University of California Archives - Page 4 of 4

Kashif Hanif

Dr. Kashif Hanif is a Principal Scientist in the Department of Pharmacology at CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. He received his postgraduate degree (1998-2000) from Jamia Hamdard and completed his Ph.D. (2001-2006) from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi. He has been a faculty member at CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute since 2006. His primary research interest revolves around the patho-physiology of Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), which is quite common at high altitude and in lung disorders, especially in women. He developed the rodent model of PH and standardized techniques to study right ventricular pressure and pulmonary vasorelaxation. Over the past decade, he has explored the role of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1, Fatty Acid Synthase, Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase -2 (MK2) and estrogen receptors in PH.

Dr. Hanif was awarded the Dr. DN Prasad Memorial Oration Award, Indian Council of Medical Research in 2019 and Prof. Suresh C Tyagi Award, Indian Academy of Cardiovascular Research in 2017 for his work in PH. He has received six competitive research grants from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM).

During his Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence fellowship, Dr. Hanif aims to understand right ventricle hypertrophy, a common problem of PH in lung diseases in women. Therefore, he is developing a rodent model of right ventricle hypertrophy by pulmonary artery banding (PAB). He is further exploring the role of estrogen receptors in right ventricle hypertrophy by using Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). This approach will help to clinically repurpose SERMs for cardio-pulmonary complications in women.

Prashant Ram Jadhao

Dr. Prashant Ram Jadhao is a postdoctoral researcher at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Previously, he worked as a project scientist at the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology, Hyderabad. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune, Maharashtra. Subsequently, he pursued his master’s and doctoral degrees at IIT Delhi.

Dr. Jadhao has received the prestigious Gandhian Young Technological Innovation appreciation award. Additionally, in 2022, he was conferred the Sumant Sinha Sustainability Leadership Award by IIT Delhi for his outstanding contribution to research in the domains of sustainability, environment, and climate change. His research endeavors have garnered recognition on both national and international platforms.

During his Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research at the University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Jadhao is developing eco-friendly technology for recycling of spent batteries. The exponential increase in the use of electronic devices and electric vehicles has resulted in increased battery production, leading to a significant volume of spent batteries. These spent batteries contain valuable metals and potentially hazardous materials. Ensuring the sustainable management of spent batteries is crucial for resource recovery, conservation, and the mitigation of environmental hazards.

Purbajyoti Phukon

Dr. Purbajyoti Phukon has been working as an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar since 2019. He obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Dibrugarh University, Assam. He completed his Ph.D. jointly from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun and the Department of Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Dr. Phukon’s research focuses on metamorphic petrology, geochronology, and continental tectonics, focusing on understanding the metamorphism, deformation, exhumation of deep-seated rocks in the Himalayan Orogen, and evolution shear zones. His research incorporates multidisciplinary approaches, including microstructural analysis, petrochronology of accessory mineral phases such as zircon and monazite, phase equilibria modeling, and the study of ductile deformation patterns in crystalline rocks. He has published his findings in several high-impact journals such as Lithos, GSA Bulletin, and Earth Science Review. As an assistant professor in Assam University, Silchar, he has secured two research grants – the Start-up research grant (SRG) project sponsored by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), and the Indian Himalayan Central University Consortium project of NITI Aayog, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and UGC. Additionally, he received grants for attending international conferences from SERB Travel Support and won the Best Paper award in 2018 at WIHG, Dehradun.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, Dr. Phukon aims to discern the inherent characteristics, temporal extent, and quantitative estimations of metamorphic CO2 fluxes within the eastern segment of the Himalayan orogen. Furthermore, he seeks to ascertain the potential contribution of CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere during geologically distant epochs.

