Gaurav Pandey
| Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships |
| Project Title: | Bienzymatic cascade system of halloysite nanotubes doped with photocatalytic nanoparticles for synergistic degradation of non-degradable plastics |
| Field of Study: | Materials Science |
| Home Institution: | Independent researcher, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
| Host Institution: | TBC , Washington, At-Large |
| Grant Start Month: | September 2024 |
| Duration of Grant: | Twenty-four-months |
Brief Bio:
Dr. Gaurav Pandey earned his Ph.D. from the National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat in 2023. His doctoral research focused on utilizing halloysite nanotubes loaded with various guest molecules for diverse biological applications. Throughout his Ph.D. journey, he consistently addressed environmental concerns, including heavy metal remediation, waste reduction, and pesticide sensing. He holds a master’s degree in forensic nanotechnology with a specialization in nanobiotechnology from Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu. He was awarded gold and silver medals for his master’s and bachelor’s degrees, respectively. Dr. Pandey has qualified national-level exams, namely UGC NET JRF (in forensic science) in 2019 and GATE (in biotechnology) in 2016. He has authored over 30 publications, including research papers, review articles, a co-authored book, and book chapters.
Dr. Pandey’s research interests encompass leveraging naturally occurring clay-based nanomaterials to tackle contemporary environmental challenges, including mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, combating plastic pollution, and addressing water contamination issues.
As a Fulbright Nehru Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Pandey’s project is investigating the degradation of plastic waste using halloysite nanotube-based nanocomposites. The outcomes of this research have the potential to aid India in reducing its plastic waste burden and working towards the goal of becoming a low-plastic waste producing country by 2050.