My Profile- A Glance


. Presently working as Research Associate in the project entitled 'Gene expression in Penaeus monodon and P. indicus in relation to microbial infection and environmental stress'.

. Work involves generation of EST (Expressed sequence tags) database, subtractive libraries of different genes expressed with respect to viral and bacterial infection and salinity stress; and to generate EST database with respect to microbial subtraction of antimicrobial defense proteins.

. Worked in an Indo-Swedish project 'Use of molecular techniques in the development of genetic markers to study the dynamics of phytoplankton blooms and their interaction with microbial toxins in the marine environment' in collaboration with Gothenburg University, Sweden.

. Recently awarded with PhD degree for research work on 'Genetic markers for the study of some marine microalgae' from Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries University, Bidar.

. Developed microsatellite genetic markers to study the genetic polymorphism and variability that exist among populations inhabiting different geographical locations worldwide during PhD research work.

. Developed rapid, sensitive and specific PCR based detection kit for toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholerae in seafood, clinical and environmental samples during MSc dissertation research.

. Expertise in molecular biology, immunology and microbiological tools and techniques used in advanced research laboratories.

. Used various statistical packages for data analysis and interpretation, and report preparation.

. Knowledge on Standard Procedure and protocols followed for handling of live animals in the research laboratory.

. Supervised research planning, sampling design and thesis development of postgraduate students.

Professional Skills

. LC-MS/MS; HPLC; PCR, real-time PCR/qPCR

. Development of microsatellite genetic markers for phylogenetic studies

. RFLP; RAPD and sequence analysis of LSU; ITS and SSU rDNA

. ELISA; southern/northern/western/colony/subtractive hybridization

. DNA/RNA/mRNA extraction and cDNA synthesis

. Cloning and expression of genes

. Monoclonal antibody MAb based assay

. Computer and bioinformatics tools like primer3, Blastn; Fasta; gel-compare

. Microbial isolation, identification and classification using conventional and nucleic acid based molecular techniques

. Routine food and water microbiological and chemical analysis

. Histopathological analysis of tissues


Computer Skills

o Done certified course on MS DOS, MS Office tools (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power point)

o Used various online modeling softwares for molecular analysis

o Experienced in online database and literature mining

o Bioinformatics tools for proteomic and genomic analysis

PhD Research Work

Use of molecular techniques in the development of microsatellite genetic markers to study the dynamics of phytoplankton blooms and their interaction with microbial toxins in the marine environment.

* Isolated, identified, cultured and propagated Skeletonema marinoi cells.

* Extracted genomic DNA and PCR amplified microsatellite sequences using universal primers.

* Microsatellite regions were cloned in appropriate vectors and sequenced.

* Sequence analysis of microsatelite regions thus obtained were used to construct marker specific primers for phylogenetic studies.

* Evaluated RAPD, LSU and ITS methods to study the genetic variability among the closely related species.

* Analyzed auxospore formation in microalgae using AFLP analysis.

* Studied physiological fitness of various microalgal populations under different environmental stress conditions.



M.Sc. Dissertation

Molecular methods for detection of pathogenic Vibrio cholerae in seafood and coastal environment.


* Collected and processed seafood and environmental samples throughout the west coast of India.

* Isolated and identified V. cholerae using conventional and PCR based methods.

* Screened the isolated pathogen for the presence of toxin genes like ctxA, tcpA, hlyA, zot, ace, ompU, using various toxin specific primers in PCR.

* Evaluated various PCR techniques and conventional techniques for screening the pathogen in seafood and environmental samples.

* Developed PCR based rapid, sensitive and specific kits to identify and enumerate this pathogen in seafood samples.

* Studied prevalence of the pathogen in seafood harvested off west coast of India.

* Evaluated risk assessment of Indian seafood with respect to V. cholerae toxicity.


Visits abroad and higher trainings received

> Participated at the Marine Genomics Europe (MGE) training programme on Harmful Algae Bloom Dynamics - Molecular to Genomic approaches held at Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany.

> Undergone intensive training for a period of five months at the Dept of Marine Ecology, Marine Botany, Goteborg University, Sweden in the area of 'Molecular phylogenetics and development of microsatellite markers'.

