Dr. Nishant Rai is a gold medalist in M.Sc. Microbiology (2000) and completed his Ph.D. in Microbiology (2004) from Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar. He worked as Research Associate at IVRI, Izatnagar, Bareilly and is presently working as Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at Graphic Era Deemed to be University, Dehradun, India. He has teaching and research experience of over 22 years. He has published over 150 National and International research papers, 15 GenBank submissions, 5 books, and 25 book chapters. He has been granted 02 patents in India, published 10 patents and 01 PCT. His research team has Transferred the Technology for RT-PCR based typhoid detection method to VANGUARD DIAGNOSTICS PVT. LTD., New Delhi. He has received the research excellence award in 2012, 2015, 2018, 2024 at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University) and the best faculty award and research & IPR excellence award, in 6th Teacher's of the Year Award-2023, from state bodies (UCOST, Uttarakahnd) and screened for National Teachers Award 2023, Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India organized by AICTE, India. Received Best Scientist Award-2024 for Outstanding Contribution & Recognition in the field of Microbiology on the occasion of International Conference “Next-Generation Agriculture For Sustainable Environment & One Health (NASEH-2024)” in 2024 at Subharti University, Meerut. Also awarded for Innovation &TOT in National Conference on Challenges in Microbiology 2025 at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun funded by DBT, India and MBSI, India in 2025. He has been an investigator of Govt. funded many projects. He has supervised 12 PhD scholars and is supervising 07 research scholars. He has organized 44 Conferences and attended 62. He worked as Uttarakhand State President of MBSI, India, Member Executive Editor of Environment Conservation Journal, Member Associate Editor Journal of Graphic Era (Deemed to be University). He is a reviewer of several National and International high-impact factor journals. He is a member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee at GEU constituted by DBT, Govt. of India, and a member of scientific bodies including the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), and Indian Virological Society (IVS). He has been the committee member of BOS, Academic Council, NAAC, NBA at the university.
Research Area
- Microbiology
- Bioactive Phytochemicals
- Herbal Drug Development
- Vaccine Development
- Molecular Diagnostics
Awards
- First (Topper) in order of merit in M.Sc. (Microbiology), 2000, Gurukula Kangri Vishwaydalaya, Hardwar
- Gold Medal for best paper presentation in National Conference on Biotechnology for Health, Agriculture & Industry, 19-20 Sep 2003, organized by Academy of Plant Sciences, at Gurukula Kangri Vishwaydalaya, Hardwar, India
- Award and Certificate of merit in recognition of meritorious performance on research day, May 14, 2012 organized at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
- Nominated as External Microbiology Expert in selection panel at IDPL (Dec 03, 2013), Rishikesh
- Awarded best podium presentation in International Conference on Pharmaceutical Sciences: Present Trends and Future Prospects in Pharmaceutical Sciences on Feb 14-15, 2014 organized by SGRRITS, Dehradun
- Research Excellence Award on May 28, 2015, organized at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University)
- Distinguished faculty in Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
- Founder Coordinator BioPRENEURS Club at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University) (Oct 06, 2017)
- Certificate of Outstanding Researcher in recognition of meritorious performance on Dec 6, 2018 organized by Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
- Research Excellence Award- 2020 by Action for Sustainable, Efficacious Development & Awareness (ASEA), Rishikesh in 8th International Conference on Technology, Innovation and Management for Sustainable Development TIMS-2020 at ITM University, Gwalior (Feb 19-20, 2020)
- Certificate of excellence of reviewing-2020 by Journal of Advances in Biology and Biotechnology in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the quality of the journal
- Certificate of excellence of reviewing-2021 by Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International (certificate No. SDI/HQ/PR/Cert/67942/NIS) in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the quality of the journal
- Certificate of Outstanding contribution to Research for the year 2019-2020 organized by Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
- On Wall of Fame in Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
- Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of the innovation in form of a patent entitled PRIMERS, PROBES AND TEST KIT FOR THE DETECTION OF SALMONELLA (Patent No.: 355208) granted by Controller of Patent
Professional Membership
- Life member, Indian Virological Society (IVS)
- Life member, Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI). Membership No. 1916-2002
- University coordinator and Life Member, Microbiologists Society, India (MBSI) (MS/LM/847) - July 15, 2022
