Animal and Food Science
Host Department
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment
Food authenticity and quality (phenotypic, genetic and genomic aspects)
Research Topic A
Abstract of the proposed UNIPhD research project
SNPs can be used as signature identifiers for their uniqueness in plant phenotype because of their high polymorphism, co-dominance in expression, and strong allelic features. PCR-based approaches are widely used to detect molecular marker variations. However, even advanced and modern techniques such as DNA barcoding and Sanger sequencing are not sufficient to cover a large variety/range of the genome in question. Whole Genome Sequencing can help identify a panel of a wide range of SNP markers. Validation of these SNPs utilising various PCR techniques and HRM analysis can aid in the detection of a mutational landscape that can assess plant phenotypic characteristics. Linking these variant signatures to the transcriptional changes will further help in understanding mechanisms responsible for disease resistance against biotic and abiotic factors. In addition, examining genetic determinants can help understand the cross-talk between microbes and their metabolites, and the regulation of numerous physiological pathways in plants.
Short bio
I have graduated as a Master of Science in Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology from IBAB, Bangalore. I worked as a research fellow in collaboration with TIGS, India, with a focus on malaria management in India using bioinformatics and comparative genomics analysis for the genome of Anopheles stephensi with different vectorial capacity. Findings of this research are are titled as “The genome trilogy of Anopheles stephensi, an urban malaria vector, reveals structure of a locus associated with adaptation to environmental heterogeneity”. My goal is to utilize my skills and education to learn, promote and contribute towards science.
