Experience

UM6P Ventures

• Morocco
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Agrobioscience Chief Scientist

  • May 2022 - Present

  Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco Chief Scientist/Science Advisor/Agri-FoodTech Subject Matter Expert For UM6P Ventures o Agtech/Agri-foodtech SME for UM6P ventures based in Morocco o Identification and recommendation of agricultural problems and challenges relevant to African continent o Scouting for agtech companies/startups working on innovations that can provide solutions to African small holder farmers agricultural issues and problems o Introductory call with potential agtech industry partners and introduction… Show more Chief Scientist/Science Advisor/Agri-FoodTech Subject Matter Expert For UM6P Ventures o Agtech/Agri-foodtech SME for UM6P ventures based in Morocco o Identification and recommendation of agricultural problems and challenges relevant to African continent o Scouting for agtech companies/startups working on innovations that can provide solutions to African small holder farmers agricultural issues and problems o Introductory call with potential agtech industry partners and introduction to UM6P venture team o Scientific due-diligence analysis and written report on agtech clients to UM6P investment committee o Recommendation on go/no-go decision on pre-seed/seed investment in agri-food tech companies

• Agri-FoodTech SME For UM6P Ventures

  • Nov 2021 - May 2022

  Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco Science Advisor/Agri-FoodTech Subject Matter Expert For UM6P Agtech Ventures o Agtech/Agri-foodtech SME for UM6P ventures based in Morocco o Identification and recommendation of agricultural problems and challenges relevant to African continent o Scouting for agtech companies/startups working on innovations that can provide solutions to African small holder farmers agricultural issues and problems o Introductory call with potential agtech industry partners and introduction to UM6P… Show more Science Advisor/Agri-FoodTech Subject Matter Expert For UM6P Agtech Ventures o Agtech/Agri-foodtech SME for UM6P ventures based in Morocco o Identification and recommendation of agricultural problems and challenges relevant to African continent o Scouting for agtech companies/startups working on innovations that can provide solutions to African small holder farmers agricultural issues and problems o Introductory call with potential agtech industry partners and introduction to UM6P venture team o Scientific due-diligence analysis and written report on agtech clients to UM6P investment committee o Recommendation on go/no-go decision on pre-seed/seed investment in agri-food tech companies



California Life Sciences (CLS)

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Mentor

  • Sep 2023 - Present

  California, United States



First Flight Venture Center

• United States
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Navigator/Mentor

  • Aug 2023 - Present

  RTP, North Carolina, United States



Big Idea Ventures

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Mentor

  • Jul 2023 - Present

  Paris, Île-de-France, France



Unsung Heroes - Ventures For Humanity

• Poland
• Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Mentor for Agtech Startups

  • Jun 2023 - Present

  Global Unsung Heroes Acceleration Programme is an international space that connect humanitarian organizations and startups. There is one mission to stop gobal hunger using technology. There are 27 startups form 19 countries who are supported by mentors from 43 countries. Mostly WaterTech, AgroTech and HealthTech solutions. More information at unsung.tech



Absolute®

• India
• Biotechnology Research
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Advisory Board Member

  • May 2023 - Present

  India



Climate First

• Israel
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Mentor

  • Mar 2023 - Present

  Tel Aviv District, Israel Climate First is a climate tech accelerator that supports the most ambitious founders solving the world’s most pressing problems. As a Climate First mentor, I support a cohort of ten highly promising companies that are developing sustainable and scalable products that will accelerate the world’s transition to net zero emissions.



Women in Food and Agriculture

• United Kingdom
• Information Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Mentor

  • Mar 2023 - Present

  United States



Viridian Seeds

• United Kingdom
• Biotechnology Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Scientific Advisor

  • May 2022 - Present

  Ireland Develop super-legumes that are climate resilient and ecofriendly Our mission is to create super-legumes to provide sustainable source of healthy, nutritious plant proteins. We plan to do this by creating new super-legumes using tilling and gene editing that will reduce carbon emission by more than 50%. Our products are non-GMO and consumer friendly.



