Experience

13+ years across teaching, marine research & scientific leadership.

Academic appointments

Aug 2021 – Present

Assistant Professor (with Research)

Division of Biomedical & Life Sciences, School of Science, Navrachana University, Vadodara
  • Teaching across B.Sc. & M.Sc. Microbiology and the Integrated B.Sc.–M.Sc. Biomedical Science programme.
  • Recognised Ph.D. guide in Life Science, Microbiology & Biotechnology; supervisor for M.Sc. dissertation students.
  • Member of the student affairs, purchase, and curriculum-development committees.
Jun 2015 – Aug 2016

Lecturer in Microbiology

Shree Swaminarayan Naimisharanya College of Science, Bhavnagar
  • Taught molecular biology & environmental microbiology at undergraduate level.
  • Individual assessment, counselling, and guidance seminars for competitive exams & advanced studies.

Research experience

Jan 2013 – Jan 2014

CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute

Bhavnagar, Gujarat

Designed research protocols in skin microbiology & metagenomics; bacterial transformation and cloning of the 16S rRNA gene; dry-lab processing of sequences and phylogenetic relationship analysis.

Jul 2011 – Dec 2013

Department of Zoology, The M. S. University of Baroda

Vadodara, Gujarat

Research in atherosclerosis & anticancer compounds using animal cell lines; RNA/DNA extraction across tissues and a maintained bio-repository; extensive work with primary and immortal cell lines including hepatocytes, cardiomyocytes, neurons, and breast, lung & colon cancer lines.

Dec 2009 – Apr 2010

Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALMPGIBMS, University of Madras

Chennai

RNA isolation & gene-expression studies via semi-quantitative PCR for GPx, SOD and metallothionein genes in neuroblastoma cell lines; hands-on western blotting of animal-tissue protein extracts.

Research grants

₹84 lac
2024–27 · Co-PI

DBT–Biomedical Science Task Force Grant, Govt. of India — gut-ovarian molecular cross-talk & metagenomics.

₹2.0 lac
2025–26 · PI

NUV-CICS Grant, Navrachana University — microalgal cultivation & artificial intelligence.

₹2.0 lac
2022–24 · PI

Seed-Grant Award, Navrachana University — gut-microbial interaction research.

Awards & recognition

2020
Second Prize, Rapid Presentation Competition on Nobel Prize 2019 — AcSIR at CSIR-CSMCRI, Bhavnagar.
2019
Young Researcher Award, Rapid-Fire Oral Presentation — Int'l Conference on New Horizons in Biotechnology, Trivandrum.
2019
DST International Travel Award (₹1,50,000) for attending an international conference, USA.
2019
First Prize, Poster Presentation — India International Seaweed Expo & Summit, Mumbai.
2012
First Prize, Oral Presentation — XXVI Gujarat Science Congress, The M. S. University of Baroda.

Professional training

22 programmes · 2009 – 2024
Omics & analytics
01 / 04 · 5 programmes
Algae Lipidomics
Mass Spectrometry Centre, University of Aveiro, Portugal
2021
Metagenomic Data Analysis
Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre & Gujarat University
2022
Computational Genomics & Proteomics
PDPM IIITDM Jabalpur & JUIT Solan
2022
Proteomics · Untargeted Metabolomics
C-CAMP, Bangalore
2020
OMICS Technologies for Life Sciences
IIT Bombay
2019
Scientific communication & ethics
02 / 04 · 4 programmes
Literature Review & Research Proposal Writing
Navrachana University
2024
Popular Science Writing (AWSAR)
DST & Vigyan Prasar
2020
International Scientific Writing & Speed Sparring
IHE Delft, Netherlands
2019
Publication Ethics & Peer Reviewing
DST India & American Chemical Society
2019
Innovation, IP & algal industry
03 / 04 · 4 programmes
Biotechnopreneurship FDP
Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission & EDII
2022
IP-MAXIMA
CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar
2022
Biotechnology & Intellectual Property Rights
AICTE & IIT Kharagpur
2020
Algae Solutions: Technologies for Algae Industries
CCMAR, University of the Algarve, Portugal
2020
Laboratory & computational methods
04 / 04 · 4 programmes
Advanced Techniques in Life Sciences
Navrachana University · DST-SERB
2022
Machine Learning for Beginners
Hands-on workshop
2020
Techniques in Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology
University of Madras
2013
Cell Culture & Stem Cell Techniques
The M. S. University of Baroda
2012
Service to the field

Peer reviewer

Recognised reviewer for nine international journals spanning phycology, biopolymers, food science and environmental sustainability.