Master of Science in Biochemistry with minor in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology

G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India
Thesis project: : Isolation and characterization of chitinase from an Auricularia sp.
Advisor: Prof. D. P. Mishra

Bachelor of Science in Zoology, Botany and Chemistry 

• Masters Thesis Deptartment of Biochemistry, GBPUAT: Isolation and characterization of chitinase from an Auricularia sp.
  
  
• Research Fellow, IMTECH Biodegradation of some of the nitroaromatic compounds and bacterial chemotaxis.
  
  
• Visited laboratory of Dr. Jan Roelof van der Meer (15, Sept., 2003 to 9, Dec., 2003) at Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG), Zurich, Switzerland, in the project entitled “Bioremediation of pesticide-contaminating soils and its effect on soil functionality” under the “Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology” (ISCB).
  
  
• Currently working with “Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization” (CSIRO) as a Postdoctoral Fellow since September 2004.

Current job description:

Since September 2004, I am working as a Postdoctoral Fellow employed by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) at Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, Australia. Pesticide residues threaten both the production systems and the marketing of many of Australia's agricultural commodities. Commodities at risk include grain, wool, meat, fruit and vegetables, nursery plants and cut flowers. The problems will worsen because there is mounting pressure for reducing residue levels from environmental and public health groups here and overseas. My research group is collaborating with CSIRO Molecular Science and our licensee, Orica Ltd, in the development of enzymatic bioremediation technology for major pesticides used in Australian and overseas in agriculture. Major applications would include the decontamination of waste waters from irrigation operations and the clean up of surface contaminated fruit and vegetables. Our research is responsible for enzyme discovery and we have now isolated enzymes and the encoding genes for remediation of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides. We have also isolated microorganisms detoxifying endosulfan, some carbamate insecticides, neonicotinoids and a thiocarbamate herbicide and we are currently isolating the gene/enzyme systems responsible for the detoxification from these microorganisms. In this research, I am responsible for isolation, identification and characterization of gene enzymes system(s) that can be used for enzymatic detoxification of neonicotiniods and can be commercialized. CSIRO Molecular Science and Orica are working on scale-up fermentation and formulation for the various enzymes isolated and characterized by us and field trials are scheduled to commence in near future.

Paul D, Pandey G, Meier C, van der Meer JR, Jain RK. Bacterial community structure of a pesticide-contaminated site and assessment of changes induced in community structure during bioremediation. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2006 Jul;57(1):116-27.

Pandey G, Pandey J, Jain RK. Monitoring Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100 in a 'tag and chase' method during p-nitrophenol bio-remediation in soil microcosms. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2006 May;70(6):757-60.

Labana S, Pandey G, Paul D, Sharma NK, Basu A, Jain RK. Pot and field studies on bioremediation of p-nitrophenol contaminated soil using Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100. Environ Sci Technol. 2005 May 1;39(9):3330-7.

Paul D, Pandey G, Jain RK. Suicidal genetically engineered microorganisms for bioremediation: need and perspectives. Bioessays. 2005 May;27(5):563-73.

Labana S, Singh OV, Basu A, Pandey G, Jain RK. A microcosm study on bioremediation of p-nitrophenol-contaminated soil using Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2005 Aug;68(3):417-24. Epub 2005 Apr 2.

Paul D, Pandey G, Pandey J, Jain RK. Accessing microbial diversity for bioremediation and environmental restoration. Trends Biotechnol. 2005 Mar;23(3):135-42.

Labana S, Pandey G, Jain RK. Desulphurization of dibenzothiophene and diesel oils by bacteria. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2005;40(3):159-63.

Pandey G, Paul D, Jain RK. Conceptualizing "suicidal genetically engineered microorganisms" for bioremediation applications. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Feb 18;327(3):637-9.

Pandey G, Paul D, Jain RK. Branching of o-nitrobenzoate degradation pathway in Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100: identification of new intermediates. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2003 Dec 12;229(2):231-6.

Singh OV, Labana S, Pandey G, Budhiraja R, Jain RK. Phytoremediation: an overview of metallic ion decontamination from soil. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2003 Jun;61(5-6):405-12.

Pandey G, Jain RK. Bacterial chemotaxis toward environmental pollutants: role in bioremediation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2002 Dec;68(12):5789-95.

Pandey G, Chauhan A, Samanta SK, Jain RK. Chemotaxis of a Ralstonia sp. SJ98 toward co-metabolizable nitroaromatic compounds. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002 Dec 6;299(3):404-9.