eSupervisor Detail

About me

Dr. Nitin Wahi is a biotechnologist and academic leader with 10+ years of research and 5+ years of teaching experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology (algal biofuels, metabolic biochemistry), is a recipient of NET-JRF, NET-SRF, ICMR-JRF, and GATE fellowships, has published 30+ SCI/Scopus papers, and serves as Assistant Professor and Head, engaged in mentoring and interdisciplinary research.

Interests: Dr. Nitin Wahi’s research interests are rooted in the integration of biotechnology, molecular biology, and sustainable bioenergy, with a strong emphasis on translating fundamental biological knowledge into applications that address energy, health, and environmental challenges. His core scientific focus lies in algal biotechnology, particularly the exploration of microalgae as renewable sources of biofuels and high-value biomolecules. He investigates the physiology, genetics, and metabolic regulation of algae to enhance lipid productivity, biomass yield, and stress tolerance, with the broader goal of developing economically viable and environmentally sustainable algal bioenergy systems. A major component of his work involves metabolic biochemistry and pathway engineering. Dr. Wahi is interested in understanding how central metabolic networks such as glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and lipid biosynthesis are regulated under different physiological and environmental conditions. By combining experimental and computational approaches, he studies enzyme function, metabolic flux, and regulatory checkpoints that control carbon partitioning between growth and storage compounds. This interest also extends to the screening and design of enzyme inhibitors and modulators that can redirect metabolic flow toward desired products, such as bioethanol precursors and lipid-based biofuels. Dr. Wahi also has a strong interest in molecular biology and genomics, particularly the use of DNA-based tools for organism identification, diversity analysis, and functional characterization. His work with 18S rRNA and ITS-based phylogenetic analysis reflects a broader goal of understanding microbial and algal biodiversity and its ecological interactions. He is interested in how genetic variation influences phenotypic traits such as growth rate, stress resistance, metabolite production, and ecological competitiveness. This line of research supports both basic biodiversity studies and applied strain development for biotechnology. Another important research area for Dr. Wahi is nanobiotechnology and its applications in medicine and diagnostics. He explores the synthesis and functionalization of biogenic nanoparticles and their use in antimicrobial systems, biosensing, drug delivery, and diagnostic platforms. His interests include understanding nanoparticle–biomolecule interactions, cytotoxicity, and therapeutic potential, particularly in the context of cancer diagnostics, metabolic disorders, and infectious diseases. By integrating nanotechnology with biological systems, he aims to contribute to the development of safer, more efficient biomedical tools. Dr. Wahi is also engaged in bioinformatics and computational biology, especially for molecular docking, virtual screening, and systems-level analysis. He applies in silico approaches to identify drug targets, predict protein–ligand interactions, and model metabolic and regulatory networks. These tools support both his work in bioenergy and his research in health-related biotechnology, enabling faster hypothesis testing and more rational experimental design.