Fermentation technology and bioprocess engineering are the fields that involve the use of microorganisms and enzymes for the production of compounds that have applications in the energy, material, pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. Though these processes have been used for generations as a requirement for sustainable production of materials and energy, today it has become more demanding for continuous creations and advancement of novel fermentation and biochemical processes. Therefore, my research interests and efforts are directed both towards the advancement of cell factories and enzymes (from extremophiles of Himalayan regions), as well as the designing of new processes, concepts, and technologies.

Awards/Fellowships

Junior Research Fellow (DST) 2006-2007 

Junior Research Fellow (UGC) 2007

Senior Research Fellow (UGC) 2009

UGC Post-Doctoral Fellowship for woman, UGC, New Delhi, 2013

Work experience

worked as an Examiner of Patents and Designs in the office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, Government of India, (Delhi) from 2016 to 2019

 Research Articles

1. Anu Kumari, Shalini Kumari, Geetanjli Choudhary, Sarita Devi* (2024) Microbial diversity analysis of Chumathang geothermal spring, Ladakh, India. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-024-01284-3
2. Sahdev Choudhary, Shanu Kumari, Athrinandan S Hegde, Veebhan Kesarwani, Raman Kumar, Ravi Shankar*,  Sarita Devi *, Vidyashankar Srivatsan* (2024) Nutritional quality and microbial diversity of Chhurpe from different milk sources: an ethnic fermented food of high-altitude regions of the Western Himalayas. Discover Food 4, 10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-024-00073-z
3. Sarita Devi, Savitri, Tilak Raj, Nikhil Sharma and Wamik Azmi (2019) In silico Analysis of L-glutaminase from Extremophiles. Current Proteomics. 16 (3):210-121.
4. Wamik Azmi, Umesh Kumar Narta, Nishant Singh, Vibhor Gupta, Shamsher Singh Kanwar and Sarita Devi (2017) An antileukemic glutaminase free L-asparaginase from Bacillus brevis. Current Biotechnology. 6(1):58-68
5. Sarita Devi and Wamik Azmi (2015) In silico analysis of amino acid sequences in relation to specificity and physiochemical properties of mesophilic and thermophilic antileukemic Lasparaginases. Current Biotechnology. 4(3): 357-365
6. Manisha Gautam, Sarita Devi, Meenu Thakur, Meenakshi Chandel, Umesh Kumar Narta and Wamik Azmi (2013) Potential of biotechnology in the treatment of human diseases. Himachal Pradesh University: A Bi-annual Research Journal. 2: 160-180.
7. Sarita Devi, Nikhil Sharma, Savitri and Tek Chand Bhalla (2013) Comparative analysis of amino acid sequences from mesophiles and thermophiles in respective of Carbon-Nitrogen Hydrolase family. 3 Biotech (DOI 10.1007/s13205-012-0111-3).
8. Sarita Devi and Wamik Azmi (2012) One step purification of antileukemic of L-asparaginase from Erwinia carotovora MTCC 1428 and its application. International Journal of Life Science and Pharma Research. 2(3): 36-45.
9. Sarita Devi, Aditya Kulshreshtra, Ashutosh Kumar Rai and Wamik Azmi (2012) Bench-Scale Production of L-asparaginase from Erwinia carotovora MTCC 1428 in a laboratory fermenter. International Journal of Life Science and Pharma Research. 2(3): 25-35.
10. Sarita Devi and Wamik Azmi (2011) Comparative evaluation of different cell disruption methods for the release of L-asparaginase from Erwinia caratovora MTCC 1428. International Journal of Food and Fermentation Technology. 1(2): 211-219. 

Book Chapters

1. Sahdev Choudhary, Shanu Kumari and Sarita Devi^* (2023) Psychobiotics as an Emerging Category of Probiotic Products. InProbiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics, and Postbiotics: Human Microbiome and Human Health. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. pp. 361-391. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1463-0_19
2. Sarita Devi^* (2023) Live cells as biosensors, Biomaterials-Based Sensors: Recent Advances and Applications, Springer, Singapore. pp. 291-322. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8501-0_9
3. Sarita Devi^* (2023) Patenting, IPR, and regulatory issues, Bhatt AK, Bhatia RK, Balla TC, editors. Basic Biotechniques for Bioprocess and Bioentrepreneurship. Elsevier, pp: 441-453. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816109-8.00030-1
4. Sarita Devi and Poonam Kumari (2022) Rhizospheric Engineering for Sustainable Production of Horticultural Crops. InRe-visiting the Rhizosphere Eco-system for Agricultural Sustainability. Springer, Singapore. pp. 511-537. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-4101-6_25
5. Sarita Devi^*  and Prasun Kumar (2021) Use of Probiotic Bacteria and Their Bioactive Compounds for Wound Care. In: Kumar P., Kothari V. (eds) Wound Healing Research. Springer, Singapore. pp-301-330. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2677-7_10
6. Madan L. Verma, Sarita Devi, and Motilal Mathesh (2019) Photobiocatalysis: At the Interface of Photocatalysis and Biocatalysts. In book: Green Photocatalysts for Energy and Environmental Process, Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 36, Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp.1-23
7. Azmi Wamik, Sarita Devi and Khatri Jitendra (2012) Antileukemic L-asparaginase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Biochemical and Genetic aspects. Microbiology Applications (191-210)

