Adaptation Biology/Stress biology

Global climate change is driving an alarming increase in the frequency and intensity of various abiotic stresses, and their combination, which significantly affect crop yields and cause food shortages. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop climate-resilient crops with improved tolerance to abiotic stress. The research focus of our lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms of plant tolerance to abiotic stress and stress combinations. The research goal starts with a comprehensive mapping of the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome of high-altitude medicinal plants (Picrorhiza kurroa, Aconitum heterophyllum, Camellia sinensis, and Ferula assa-foetida), leading to the identification of key genes/proteins encoding membrane receptors, signaling proteins, and transcription factors. Further, functional characterization demonstrates their roles in plant growth, development, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis under abiotic stress and in combination with other stresses. Our long-term goal is to target the identified stress tolerance genes/proteins and pathways in agriculturally important plants using genetic engineering to develop stress-resilient crops that support future food security.

Peptide Biology

The pervasiveness of lifestyle diseases is gradually increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Physicians are prescribing many drug interventions to patients; however, the majority of them are found to have undesirable side effects. Thus, identifying natural alternatives is the principal goal of the pharma industry. Our lab is also working in peptide biology, focusing on the discovery of bioactive peptides with therapeutic potential for the development of peptide-based pharmaceutical formulations to treat lifestyle diseases.

Iridoid Pathway Metabolism

Iridoid glycosides, i.e., picrosides, are the specialized metabolites of Picrorhiza kurrao, which are used in the herbal formulation of more than 2000 drugs. The metabolic pathway for picroside biosynthesis is extremely complex and thought to be interconnected through mevalonate (MVA), non-mevalonate (MEP), shikimate/phenylpropanoid, and iridoid pathways. Both MVA and MEP pathways contribute isoprene units leading to catalpol formation through the iridoid pathway, and in the final step, picrosides I, II, III, and IV were synthesized through esterification of catalpol with corresponding phenolic acids: Cinnamic acid, Vanillic acid, Ferulic acid, and p-Coumaric acid, respectively. Our research team is also involved in dissecting the molecular regulation of picroside biosynthesis in Picrorhiza kurroa through a synthetic biology approach.

National R&D projects (PI &Co-PI): 06

PhD student guided & pursuing: 08      Postdoctoral student: 01

Project students: 05                           MSc Student trained: 20

Number of articles: 30                        Book Chapters: 04

Invited talk: 05

Fellowships/Awards

Elected member, National Academy of Sciences India (NASI), 2025

Appreciation for the best scientific contribution in CSIR-IHBT, 2022-2023

SERB Early Carrier research Award, 2018

Associate Professor, Faculty of Biological Sciences, AcSIR

Life member of Proteomic Society of India

Awarded D.S Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship; 2014-2017

Awarded DBT-RA; 2014-2019; Not availed.

Awarded DBT-JRF; 2008-2013

Awarded DBT fellowship; 2006-2008 during M.Sc.

Qualified NET-LS; 2008

Qualified GATE, Percentile: 98.93%, Dec. 2007

Qualified JNU CEEB, 2006

Key training attend

Attained Karmayogi Master Trainer’ programme, 2025

Attained EMBO Lab Leadership Course, 2024

Editorial/Reviewer roles

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

Frontiers in Plant Genomics,

Frontiers in Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Reviewer of National and International Journals like PLOS Genetics, The Plant Journal Physiologia Plantarum, Journal of Proteomics, Journal of Proteome Research, Scientific report, Plant physiology and Biochemistry, Journal of Biosciences, Journal of Protein and Proteomics

  Research Articles

Method development for virus-induced gene silencing in Picrorhiza kurroa, as an alternative tool for functional genomics. Monika Chouhan, Vishal Saini, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Rajiv Kumar^* The Nucleus, 2026, Accepted IF 2.6

An Integrated Approach of Proteomic, Cheminformatic, and In Vitro Drug Screening to Identify Potential Therapeutic Targets of Taenia solium Cysticerci Proteases, Rimanpreet Kaur, Suraj Singh Rawat, Anand K Keshri, Naina Arora, Parul Mehra, Anubha Chaudhary, Swati Sharma, Rajiv Kumar, Amit Mishra, and Amit Prasad*, ACS Omega 2025, 10, 50, 61231–61246. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c07758. IF. 4.3 

Transcriptional landscape illustrates the diversified adaptation of medicinal plants to multifactorial stress combinations linked with high-altitude, Manglesh Kumari, Prakash kumar, Vishal Saini, Rohit Joshi, Ravi Shankar^*, Rajiv Kumar^*, Planta, 2025, 261;111 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04686-1 IF. 3.6 

