Faculty Details

Faculty Details

  • Name: Dr. Rahul Kumar
  • Mail: rksluohyd.ac.in
  • Contact: 040-23134567
  • Area Of Research:Plant Biotechnology, Mineral nutrition, Functional Genomics, Genome-editing
Rahul Kumar completed his bachelor’s degree in Botany (Hons.) from Botany Department, Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi. After completing his masters degree from the Department of Botany, the University of Delhi in 2005, he joined the group of Prof. Akhilesh K. Tyagi and Dr. Arun K. Sharma, in the Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, to pursue his doctoral research.  During his Ph.D, he contributed towards the completion of the sequencing of a part of chromosome 5 of tomato and genetic manipulation of tomato for altered fruit ripening. From 2014-16, he worked as a BELSPO Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the group of Prof. Jenny Jussinova, PSB/VIB, UGent, Belgium. During his postdoctoral research, his work focused on probing the molecular mechanisms controlling AP2-mediated BRI1 internalization in Arabidopsis. He is a recipient of many prestigious national and international awards and recognition, including NASI-Scopus Award (2022), Y.S. Murty medal (2021), SPBB-SPRINGER young investigator award (2019), NASI Platinum Jubilee Young Scientist Award (2015), FWO (Flanders Research Foundation, Belgium) Travel award (2015), CSIR Travel Award (2013), BELSPO (Belgian) postdoctoral fellowship (2013), DST INSPIRE Young Faculty Award (2013), ENEA International Fellowship, Italy (2012), DST International Travel Support (2011, 2022), DBT Research Associate (2012-2013), Delhi University Merit Scholarship (2001-2003) and Dr. Harjinder Grover Memorial ZHDC Merit Scholarship (2003). Currently, he is a faculty of Plant Sciences at the University of Hyderabad. The main research interests of his laboratory are, first; to improve fruit ripening traits in tomato and, second;  to improve phosphate use efficiency and acquisition in crop species.
No Records Available

Students/Projects Trainees

Name Joined As Mail Contact
Abhishek Roychowdhury Ph.D. Student meabhi1995@gmail.com ---
Veenavanka Malavika Intern student from Kakatiya University malavikaveenavanka@gmail.com ---
Akash Ph.D akashpatelkni@gmail.com ---
Rajat Srivastava Ph.D. student rajat.sri27@gmail.com ---
Stuti Kujur Ph.D. student stutikujur@gmail.com ---
Henjunaha Naorem Ph.D. student henjunahanaorem@gmail.com ---
Jayshri Bhosle Project assistant jbhosale08@gmail.com ---
B. Harika Project Assistant bharika25@gmail.com ---
Gayathri AG M.Sc student 20lpms09@uohyd.ac.in ---
GYANESH SHUKLA M.Sc. Student 20lpms11@uohyd.ac.in ---

