 |
Dr. Ramesh K Aggarwal Scientist 'F'(Deputy Director) Group Leader Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Uppal Road Hyderabad 500 007, India. Email: rameshka@ccmb.res.in Telephone: (+ 91) 40 2719 2635(direct) Fax: (91)-40-27160591/ 27160311 |
Dr. Ramesh Kumar Aggarwal obtained his Ph. D. in Genetics from Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. He joined the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad in 1987. He also worked as a Project Scientist at International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Phillippines. Now he is working as Scientist 'F' (Deputy Director) at CCMB.
Dr. Aggarwal has developed and applied DNA marker technology to understand evolutionary relationships, systematic's, germplasm characterization, linkage mapping and disease diagnosis. He was a member of the team that pioneered the indigenous multi-locus DNA fingerprinting technology in India and demonstrated its wide potential in population biology (MGG 1993) and phylogenetics studies (PNAS-USA 1994).
He used DNA markers/technology to study wild rice species, their derivatives and elite native rice germplasm, and identified possible novel sources for early nodulin gene (BBRC 1999); assigned new genomic constitutions GG, HHJJ (MGG 1997), showed Gondwanaland as possible center of origin for Oryza (TAG 1999), and generated DNA polymorphisms useful for the identification/protection/utilization of elite Basmati varieties (TAG 2002). He has done pioneering work on coffee and mulberry genomics, wherein large genetic resources (microsatellites/mapping populations/ESTs/RGAs) are created that potentiates the way for MAS based genetic improvement of coffee/mulberry in near future. Most significantly, he developed molecular linkage maps of coffee/mulberry that are the first maps developed for any tree species in India. In addition, he developed a number of plant and animal species-specific PCR based SSRs for use in different genetic studies.
Dr. Aggarwal contributed significantly to wildlife conservation research, especially on the origin and evolution of endangered species: Indian wolves (Genome Biology 2003, JZSER 2007), Olive Ridleys (Molecular Ecology 2004) and a Jurassic-era frog from Western Ghats (Current Science 2004; Nature 2004). His work has given new perspectives to the evolution of many endangered species in the Indian subcontinent, and highlights the conservation needs of their fragile environment.
Applied Genetics :
- Germplasm characterization and crop improvement.
- Wildlife conservation studies.
- Genetic characterization of pathogens/microorganisms.
Developmental Biology: