Associate Professor
Department of Botany
School of Basic Sciences
- Ph.D. in Life Sciences (Biotechnology) from Biotechnology Division of CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (Advisor: Dr. Sudesh Kumar, Director;CSIR-IHBT), Palampur and Biotechnology Division of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar in 2013
- M.Sc. (Biochemistry) from Department of Biochemistry of Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra in 2004
- B.Sc. (Medical) from D.N.PG. College, Hisar (Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra) 2002
Teaching Experience
2023-onwards, Associate Professor, Department of Botany, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda
2015-onwards, Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda
Research Experience
2013-2015, Research Associate, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi (India)
April 2013-October 2013, Research Associate. Agricultural Biotechnology Department, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh (India)
2010-2013, Senior Research Fellowship. Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource and Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh (India)
2007-2010, Project Assistant Level-II. Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource and Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh (India)
Administrative Experience
Head of Department, Botany Department, School of Basic Science, 13 Nov, 2023 onwards
Member of Store and Purchase Committee (Central University of Punjab) from 2016-2020
Taking care of Horticulture related activity at Central University of Punjab, Main Campus, Ghudda (May, 2020 onwards)
Any Other Experience
Recognized as Observer (Central pool) for NEET & UGC NET exams by National Testing Agency (2018 onwards)
Plant Genetic and Metabolic Engineering
1.Improvement of Nutritional Quality of Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glacum] using Advanced Biotechnological Intervention(s)/CRISPR-Cas9 Technology
2. Identification of Key Molecular and Biochemical Signatures Associated with Seed Development in Chickpea
3. Establishing Viral Interferences against Cotton Leaf Curl Viruses using the CRISPR-Cas9 System
Completed: Deep Sequencing for Identification of Reproductive Organ(s) Enriched transcripts after Fertilization in Chickpea (UGC Start Up, 10 lakes; 2017:2020)
Ongoing: Engineering Cotton Leaf Curl Virus Interference using the CRISPR-Cas9 System in plants (CRG_SERB, apporx. 40, 2022-2025)
1. Life Membership of Enlisted Professional Bodies-
- Society of Biological Chemist, India
- Biotech Research Society, India
- Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society, India
2. The Indian Science Congress Association, India
- Editorial Board Member (2013-2020). Frontiers in Plant Science (Section- Plant Metabolism and Chemodiversity) as Review Editor. Editorial Board Member (2020 onwards) of Frontiers in Agronomy. Editorial board member of Current Biotechnology
- Reviewer of Journal of Experimental Botany (2014 onwards), 3Biotech (2018 onwards) and Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Molecular Biotechnology Reports, BMC Plant Biology, PLoS ONE, BBRC, Trends in Biotechnology, Frontiers in Agronomy, Plant Journal & Plant Physiology etc.
1. Biotechnology Research Excellence Award by BRSI and SLS, India for outstanding academic and research activities in B on biotechnology on the occasion of AI-BSBB2023 on 24 Nov, 2023.
2.AU-CBT Excellence Award by BRSI for Excellent work during doctoral research (2011)
3. Corona Worrier, for significant contribution in upscaling of testing in Punjab during Corona period (2020).
1. Maneesh Bhandari, Scientist, FRI, Dehradun (UK)
2. Professor Alexander Vainstain, University of Hebrew Israel
3. Dr. Sudesh Kumar, Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur (HP)
4. Joy K Roy, Scientist E, NABI, Mohali (Pb)
5. Siddarth Tiwari, Scientist E, Mohali (Pb)
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EkXkHPIAAAAJ&hl=en
https://cup.irins.org/profile/60167/
- Kumar A, Rana V, Bhardwaj R, Tun TT, Kumar V(2024) Characterization of Alternaria Species Associated with Blight Disease of Edible Zucchini (Cucurbita Pepo L.) in India. Journal of Crop Health. 77(9) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-024-01083-8
- Singh R, Rana V, Yadav SK, Kumar V (2024) genome-wide identification and expression analysis of genes encoding late embryogenesis proteins in cider arietinum. Plant Gene. 100469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plgene.2024.100469.
- Rana V, Kumar A, Tamanna S, Yadav, SK, Kumar V (2024) First report of cotton leaf curl Multan virus infecting petunia in India. Journal of Plant Pathology dot: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-024-01754-5.
