 57 citations with an h-index of 5, reflecting impactful scientific contributions. Dr. Sarkar continues to advance microbiology research and mentor Ph.D. students, fostering innovation in microbial sciences.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus

Featured Publications

Samanta, P., Saha, R. N., Chowdhury, G., Naha, A., Sarkar, S., Dutta, S., & Mukhopadhyay, A. K. (2018). Dissemination of newly emerged polymyxin B sensitive Vibrio cholerae O1 containing Haitian-like genetic traits in different parts of India. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 67(9), 1326–1333. https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.000783

Sarkar, S., Das, M., Bhowmick, T. S., Koley, H., Atterbury, R., Chakrabarti, A. K., & Sarkar, B. L. (2018). Isolation and characterization of novel broad host range bacteriophages of Vibrio cholerae O1 from Bengal. Journal of Global Infectious Diseases, 10(2), 84–88. https://doi.org/10.4103/jgid.jgid_37_17

Jaiswal, A., Sarkar, S., Das, P., Nandy, S., Koley, H., & Sarkar, B. (2015). Trends in the genomic epidemiology of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolated worldwide since 1961. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 46(4), 460–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2015.06.012

Howlader, D. R., Bhaumik, U., Halder, P., Satpathy, A., Sarkar, S., Ghoshal, M., … Koley, H. (2022). An experimental adult zebrafish model for Shigella pathogenesis, transmission, and vaccine efficacy studies. Microbiology Spectrum, 10(3), e00347-22. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00347-22

De, R., Ramamurthy, T., Sarkar, B. L., Mukhopadhyay, A. K., Pazhani, G. P., Sarkar, S., Dutta, S., & Nair, G. B. (2017). Retrospective genomic analysis of Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains from different places in India reveals the presence of ctxB-7 allele found in Haitian isolates. Epidemiology & Infection, 145(11), 2212–2220. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268817001182

Renu Chaudhary | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Published-on by Indian Scientist

Dr. Renu Chaudhary | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi | India

Dr. Renu Chaudhary is a dedicated microbiologist and molecular biologist with extensive expertise in genomics, genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9), and antifungal research. Her work spans transcriptomics, structural biology, phenotypic analysis, and the study of stress response mechanisms in pathogenic fungi and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. She has contributed significantly to isolating and characterizing antimicrobial bacteria from plant rhizospheres, developing novel antifungal compounds, and exploring molecular targets for antifungal and antibacterial therapeutics. Dr. Chaudhary has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, with a total of 156 citations, an h-index of 6, and an i10-index of 4, reflecting her research impact and scholarly recognition. She has been involved in leading and collaborating on several funded projects, including fellowships from national science agencies, focusing on fungal diagnostics, drug resistance mechanisms, and metal homeostasis in microbes. Her research interests include antifungal resistance, microbial genomics, protein therapeutics, and biotechnological applications of fungi. Recognized for excellence in presentations and publications, she has received awards for best poster and paper contributions at national and international conferences. Dr. Chaudhary combines deep scientific knowledge with analytical rigor, driving translational research aimed at innovative solutions for infectious disease management and microbial therapeutics.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Chaudhary, R., Singh, B., Kumar, M., Gakhar, S. K., Saini, A. K., Parmar, V. S., … [et al.]. (2015). Role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in pharmacogenomics and their association with human diseases. Drug Metabolism Reviews, 47(3), 281–290.

Balhara, M., Chaudhary, R., Ruhil, S., Singh, B., Dahiya, N., Parmar, V. S., … [et al.]. (2016). Siderophores; iron scavengers: The novel & promising targets for pathogen specific antifungal therapy. Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets, 20(12), 1477–1489.

Ahlawat, S., Chaudhary, R., Dangi, M., Bala, K., Singh, M., Chhillar, A. K. (2020). Advances in tuberculous meningitis diagnosis. Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, 20(12), 1229–1241.

Chaudhary, R., Balhara, M., Jangir, D. K., Dangi, M., Dangi, M., Chhillar, A. K. (2019). In silico protein interaction network analysis of virulence proteins associated with invasive aspergillosis for drug discovery. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 19(2), 146–155.

Khatri, S., Kumar, M., Phougat, N., Chaudhary, R., Chhillar, A. K. (2016). Perspectives on phytochemicals as antibacterial agents: An outstanding contribution to modern therapeutics. Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 16(4), 290–308.

Abhishek Sahu | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Published-on by Indian Scientist

Mr. Abhishek Sahu | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) | India

Mr. Abhishek Sahu is a distinguished Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF) and Ph.D. Scholar at the Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He holds an M.Tech in Biochemical Engineering from IIT BHU and postgraduate and undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Banaras Hindu University. His research primarily focuses on microbial biotechnology, large-scale microalgal cultivation, photobioreactor operation, and biopolymer (PHB) production with an emphasis on sustainable bioresource utilization and circular bioeconomy. With an h-index of 5, over 12 documents, and more than 180 citations, he has contributed to reputed journals such as the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics and the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. He has served as a Teaching Assistant under the PMRF program and has received multiple honors, including the Young Scientist Award, Best Paper Awards, and recognition for innovation in algae-based technologies. His work integrates biochemical engineering with sustainability-driven microbial processes, establishing him as a promising young researcher contributing to bio-based solutions for global environmental challenges.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publication

Sahu, A., Dey, S., Dalvi, V., Malik, A., & Sahu, J. K. (2025). Exploring media optimization and extraction methods to enhance poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) yield in Synechocystis pevaleikii: Scale-up from shake flask to 10 L photobioreactor. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.