Ajay Kohli
Senior Scientist – Molecular Biology
Plant Molecular Biology Laboratory
Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology Division
International Rice Research Institute
DAPO 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines
Nov.15, 2015
EDUCATION
APPOINTMENTS
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Tel: +63 580 5600 Xtn. 2764
Mob: +63 9175096725, +44 7833 713945
Ph. D.
M.Tech.
M.Sc.
B.Sc.
1998
1989
1987
1985
John Innes Centre, Univ. East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Lucknow University, Lucknow, India
Lucknow University, Lucknow, India
Adjunct Professor
May ‘09 -
University of Philippines,
Los Banos (UPLB), Philippines
Univ. Research Fellow
(Senior Lecturer)
Sep. ’04 –
Aug. ‘08
Newcastle University, Newcastle,
UK
Faculty Scientist
Aug. ’03 –
Aug. ‘04
University of Washington, Seattle,
USA
Research Scientist
May ’02 –
May ‘03
Regulome Corporation, Seattle,
USA
Post Doctoral Fellow
Feb. ’98 –
Feb. ‘02
John Innes Centre, Norwich,
UK
Research Assistant
Jan. ’93 –
Jul. ‘95
International Rice Research
Institute, Manila, Philippines
Research Technician
Apr. ’91 –
Dec. ‘92
International Centre for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology,
New Delhi, India
Research Fellow
Jul. ’89 –
Mar. ’91
Genetic Engineering Unit
Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi, India
Project Trainee
Apr. ’88 –
Dec. ‘88
Molecular Biophysics Unit
Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore, India
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
There are two major areas of research in our group. Firstly, forward and reverse approach to
gene discovery for drought tolerance in rice. For the forward approach transcriptomics and
proteomics methods are used to identify genes related to drought tolerance. In the reverse
approach, field proven large effect QTLs are used to identify and validate candidate genes to
elucidate the mechanistic basis of the QTL function. Secondly, we are interested in rice endosperm
development as related to increasing rice yield potential. In both cases interesting genes have
been identified and validated as useful leads. We work very closely with rice breeders and use
elite germplasm identified or generated by them. We also work closely with rice physiologists to
validate the physiological basis of the action of our candidate genes.
MAJOR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
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Identification, cloning and validation of cardinal genes underlying QTLs for rice yield under
drought
Characterization of a multifunctional gene essential for rice endosperm development
Characterization of root proteases for drought tolerance in rice
Role of protein post-translational modification in abiotic stress tolerance in rice
Role of plant hormone jasmonic acid in abiotic stress tolerance in rice
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
I have taught 7 courses to Masters Students at Newcastle University for 4 years and in one year I
ran a highly successful weeklong molecular biology and biochemistry workshop for Masters
Students, which was adopted as a model for the following years. I regularly train graduate and
postgraduate students. Till date I have supervised 22 pre-PhD (BSc and MSc; 2-9 months projects)
and 9 PhD students including two ongoing at IRRI and one in collaboration with Prof. Peter Nick
and Dr. Michael Riemann at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.
PEER RECOGNITION, HONORS AND AWARDS
Academic Leadership
Group
Leader
Plant Molecular Biology Laboratory, International Rice Oct. ‘08 - present
Research Institute, Manila, Philippines
Group
Leader
Molecular Agriculture, School
University, Newcastle, UK
Leader
For a 9-lab, 6-country consortium on Jatropha Biodiesel.
Theme
Leader
Genes and Environment, Institute for Research on Environment Jul. ’05 - Sep. ‘08
and Sustainability, Newcastle
Section
Leader
Energy Biosciences – Joseph Swan Energy Research Institute, Sep. ’07 - Sep. ‘08
Newcastle, UK
Project
Leader
For the UK lab on a 6-nation EU consortium project on Jan. ’98 - Mar. ‘02
transposon insertion-mediated saturation mutagenesis of rice
of
Biology,
Newcastle Sep. ’04 - Sep. ‘08
Jul. ’05 - Jul. ‘08
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Editorial and Review Activities
Associate
Editor
Plant Molecular Biology
Jan. ’13 -
Editorial
Board
Journal of Agricultural Science
Nov. ’12 -
Associate
Editor
Editorial
Board
Frontiers in Plant Nutrition
Jul. ’12 -
Transgenic Research
Jan. ‘99 – Dec. ‘03
Manuscript
Review
Nature Biotechnology, Nature Communications, PNAS–USA, Since ‘98
Plant Physiology, Plant Journal, New Phytologist, Plant
Biotechnology Journal, Plant Molecular Biology, Heredity, The
FEBS Journal, Molecular Breeding, Molecular Genetics and
Genomics, Theoretical and Applied Genetics, Functional and
Integrative Genomics, Planta, Plant Science, Transgenic
Research, Annals of Botany, Rice, Plant Cell Reports, Plant
Methods, Biotechniques, Crop Science, Field Crops Research,
Journal of Agricultural Science, Food and Agricultural
Chemistry, Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, Plant Breeding,
Canadian Journal of Microbiology, Current Science, Diversity,
Molecular Biotechnology, Molecular Biology Reports, Journal
of Plant Breeding, Genomics Proteomics and Bioinformatics,
Journal of Biotechnology, Revista Cientifica UDO AgricolaVenezuela.