Sarvesh Pandey

Dr. Sarvesh Pandey is an assistant professor of computer science at Banaras Hindu University since November 2020. At BHU, he has been actively involved in teaching, research, and administration activities. Dr. Pandey obtained his MTech and Ph.D. degrees from the Computer Science and Engineering Department of Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology, Gorakhpur. His broad research areas include blockchains, cloud computing, and database systems. In 2014, he secured 33rd rank in the CSIR-NET examination for engineering sciences. Under the CSIR scheme, he worked as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and subsequently as a Senior Research Fellow (SRF) during his Ph.D. He has also qualified for the GATE entrance examination in computer science and information technology.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Pandey will explore two crucial research directions: efficient data management utilizing blockchain technology, and blockchain application in crowdsourcing. As the current decentralized data processing and retrieval landscape is transitioning, his plan involves optimizing blockchain performance, specifically addressing query retrieval efficiency and facilitating rich queries. Additionally, he aims to incorporate access control mechanisms within the blockchain framework. The research outcomes will be seamlessly integrated into existing crowdsourcing applications, capitalizing on the strengths of both domains

Prakash Babu Kodali

Dr. Prakash Babu Kodali serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at the Central University of Kerala (CUK), Kasaragod. His research is primarily centered on the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCD), fortifying health systems, and promoting health. He has a keen interest in several areas, including tobacco control, healthcare financing, hypertension prevention and control, and digital health. Dr. Kodali has been an integral part of multidisciplinary research teams studying contemporary public health issues.

Dr. Kodali completed his Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Hyderabad, and M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. He was a recipient of the Junior Research Fellowship in social medicine and community health, awarded by the University Grants Commission of India between 2015 and 2016. Dr. Kodali’s research portfolio includes the study of tobacco usage patterns in India, international comparisons of tobacco cessation behaviors, the impact of tobacco-control laws, and the efficacy of anti-tobacco health education strategies.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research fellow, Dr. Kodali is investigating tobacco cessation among socio-economically vulnerable groups. His research combines nationally representative datasets, key informant interviews, and epidemiological approaches to develop a comprehensive framework for improving access to tobacco cessation services in the U.S. and India.

Sinchan Chatterjee

Sinchan Chatterjee is a Ph.D. candidate and teaching assistant in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s in English from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and Jadavpur University respectively. As a Junior Research Fellow in the discipline of English, Sinchan analyzes narratives of neurodivergence with a special focus on autistic autobiographies.

Sinchan’s research has been published in journals like Didaskalia (funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland), SETU Pittsburgh, and the Mizoram University Journal of Literary and Cultural Studies, and as book chapters by Palgrave Macmillan (forthcoming) and SUNY Press. Additionally, he has also presented his work at many international and national conferences in CUNY, Indiana University, Bloomington, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, Rajasthan University, and Siliguri College. Sinchan’s creative works have been awarded, funded and published by the University of Toronto Press, WordIt Art Fund, Penguin Random House India, the University of Exeter Press, the International Poetry Digest, Avenel Press, and Writers Workshop.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at the University of California, Berkley, CA, Sinchan is formulating a comparative framework for studying the modalities of representing autism in the Global North in contrast to those in the Global South, examining the underlying socio-political and cultural discourses which influence such representations. Employing theoretical frameworks from the interdisciplinary fields of autobiography studies, critical disability studies, phenomenology, crip theory, queer theory, and posthumanism, he seeks to explore how autistic narratives can destabilize ableist myths and dehumanizing stereotypes about autistic individuals. As a poet, rapper, drummer, photographer, and (part-time) stand-up comedian, Sinchan believes in preserving as many stories in as many ways as possible.

Sumeet Anand

Dr. Sumeet Anand is a performing vocalist of the extant form of Hindustani classical music, Dhrupad. He is also a methodical teacher and a meticulous researcher, a distinguishing combination. He received early training from his grandfathers (including noted vocalist Pandit Siyaram Tiwari) and advanced his skills under the tutelage of Pandit Abhay Narayan Mallick of Darbhanga-Mallick Dhrupad tradition.

A familiar name in major music festivals across India, Dr. Anand also broadcasts from AIR, Delhi. He is an empaneled performer with ICCR and has toured extensively across Europe. He has delivered lecture-demonstrations at UCLA, NID Haryana, NSD, and IHC New Delhi. He received fellowships from the Government of India and the Government of Delhi, and completed his research on Dhrupad, it’s evolutionary history and pedagogical shifts.

During his Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Award (Research and Teaching) fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Anand is sharing the theoretical and practical aspects of Hindustani classical Dhrupad with his students. The fellowship will enable him to be a part of a truly global music community chance, and get introduced to music genres like jazz, western classical, African, Thai, and Turkish music traditions which will be an enriching experience for his artistic development. He will also be undertaking minor research under Prof. Anna Morcom on the evolving performance repertoire of Dhrupad.