The World BioProtection Forum (WBF)

• Advisory Board Panel Member for The World BioProtection Forum (WBF)

  • Jan 2022 - Present

  Swansea, United Kingdom The WBF is a non-profit organisation that encourages collaboration between the biocontrol industry and academia in the AgriTech sector. Its goal is to connect stakeholders, enabling them to work together to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of biocontrol products. The WBF brings together innovators, industry and academia through membership communications and specialist events featuring presentations from affiliated experts and stakeholders. It is also spearheading an… Show more The WBF is a non-profit organisation that encourages collaboration between the biocontrol industry and academia in the AgriTech sector. Its goal is to connect stakeholders, enabling them to work together to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of biocontrol products. The WBF brings together innovators, industry and academia through membership communications and specialist events featuring presentations from affiliated experts and stakeholders. It is also spearheading an industry-wide lobbying campaign for regulatory reform for bioprotection products. Encourage collaborations between academia and industry for research and commercialisation Advance the development of next-generation formulation and delivery systems to improve efficacy Support innovators and entrepreneurs in their efforts to raise investment for product development and commercialisation Encourage different stakeholders to work together to address challenges and advance the biocontrol industry Show less



MyoWorks

• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• SAB (Scientific Advisory Board) Member

  • Jul 2021 - Present

  India Generating Scaffolds For Cultivated Meat Industry



https://www.thesoychallengelive.com/

• Judge

  • Dec 2022 - Present

  United States



UAE FoodTech Challenge

• United Arab Emirates
• Government Administration

• Technical Judge

  • Jul 2022 - Jan 2023

  Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates



GreenLight Biosciences

• United States
• Biotechnology
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Plant Biology/Plant Pathology Lead

  • May 2018 - May 2021

  RTP, NC Development of exogenous RNA based solutions for crop protection • Literature/patent survey, identification of RNAi gene/mRNA targets, design of dsRNA for single target and hybrid dsRNA for multiple targets • Lead for method development of dsRNA delivery into crop plants • Demonstrated delivery of dsRNA into 7 plants for the first time in the company • Showed phenotypic and molecular evidence to demonstrate successful delivery of dsRNA trigger in plants • Developed and… Show more Development of exogenous RNA based solutions for crop protection • Literature/patent survey, identification of RNAi gene/mRNA targets, design of dsRNA for single target and hybrid dsRNA for multiple targets • Lead for method development of dsRNA delivery into crop plants • Demonstrated delivery of dsRNA into 7 plants for the first time in the company • Showed phenotypic and molecular evidence to demonstrate successful delivery of dsRNA trigger in plants • Developed and introduced stem-loop RT-PCR to the company to detect the 21 mer siRNA diced from input dsRNA • For the very first time in the company, showed siRNA processed from dsRNA trigger delivered into plants using SLRT-PCR • Showed systemic movement of dsRNA trigger and siRNA in whole plants • Using qRT-PCR, dsRNA mediated silencing of target gene expression in planta was shown for the first time in company • For the very first time, showed phenotype development in plants upon silencing of target marker genes via dsRNA trigger • Identified key targets for pathogen protection via exogenous dsRNA triggered RNAi • Developed TRV based VIGS silencing • Introduced to the company, phenotype plant markers for silencing other than PDS, such as PB7, RPS6, Chl H and Chl I, • Provided preliminary evidence for development of disease resistance trait in crops by dsRNA induced exogenous RNAi Show less



Moolec Science

• Luxembourg
• Biotechnology Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• AgBiotech Advisor/Consultant For Plant Molecular Farming

  • Aug 2020 - Dec 2020

  Argentina Genetic engineering based molecular farming to express animal proteins in plants • Develop a strategy and science plan for plant molecular farming to express GOI/POI in plants • Ideation and method development for design, and construction of Agrobacterium based plant transformation vectors • Advise on use of best combination of regulatory and enhancer elements to achieve maximum POI expression in transgenic events • Develop a screening strategy based on Agrobacterium-mediated… Show more Genetic engineering based molecular farming to express animal proteins in plants • Develop a strategy and science plan for plant molecular farming to express GOI/POI in plants • Ideation and method development for design, and construction of Agrobacterium based plant transformation vectors • Advise on use of best combination of regulatory and enhancer elements to achieve maximum POI expression in transgenic events • Develop a screening strategy based on Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation to determine efficacy of vectors • Advise on selection and manipulation of Agrobacterium strains for enhanced transformation efficiency • Strategy to develop marker-free plants • Cloning strategy for vector development, molecular assays to screen and characterize transformants Show less



Edison Agrosciences, Inc.

