Prof. (Dr) Anita Pandey | Faculty Biotechnology - Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun

Dr. Anita Pandey
Professor

RESEARCH AREA
Microbial Diversity and Biotechnological Applications with particular reference to Indian Himalayan region (IHR)

EDUCATION
PhD Microbiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India (1986)
MSc Botany, Meerut University, Meerut, India (1980)
BSc Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Meerut University, Meerut, India (1978)

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS
• ENTHP, Angers, France (1991)
• Van Halt Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands (1994)
• Visiting Scientist at the Biocontrol of Plant Diseases Laboratory, USAD, Beltsville, USA (1996)
• First International Meeting on Microbial Phosphate Solubilization, Salamanca, Spain (2002)
• Edinburgh International Conference Centre (IMC9), UK (2008)
• 4th Congress of European Microbiologist FEMS-11, Geneva, Switzerland (2011)
• Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France (2011)
• Host Scientist for the CV Raman International Fellowships for African Researchers, for Morocco (2013) and Egypt (2017) under the aegis of DST and MEA, Government of India, and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
• Invited Speaker in Cross-Kingdom Fungal Biology session organized by Society of Experimental Biology at Brighton, UK (2016)
• Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador (2019)
• Agricultural Research Organization, Israel (2020)
• University of Washington, Seattle, USA (2022)
• University of Thessaly, Greece (2023)
• Center for Safe and Improved Foods, SRUC, Edinburgh, UK (2023)

AWARDS/HONORS
• A new archeal species Nantronococcus pandeyae sp. nov.- was named in honor of Dr Anita Pandey’s extensive contribution to microbial diversity of Indian Himalayan region (Current Microbiology, 2022).
• Vishisht Mahila Vaigyanik Sammaan (Eminent Woman Scientist Recognition) for outstanding contribution in Microbiology and Biotechnology by USERC, Govt. of Uttarakhand (2017).
• Member ‘Expert Committee on Soil, Sediment and Microbial Diversity’ constituted by National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai- A Statutory Body of Government of India (2008).
• National Young Woman BioScientist Award (2003) by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
• ICFRE Award (1996-97) for research on Propagation and Conservation of Taxus baccata subsp. wallichiana in the general area of ‘Forest Conservation’ (Team member).

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Association of Microbiologists of India
• International Society of Tea Science
• World Federation of Culture Collection
• New York Academy of Sciences
• Centraal Bureau voor Schimmel cultures
• The National Academy of Sciences, India
• Society for Experimental Biology, UK (Complimentary)
• Biotechnology Society of India
• The Biotech Research Society
• Sikkim Science Society
• Indian Phytopathological Society
• Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology
• Indian Society of Soil Biology and Ecology

Dr Pandey has more than 30 years of experience working on the Bioprospection of Microbial Diversity of Indian Himalayan region (IHR) with a focus on Extremophiles, Rhizosphere, Biodegradation, Fermented Foods, Water microbes, and Antimicrobials. Before joining Graphic Era, she served as Scientist at the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora, Uttarakhand, India. Dr Pandey has completed 17 research projects, supported by Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Govt of India; and Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology, Govt. of Uttarakhand. In 2021 she initiated the Dr Har Gobind Khorana Lecture Series, and in 2023 she coordinated the International Conference on Mountain Ecosystems: Biodiversity and Adaptations under Climate Change Scenario (22-24 March 2023) in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal.

Her recent publication Unique Ecosystems – Amazing Microbes under the series Extreme Environments (CRC Press) summarizes the microbial diversity of various extreme environments across the globe. She was invited in 2006 by the National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai, for contributing a Scientific Bulletin. She served as Guest Editor for the ENVIS Newsletter and ENVIS Bulletin: Himalayan Ecology (2015), and Journal of Graphic Era University (2021). She also serves as Editor/Reviewer for several reputed journals published by Springer, Elsevier, Frontiers, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Nature portfolio, etc. She has also been on review panels for evaluating research grant proposals at the State/National level.