Punnadath Preetham Elumalai

Dr
Punnadath Preetham
Elumalai

Associate Professor
Cochin University of Science and Technology
Biography

Dr. Punnadath Preetham Elumalai completed his master’s from University of Madras and qualified the National Eligibility Test for Lectureship. He pursued his PhD and Postdoctoral research from the Institute for Immunology, University of Regensburg, Germany. His current research practice includes bioassay-guided identification of novel marine compounds, Unveiling fish lectins in innate immune defense, Aquatic Vaccine development, Evaluation of cost-effective feed additives and Nutrigenomics, effect of environmental pollutants in marine ecosystems. He has been a partner in numerous EU, Indian and UK funded projects (Eg., IVVN, BactiVac). He has authored more than 60 peer reviewed articles, 2 patents apart from editing 5 books (eg., springer, CRC press) and have presented his works at more than 60 National and International conferences. He has been awarded the prestigious INSA fellowship (2018), MASTS, Fellowship (2019), IVVN award, UK (2020), FRSB award (2021), BactiVac award, UK (2022).

Research interests

1) Unveiling fish lectins in innate immune defense (fish immunology/vaccinology).

2) Evaluation of cost-effective feed additives as immunostimulants and development of functional feeds for fish health.

3) Effect of environmental pollutants and Immunonano toxicology effects of nanoplastics in marine ecosystems.

4) Proteomics and functional genomic approach for the analysis of pathomechanisms of different aquatic diseases.

5) Application of nanotechnology for the regulation of nutrient uptake in fish using nutrigenomic approaches. Genetic regulation of gene expression across tissues, time and environments.

6) Innovative vaccine development using immunoproteomic and molecular pipelines

Projects you're working on

Synergestic action of Fucoidan-Alkoxyglycerol complex and their implications in the management of Cognitive dysfunctions" (ICMR- 2022 -2025 , Total outlay Rs.3800000)

"Development of a novel Glycovaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila for tilapia aquaculture in India, Research Cooperation with the Institute of Stirling, Roslin, Moredun, Scotland, UK." (BactiVac, UK- 2021 -2022 , Total outlay Rs.5000000)

"Development of a nanoparticle Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) vaccine for tilapia aquaculture in India" (International Vaccinology for Veterinary Vaccines, UK- 2021 -2022 , Total outlay Rs.5000000)

"Enhanced tilapia mucosal immunity by nano-immersion vaccine against columnaris disease" (BactiVac, UK- 2020 -2021 , Total outlay Rs.5000000)

"Characterization of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms involved in Fish Lectins and its Potential Rolein Innate Immune Defense and Therapeutics" (DST - SERB Early Career grant- 2016 -2019 , Total outlay Rs.4000000)

"An multi-omics approach to identify genetic factors determining the heritability of twins in world populations, Research Cooperation with the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Tuebingen,Germany, CCMB, hyderabad and University college, London, 50 Lakh" (DFG - Germany- 2015 -2019 , Total outlay Rs.30000000)

Discipline
Immunology – innate Molecular biology Protein biology Structural biology
Host species
Fish
Pathogen
Bacteria Viruses
Stage of vaccine development
Adjuvants Commercialisation Correlates of protection – immunomonitoring Field trials Vaccine delivery