Dr. M. Parani, PhD

PDF: University of Florida, USA; University of Toledo, USA

Professor & Head
Area: Genetic Engineering & Genomics
Affiliation: Department of Genetic Engineering, Kattankulathur Campus, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University).
Email: hod.gene@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in ; parani.m@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in

No: of Ph.D Students Guiding  : 6

No: of Ph.D Students Completed: 7

Other Details

Courses

• Advanced Molecular Techniques
• Plant Genetic Engineering
• Recombinant DNA Technology
• Bioconfinement of Genetically Modified Organisms
• Human Genetics

Research Interests

• Genome Sequencing
• Plant transformation for pharmaceutical proteins and agronomic traits
• DNA barcoding of plants

Selected Publications

• Wall JD, Stawiski E, Ratan A, Kim HL, Kim C, Gupta R, Suryamohan K, Gusareva ES, Purbojati RW, Bhangale T, Stepanov V, Kharkov V, Schroder MS, Ramprasad V, Tom J, Durinck S, Bei Q, Li J, Phalke S, Basu A, Stinson J, Nair S, Malaichamy S, Biswas NK, Chambers JC, Cheng KC, George JT, Khor SS, Kim CU, Kim BJ, Menon R, Sattibabu T, Verma A, Gopalan V,  Md-Zain BM, Chan KG, Shin J-Y, Pratapneni M, Santhosh S, Tokunaga K, Parani, M, Natarajan P, Hauser M, Allingham RR, Santiago-Turla C, Ghosh A, Gadde SGK, Sudoyo H, Lansing JS, Friedlaender J, Cox M, Hammer M, Karafet T, Ang KC, Mehdi SQ, Radha V, Mohan V, Majumder PP, Seshagiri S, Seo J-S, Schuster S, Peterson AS (2019) The GenomeAsia 100K Project: Enabling Genetic Discoveries Across Asia By Sequencing 100,000 Genomes. Nature 576: 106–111
• Kumar R, Brinda Chandar B, Parani M (2018) Study of the antimicrobial activity of organic acids shows the potential for the use of succinic and oxalic acid in reducing the dosage of colistin against NDM-1 bacteria. Indian Journal of Medical Research 147: 97-101
• Lokhande G, Carrow JK, Thakur T, Xavier JR, Parani M, Bayless KJ, Gaharwar AK (2018) Nanoengineered injectable hydrogels from kappa-carrageenan and two-dimensional nanosilicates for wound healing application. Acta Biomaterialia 70: 35-47 
• Bindusree G, Natarajan P, Kalva S, Parani M (2017) Whole genome sequencing of Oryza sativa L. cv. Seeragasamba identifies a new fragrance allele in rice PLoS One. 12(11) 1-9
• Sundar Poovitha, Muddineni Siva Sai, Madasamy Parani (2017) Protein extract from the fruit pulp of Momordicadioica shows anti-diabetic, anti-lipidemic and antioxidant activity in diabetic rats. 33: 181-187
• Rathinasabapathi P, Purushothaman N, Parani M (2016) Genome-wide DNA polymorphisms in Kavuni, a traditional rice cultivar with nutritional and therapeutic properties. Genome 59(5): 363-6
• Pasupathi R, Natarajan P, Ramprasad VL, Parani M (2015) Whole genome sequencing and analysis of Swarna, a widely cultivated indica rice variety with low glycemic index. Scientific Report. 11(5): 11303
• Poovitha S, M Parani. (2016) In vitro and in vivo α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibiting activities of the protein extracts from two varieties of bitter gourd (Momordicacharantia L.). BMC Complementary and alternative medicine. 16(1): 1-8
• Vassou  SL, S Nithaniyal., B Raju., M Parani. (2016) Creation of reference DNA barcode library and authentication of medicinal plant raw drugs used in Ayurvedic medicine. BMC Complementary and alternative medicine. 16(1): 9-15
• Sundar P, N Stalin., B Raju., P Madasamy. (2016) Multi-locus DNA barcoding identifies matK as a suitable marker for species identification in Hibiscus L. Genome. 59(12):1150-1156
• Vassou SL, Kusuma G, Parani M (2015) DNA barcoding for species identification from dried and powdered plant parts: A case study with authentication of the raw drug market samples of Sidacordifolia. Gene 559(1):86-93
• Purushothaman N and Parani M (2015) First complete genome sequence of a probiotic Enterococcus faecium strain T-110 and its comparative genome analysis with pathogenic and non-pathogenic Enterococcus faecium. Journal of Genetics and Genomics 42(1): 43-6
• Nithaniyal S, Newmaster SG, Ragupathy S, Krishnamoorthy D, Sophie LV, Parani M (2014) DNA Barcode Authentication of Wood Samples of Threatened and Commercial Timber Trees within the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest of India. PLoS ONE 9(9): e107669
• Deepa K, Rodionov RN, Weiss N, Parani M (2013) Transgenic expression and functional characterization of human platelet derived growth factor BB (hPDGF-BB) in tobacco (Nicotianatabacum L.). ApplBiochemBiotechnol. 171(6): 1390-404. Impact Factor 2.1
• Purushothaman N, Parani M (2011) De novo assembly and transcriptome analysis of five major tissues of Jatropha curcas L. using GS FLX titanium platform of 454 pyrosequencing. BMC Genomics 12: 19
• Purushothaman N, Deepa K, GnanasekaranG,  Jasintha P, Noopurshree , Priyanka AS , Kavita KS, Parani M (2010) Gene discovery from Jatropha curcas by sequencing of ESTs from normalized and full-length enriched cDNA library from developing seeds. BMC Genomics 11: 606