Grants
Review
Proposals to the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Since ‘05
Research Council (BBSRC)
UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI)
French National Research Agency “Biotechnology and
Bioresource Engineering (ANR-BBE)
Portugese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, I.P)
Thesis
Examiner
External examiner for Ph.D. thesis submitted to:
Since ‘11
• Department of Plant Sciences, Macquarie University,
Sydney Australia – 1
• Department of Botany, Madras University, Chennai,
India – 3
• Birla Institute of Technology, MESRA Ranchi, India – 1
• GGSIP University, New Delhi, India – 1
• SMVD University, Kakryal, Katra, J&K, India - 1
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Committees and Board Memberships
Member
Scientific Advisory Board, International Symposium on Oct. 18 – 20, ‘15
Sustainable Agriculture in Sub-Tropical Regions, China
Chairman
Institute Biosafety Committee, IRRI
Member
International advisory committee – 12th human proteome Sep. 16 - 19, ‘13
(HuPO) world congress, Yokohama, Japan
Member
Executive Council, Asia Oceania Human
Organization representing the Philippines
Chairman
IRRI Seminar Committee
Member
Scientific Committee – International Rice Congress 2010, Jan. ’10 - May ‘10
Hanoi, Vietnam
Co-Chair
Molecular Biology & -Omics Technologies, International Rice Nov. 8 – 12, ‘10
Congress 2010, Hanoi, Vietnam
Member
IRRI Expedition to Colombia and Brazil - status of rice Jan. 19 - Feb. 4, ‘10
revolution in Latin America
Organizer
Symposium - Future of Multigene & Targeted Gene Delivery May 11 – 13, ‘09
in Crop Plants. IRRI, Philippines
Convener
Molecular Biology – International Rice Genetics Conference, Nov. 16 - 19, ‘09
Manila, Philippines
Member
Expert Committee, Jatropha - European Commission Research Dec. 7 – 8, ‘07
Directorate - E (Food Agriculture and Biotechnology). EC
Offices, Brussels
Member
Strategic Research Committee – School of Biology, Newcastle May ’05 - Sep. ‘08
University, Newcastle, UK
Member
Scientific Advisory Panel Nandan Biomatrix, Pvt. Ltd. Sep. ’05 - Sep. ‘08
Hyderabad
Member
Scientific Advisory Panel ‘Scientity Ltd.” Newcastle, UK
Sep. ’06 - Sep. ‘08
Member
Scientific Advisory Panel, Helix Genomics, Hyderabad, India
Jan. ’06 – Dec. ‘08
Member
Advisory Committee, International Symposium “Light and Life” Aug. 20 - 31, ‘07
University Hyderabad, India
Member
Northern Food Industry Innovation Network, Newcastle, UK
Oct. ‘15 -
Proteome Jan. ’10 – Dec. ‘12
Jan. ’09 - Dec. ‘10
Jan. ’06 – Sep. ‘08
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Honors and Awards
Hon. visiting
Fellow
School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Sep. ’09 – Sep. ‘12
Tyne, UK
Hon. visiting
Fellow
School of life sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Aug. ’08 – Aug. ‘11
Australia
Awarded
Best Paper – “Molecular Dissection of the QTL DTY12.1 for Apr. 16 – 20, ‘12
Rice Yield Under Drought Stress: Role of Transcription Factor
No Apical Meristem” during the 42nd Crop Science Society
of the Philippines (CSSP) Annual Conference, Puerto Princesa
City, Palawan, Philippines. 16-20 April 2012.
Awarded
Best Paper – “A Developmentally Upregulated Rice Germin- May 9 – 12, ‘11
Like Protein: A Bifunctional Essential Gene”, during the 21st
conference of the Federation of Crop Science Societies of
Philippines (FCSSP), La Piazza, Legazpi, Philippines.
Awarded
As supervisor of the Best M.Sc. Thesis award to NCQ Binh by
UPLB chapter of ΓΣΔ Agriculture Honor Society-USA, for Feb. ‘11
‘Molecular and biochemical characterization of germin-like
protein in rice’
Awarded
As supervisor of the Best M.Sc. Thesis award to Rowena
Oane by the Philippines Department of Science and Nov. ‘10
Technology, for ‘Transcription factor NAM: A major
candidate gene in the large effect QTL for rice yield under
reproductive drought stress’
Semi-finalist The Research Councils UK Business Plan Competition
Awarded
Jun. ‘06
Nuffield Foundation New Lecturer Award, UK for the project: Apr. ‘05
Amount awarded: £5000
A systems biology approach to sustainable agriculture:
Construction of genomic tag libraries for discovery and
characterisation of cis-regulatory elements in plants
Consultant
Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, Aachen,
Apr. ‘02
Awarded
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Feb. ‘98 – ‘99
(BBSRC) Exceptional Performance Award (EPA) for 2 Feb. ’99 – ‘00
consecutive years
Awarded
Department for International Development (DFID) UK, Jul. ’95 - Dec. ‘97
graduate studentship for Ph.D.
Awarded
Department of Biotechnology, Government. of India, Senior Jul. ’89 - Mar. ‘91
Research Fellowship
Awarded
Department of Science and Technology, Government. of Jul. ’87 - Feb.’89
5
India, Junior Research Fellowship - M.Tech.
PUBLICATIONS
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Peer Reviewed papers: 52
Book chapters: 8
Conference papers: 2
Conference abstracts: 22
h-index: 25
For peer reviewed publications, please refer to
http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LDgD_SIAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ajay_Kohli
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