Shanthinie Ashokkumar

Plant Biotechnologist with more than six years of research experience specializing in CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing techniques. Developed aromatic, high-yielding, and male sterile rice lines, enhancing hybrid rice programs and improving resistance to sheath blight and bacterial leaf blight in elite cultivars. Served as laboratory in-charge for three years, demonstrating strong decision-making, resource allocation, and equipment maintenance skills. Focused on creating practical solutions for crop performance and sustainability.

• Recipient of the ABSTC (Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee) - ISBR (The International Society for Biosafety Research) student scholarship for participation and presentation at the 16th ISBR Symposium, St. Louis, MO, United States – 2023
• Recipient of the BEST ORAL PRESENTATION AWARD at the 8th Agricultural Student Graduate Conference - 2023.
• Recipient of the BEST RESEARCH STUDENT AWARD at the Indian Plant Science Congress - 2019.
• First place in the level Yoga championship.

• Shanthinie Ashokkumar, … & Raveendran Muthurajan. (2020). Creation of novel alleles of fragrance gene OsBADH2 in rice through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. PloS one, 15(8), e0237018.
• Diana, P. A., Shanthinie, A., ... & Sudhakar, D. (2022). Targeted editing of OsSWEET13, a bacterial leaf blight susceptible gene in rice using theCRISPR tool. Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding, 13(3), 772-779.
• D. Bhagya Sree., A. Shanthinie., … & D. Sudhakar. (2023) Targeted editing of OsSWEET11 promoter for imparting bacterial leaf blight resistance in rice. Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding.
• Shanthinie, A., Varanavasiappan... & Sudhakar, D. (2025). Targeted Editing of the miR529/miR156-IPA1Regulatory Module via the CRISPR/Cas9 System for Developing Ideal Plant Architecture Traits in Rice. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 1-11.
• Shanthinie, A., Vignesh, P.,... & Sudhakar, D. (2024). Enhancing rice grain quality through the knock-out of the OsSPL16 gene. Plant Physiology Reports, 1-8.
• Shanthinie, A., Varanavasiappan,... & Sudhakar, D. (2024). Engineering TGMS in rice through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. Cereal Research Communications, 1-9.
• A. Shanthinie., L. Arul., … & D. Sudhakar. (2023). Disruption of miR156 binding site of the GW8 gene affects rice grain morphology in the variety ASD16. Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding.
• Shanthinie, A., Dilip, K. R., & Raveendran, M. (2019). Comparative profiling of volatile compounds in the grains of rice varieties differing in their aroma. Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding, 10(2), 614-619.
• Raj Kumar, K. P., Vignesh, P., Shanthinie, A.,... & Kokiladevi, E. (2022). In-silico analysis and functional characterization of Rhizoctonia solani effector proteins. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science, 34(22), 1110-1117.
• Rajen, C., Manape, T. K., Shanthinie, A.,... & Sudhakar, D. (2022). Over-expression of Echinochloa frumentacea Iron Regulated Transporter 2 Gene in Indica Rice var. ASD16. Madras Agricultural Journal, 109, 1.
• Shanthinie Ashokkumar, ... & Varanavasiappan Shanmugam. (2023). CRISPR-mediated gene editing for inducing thermo-sensitive genic male sterility and sheath blight resistance in rice. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), SPRINGER. – Book chapter- Accepted for publication.

• Attended “One-day seminar on Genome Editing of Crop Plants”, 2024-05-31, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Biotech Council for Establishment of Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology & Eppendorf India Private Limited, Chennai
• Oral presentation on 'Targeted manipulation of SPL14/IPA1 gene for improving yield parameters in rice via CRISPR/Cas9 system', 16th ISBR Symposium, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Oral presentation on 'The impact of OsSPL16 gene knockout on rice grain shape', 8th Agricultural Student Graduate Conference, 2023
• Oral presentation on 'Targeted editing of thermos-sensitive genic male sterility gene in rice via CRISPR/Cas9 system', 46th Indian Social Science Congress, 2023, Bharathidasan University, Trichy
• Attended the 'WORKSHOP ON GENOME EDITING IN AGRICULTURE: OPPORTUNITIES AND ENABLING POLICIES', Biotech Consortium India Limited and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
• Attended the workshop on 'Genome editing: Global Policy experience and what the future may hold', 16th ISBR Symposium, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Presented - Poster entitled 'Enhancing aroma in rice through targeted editing of BADH2 gene via CRISPR/Cas9 system', Ag’Omics 2021, A global conference on Agricultural Genomics: Progress and Prospects
• Presented - Poster entitled 'CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing for enhancing aroma in rice', 14th Edition of Agricultural Science Congress, 2019, NAAS Complex, New Delhi, India
• Guided 4+ Masters students in their projects/thesis works
• Trained the 20 students from various campus on 'Hands on training: Gene isolation, Cloning and Molecular characterization', CPMB&B, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Rural Agricultural Work Experience: Yoga Instructor, Conducted yoga classes for elementary school children in Vadathalaikulam, a small village in the Melbhuvanagiri Block of Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, India. Through these free sessions, I promoted health and wellness education in the rural community and raised awareness about the benefits of yoga and mudra practice.

• Dr. M. Raveendran, Professor, Director of Research, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. Email: raveendran.m@tnau.ac.in │Mobile: +91 8148095400, +91 9842181968.
• Dr. D. Sudhakar, Professor (Rtd.), Department of Plant Biotechnology, CPMB&B, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. Email: dsud@tnau.ac.in │Mobile: +91 7200024342, +91 9442624342.
• Dr. C. Viswanathan, Joint Director of Research, Principal Scientist, ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Email: viswanathan@iari.res.in │Mobile: +91 9013885245, +91 1125842815