*: corresponding Author

Abstracts

1. Devi S and Wamik Azmi (2015) One step purification of glutaminase free L-asparaginase from Erwinea carotovora MTCC 1428 with anticancer activity. Presented at Two Day International Conference on Emerging Trends in Basic and Applied Sciences organized by Maharaja Agrasen School of Basic and Applied Sciences Himachal Pradesh India . (Abstract No. 34, Page 63-64).
2. Azmi W and Devi S (2011) A comparison of bacterial cell wall disruption techniques for the extraction of intracellular enzyme. Presented at 98^th session of the Indian Science Congress, Part II. Section of Plant Sciences at Sri Ramasamy Memorial University, Chennai. (Abstract No. 206, Page 164-165).
3. Devi S, Kulshreshtra A, Rai AK, Gulduchha B and Azmi W (2010) Production of Lasparaginase from Erwinia carotovora MTCC 1428 in laboratory scale bioreactor. Presented at 51^st annual conference of Association of Microbiologist of India, “International Symposium in Cross-disciplinary Microbiology” at Department of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi and Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, India. (Abstract No. IM-08, Page 222)
4. Devi S, Kaur J, Bhalla S, Gautam M, Kaur S, Narta U and Azmi W (2009) Intracellular Lasparaginase from the cells of Erwinia carotovora MTCC 1428: Presented at 50th annual conference of Association of Microbiologist of India, “Third Golden Era of Microbiology” at National Chemical Laboratory and Department of Microbiology, University of Pune, Pune. (Abstract No. AM-043, Page 112)
5. Kumar V, Sanjay K, Arya RP, Singh S, Devi S and Azmi W (2006) Production of tyrosine phenol Lyase from actinimycetes isolated from cold desert region of Himachal Himalaya. Presented at 47^th annual conference of Association of Microbiologists of India, Microbiology: The challenges ahead 2006 at Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Centre, Barkatullah University, Bhopal. (Abstract No. BB-53, Page 201)
6. Kumar V, Sanjay K, Arya RP, Singh S, Devi S and Azmi W (2006)   Biotransformation of phenol to L-tyrosine. Presented at 47^th annual conference of Association of Microbiologists of India, Microbiology: The challenges ahead 2006 at Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Centre, Barkatullah University, Bhopal. (Abstract No. BB-12, Page 116)

Workshops/Seminars attended 

1. Participated in National Workshop on “Mammalian Cell Culture Techniques” organized by Department of Biotechnology, Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla on May 2013.
2. Participated in One Week National Workshop-cum-Orientation Programme on “Quality Assurance in Higher Education” under Faculty Development Program jointly organized by Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and Jaysingpur College, Vijaynagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, From November 11-16, 2013.
3. Attended 51^st annual conference of Association of Microbiologist of India, “International Symposium in Cross-disciplinary Microbiology” at Department of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi and Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, India in 2010.
4. Attended 50th annual conference of Association of Microbiologist of India, “Third Golden Era of Microbiology” at National Chemical Laboratory and Department of Microbiology, University of Pune in 2009.
5. National Roving Seminar on “Patenting in Biotechnology” Organized by Department of Biotechnology, Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla on November 21, 2005 Actively participated in “Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Biotechnology” Organized by Biotech Consortium India Limited from June 11-15, 2007

Ph.D. Students

1. Kumari Shanu (UGC-JRF)

2. Kumari Anu (PA)

3. Shalini Kumari (CSIR-JRF)

4. Sahdev Choudhary (ICMR-SRF)

Project Associates

1) Ms. Geetanjli Choudhary

2) Ms. Diksha Sood

3) Mr Rajneesh Kumar

The interested and highly motivated candidates with independent fellowships are welcome to join my lab for Ph.D. or PDFs.