Taenia solium Cysticerci's Extracellular Vesicles Tame the AKT/mTORC1 Pathway for Alleviating DSS-Induced Colitis in Murine Model, Suraj Rawat Anand Keshari Nauna Arora Rimanpreet Kaur Amit Mishra Rajiv Kumar Amit Prasad, J Extracell Vesicles. 2024 May;13(5):e12448. doi: 10.1002/jev2.12448. PMID: 38779712 IF. 16.0

Proteomic and metabolomic insights into seed germination of Ferula assa-foetida, Ashwani Punia, Manglesh Kumari, Monika Chouhan, Vishal Saini, Robin Joshi, Ashok Kumar, Rajiv Kumar*, JournalofProteomics, 2024, 105176, doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2024.105176. IF 3.3  

Functional trait correlation network and proteomic analysis reveal multi-factorial adaptation mechanisms to a climatic gradient associated with high-altitude in the Himalayan region, Manglesh Kumari, Rajiv Kumar*, Plant Cell and Environment, 2024;47(5):1556-1574. doi: 10.1111/pce.14830., IF 7.94

Taenia solium excretory secretory proteins (ESPs) suppresses TLR4/AKT mediated ROS formation in human macrophages via hsa-miR-125, Naina Arora,Anand K. Keshri,Rimanpreet Kaur,Suraj S. Rawat, Rajiv Kumar, Amit Mishra, Amit Prasad , PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES, 2023. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011858 IF 3.8

Recognition of immune reactive proteins as a potential multiepitope vaccine candidate of Taenia solium cysticerci through proteomic approach. Kaur R, Arora N, Rawat SS, Keshri AK, Singh G, Kumar R, J Cell Biochem. 2023 S. doi: 10.1002/jcb.30467. IF 4.8

Unique Metabolic Shift Reveals Potential Mechanism of Cold and Freezing Acclimatization, Satyakam, Rajiv Kumar*, Journal of Plant Growth Regulations, 2023, 42(1):1-17. DOI: 10.1007/s00344-023-10961-w IF 4.169

Identification and quantification of eight alkaloids in Aconitum heterophyllum using UHPLC-DAD-QTOF-IMS: A valuable tool for quality control, Ashwani Punia, Robin Joshi^* Rajiv Kumar^*, Phytochemical Analysis.2022;1–14, DOI:10.1002/pca.3164. IF 3.02

Nutritional quality evaluation and proteome profile of forage species of Western Himalaya, Rajiv Kumar^*,Robin Joshi, Raman Kumar, Vidyashankar Srivatsan, Satyakam, Amit Chawla, Vikram Patial, Sanjay Kumar, Grassland Science, 2021, DOI: 10.1111/grs.12357. IF 1.6

Protein-Cloaked Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cellular Association and Controlled Pathophysiology via Immunosurveillance Escape, Aqib Iqbal Dar, Syed M. S. Abidi, Shiwani Randhawa, Robin Joshi, Rajiv Kumar, and Amitabha Acharya*, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.1c20719. IF 9.2

In-depth assembly of organ and development dissected Picrorhiza kurroa proteome map using mass spectrometry, Manglesh Kumari, Upendra Kumar Pradhan, Robin Joshi, Ashwani Punia, Ravi Shankar & Rajiv Kumar*, BMC Plant Biology 21: 604, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03394-8. IF 4.21

Evaluating Peptides of Picrorhiza kurroa and Their Inhibitory Potential against ACE, DPP-IV, and Oxidative Stress. Shweta Thakur, Jyoti Chhimwal, Robin Joshi, Manglesh Kumari, Yogendra Padwad*, and Rajiv Kumar* Journal of Proteome Research, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00081. IF 4.46

Systemic acquired resistance specific proteome of Arabidopsis thaliana. Rajiv Kumar, Pragya Barua, Niranjana Chakraborty & Ashis Kumar Nandi. Plant cell report. 2020, doi: 10.1007/s00299-020-02583-3. IF 4.57

Metabolic signatures provide novel insights to Picrorhiza kurroa adaptation along the altitude in Himalayan region. Manglesh Kumari, Robin Joshi & Rajiv Kumar*. Metabolomics. 2020; 16:77, doi: 10.1007/s11306-020-01698-8. IF 4.20

Elevated CO₂ and temperature influence key proteins and metabolites associated with photosynthesis, antioxidant and carbon metabolism in Picrorhiza kurroa. Rajiv Kumar*, Robin Joshi, Manglesh Kumari, Reema Thakur, Dinesh Kumar*, Sanjay Kumar*. Journal of proteomics. 2020; 219:103755, doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103755. IF 4.04

Regulation of color transition in purple tea (Camellia sinensis). Manglesh Kumari, Shweta Thakur, Ajay Kumar, Robin Joshi, Prakash Kumar, Ravi Shankar, Rajiv Kumar*. Planta. 2020; 251:35, doi: 10.1007/s00425-019-03328-7. IF 4.11