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Principal Scientist, R&D

  • Jan 2016 - Apr 2018

  Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area Enhancing plant genetic transformation by Agrobacterium. Development of an efficient transformation system for sunflower. Developing and commercializing innovative solutions for the production of plant-based industrial materials, with a primary focus on the development of alternative rubber crops (sunflower)  Lead for sunflower transformation/tissue culture and molecular biology  Set up tissue culture/plant transformation and molecular biology lab independently for Edison Agrosciences… Show more Enhancing plant genetic transformation by Agrobacterium. Development of an efficient transformation system for sunflower. Developing and commercializing innovative solutions for the production of plant-based industrial materials, with a primary focus on the development of alternative rubber crops (sunflower)  Lead for sunflower transformation/tissue culture and molecular biology  Set up tissue culture/plant transformation and molecular biology lab independently for Edison Agrosciences, Inc.  Isolated, cloned and developed binary plant transformation constructs harboring rubber pathway target genes for sunflower and model plant transformation  Generated >70 binary gene constructs, >70 Agrobacterium strains and >80 E. coli strains independently (just myself)  Developed an efficient adventitious shoot bud based and direct regeneration system for sunflower  Designed and cloned engineered key rubber pathway target gene fusions in binary plasmids and developed Agrobacterium strains for model plant transformation  Generated and did molecular analysis on hundreds of transgenic events in model plants expressing key rubber pathway target genes for evaluation of rubber synthesis  Preliminary data on rubber quantitative analysis revealed transgenic plants with a particular rubber target gene fusion showed rubber production in the model plant event  Conceived, developed and established viral delivery mediated transient expression system for sunflower and model plant  Generated multigene (stack of 5 genes) binary constructs for viral mediated transient expression  Discovered 2 rubber target genes to confer significant increase in rubber production in sunflower upon viral mediated transient expression  Co-technical lead and subject matter expertise in NSF funded STTR project on “Enhancing Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation efficiency and quality of transgenic events using plant genes and chromosomal T-DNA launch” Training co-scientists on tomato transformation

• Scientific Consultant

  • Feb 2015 - Dec 2015

  Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area Project: Developing and commercializing innovative solutions for the production of plant-based industrial materials, with a primary focus on the development of alternative rubber crops. • Consulting on a NSF funded STTR Phase I project “Enhancing Plant Genetic Transformation by Agrobacterium” to increase the transformation efficiency and quality of transgenic events in recalcitrant crops by using transformation enhancing plant genes and launching T-DNA from Agrobacterium chromosome.… Show more Project: Developing and commercializing innovative solutions for the production of plant-based industrial materials, with a primary focus on the development of alternative rubber crops. • Consulting on a NSF funded STTR Phase I project “Enhancing Plant Genetic Transformation by Agrobacterium” to increase the transformation efficiency and quality of transgenic events in recalcitrant crops by using transformation enhancing plant genes and launching T-DNA from Agrobacterium chromosome. Technology will be applied to express rubber production in sunflower. • Scientific assistance for a project aimed at “Developing a sunflower rubber crop to diversify global rubber production and provide an alternate rubber source for USA” • Responsible for genetic engineering and molecular biology lab set up, identification of vendors for molecular biology equipment and supplies for genomic DNA, total RNA isolation and analysis by end-point PCR and qPCR. • Method validation and development of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure) for nucleic isolation, PCR, qPCR, Southern & Northern blotting for sunflower and Arabidopsis • Development of an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method for sunflower • Molecular characterization of several transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis lines to test the effect of novel Agrobacterium strains on the frequency of generation of single-copy events without extraneous DNA sequences (vector backbone) flanking the T-DNA • Selected as the principal investigator (PI) for NSF-STTR Phase-I grant proposal on “Targeted Agrobacterium T-DNA integration for predictable and stable plant transgene expression” • Developing and validating SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure) for sunflower transient and stable transformation, virus (TRV)-mediated transient gene expression for sunflower & model plant, nucleic acid isolation, cloning, PCR, qPCR, qRT-PCR, Southern blotting, • Training co-scientists in CO-PI lab (Stanton Gelvin, Purdue University) on tomato transformation