- Uttarakhand State President of MBSI, India (AY 2023-24) from June 01, 2023 onwards
Research Detail
- Yilma Hunde Gonfa, Archana Bachheti, Prabhakar Semwal, Nishant Rai, Abdel Nasser Singab, Rakesh Kumar Bachheti
(2025). Hepatoprotective activity of medicinal plants, their phytochemistry, and safety concerns: A systematic
review. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C A Journal of Biosciences (ISSN 0939-5075) IF:1.8 (Q3) 80(3-4),
61-73. DOI
- Baby Gargi, Prabhakar Semwal, Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal, Sakshi Painuli, Vijay Laxmi Trivedi, Vishal Tripathi,
Nishant Rai (2025). Impact of circadian rhythm and seasonal variability on the essential oil of Allium
stracheyi baker from Uttarakhand, Himalaya. Food Chemistry X (Q1) (ISSN 2590-1575) IF: 8.2 DOI
- Kiran Dhami, Pavita Thapa, Sanjay Kumar, Prabhakar Semwal, Nishant Rai, Jigisha Anand (2025). Green tea-millets
based multi-nutritive cookies: innovative formulation and nutritional analyses. Food Chemistry X (Q1)
(ISSN 2590-1575) IF: 8.2. 102851 DOI
- Ashfaq Ahmad Shah, Neha Pandey, Rakesh Kumar Bachheti, Nishant Rai*, Amit Gupta** (2025). Exploring the
Anti-inflammatory and Anti-Arthritic Potential of Malus peel Phenolics: A comprehensive comparative analysis of
Royal delicious, Delicious, Golden delicious, and Maharaji Cultivars from Kashmir, India. Applied Fruit
Science Erwerbs-Obstbau (ISSN 2948-2631) 67: 20. IF: 1.3 (Q3) DOI
- Pawan Kumar, Jezina Jayan, Diptismita Jena, Nishant Rai, Sanjit Sah, Edward Mawejje (2024). Valley fever on the
rise: How climate change is fueling a public health crisis. New Microbes and New Infections (ISSN
2052-2975) 62: 101500 IF: 2.9 (Q2) DOI
- Muhammed Shabila, Ganesh Bushib, Nishant Rai, Hashem Abu Serhan (2024). Comment on: Efficacy and safety of
tebentafusp in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Human
Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (ISSN 21645515) 20 (1). IF: 4.1 (Q1) DOI
- Vijay Kumar, Nishant Rai, Sanjit Sah, Manya Soni (2024). Enhancing vaccine accessibility and efficacy through
microneedle patches. Journal of Healthcare Quality Research (ISSN 2603-6479) IF: 1.1(Q3), 39 (6):
343-345 DOI
- Nikita Bahuguna, Divya Venugopal, Nishant Rai* (2024). Biotherapeutic potential of Probiotic Yeast
Saccharomyces boulardii against Candida albicans Biofilm. Indian Journal of
Microbiology (ISSN 0973-7715) IF: 2.1 (Q3) DOI
- Edward Mawejje, Muhammed Shabil, Shilpa Gaidhane, Suhas Ballal, Sanjay Kumar, Mahakshit Bhat, Shilpa Sharma, M
Ravi Kumar, Sarvesh Rustagi, Mahalaqua Nazli Khatib, Nishant Rai, Sanjit Sah, Ganesh Bushi (2024). Mortality
reduction with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pneumonia (ISSN 2200-6133) 16 (30) IF: 8.5 (Q1) DOI
- Yilma Hunde Gonfa, Fekade Beshah Tes/sema, Archana Bachheti, Nishant Rai, Mesfin Getachew Tadese, A. Nasser
Singab, Kundan Kumar Chaubey, Rakesh Kumar Bachheti (2023). Anti-inflammatory activity of phytochemicals from
medicinal and their nanoparticles: A review. Current Research in Biotechnology (Online ISSN: 2590-2628)
IF: 5.6 (Q2) 6:100152 DOI
- Tahseena Naaz, Dibyajit Lahiri, Soumya Pandit, Moupriya Nag, Piyush Kumar Gupta, Noura AlDayan, Nishant Rai,
Kundan Kumar Chaubey, Ashish Kumar Gupta (2023). Antimicrobial Peptides against Microbial Biofilms: efficacy,
challenges, and future prospect. International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics (ISSN
1573-3904) IF: 2.191 (Q3) 29, Article number: 48 DOI
- Completed: One (as co-PI) (ref. No. 84/P.Gautam/GEU/NRIB/R&D Project-1/2011). Project Title: “To develop novel
monoclonal antibody against a specific membrane protein of Salmonella species”. Funding agency: USBD, Haldi, US
Nagar. Sanctioned amount: 6 Lakhs. Duration: 03 years (2011-2015)
- Ongoing: One as Co-PI (ref: GBPI/IERP/22-23/26 dated March 30, 2023). Project Title: “Promoting Himalayan Tea
cultivation through skill enhancement for livelihood support and land rehabilitation in hilly regions”. Funding
agency: GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Integrated Eco development Research Programme in
Himalayan Region (IERP), Almora, UK, India. Sanctioned amount: 11.20 Lakhs. Duration: 03 years (2023-2026)
- Seed Grant: Project Title: Development of sustainable bacterial concrete incorporating industrial waste.
Investigators: Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Er. Nikhil Garg, Dr. Nishant Rai. Department: Civil Engineering &
Biotechnology. Grant Amount: Rs. 75,000. Project Duration: 03/11/2023 to 02/11/2024
- Ph.D. degree awarded: 12
- Patent Granted: 03
- Patent Published: 10
- Transfer of Technology for RT-PCR based typhoid detection method to VANGUARD DIAGNOSTICS PVT. LTD., NEW DELHI,
registered office at C-123, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi, Delhi 110020 on May 25, 2022 under MOU
with Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
- Paper Presented in National & International Conference: 13
- Conferences/ symposia/Workshop/seminar attended: 62
- Faculty Development Program attended: 30
- Conference/Seminar/Workshop/Training courses organized/Chair: 46
- Invited talks: 27
Total Number of Publications : 100
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