Senior Research Scientist - Dabur Research Foundation - Ghaziabad
(2025-06)
- Conducted 90-day Ocular Toxicity Study in rats and rabbits via ophthalmic exposure route.
- Managed 90-day Toxicokinetic Study in rats (subcutaneous route) to evaluate ADME over extended periods.
- Performed Pyrogenicity Studies in rabbits to assess fever-inducing potential of test substances.
- Executed Acute Eye and Dermal Irritation/Corrosion Studies in rabbits per OECD guidelines.
- Conducted Skin Sensitization Studies in guinea pigs using GPMT and Buehler methods to evaluate allergenic potential.
Project Associate II - CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) - Lucknow
(2021-08 - 2025-06)
Supervisors: Dr. A.B. Pant (Chief Scientist) & Dr. Jyotsna Singh (Senior Principal Scientist)
Project Associate II - Inhalation Toxicology - CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) - Lucknow
(2021-08 - 2025-06)
A. Inhalation Toxicology – Technical Expertise 1. Inhalation Chamber Design & Engineering
- Smoke Generation & Collection Unit: Specifically Registered Design a Stainless Steel 250L Whole Body Inhalation Chamber for complex combustion studies, such as testing the effects of cigarette smoke, wildfire smoke, or industrial biomass burning.
- Led design, customization, and optimization of multiple whole-body and nose-only inhalation exposure chambers; significantly improved particle distribution and experimental reproducibility across diverse aerosol scenarios.
- Proficient in operating DSI 14-port nose-only inhalation towers, PALAS RBG dust generators, whole-body (mass dosing) inhalation chambers, Aeroneb, TSI collision, and ultrasonic nebulizers, and smoke generation/air bubbling vapour units.
Project Associate II - Aerosol Science & Computational Dosimetry - CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) - Lucknow
(2021-08 - 2025-06)
- Aerosol Science & Computational Dosimetry
- Conducted aerodynamic particle size distribution (APSD) analysis of Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) formulations using 7-stage DSI cascade impactor and 10-stage MOUDI; performed fine and ultrafine PM analysis (PM1.0, PM0.1) via SEM-EDX and PAH characterization.
- Performed aerosol characterization including real-time dust monitoring (Casella), MMAD/GSD determination, and particle size distribution for both liquid and solid aerosol systems.
- Applied Multi-Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) modeling to predict particle deposition, retention, and clearance across rat and human airway models; improved lung deposition prediction accuracy by refining MMAD and GSD input parameters, enabling scientifically justified dose selection across 10+ IND-enabling studies.
Project Associate II - Pulmonary & Respiratory Assessment - CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) - Lucknow
(2021-08 - 2025-06)
- Pulmonary & Respiratory Assessment
- Conducted respiratory function assessments (tidal volume, respiratory rate, airway resistance) using Fine Pointe plethysmography software (DSI) in rat and mouse models.
- Specialized in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALF) analysis for pulmonary inflammation and toxicological endpoint evaluation; performed terminal procedures including deep anesthesia, euthanasia, retro-orbital and cardiac blood collection, and systematic tissue/organ collection.
- Evaluated occupational and environmental inhalation exposure risk assessment for complex particulate and chemical aerosol systems; presented findings at international toxicology conferences.
Project Associate II - Study Leadership & Regulatory Compliance - CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) - Lucknow
(2021-08 - 2025-06)
C. Study Leadership & Regulatory Compliance
- Directed 50+ GLP-compliant toxicology studies across all major exposure routes: inhalation, oral, dermal, and intranasal.
- Successfully communicated complex research data to diverse scientific audiences, resulting in multiple conference presentations and successful publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Study Direction & Compliance: Led and executed a comprehensive range of inhalation, oral, dermal, and intranasal toxicity studies, ensuring strict adherence to GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) and international regulatory guidelines.
- Repeated-Dose Toxicology: Orchestrated complex 28-, 90-, and 180-day repeated-dose toxicity programs. Expertise includes whole-body inhalation, oral, and dermal routes of administration across multiple species, including Wistar rats and rabbits.
- Acute & Sub-Acute Studies: Managed end-to-end execution of acute and sub-acute oral toxicity studies, focusing on dose-range finding, systemic toxicity assessment, and safety profiling.
- Expertly managed protocol submissions and facility inspections under CCSEA, IAEC, and AAALAC frameworks, ensuring all research activities met global ethical benchmarks.
- Ensured proper maintenance, calibration, and qualification of laboratory equipment and inhalation systems, in alignment with GLP standards.
Senior Research Fellow - CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) - Chandigarh
(2016-08 - 2020-03)
A. Microbiology & Fermentation Technology Upstream Processing
- Strain Screening & Isolation: Identified and screened diverse microbial cultures for the discovery of novel, industrially important enzymes, selecting leads based on specific activity and application potential.
- Microbial Culture Management: Proficient in aseptic techniques for cultivating and maintaining microbial cultures, employing both solid (agar plates) and liquid media systems. Skilled in quantifying growth (e.g., CFU counts, optical density) and assessing culture purity and vitality.
- Media Development & Optimization: Designed and systematically optimized complex and defined media formulations through Design of Experiments (DoE) methodologies to significantly enhance microbial biomass and target enzyme productivity.
- Fermentation Process Expertise: Hands-on experience executing and monitoring various fermentation strategies, including submerged, batch, and fed-batch processes, utilizing shaker-flask systems to establish critical process parameters for scale-up.
Senior Research Fellow - Downstream Processing - CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) - Chandigarh
(2016-08 - 2020-03)
Downstream Processing
- Chromatography Proficiency: Extensive experience in designing and executing purification strategies using Affinity, Ion Exchange (IEX), Size Exclusion (Gel Filtration), and Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) for high-purity protein and enzyme recovery.
- Process Development: Skilled in scale-up and optimization of purification workflows, ensuring high yield and biological activity for target molecules.
- Concentration & Formulation: Expert application of tangential flow filtration (TFF), including ultrafiltration and diafiltration (UF/DF), to achieve precise buffer exchange and sample concentration.
- Separation Science: Experienced in high-speed ultracentrifugation and clarification techniques for effective harvest of complex biological matrices.
Senior Research Fellow - Analytical Chemistry - CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) - Chandigarh
(2016-08 - 2020-03)
Analytical Chemistry
- Natural Product Isolation: Successfully screened and isolated novel quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors from microbial cultures, overseeing the full pipeline from crude extraction to molecular characterization.
- Analytical Instrumentation: Expertise in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), utilizing both Analytical and Preparative Shimadzu systems for the quantification and purification of bioactive secondary metabolites.
- Bioassay Development: Developed and optimized specialized assay systems, including the Violacein Estimation Assay and Agar Plug Diffusion, to evaluate the efficacy of lead compounds.
- Antimicrobial Profiling: Conducted rigorous pharmacological evaluations, including Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), IC50 determination, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) to establish potency and safety profiles.
Senior Research Fellow - Molecular Biology Techniques - CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) - Chandigarh
(2016-08 - 2020-03)
B. Molecular Biology Techniques
- DNA/RNA isolation and purification for genetic analysis.
- Identification of organisms through 16S rRNA/18S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA profiling.
- Proficient in microbiological techniques, including Gram staining, plate count, viable count, and colony count.
- Experienced in culture media preparation, smear preparation, and microbial cultivation for research and analytical studies.
Senior Research Fellow - Scientific Equipment - CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) - Chandigarh
(2016-08 - 2020-03)
C. Expertise in handling various sophisticated scientific equipments
- UV-Vis spectrophotometer, Chromatography, Gel documentation system, Compound and fluorescence microscope, HPLC & PCR etc.