Cibus

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Senior Research Scientist

  • Aug 2012 - Jul 2014

  San Diego, California Project: Development of gene-edited potato resistant/tolerant to a devastating fungal disease and to test the effect of allelic variation of target genes on plant defense hormone accumulation and disease resistance to bacteria in Arabidopsis •Identification of disease resistance/tolerance gene target leads for genome editing and validation in model plants •Develop and devise strategy for genome editing via RTDS (Rapid Trait Development System) using GRON (Gene Repair Oligo Nucleotide)… Show more Project: Development of gene-edited potato resistant/tolerant to a devastating fungal disease and to test the effect of allelic variation of target genes on plant defense hormone accumulation and disease resistance to bacteria in Arabidopsis •Identification of disease resistance/tolerance gene target leads for genome editing and validation in model plants •Develop and devise strategy for genome editing via RTDS (Rapid Trait Development System) using GRON (Gene Repair Oligo Nucleotide) directed DSB (Double-Stranded Break) repair • Constructed Agrobacterium binary plasmid vectors and completed molecular characterization of over 200 transgenic potato lines containing variants of the 3 target genes. Determined gene copy number and expression by qPCR and qRT-PCR, respectively • Performed detached leaf infection assay for a fungal pathogen and identified disease-tolerant potato lines • Identified by TAIL-PCR the T-DNA integration site in the disease-tolerant potato transgenic event • Developed a highly efficient Agrobacterium-floral dip transformation system for Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion mutant for plant defense and development-related hormone to transfer target alleles containing desired modifications • Estimated transgene copy number and gene expression in over 200 complemented T1 Arabidopsis lines by qPCR and qRT-PCR. Identified low copy transgenic lines (1-2 T-DNA copies) with high level of gene expression for functional studies • Determined zygosity by qPCR in 140 T2 progeny of 14 T1 lines (10 progeny per line) and identified homozygous lines. • Developed leaf infiltration based bacterial infection assay for Arabidopsis-Erwinia host-pathosystem • Identified transgenic lines resistant to bacterial infection and necrotic disease • Demonstrated the SNP (single amino acid change) in target gene conferred high level of tolerance to pathogen infection in both crop and model plants and dramatic reduction in disease symptoms • Developed drought assay Show less



Noble Research Institute

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Agrobacterium Researcher (post-doctoral Associate)

  • Jun 2010 - Jul 2012

  Ardmore, Oklahoma Project: Identification of plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation using Arabidopsis and Nicotiana benthamiana as models. The specific objective is to unravel the role of host DNA-repair machinery proteins in Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation. Identification of plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation will help us to increase the transformation efficiency of transformation recalcitrant crops like Soybean and Maize. •… Show more Project: Identification of plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation using Arabidopsis and Nicotiana benthamiana as models. The specific objective is to unravel the role of host DNA-repair machinery proteins in Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation. Identification of plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation will help us to increase the transformation efficiency of transformation recalcitrant crops like Soybean and Maize. • In a collaborative project with Prof. Stanton B Gelvin (Purdue University, Indiana), I Identified Arabidopsis Non-Homologous End-Joining (NHEJ) gene mutants Ku70, Ku80, Artemis and DNA Ligase 6 to increase the Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation efficiency in Arabidopsis root segments using tumor assay. • NHEJ genes Ku70, Ku80, Artemis and DNA Ligase 6 also found to increase stable transformation efficiency in N. benthamiana upon down-regulation by VIGS-mediated gene silencing • As a co-investigator, showed that Agrobacterium targets NHEJ protein XRCC4 and delays NHEJ-mediated double strand DNA break repair to favor T-DNA integration and increase transformation • Demonstrated Bacterial type III effector to increase Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation Publications: 1. Agrobacterium may delay plant non-homologous end joining double strand DNA repair via XRCC4 to favor T-DNA integration Zarir Vaghchhipawala, Balaji Vasudevan, Seonghee Lee, Mustafa Morsy and Kirankumar S Mysore Published in PLANT CELL , Oct 2012 2. "Agrobacterium T-DNA integration into the plant genome can occur without the activity of key non-homologous end-joining proteins" So-Yon Park , Zarir Vaghchhipawala , Balaji Vasudevan , Wanda Waterworth , Christopher West , Stanton Gelvin (corr-auth) , Kirankumar Mysore Published in PLANT JOURNAL , Feb 2015 SYP, ZV and BV equally contributed to this work Show less