- Singh R, Bhunia RK, Mahajan M, Babbar A, Yadav SK, Kumar V (2024) Comparative Analysis of Seed Oil Characteristics in Contrasting Chickpea Cultivars. Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 33(3), 413-428.
- Khan S, Tiwari S, Kumar V (2024) Pros and Cons of Plant Genetic Engineering Technologies. In Genetic Engineering of Crop Plants in Foods and Health Security, 2:1-24.
- Luha R, Rana V, Vainstein A, Kumar V (2024) Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway in plants under stress: general gene regulatory mechanism and advances. Plant 259:51.
- Rahim MS, Sharma V, Yadav P, Parveen A, Kumar A, Roy J, Kumar V (2023) Rethinking underutilized cereal crops: Pan-omics integration and green system biology. Planta, 258:91.
- Kumari A, Rana V, Yadav SK, Kumar V (2023) Nanotechnology and a powerful tool in plant science:recent developments, challenges and perspectives. Plant nano Biology, 100046.
- Khan S, Kaur K, Kumar V, Tiwari S (2023) Iron transport and homeostasis in plants: current updates and applications for improving human nutrition values and sustainable agriculture. Plant Growth Regulation 100: 373-390.
- Singh R, Shankar R, Yadav SK, Kumar V (2023) Transcriptome analysis of ovules offers early developmental clues after fertilization in Cicer arietinum L. 3Biotech, 13: 177
- Singh R, Das S, Gupta S, Mahajan M, Kumar V (2023) Post translation modification: Elucidating potential roles of SUMOylation in plants. South African Journal of Botany, 157, June 2023: 398-408.
- Tashima G, Bhumika A, Muskan J, Bokolia A, Kumar V, Kumar A.. (2023) Exogenous application of Biostimulants for As stress tolerance in crop plants. Biostimulants in Alleviaiton of Metal Toxicity in Plants 1, 243-266.
- Borgohain V, Swati, Kumar V (2023) Gene delivery methods: Advances and opportunities of nanoparticles-based techniques. Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Environment 1, 1-15.
- Rana V, Kumar A, Singh R, Kumar V (2023) Biotechnological attributes of biostimulants for relieving metal toxicity. Biostimulatns in Alleviaiton of Metal Toxicity in Plants 1, 533-539.
- Rahim MS, Kumar V, Mishra A, Fandade V, Kumar V, Bishnoi M, Roy J (2022) High resistant starch mutant wheat “TAC 35” reduced glycemia and ameliorated high fat diet induced metabolic dysregulation in mice. Journal of Cereal Science 105: 103459.
- Rahim MS, Roy J, Kumar V (2022) Genetic dissection of quantitative traits loci identifies new genes for gelatinization parameters of starch and amylose-lipid complex (resistant starch 5) in wheat. Plant Science 325: 111452.
- Singh NA, Singh NP, Sharma KM, Patnaik R, Tiwari RP, Sehgal RK, Kumar V, Wazir WA, Singh YP, Choudhary D (2022) First report of late Miocene (Tortonian: - 10-11 Ma) chlorophyte hyrogonites form Tapar, Kachchh District, Gujrat State, western India. Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. 88, 439-455
- Borgohain V, Kumar V (2021) Nanotechnology: diagnostic and treatment of COVID-19. Nanotechnology Perceptions. 17: 134-140.
- Gupta S, Kumar A, Patel R, Kumar V (2021) GM crops regulation: scope and opportunity using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing approach. Molecular Biology Reports 48: 4851-4863
- Singh T, Yadav SK, Vainstein A, Kumar V (2021) Genome Recoding Strategy in the improving of cellular properties: Mechanisms and Advances. aBIOTECH 2,79-95.
- Kumar V, Singh T (2020) Genome recoding: a review of basic concepts, current research and future prospects of virus attenuation for controlling plant viral diseases. Journal of Plant Biochem and Biotechnology. Doi.10.1007/s13562-020-00583-8.
- Bast F, Singh P, Kumar V (2020) Attempt to unravel the ‘tangled bank’: a new-normal global meeting. Current Science 119: 1241.
- Rahim MS, Mishra A, Katyal M, Thakur S, Sharma M, Kumar P, Parveen A, Jaiswal V, Singh Kumar V, Gupta RK, Sharma H, Roy J (2020) Marker-trait association identified candidate starch biosynthesis pathway genes for starch and amylose-lipid complex gelatinization in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Euphytica 216: 151.
