Rajesh Kumar Pathak

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I received Master in Bioinformatics from University Institute of Engineering & Technology, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, India and Bachelor in Biotechnology from Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India. I joined Sub DIC Bioinformatics Centre at G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India under studentship programme of Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India to work on “Modeling of the MAPK machinery activation in response to various abiotic and biotic stresses in plants by a systems biology approach”. I started my academic career as a Teaching Personnel (Bioinformatics) at Department of Molecular Biology & Genetic Engineering, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar. Subsequently I started working as Junior Research Fellow at Sub DIC Bioinformatics Centre, Pantnagar, India under the supervision of Prof. Anil Kumar and registered for pursuing my Ph.D. program in Biotechnology (Systems Biology & Bioinformatics) at G. B. Pant Engineering College, Pauri Garhwal, India. My research areas of interests include systems biology, molecular docking, simulation, omics data analysis and designing of novel molecules for crop plant protection. I wish to do innovative research in the area of systems biology for better understanding the intricacy of plant-pathogen interactions for prevention and management of agriculturally important plant diseases besides understanding the molecular basis of important and complex traits linked with agricultural productivity. My ongoing work is on “In silico characterization of resistant gene homologes involved in the key signalling pathway and designing of mimicking peptides for defence induction against Alternaria blight in Brassica”. During last two and half years, I was not

only involved in research but also actively involved in organization of National

Training/Workshop on emerging area of Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, design of novel

molecules and Hi-throughput omics analysis. I published two research papers from my

master thesis with a total of 8 research papers in international journals of repute. The

opportunity given by Santa Fe Institute will be eye opener and it will further broaden my

horizon to impart quality research in my future endeavours.

1. What are your main interests? Feel free to include a ‘’pie in the sky’’ big idea”!

My ultimate and keen interest is in Plant Bioinformatics and systems biology. Plant-

pathogen interaction is very attractive and interesting areas of research in the context of

the agricultural productivity. Systems based sciences have tremendous scope to decipher

the complexity of crop systems by using newer tools and techniques of Bioinformatics.

Advances in ‘omics’ based science generated huge amount of biological datasets in

several abiotic and biotic conditions, these datasets are publically available in database

resources such as NCBI. We can analyse these datasets by bioinformatics tool

consequently apply systems biology tools for modelling of crop plant systems in desired

conditions, such types of systems based computational studies provide novel insight that

can we further validated by wet lab experimentations to develop models for sustainable

crop disease management systems that will help in increasing crop productivity and thus

augments the economy of the country.

2. What sort of expertise can you bring to the group?

I wish to share my expertise with the group concerning molecular modelling, docking,

pathway modelling and analysis etc.

3. What do you hope to get out of the CSWS?

CSWS is a platform of learning the modern and advanced concepts in the area of

complex systems science; this will help to make a new concept and expertise in

interdisciplinary research in areas of Plant Bioinformatics and Systems Biology. It is a

good chance for students like me to know ongoing research in the different prestigious

and well known institutes of the Worlds by interacting with the participants and faculty of

CSWS-2015.

4. Do you have any possible projects in mind for the CSWS?

Yes, I am thinking a project entitled “Networks based analysis of plant-pathogen

interaction in response to Alternaria blight in Arabidopsis thaliana in relation to disease

resistance in Brassica’’ for identification of important agricultural traits.