Cornell University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Post Doctoral Associate

  • May 2008 - May 2010

  Geneva, USA Project: Generation of transgenic tomato resistant to wilt and canker disease caused by a Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) • Identified 6/160 genes in a VIGS screen on N. benthamiana to play a role in host basal defense to wilt and canker disease caused by Cmm. • Cloned and over-expressed two potential candidate genes snakin-2 and extensin-like protein (ELP) in transgenic tomato plants that conferred tolerance to Cmm disease… Show more Project: Generation of transgenic tomato resistant to wilt and canker disease caused by a Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) • Identified 6/160 genes in a VIGS screen on N. benthamiana to play a role in host basal defense to wilt and canker disease caused by Cmm. • Cloned and over-expressed two potential candidate genes snakin-2 and extensin-like protein (ELP) in transgenic tomato plants that conferred tolerance to Cmm disease • Published the findings in peer-reviewed international journals (Transgenic Research and Phytopathology). • In a collaborative project with Prof. Tomas Burr laboratory at Cornell University, over-expressed truncated VirE2 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in transgenic grape vine and showed resistance to an economically important crown gall disease. Results published in the premier journal Transgenic Research (2010) • Supervised graduate students (MS and Ph.D) Publications: 1) Manuscript entitled ““Over-expression of snakin-2 and extensin-like protein genes restricts pathogen invasiveness and enhances tolerance to Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)” Transgenic Research (2011), Published Online Vasudevan Balaji and Christine D Smart 2) Silencing of Host Basal Defense Response-Related Gene Expression Increases Susceptibility of Nicotiana benthamiana to Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (2011). Phytopathology, Vol 101:349-357. (http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PHYTO-05-10-0132) Vasudevan Balaji, Guido Sessa and Christine D Smart Editor's pick for the month of March 2011 (3) Resistance to crown gall disease in transgenic grapevine rootstocks containing truncated virE2 of Agrobacterium (2010). Transgenic Research, 19: 949-958 (http://www.springerlink.com/content/l38213445p436p16/fulltext.pdf) Stoyanka V. Krastanova, Vasudevan Balaji, Michele R. Holden, Mary Sekiya, Baodi Xue, Esengul A. Momol, and Thomas J. Burr Show less



Metahelix Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., India

• Senior Scientist

  • Mar 2007 - Mar 2008

  Bengaluru Area, India Projects: To develop transgenic tomato, cotton and okra resistant to Tomato Leaf Curl Virus (ToLCV), Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV) and Okra Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus (OYVMV), respectively using RNA interference (RNAi) • Scientific manager for 3 projects and supervised scientists and research assocaites • Devised scientific strategy, formulated elaborate time and science plan, managed all the 3 projects and achieved set targets • Successfully cloned and sequenced all the proposed 5… Show more Projects: To develop transgenic tomato, cotton and okra resistant to Tomato Leaf Curl Virus (ToLCV), Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV) and Okra Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus (OYVMV), respectively using RNA interference (RNAi) • Scientific manager for 3 projects and supervised scientists and research assocaites • Devised scientific strategy, formulated elaborate time and science plan, managed all the 3 projects and achieved set targets • Successfully cloned and sequenced all the proposed 5 viral targets for RNAi from virus-infected tomato, cotton and okra leaf samples exhibiting typical disease symptoms • Developed 15 Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains (LBA4404, EHA105 and GV3101) containing RNAi plasmid pKANNIBAL with viral targets in sense and anti-sense • Generated 60 clones in 7 months with the assistance of only one working hand. Completed the gene and vector development part of the project well in advance of the set time schedule and transferred all the Agro-binary constructs to tissue culture division for the generation of transgenic plants Show less



Tel Aviv University

• Israel
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Post-doctoral Fellow

