Santosh Kumar Dodda

• Led the development of a new crop variety exhibiting proven resistance to PBW (Pectinophora gossypiella), a devastating insect pest in cotton.
• Successfully led and implemented CRISPR-Cas based genome editing projects in rice, maize and cotton crop plants, resulting in the development of novel plant varieties.
• Discovered a unique bacterial isolate with the dual capability of enhancing plant growth and providing defense against microbial pathogens.
• Holds one granted patent and one patent pending, demonstrating a commitment to innovation and intellectual property protection.
• Successfully managed project budgets for R&D molecular biology, consistently delivering results on time and within budget.
• Fostered cross-functional collaboration, accelerating product development timelines.
• Continuously expanded personal knowledge base through independent study of emerging technologies and participation in professional development courses.
• Demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills, identifying and resolving critical technical challenges.
• Actively participated in team projects, contributing innovative ideas and solutions that improved overall project outcomes.
• Led and facilitated regular team meetings, fostering open communication and ensuring alignment on project goals and priorities.
• Effectively managed multiple concurrent projects, consistently meeting deadlines and exceeding expectations through diligent planning and prioritization.
• Mentored and guided team members, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment that increased team productivity
• Built strong relationships with key stakeholders across the organization, facilitating effective communication and collaboration.
• Cultivated strong leadership skills, managing projects from inception to successful completion.

· Collaborated effectively:Partnered with team members to prioritize project tasks, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and optimal resource allocation.

· Thrived in collaborative environments: Excelled as a key contributor within integrated project teams, fostering a culture of shared knowledge and mutual support.

· Fostered innovation:Championed interdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in new product ideas and increase in creative solutions.

· Enhanced analytical capabilities: Evaluated and implemented new technologies/techniques, improving analysis quality.

· Designed rigorous experiments: Developed and executed experiments with robust statistical analysis, leading to reduction in experimental errors, improved confidence in decision-making.

· Established safety culture:Implemented comprehensive safety protocols, reducing lab incidents and ensuring full regulatory compliance.

· Maintained meticulous records: Ensured data integrity and accessibility by adhering to rigorous record-keeping practices, supporting efficient knowledge sharing and audit readiness.

· Improved research efficiency:Streamlined lab processes and introduced advanced technologies, resulting in a reduction in research timelines.

· Demonstrated safety expertise: Consistently followed stringent safety protocols when handling hazardous materials, ensuring the well-being of personnel and the protection of valuable assets.

· Delivered projects successfully: Led cross-functional teams to achieve project completion on time and within budget, demonstrating strong leadership and coordination skills.

· Prioritized safety:Strictly adhered to safety protocols during technical procedures and research, safeguarding personnel and ensuring regulatory compliance.

· Genetic Engineering Expertise:Proficient in all aspects of microbiological and molecular biology techniques, including:

o Isolation, purification, and preservation of microbial strains

o Identification and characterization of microorganisms and genetic elements

o Gene isolation, sequencing, cloning, and expression analysis

o Development of molecular markers for genotypic and phenotypic analysis

· Pioneering Research: Isolated and characterized a novel bacterium with dual plant growth-promoting and defense capabilities, and identified a novel insecticidal gene for cotton protection against PBW.

· Advanced Gene Expression Analysis:Developed innovative quantitative RT-PCR methods for rapid and reliable gene expression assessment in bacteria and plants.

· Accelerated Plant Breeding: Designed novel diagnostic markers for early identification of desired traits in seedlings, significantly expediting breeding programs.

· Genotyping Expertise:Established protocols for plant genotyping using SNP markers and created a BT bank of over 1000 Bacillus thuringiensis isolates harboring insecticidal protein-encoding genes.

· Bioinformatics Innovation: Pioneered a novel method for identifying transgene integration sites in host organisms using third-generation DNA sequencing platforms (PacBio and Nanopore).

· SNP Analysis Expertise: Highly experienced in identifying and evaluating the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on plant phenotype.

· Built State-of-the-Art Labs: Established and equipped a bioinformatics lab for genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data analysis, as well as microbiology and molecular biology labs with extensive automated capabilities.