Usnic acid modifies MRSA drug resistance through down-regulation of proteins involved in peptidoglycan and fatty acid biosynthesis. Sneha Sinha, Vivek Kumar Gupta, Parmanand Kumar1, Rajiv Kumar, Robin Joshi, Anirban Pal and Mahendra P. Darokar FEBS Open Bio. 2019; 9:2025–2040, doi: 10.1002/2211-5463.12650. IF 2.69

Nuclear phosphoproteome of developing chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and Protein-Kinase interaction network. Kumar R, Kumar A, Subba P, Gayali S, Barua P, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N. J Proteomics. 2014 13; 105:58-73, doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2014.04.002. IF 4.04

Comparative proteomics of dehydration response in the rice nucleus: new insights into the molecular basis of genotype-specific adaptation. Jaiswal DK, Ray D, Choudhary MK, Subba P, Kumar A, Verma J, Kumar R, Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N. Proteomics. 2013;13(23-24):3478-97, doi: 10.1002/pmic.201300284. IF 4.0

Characterization of the nuclear proteome of a dehydration-sensitive cultivar of chickpea and comparative proteomic analysis with a tolerant cultivar. Subba P, Kumar R, Gayali S, Shekhar S, Parveen S, Pandey A, Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N. Proteomics. 2013,12-13,1973-92, doi: 10.1002/pmic.201200380. IF 4.0

Phosphoproteomic Dynamics of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Reveals Shared and Distinct Components of Dehydration Response. Subba P, Barua P, Kumar R, Datta A, Soni KK, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N. J Proteome Res. 2013;12(11):5025-47, doi: 10.1021/pr400628j. IF 4.46

Analysis of the grass pea proteome and identification of stress-responsive proteins upon exposure to high salinity, low temperature, and abscisic acid treatment. Chattopadhyay A, Subba P, Pandey A, Bhushan D, Kumar R, Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N. Photochemistry. 2011,72,1293-307, doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2011.01.024. IF 4.07

Review articles

Dancing to the tune of the light regime: from perception to secondary metabolite biosynthesis in plants. Ashwani Punia, Satyakam,Vishal Saini, Monika Chouhan, Niranjan Chakraborty, Rajiv Kumar*, Critical Review in biotechnology, 2026, 1-21https://doi.org/10.1080/07388551.2026.2619534  IF. 7.7

Bringing bioactive peptides into drug discovery: Challanges and opportunities for medicinal plants, Shweta Thakur, Ashwani Punia, Satyakam, Vishal Acharya, Brijesh Kumar, Amit Prasad, Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Rajiv Kumar*, Industrial crops and products, 2024, 222, 119855 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.119855 IF. 5.6, 

Cold adaptation strategies in plants-An emerging role of epigenetics and antifreeze proteins to engineer cold resilient plant, Satyakam, Gaurav Zinta, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Rajiv Kumar*, Front Genet. 2022 Aug 25;13:909007. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.909007. IF 4.2

Unveiling Taenia solium kinome profile and its potential for new therapeutic targets. Naina Arora, Anand Raj, Farhan Anjum, Rimanpreet kaur, Suraj Singh Rawat, Rajiv Kumar, Shweta Triphati, Gagandeep Singh & Amit Prasad. Expert review of proteomics. 2020; 17:85-91, doi: 10.1080/14789450.2020.1719835. IF 3.94

Neglected Agent Eminent Disease: Linking Human Helminthic Infection, Inflammation, and Malignancy. Naina Arora, Rimanpreet Kaur, Farhan Anjum, Shweta Tripathi, Amit Mishra, Rajiv Kumar and Amit Prasad. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 2019, https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00402. IF 4.83

Adaptive mechanisms of medicinal plants along altitude gradient: contribution of proteomics. Kumar, R*. & Kumari, M. Biologia Plantarum 2018; 62(4):630-640, DOI: 10.1007/s10535-018-0817-0. IF 1.74

Book Chapter

Proteomic Strategies to Uncover Insights into Abiotic Stress Responses. Vishal Saini, Monika Chouhan, Paramdeep kumar, Rajiv Kumar^*Smart Crop Development, Springer Nature, 2026, Accepted

Mass Spectrometry-Based Methods for Plant Metabolite Profiling. Punia A, Satyakam, Kumar R.Methods Mol Biol. 2026;2988:103-117. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4981-7_10.

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Approach to Study Stress Memory Responses in Plants. Chouhan M, Kumar P, Kumar R.  Methods Mol Biol. 2026; 2988:93-101. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4981-7_9.

Insights from proteomics in kidney disease diagnosis and various in vitro and in vivo experimental models.Vikram Patial*, Garima Dadhich, Rajiv Kumar*, Sustainable Agriculture Reviews book series, 57, 2022 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-07496-7_2

                 Citation: http://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=wmI_PAYAAAAJ&hl=en

NIL

PhD Student

1. Mr. Vishal Saini (CSIR-JRF; January 2021 onwards)

Thesis title:

Identification and functional characterization of PLAT gene of Picrorhiza kurroa in response to abiotic stress combination

Total Publication: 04

Critical Review in Biotechbology, Planta, The Nucleus, Journal of Proteomics

Book Chapter: 01

Springer Nature

 2. Ms. Monika Chouhan (CSIR-JRF; August 2021 onward)

Thesis title:

To study the role of Geraniol synthase and Geraniol 10 hydroxylase in picroside biosynthesis in Picrorhiza kurroa

Total Publication: 03

Critical Review in Biotechbology, The Nucleus, Journal of Proteomics

Book Chapter: 02

Springer Nature

Best Poster Award: 01

In conference entitled “International Symposium on Plant Biology and Functional Genomics” held on March 13-15, 2024 at School of Life Science, University of Hyderabad

3. Mr. Amit Chauhan (CSIR-JRF; January 2025 onward)

4. Ms. Ashima Dhiman (INSPIRE Fellow; January 2026 onward)

Post-doctoral fellow

1. Dr. Paramdeep Kumar (Project Research Scientist; June 2024 onward)

PhD Alumni

1. Dr. Manglesh kumari (August 2017- May 2023)

Thesis title:

Exploring the molecular mechanism of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle  ex Benth. adaptation along an altitude gradient in the Himalayan region

Total Publication: 09

Plant Cell & Environment, Journal of Proteome Research, Planta, Journal of Proteomics, BMC Plant Biology

Best Poster Award: 01

In conference entitled “Next generation proteome mining and nano-bio interaction for better plant health” held on 27-29^th December 2021 at Department of botany, University of Delhi, Delhi

2. Dr. Shweta Thakur (August 2019- February 2024)

Thesis title:

Identification of bioactive peptides from Picrorhiza kurroa and therapeutic evaluation in experimental models

Total Publication:  03

Planta, Journal of Proteome Research, Industrial Crops and Products

3. Dr. Satyakam (August 2019- March 2025)

Thesis title:

 Elucidating Cold and Freezing Responses in Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. 

Total Publication:  05

Critical Review in Biotechbology, Industrial crops and products, Journal of Plant Growth Regulator, Frontier Genet., Grassland science

Book Chapter: 01

Springer Nature

4. Dr. Ashwani Punia (August 2020- November 2025)

Thesis title: 

Development of metabolite reference map and unravelling transcriptional signatures of light dependent aconite biosynthesis in Aconitum heterophyllum

Total Publication:  05

Critical Review in Biotechnology, Industrial crops and products, Journal of Proteomics, Phytochemical analysis, BMC Plant Biology

Book Chapter: 01

Best Poster Award: 01

In conference entitled “International Symposium on Plant Biology and Functional Genomics” held on March 13-15, 2024 at School of Life Science, University of Hyderabad

International travel grant: 01

ANRF-International travel grant to attend the 73rd Annual Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics from 1-5th June, 2025 at Baltimore convention Centre, Baltimore, USA

B.Sc/B.Tech/M.Sc Student supervision (Name and year)

1. Mr. Vikram (Adhiyamaan College of Engineering; Dec 2017 - January 2018)

2. Ms. Anamika kumari (Govt. P.G College, Chandigarh; June 2018)

3. Ms. Niharika Rai (Govt. P.G College Chandigarh; June 2018)

4. Ms Aditi Sharma (JUIT Solan; June 2018)

5 Mr. Shubham Bhardwaj (Dr. A.P.G.A.K ACSIR; July - August 2018)

6. Ms. Mahima Kapil (DY Patil University; December 2018 - May 2019)

7 Ms. Laveena Kaushal (PU Chandigarh; June 2019)

8. Ms. Sandeep Kaur (MAU Kalujhanda; June - Agust 2019)

9. Ms. Devangna (March 2020)

10. Ms. Neha (VIT Vellor; December 2019 - June 2020)

11 Ms. Mansi Rana (MAU Kalujhanda; March - May 2022)

12 Ms. Nagma (Banasthali University; june - Dec 2022)

13. Ms. Mahima Vishal (Banasthali University; January - June 2023)

14 Ms. Mauli Bhushan (Gujrat University; May - July 2023)

15 Ms. Ritika (11SER Tirupati; May - July 2024)

16 Ms. Riya Joshi (Graphic Era; February- July 2024)

17 Mr. Faizan Bariwala (University of Mumbai; October 2024 - January 2025)