  • Nov 2003 - Feb 2007

  Projects: Transcriptome analysis and identification of genes involved in resistance response of tomato to leaf spot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. Vesicatoria (Xcv). Molecular dissection of wilt and canker bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) interaction with tomato • Identified by microarray analysis, novel genes involved in tomato resistance response to Xcv • Unveiled the transcriptome changes in tomato during Cmm attack and wilt disease… Show more Projects: Transcriptome analysis and identification of genes involved in resistance response of tomato to leaf spot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. Vesicatoria (Xcv). Molecular dissection of wilt and canker bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) interaction with tomato • Identified by microarray analysis, novel genes involved in tomato resistance response to Xcv • Unveiled the transcriptome changes in tomato during Cmm attack and wilt disease progress • Identified ethylene as a key signal regulating susceptible response of tomato to Cmm • First researcher to use Affymetrix tomato chip for any kind of microarray analysis previously reported • Published 4 articles in peer reviewed international journals of repute with high impact factor and citations (Plant Physiology, MPMI, FIG, PSB) • Deposited microarray data in Tel Aviv University link and Tomato Expression Database (TED) of Cornell University, USA • Standardized Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) system in tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana • Supervised graduate students (master and Ph.D) Publications: 1) (2008). Plant Signaling and Behaviour, 3: 839-84, (http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/psb/BalajiPSB3-10.pdf) Vasudevan Balaji and Guido Sessa 2) (2008). Plant Physiology, 146: 1797-1809 (http://www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/reprint/146/4/1797) Vasudevan Balaji, Ofra Sherf, Maya Mayrose, Jasmine Jacob-Hirsh, Rudolf Eichenlaub, Naim Iraki, Shulamit Manulis-Sasson, Gideon Rechavi, Isaac Barash and Guido Sessa 3) (2007). Functional and Integrative Genomics, 7: 305-316, (http://www.springerlink.com/content/fjn2703256507742/) Vasudevan Balaji, Avi Gibly, Paul Debbie and Guido Sessa 4) (2004). Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 17: 1212-1222, (http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/MPMI.2004.17.11.1212) Avi Gibly, Arale Bonshtien, Vasudevan Balaji, Paul Debbie, Gregory B. Martin and Guido Sessa Show less



Madurai Kamaraj University

• India
• Biotechnology
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Ph.D Graduate Student

  • Jul 1996 - May 2003

  Madurai Area, India • Ph.D thesis title: Development of a transformation system for Vigna mungo and analysis of the DNA B clone (KA27) of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna. • Demonstrated the application of extra copies of virG gene in increasing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiency for a highly recalcitrant pulse crop urd bean alias black gram (Vigna mungo). • Successfully cloned and manually sequenced one DNA B component of the bipartite geminivirus Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus-Vigna… Show more • Ph.D thesis title: Development of a transformation system for Vigna mungo and analysis of the DNA B clone (KA27) of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna. • Demonstrated the application of extra copies of virG gene in increasing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiency for a highly recalcitrant pulse crop urd bean alias black gram (Vigna mungo). • Successfully cloned and manually sequenced one DNA B component of the bipartite geminivirus Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus-Vigna (MYMV-Vig), causative agent of yellow mosaic disease in black gram. • Demonstrated the use of replicase gene of MYMV-Vig to confer resistance to virus in transgenic tobacco. Publications: 1) Expression of full-length and truncated Rep genes from Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna inhibits viral replication in transgenic tobacco (2006). Virus Genes, 33: 365-374 P. V. Shivaprasad, P. Thillaichidambaram, V. Balaji and K. Veluthambi 2) Infectivity analysis of two variable DNA B components of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna (MYMV-Vig) in Vigna mungo and Vigna radiata (2004). Journal of Biosciences, 29: 297-308 V. Balaji, R. Vanitharani, A. S. Karthikeyan and K. Veluthambi 3) Analysis of an isolate of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) with a highly variable DNA B component (2004). Archives of virology, 149: 1643-1652 A. S. Karthikeyan, R. Vanitharani, V. Balaji, S. Anuradha, P. Thillaichidambaram, P. V. Shivaprasad, C. Parameswari, V. Balamani, M. Saminathan and K. Veluthambi 4) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiency in blackgram and rice enhanced by multiple copies of pTiBo542 virB and VirG (2003). Indian Journal of Biotechnology, 2: 138-146 V. Balaji, P. Rajamuni, G. Sridevi and K. Veluthambi 5) Efficient vir gene induction in Agrobacterium tumefaciens requires virA, virG and vir box from the same Ti plasmid (2001). Journal of Bacteriology, 183: 4079-4089 A. Krishnamohan, V. Balaji and K. Veluthambi Show less