- Rahim MS, Chauhan A, Madhawan A, Mishra A, Parveen A, Garg M, Bishnoi M, Kumar V, Oak MD, Singhal NK, Roy J (2020) Development and evaluation of chapatti quality of high amylose wheat mutants on the basis of physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics. LWT-Food Science and Technology. 133,110051.
- Gosh A, Dadhich A, Bhardwaj P, Babu JN, Kumar V (2020) Comparative analysis of metabolites in contrasting chickpea cultivars. Journal of Plant Biochem and Biotechnology 29:253-265
- Uniyal AP, Mansotra K, Yadav SK, Kumar V (2019) An overview of designing and selection of sgRNAs for precise genome editing by the CRISPR-Cas9 system in plants. 3Biotech 9:23-42.
- Uniyal AP, Yadav SK, Kumar V (2019) The CRISPR-Cas9, Genome editing approach: a promising tool for drafting defense strategy against begomoviruses including cotton leaf curl viruses. Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology 28; 121-132.
- S K Yadav, Kumar V, Singh P Sudhir (Eds) (2018) Recent Trends and Techniques in Plant Metabolic Engineering published by Springer, 1-179.
- Kumar V, Suman U, Rubal, Yadav SK (2018) Flavonoid secondary metabolite: Biosynthesis and role in growth and development in plants. In: S K Yadav, Kumar V, Singh P Sudhir (Eds), Recent Trends and Techniques in Plant Metabolic Engineering, Springer, Heidelberg pp 19-45.
- Bharti, Reetu, Kumar V, In: S K Yadav, Kumar V, Singh P Sudhir (Eds), Recent Trends and Techniques in Plant Metabolic Engineering, Springer, Heidelberg, pp 47-61.
- Garg, R, Dhawan AK, Kumar V. (2018) Flavonoids Accumulation as Adaptation Response in Plants during Abiotic Stresses in: Akula Ramakrishna and Sarvajeet Singh Gill (eds) Metabolic Adaptation in Plants During Abiotic Stress. Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL pp 229-238.
- Kumar R, Sharma D, Kumar V, Kumar R (2018) Factors Defining the Effects of Macromolecular Crowding on Dynamics and Thermodynamic Stability of Heme Proteins In- vitro. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics654: 146-162.
- Kumar R, Kumar R, Sharma Deepak, Garg M, Kumar V, Agarwal MC (2018) Macromolecular crowding-induced molten globule states of the alkali pH-denatured proteins. BBA-Proteins and Proteomics 1866: 1102-1114.
- Garg R, Singh VK, Rajkumar MS, Kumar V, Jain M (2017) Global transcriptome and co‐expression network analyses reveal cultivar‐specific molecular signatures associated with seed development and seed size/weight determination in chickpea. The Plant Journal 91:1088-1107
- Kumar V, Yadav SK (2016). Pyramiding of tea dihydroflavonol reductase and anthocyanidin reductase increases flavan-3-ols and improves protective ability under stress conditions in tobacco. 3Biotech 7, 1-14.
- Joshi R, Rana A, Kumar V, Kumar D, Padwad YS, Yadav SK, Gulati A. (2016). Anthocyanin enriched purple tea exhibits antioxidants, immuno-stimulatory and anticancer activities. Journal of Food Science and Technology 54:1953-1963.
- Verma M, Kumar V*, Patel RK, Garg R, Jain M. (2015). CTDB: An integrated chickpea transcriptome database for functional and applied genomics. PLoS ONE doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136880.
- Kumar V, Jain M. (2015). CRISPR-Cas system for plant genome editing: advances and opportunities. Journal of Experimental Botany 66: 47-57.
- Kumar V, Nadda G, Kumar S, Yadav SK (2013). Transgenic tobacco overexpressing tea cDNA encoding dihydroflavonol 4-reductase and anthocyanidin reductase induces early flowering and provides biotic stress tolerance. PLoS ONE 8: e65535.
- Kumar V, Guleria P, Kumar V, Yadav SK (2013). Gold nanoparticles exposure induces growth and yield enhancement in Arabidopsis thaliana. Science of the Total Environment 461-462: 462-468.
- Kumar V, Yadav SK (2013). Overexpression of CsDFR and CsANR enhanced root flavonoids and improved root architecture to provide tolerance against aluminum toxicity in tobacco. Plant Root 7: 65-76.
