Dr. Meenu Katoch
Senior Scientist
Fermentation and Microbial Biotechnology Division
CSIR – Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine,Canal Road, Jammu – 180001
Email: mkatoch@iiim.res.in
Bio Sketch
I was born in a business family, it was a real challenge to catch an altogether different bus of “science”, but it was made possible due to the encouragement of my brother and later on by my husband. Math is my favourite subject. I am blessed with a daughter.
Regarding science, I worked on novel expression system for filamentous fungus from 2004-2008 with Biocon Pvt. Ltd. During the last eleven years, I am working on the following area.
- Microbiology, Exploration of the microbes for natural products conventionally or through elicitation; their bioactivities and biosynthesis; their production through cloning and expressing the biosynthetic gene cluster in heterologous hosts.
- Discovery of antimicrobial and antibiofilm inhibitors and their mechanism of action
- Development of technologies for warehouse storage of grains, fruits, and vegetables
Education
Degree | Subjects | University | Qualifying Year |
Ph.D. | Biotechnology | CSIR-IHBT and Hamdard University | 2003 |
M.Sc. | Biotechnology | Deemed University IVRI, Izatnagar | 1993 |
B. Sc. | ZBC | IT College, Lucknow University | 1987 |
Position Held
Position Held | Period | Organization |
DBT CREST Fellow | 2014-2015 | UNSW, Australia |
Senior Scientist | 2011-continue | CSIR-IIIM, Jammu |
Scientist | 2007-2011 | CSIR-IIIM, Jammu |
Scientist B | 2004-2007 | CSIR-IIIM, Jammu |
Area of Expertise
- Microbiology, Molecular biology
Projects
- Bioprospection and development of technologies for the production of bioactive molecules from the microbial wealth of north western region
- Nucleoside as biofilm inhibitors of bacteria and to understand the underlying mechanism of action (Health Sciences)
- An essential oil based formulation for post harvest storage of fruits (Agri Nutri Biotech)
- Exploration of Myxobacteria for novel antimicrobials against gram negative human pathogens
- Discovery of novel anticancer molecule from epigenetically modified fungus associated with Brugmansia aurea.
Publications
Authors | Title | Journal |
Singh G, Singh J, Singamaneni V, Singh SK, Gupta P, Katoch M#* | Serine-glycine-betaine, a novel dipeptide from an endophyte Macrophomina phaseolina: Isolation, bioactivity and biosynthesis | J Appl Microbiol 2020 |
Singh G, Verma MK, Katoch M#* | Antimicrobial activities and mechanism of actionof Cymbopogon khasianus (Munro ex Hackel)Bor essential oil | BMC Comp. Med Therapies 2020 |
Katoch M#*, Singh D, Kapoor KK, Vishwakarma RA | Trichoderma lixii (IIIM-B4), an endophyte of Bacopa monnieri L. producing peptaibols | BMC Microbiol 2019; |
Arora N, Kumar S, Satti N, Ali A, Gupta P, Katoch M* | A strain of Streptomyces sp. isolated from rhizospheric soil of Crataegus oxycantha producing Nalidixic acid, a synthetic antibiotic. | J Appl Microbiol 2018; 124, 1393-1400. |
Singh G, Katoch A, Razak M, Goswami A, Katoch M* | Bioactive and biocontrol potential of endophytic fungi associated with Brugmansia aurea Lagerh. | FEMS Microbiol Letters 2017;364,fnx194 |
Wani Naiem; Singh G, Shankar S; Sharma S, Katoch M*, Rai R | Short Hybrid Peptides Incorporating β- and γ-Amino Acids as Antimicrobial Agents. | Peptides 2017; 97,46-53. |
Katoch M#*, Bindu K, Phull S, Verma MK | An endophytic Fusarium sp. isolated from Monarda citriodora producing industrially important plant like Volatile Organic Compound-hexanal. | Microbiology 2017;163:840–847 |
Katoch M#, Mazmouz R, Chau R, Pearson Leanne A., Pickford R, Neilan BA, | Heterologous production of cyanobacterial mycosporine-like amino acids mycosporine-ornithine and mycosporine-lysine in E. coli. | Appl and Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:6167-6173. |
Pathania AS, Guru SK, Verma MK, Sharma C, Abdullah ST, Malik F, Chandra S, Katoch M*, Bhushan S | Disruption of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling casxade and induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells by an essential oil from Monarda citriodora. | Food Chem Toxicol 2013; 62:246-254. |
Sharma, R., Katoch, M#*., Govindappa, N., Srivastava, P. S., Shastry, K., Qazi G. N. | Evaluation of Catalase promoter for expressing alkaline xylanase gene in the Aspergillus niger. | FEMS Microbiol Letters 2012; 327, 33-40. |
Patents
Inventors/ Contributors | Title | Description | Year |
Meenu Katoch, Ruchika Sharma, Gulam Nabi Qazi | Inducible Catalase R Promoter Useful for Expressing Foreign Genes in Fungus | Present invention discloses an inducible promoter being derived from a gene encoding catalase in A. niger for expression of a protein in filamentous fungus, preferably Aspergillus. It has not so far described and used for heterologous protein production. | 2012 |
Meenu Katoch, Gulam Nabi Qazi | Glucose Oxidase Promoter For Use In Aspergillus | Present invention discloses an effective promoter being derived from a gene encoding glucose oxidase in A. niger for expression of a protein in filamentous fungus, preferably Aspergillus. The A. niger glucose oxidase is an oxido-reductase enzyme whose promoter is not so far described and used for heterologous protein production. | 2009 |
Bikram Singh, Meenu Katoch, Raja Ram, Aizaz Azghar Zaidi | Aescin: a new antiviral agent from Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica)
6 countries
|
The present invention relates to a composition containing aescin obtained from Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica) as an antiviral agent. More particularly this invention relates to β-aescin present in horse chestnut (Aesculus indica seeds) which is a natural source to inhibit cucumber mosaic virus. The antiviral activity of β-aescin against CMV is better than Amantadine, 2- Thiouracil, Zidovudine and Acyclovir, commercial antiviral products available in the market. Another usage of the present invention is meaningful utilization of Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica seeds) growing wild in temperate region for production of β-aescin, which has been identified as a potent antiviral agent. | 2007-09 |
Meenu Katoch, Raja Ram, Aizaz Azghar Zaidi | Development of diagnostic kit for the detection of Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus | The present invention relates to development of diagnostic kit for the detection of Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus. | 2002 |
Meenu Katoch, Raja Ram, Aizaz Azghar Zaidi | A process for developing Diagnostic Kit for detection of Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus in commercial crop | The present invention relates to a process for developing Diagnostic Kit for detection of Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus in commercial crop. | 2002 |
Awards and Honours
- DBT fellowship for M.Sc. 1989-1992
- National Eligibility Test Qualified 1998 and 1999
- DBT-CREST fellowship for (Formerly Biotechnology Overseas Associateship-BTOA) 2012-13
- Human Resource Development Scheme of Department of Health Research for Fellowship/ Training in foreign Institutes 2012-13 (Not availed)
- DST Travel grant from for FEMS Conference 2015-16 (Not availed)
- DBT Travel grant from for FEMS Conference 2015-16
- Woman Scientist Award by International Society of bioinformatics and biotechnology. 2017
Students
S NO. | Name | Area of Interest | Position |
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Gurpreet Singh |
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SRF_ICMR |
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Arushi Sharma |
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SRF_ICMR |
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Roohi Sharma |
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JRF |
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Supriti Sandhu |
|
JRF |
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Arjun Singh |
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JRF |