Research Interests and Summary

 

Complex & Integrative Metabolic Systems to Improve Food Technologies and Combat Global Diet and Environment-Linked Chronic Diseases

 

Complex Metabolic Systems for Sustainable Community Development

 

Current Research Focus:

 

1) Biotechnology and Metabolic Biology of Functional Foods & Bioactives.

 

2) Global Food Systems Biology Concepts & Innovations to Combat Diet-linked Chronic Diseases and Advancing Integrated Food Safety Strategies.

 

3) Food Diversity and Indigenous Food Systems to Combat Diet-Linked Chronic Diseases and especially “Metabolic Syndrome” Diseases.

 

4) Integrated Food, Bioenergy & Soil Biology Systems for Sustainable Community and Economic Development & Better Community Health Solutions.

 

Specifically my current research interests focus on molecular and physiological regulation of phenolic metabolites and phenylpropanoid pathway by proline-linked pentose phosphate pathway and redox-regulated pathways in food plants, food-associated bacteria, fungi and mammalian systems. In an applied context the understanding of integrated metabolic interactions of diverse species in the ecosystem is applied to finding solutions to food, health, energy, environmental and water resource challenges faced by humanity in ecosystems that is dynamic and impacted by Global Climate Changes.

 

This focus on phenolic-linked “Redox Biology” is contributing substantially to innovative research advances in the areas of Novel Bioactive Ingredient Biosynthesis, Food Safety, Nutrition, Functional Foods, Biofuels and Environmental adaptation of biological systems. The above concepts and technologies can be targeted to specific needs of each local community globally based on unique set of challenges and circumstances and converted into sustainable economic development opportunities—COMPLEX METABOLIC SYSTEMS for SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

 

 

Current Technology Application Categories:

 

a) Food Biotechnology:

 

**Genetic and physiological regulation of synthesis and mobilization of phenolic antioxidants, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, cancer chemo-preventive metabolites, phyto-estrogens and flavors in food plants and by Microbial-based solid state bio-processing of cereals, grain legumes, fruits and vegetables with focus on phenolic metabolites and role of proline-linked pentose phosphate pathway and Redox Biology in phenolic biosynthesis.

 

**Molecular and Biochemical Bioassay models using bacterial, yeast, mammalian cell culture and mice models to screen antioxidants, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and immune modulating phenolic phytochemicals and role of proline-linked pentose phosphate pathway and antioxidant enzyme response pathway.

 

b) Metabolic & Food Systems Biology:

 

**Use of metabolic critical control points of cellular energy pathways to design functional foods to combat diet-linked chronic diseases and food safety challenges.

 

**Integration of Proline-linked Redox Biology to understand cellular Redox protection and prevention of disease development using Traditional Diet and Food Diversity.

 

**Lignocellulose-based food and clean bioenergy systems and soil biology improvement based on role of Redox Biology. 

 

Potential Applications of Proline-Linked Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PLPPP) and Coupled Redox Response Pathway