- Kumar V, Yadav SK (2013). Overexpression of CsANR increased flavan-3-ols and decreased anthocyanins in transgenic tobacco. Molecular Biotechnology 54: 426-435.
- Kumar V, Gill T, Grover S, Ahuja PS, Yadav SK (2013). Influence of human lactoferrin overexpression on iron homeostasis, flavonoids and antioxidants in transgenic tobacco. Molecular Biotechnology 53: 118-128.
- Kumar V, Yadav SK (2012). Developmental effect on flavan-3-ols content of leaf and flower in tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze). International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology. 6: 15-20.
- Kumar V, Mahajan M, Yadav SK (2012). Toxic metals accumulation, tolerance and homeostasis in brassicaoilseed species: overview of physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms. In: N. A. Anjum et al. (eds), The Plant Family Brassicaceae: Contribution Towards Phytoremediation, Environmental Pollution 21, Springer Heidelberg, pp 171-211
- Guleria P, Goswami D, Mahajan M, Kumar V, Bhardwaj J, Yadav SK (2012). MicroRNAs and their role in plants during abiotic stresses. In: Parvaiz A and Prasad MNV, eds. Environmental Adaptations and Stress Tolerance of Plants in the Era of Climate Change. Springer Heidelberg, pp 265-278.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Ahuja PS, Yadav SK (2011). Producing low-caffeine tea through post-transcriptional silencing of Caffeine synthase mRNA. Plant Molecular Biology 43: 104-111.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Ahuja PS, Yadav SK (2011). Agrobacterium- mediated silencing of caffeine synthesis through root transformation in Camellia sinensis L. Molecular Biotechnology 48: 235-243.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Mahajan M, Mohammad H, Yadav SK (2011). Gene silencing: theory, techniques and applications In: Michael T. Loback and Jennifer N. Trevino, eds. Encyclopedia of Genetics Research. Volume 3, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, New York, USA, pp 610-623.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Mahajan M, Mohammad H, Yadav SK (2011). Gene silencing: theory, techniques and applications In: Leon V. Berhardt, ed. Advances in Medicine and Biology. Volume 32, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, New York, USA, pp 217-230.
- Mahajan M, Kumar V, Ahuja PS, Yadav SK (2011). Effects of flavonoid-mediated free IAA regulation on growth and development of in vitro-grown tobacco seedlings. International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology 5: 42-48.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Mahajan M, Mohammad H, Yadav SK (2010). Gene silencing: theory, techniques and applications. International Journal of Medical and Biological Frontiers 17: 4-5.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Mahajan M, Mohammad H, Yadav SK (2010). Gene silencing: theory, techniques and applications In: Anthony J. Catalano, ed. Gene Silencing: Theory, Techniques and Applications, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, New York, USA, pp 321-334.
- Mahajan M, Kumar V*, Yadav SK (2010). Alkaloids: properties, application & pharmacological effects In: Nicole M. Cassiano, ed. Alkaloids: Properties, Application & Pharmacological effects. Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, New York, USA, pp 1-36.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Yadav SK (2010). Tea caffeine: metabolism, functions and reduction strategies. Food Science and Biotechnology 19: 275-287.
- Rana NK, Mohanpuria P, Kumar V, Yadav SK (2009). A CsGS is regulated at transcriptional level during development stages and nitrogen utilization in Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze. Molecular Biology Reports37: 703-710.
- Mohanpuria P, Kumar V*, Joshi R, Gulati A, Ahuja PS, Yadav SK (2009). Caffeine biosynthesis and degradation in tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is under developmental and seasonal regulation. Molecular Biotechnology 43: 104-111.
- Kumar V, Yadav SK (2009). Proline and betaine provide protection to antioxidant and methylglyoxal detoxification systems during cold stress in Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze. Acta Physiology Plantrum 31: 261-269.
