Dr. Kanti Kiran
– Associate Professor
– Plant Biotechnology
About
Currently working as an Associate Professor, Department of Plant Biotechnology at Gujarat Biotechnology University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. An academician with over fifteen years of experience in Research, Teaching, Project Management and, Training & Development, including PhD at the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. After working as a Research associate for five years in the area of genomics from National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, I joined as a scientist under the Department of Science and Technology awarded scheme as a project investigator, in the area of genome editing of wheat genes governing susceptibility to the rust disease. Also worked as Project development Manager at Coral Gene Craft (pvt.Ltd), Noida for two years in the area of usage friendly software development for huge genomic raw data and other DNA/protein sequence analyses.
Background
Education:
- Post doc Research Associate: National Institute for Plant Biotechnology 2012-2018.
- Post doc Research Associate: University of Delhi (South Campus) 2008.
- Project development Manager: Coral Gene Craft (Biotechnology) 2005-2007.
- Ph.D : National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, India in 2006.
- Masters of Science (Botany) University of Lucknow, India in 1998.
- Bachelor of Science (Botany Zoology and Chemistry) University of Lucknow, India in 1996.
Research Group Overview
My research focus area as a group would focus on using genome editing as a tool to improve crop tolerance and or provide durable resistance against some vital factors/diseases. In the present climatic conditions’ plants cope with multiple stress at a single given time period. Abiotic-Abiotic, Abiotic-Biotic, Biotic-Biotic, these combinatorial factors at the same time or sequentially, supress plant productivity. Compatible reactions within plants during a pathogen attack accompanied with another stress factor give rise to plethora of variations in gene expressions. Identifying and selecting such genes for the benefit of the plant would serve an important solution to reduced plant production especially in cereal crops like wheat, rice, maize, sorghum etc. Utilizing host susceptibility genes in case of disease resistant plant varieties shall be a beneficial means to produce durable resistance against specific diseases.