> Selected for presentation at the 12th International conference on harmful algae at Copenhagen, Denmark.




Professional Activities

o Attended International training programme on Harmful Algae Bloom Dynamics - Molecular to Genomic approaches held at AWI, Bremerhaven, Germany.
o Participated in the FAO, SIDA funded international workshop on taxonomy and ecology of harmful algal blooms and biotoxins held at college of fisheries, Mangalore from Jan 21-25, 2008.
o Selected for paper presentation in the 48th Annual conference of AMI, 2007.
o Participated in the 12th International conference on harmful algae at Copenhagen, Denmark, 2006.
o Selected for paper presentation in the 46th Annual conference of AMI, 2005.
o Participated in Annual conference of Professional Fisheries Graduates' Forum, 2004.
o Participated in the International workshop on 'Water Safety and Water Microbiology'. 2003.
o Selected for paper presentation in the 44th Annual conference of AMI, 2003.
o Placement training in fish processing in different processing plants on routine processing and plant maintenance aspects for a period of six months, during RFWEP programme.

Teaching Experience


> Served as Assistant Professor (Microbiology) in Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, Karnataka for a period of 1 year.

> Taught theory and practical classes of both undergraduates and postgraduate students.



> Handled classes for genetic engineering and biotechnology, Basic microbiology, Food microbiology and quality management, aquatic microbiology, microbial and molecular taxonomy, Immunology and microbial toxins.



Fellowships, Awards and Appreciation

. Received Dr. T.V.R. Pillay National Award for Best Research in the field of Microbiology - 2008.
. Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) for Assistant Professorship/ Lecturership from the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ICAR), New Delhi, India.
. Received Govt. of India and the University Merit scholarship during the period 1997 - 2003.
. Cleared All - India level ICAR - JRF exam held during 2000 - 2001.


Publications in peer reviewed international journals



* Saravanan, V., Kumar, H. S., Karunasagar, I. and Karunasagar, I., 2007. Genotyping of Vibrio cholerae associated with seafood in domestic markets and coastal environment along Southwest coast of India. International journal of Food Microbiology., 119: 329-333.


* H䲮str?K., Godhe, A., Saravanan, V., Karunasagar, I., Karunasagar, I. and Rehnstam-Holm, A-S., 2007. Tropic phytoplankton community development - a study of mesocosms inoculated with different life stages. Marine Ecology Progress Series., 346: 75-88.


* Godhe, A., Asplund, M.E., H䲮str?K., Saravanan, V. Tyagi, A. and Karunasagar, I., 2008. Quantifying diatom and dinoflagellate biomass in coastal marine seawater samples by real-time PCR. Applied and Environmental Microbiology., 74(23): 7174-7182.


* Tyagi, A., Saravanan, V., Karunasagar, I. and Karunasagar, I. 2008. Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in tropical shellfish by SYBR Green real-time PCR and evaluation of three enrichment media. International journal of Food Microbiology., (Accepted., In Press).


* Saravanan, V. and Godhe, A., 2007. Physiologic differentiation and genetic heterogeneity among seasonally separated clones of Skeletonema marinoi in Gullmar Fjord, Sweden. European Journal of Phycology., (Submitted).


* Godhe, A., H䲮str?K., Saravanan, V., Hallden, C. and Karunasagar, I., 2008. Microsatellite markers for the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi (Bacillariophyceae). Molecular Ecology., (Submitted).


* Rehnstam-Holm, A-S., Godhe, A., H䲮str?K., Raghunath, P.R., Saravanan, V., Kronkvist, B., Karunasagar, I. and Karunasagar, I. 2008. Association between phytoplankton and Vibrio spp along the southwest coast of India - a mesocosm experiment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology., (Submitted).




Professional Affiliations


. Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), since 2004.

. Member, Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), since 2001.

. Member, Professional Fisheries Graduates' Forum (PFGF), since 2001.

. Member, Indian Fisheries Professional Society, Mumbai.

. Executive Member, College of Fisheries Alumni Association, Mangalore.

. Member, Asian Fisheries Society, Malaysia.