- Completed M.Sc. students: 40 Present M.Sc. students: 05
- Present PhD students: 04+01 (Adarsh Kumar; 2019, Reetu Singh; 2020, Shahirina Khan; 2020 and Vernika Rana; 2022; Sakshi Yadav; 2024)+ One International Student (Theint Theint Tun; 2023)
- Completed PhD: 01 (Dr. Mohammed Saba Rahim)
Orientation Program, Punjabi University, Patiala |
1-28/06/2016 |
FDP by CAFT (ICAR) at NIPB, PUSA, New Delhi |
1-21/12/2017 |
Short Term CAFT (ICAT) , Plant Physiology Deptt., PUSA, New Delhi |
10-19/09/2018 |
Curriculum Workshop, PMMMNMTT, Central University of Punjab |
7-22/10/2019 |
1. Training cum Workshop: Popularization of Farm Practices to Mitigate the Effcet of Land Degradation and Desertification; with the collaboration of FRI, Dehradun on 7/08/2024
2. GIAN course 2412346 (Plant Metabolomics and Techniques) for five days was held from 28 Nov to 3 Dec, 2024 with Professor Jian Zhao from Hunan Agricultural University, China
2. Genomics Resources: Introduction and Utilization for Biodiversity Conservation, at Refresher Course on Plant Diversity and Conservation at Department of Botany, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur (CG) on 10.10.2023
3. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Plant Genome Editing: Introduction, Applications, Department of Biochemistry, Kurukshetra University (HR) on 29/09/2023
4. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Plant Genome Editing: Introduction, Applications, Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University (HR) on 29/09/2023
5. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Plant Genome Editing: Introduction, Applications and Challenges at National Seminar "Emerging Interdisciplinary Approach for Global Wellbeing at PGGGC, Sec 11, Chandigarh.20/09/2023
6. Science and Scientific Entrepreneurship at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan (HP), 17/03/2023
7. Importance of the Scientific Writing in Publishing, HRDC, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar (MP) 18/11/2022 & 17/12/2022
8. Key issues in the publishing and its solution, HRDC, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya Sagar (MP), 19/11/2022 & 20/12/2022
9. COVID Testing Awareness amid Corona Health Crisis, All India Radio, Bathinda 5/11/2020; 03-06-2020, 28/04/2020
10. GM Crop Regulation: Scope and Opportunities using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing approach, Govt College for Girls, Punjab, 06/10/2021
11. GM Crop Regulations: Scope and Opportunities using CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Approach, Post Graduate Department of Biotechnology, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, 09/10/2021
12. Preparations and Apprehensions for competitive Examination, Competitive Examination Cell, Sant baba bhai Singh University, Jalandhar, 7/04/2021
13. The genome editing and crop improvement: recent trends and future prospects, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana, 05/07/2021
14. GM Crop Regulation: Scope and Opportunities using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing approach, Dr. Nagendra Swaroop Memorial Lecture Series-First Lecture/Department of Botany, DNPG College, Kanpur (UP), 11/10/2021
15. The CRISPR-Cas9 Technology: Opportunities for Developing Virus Tolerant Agricultural Crops, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Kolkata, 30/03/2021
16. NPE 2020: Affects and effects, Akal Degree College, Gursagar Mastuana Sahib, Sangrur, 08/04/2021
17. National Webinar on Genome Editing: Scope and Opportunities in Plant Sciences; Placement Cell, Mohanlal Skuhadia University, Udaipur (Raj); 05/04/2021
18. Importance of Designing and Selection of sgRNAs for Precise Genome Editing by the CRISPR-Cas9 System in Plants; 42nd Annual Meeting of Plant Tissue Culture Association (India) and International Symposium on Advances in Plant Biotechnology and Genome Editing-2021; 09/04/2021
19. GM Crop Regulations: Scope and Opportunities using the CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Approach; School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Punjab Agricultural University, 07/04/2021
20. GM Crop Regulations: Scope and Opportunities using the CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Approach, Rayat Bahra university, Punjab, 09/04/2021
21. Basic outlines of New education Policy, Govt College Chowar, Chamba (HP), India. 05/03/2021
22. Application of Gene Editing in Crop Improvement, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, 16/03/2018
23. Overexpression of tea gene CSDFR and CsANR in transgenic tobacco induces early flowering and Confers biotic and aluminum stress tolerance, Plant Abiotic Stress and sustainable agriculture: Translating Basic Understanding to Food Production, Taos, New Mexico, USA 18/01/2013
Citations: 1671
h-index 19
i10-index 24
- Contributed for establishing of COVID lab in Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab, India for optimization and upscaling of COVID testing amid corona crisis (April, 2020).
- Member of “Viral Lab Project” of Govt of Punjab (India) for increasing the number of testing across the Punjab state, India.