Working Papers

• DNA barcoding of poisonous plants of India
• Nel: An open-source rice genome mapping and annotation pipeline with a web interface
• Whole genome sequencing of Irulas

Work in Progress

• Gene editing in rice to develop semi-dwarf indica rice cultivars
• Authentication of saffron by DNA barcoding, HPLC and HPTLC
• Elucidation of genes responsible for rare genetic diseases through whole genome sequencing
• Development of nicotine free tobacco plants by genetic engineering
• Transcriptome sequencing of Momordica charantia

Academic Experiences

• Visiting Scientist, University of Heidelberg, Germany
• Visiting Professor, Texas A & M. University, Texas, USA
• DBT-CREST Fellowship, University of Guelph, Canada
• Assistant Professor, University of Toledo, Ohio, USA
• Research Associate University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
• Visiting Scientist, University of Bologna, Italy
• UNESCO-BAC Fellow, International Rice Research Institute, Philippines
• Scientist, M. S. Swaminthan Research Foundation, Chennai, India

Other Professional Experience

• General Secretary, Indian Youth Science Congress Association (2008 – present)
• President, Genetic Engineering Association (2006 – present)
• Member Secretary, Institutional Biosafety Committee, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University) (2016-present)
• Member, Research Coordination Committee, School of Bioengineering (2010-present)
• Member, Academic Council, SRM Universitry (2006 – present)

Funded Projects

• Principal Investigator, Generation of inheritable, transgene free abiotic stress (salinity and drought) tolerant and semidwarf indica rice cultivars using new plant breeding approach. Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India. Rs. 60.96 Lakhs. (2018-2021)
• Co-Coordinator and Group Leader (Genomics) SRM-DBT partnership platform for contemporary research, services and skill development in advanced life sciences technologies, Department of Biotechnology Govt. of India Rs. 1583.50 Lakhs (2015-2020)
• Mentor, Authentication of ayurvedic plants for diabetes and hepato-protection based on DNA barcodes and chemical signatures, DST-NPDF, Govt. of India, Rs. 19.2 Lakhs (2016-2018)
• Mentor, Genetic and molecular characterization of anti-diabetic proteins from Momordica, DST-INSPIRE Fellowship Program, DST-NPDF, Govt. of India, Rs. 13.0 Lakhs (2010-2015)
• Principal Investigator, Cloning of Oil Biosynthesis Genes from Jatropha curcus, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.Rs. 54.69 Lakhs (2008-2011)
• Principal Investigator, DNA Barcoding of Medicinal Plants, Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India, Rs. 22.0 Lakhs (2011-2013)
• DBT-CREST Fellowship, Department of Biotechnology Govt. of India, Rs. 5.0 Lakhs (2012)
• Co-Principal Investigator, Sulfur Transformation in Rice rhizosphere, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India.Rs. 30.0 Lakhs (2006-2009)
• Principal Investigator, Isolation of anti-microbial compounds from plants against NDM1 positive bacteria, ICMR, Govt. of India, Rs. 44.88 Lakhs (2012-2015)
• Principal Investigator, Whole genome sequencing of probiotic bacteria, Allianz Biosciences, Rs. 10.00 Lakhs (2013-2017)

Achievements & Awards

• US Patent: Goldman Stephen L, Rudrabhatla Sairam Venkata, Parani Madasamy, Styczynski Mark, Raab R. Michael (2012) Plants Expressing Environmental Stress Tolerances Having Petunia CBF Genes therein. U.S. Patent No. 8,173,869, Date: 8.5.2012. Granted.
• Indian Patent: Rex Arunraj, Parani M (2013) An efficient method for the production of tobacco plants with very low nicotine content. Indian Patent Appl. No. 4111/CHE/2013. Date: 09.27.2013. Published.
• DBT-CREST Award for the year 2012
• Prof. Uma Kanth Sinha Memorial Award for Young Scientists, 89th Indian Science Congress, 2002, University of Lucknow.