Former Students/Projects Trainees

Name Joined As Working
Sanjeev Kumar Project Assistant
Laborsynrop Nongkhlaw M.Sc Student
Pranav Padmaraj MSc Student
35 Wang P, Siao S, Zhao X, Arora D, Wang R, Eeckhout D, Leene JV, Kumar R, Houbaert A, Winne N, Mylle E, Vandorpe M, Testerink RAK, Gevaert K, Vanneste S, De Jaeger G, Van Damme D, Russinova E (2023) , Mapping the adaptor protein complex interaction network in Arabidopsis identifies P34 as a common stability regulator , Nature Plant, ,,, IF - 15.8.
34 Srivastava r, Roychowdhury A, Kumar R (2022) , Host SPX-PHR regulatory circuit: the molecular dynamo steering mycorrhization in plants , Plant Cell Reports, ,,, IF - 4.5.
33 Gambhir P, Singh V; Raghuvanshi U Parida, AP, Pareek, A, Roychowdhury A, Sopory SK, Kumar R*, and Sharma A*K (2022) , A glutathione-independent DJ-1/PfpI domain-containing tomato glyoxalaseIII2, SlGLYIII2, confers enhanced tolerance under salt and osmotic stresses , Plant Cell and Environment, ,,, IF - 7.9.
32 Gambhir P, Parida AP, Singh V, Raghuvanshi U, Kumar R*, and Sharma AK* (2022) , Ethylene response factor ERF.D7 activates auxin response factor 2 paralogs to regulate tomato fruit ripening , Plant Physiology, ,190,,2775-2796 IF - 8.
31 Salava H, Thula S, Mohan V, Kumar R, and Maghuly, F. (2021) , Application of Genome Editing in Tomato Breeding: Mechanisms, Advances, and Prospects , International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI,22,,682 IF - 4.5.
30 Akash, Parida AP, Srivastava A, Mathur S, Sharma AK, Kumar R (2021) , Identification, evolutionary profiling, and expression analysis of F-box superfamily genes under phosphate deficiency in tomato , Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Elsevier,,, IF - 4.03.
29 Kujur S, Senthil-Kumar M, and Kumar R (2021) , Plant viral vectors: expanding the possibilities of precise gene editing in plant genomes , Plant Cell Reports, ,,, IF - 3.8.
28 Singh NRR, Sharma SS, Tata Narsinga Rao T, Pant H, Srikanth VVSS, and Kumar R* (2021) , Cryo-milled nano-DAP for enhanced growth of monocot and dicot plants. , DOI:10.1039/D1NA00283J , Nanoscale Advances, The Royal Society of Chemistry,,,.
27 Rajat Srivastava, Parul Sirohi, Harsh Chauhan, Rahul Kumar (2021) , The enhanced phosphorus use efficiency in phosphate-deficient and mycorrhiza-inoculated barley seedlings involves activation of different sets of PHT1 transporters in roots , Planta, Springer,,, IF - 4.1.
26 Mishra SK, Poonia AK, Chaudhary R, Baranwal VK, Arora D, Kumar R, Chauhan H (2020) , Genome-wide identification, phylogeny and expression analysis of HSF gene family in barley during abiotic stress response and reproductive development , The PlantGene, Elsevier B.V. ,23,,100231 IF - 1.9.
25 1. Liu D, Kumar R, Claus ANC, Johnson AJ, Siao W, Vanhoutte I, Wang P, Bender KW, Yperman K, Martins S, Zhao X, Vert G, Van Damme D, Friml J, Russinova (2020) , Endocytosis of BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 is Partly Driven by a Canonical Tyrosine-based Motif , The Plant Cell, ,,, IF - 9.6.
24 Rajat Srivastava, Akash, Adwaita Prasad Parida, Pankaj Kumar Chauhan, Rahul Kumar (2020) , Identification, structure analysis, and transcript profiling of purple acid phosphatases under Pi deficiency in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and its wild relatives , International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, ELSEVIER,165,,2253-2266 IF - 5.1.
23 Rajat Srivastava,Rahul Kumar (2019) , The expanding roles of APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factors and their potential application in crop improvement , Briefings in Functional Genomics , ,18,,240-254 IF - 3.8.
22 Chaudhary R,Baranwal VK,Kumar R,Sircar D,Chauhan H (2019) , Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of Hsp70, Hsp90, and Hsp100 heat shock protein genes in barley under stress conditions and reproductive development , Functional , ,19,,1007–1022 IF - 2.7.
21 Gupta BB,Selter LL,Baranwal VK,Arora D,Mishra SK,Sirohi P,Poonia AK,Chaudhary R,Kumar R,Krattinger SG,Chauhan H (2019) , Updated inventory, evolutionary and expression analyses of G (PDR) type ABC transporter genes of rice , Plant Physiology and Biochemistry , ,142,,429–439 IF - 2.9.
20 Chaudhary J,Khatri P,Singla P,Kumawat S,Kumari A,Vinaykumar R,Vikram A,Jindal SK,Kardile H,Kumar R,Sonah H,Deshmukh R (2019) , Advances in Omics Approaches for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Tomato , Biology, ,8,,90.
19 Zhou, Jinggeng., Liu, Derui., Wang, Ping., Ma, Xiyu., Lin, Wenwei., Chen, Sixue., Mishev, Kiril., Lu, Dongping., Kumar, Rahul., Vanhoutte, Isabelle., (2018) , Regulation of Arabidopsis brassinosteroid receptor BRI1 endocytosis and degradation by plant U-box PUB12/PUB13-mediated ubiquitination , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences,115,8,E1906-E1915.
18 Sravankumar, Thula., Naik, NandKiran., Kumar, Rahul., (2018) , A ripening-induced SlGH3-2 gene regulates fruit ripening via adjusting auxin-ethylene levels in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) , Plant molecular biology, Springer Netherlands,98,4-5,455-469.
17 Pareek, Amit., Khurana, Ashima., K Sharma, Arun., Kumar, Rahul., (2017) , An overview of signaling regulons during cold stress tolerance in plants , Current genomics, Bentham Science Publishers,18,6,498-511.
16 Rahul Kumar, Pankaj Kumar Chauhan, Ashima Khurana., (2016) , Identification and expression profiling of DNA methyltransferases during development and stress conditions in Solanaceae , Functional and Integrative Genomics, ,16,,513.
15 Kumar, Rahul., (2016) , Evolutionary Trails of Plant Group II Pyridoxal Phosphate-Dependent Decarboxylase Genes , Frontiers in Plant Sciences, ,,,.
14 Ortiz-Morea FA, Savatin DV, Dejonghe W, Kumar R, Luo Y, Adamowski M, Van den Begin Jos, Dressano K, Pereira de Oliveira G, Zhao X, Lu Q, Madder A, Friml J, Moura D, Russinova E., (2016) , Danger-associated peptide signaling in Arabidopsis requires clathrin , PNAS, ,,,.
13 Agarwal P, Kumar R, Pareek A, Sharma AK., (2016) , Fruit preferential activity of the tomato RIP1 gene promoter in transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis. , Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Springer,,,.
12 Kumar, Rahul., (2015) , Genomic Survey, Gene Expression, and Interaction Analysis Suggest Diverse Roles of ARF and Aux/IAA Proteins in Solanaceae , Plant molecular biology reporter, ,,,.
11 Kumar, Rahul., Khurana, Ashima., Sharma, Arun K., (2014) , Role of plant hormones and their interplay in development and ripening of fleshy fruits , Journal of experimental botany, Oxford University Press,65,16,4561-4575.
10 Kumar, Rahul., Khurana, Ashima., (2014) , Functional genomics of tomato: opportunities and challenges in post-genome NGS era , Journal of biosciences, Springer India,39,5,917-929.
9 Khurana, Ashima., Kumar, Rahul., Babbar, Shashi B., (2014) , Nitric oxide is involved in salicylic acid-induced flowering of Lemna aequinoctialis Welw. , Acta physiologiae plantarum, Springer Berlin Heidelberg,36,10,2827-2833.
8 Kumar, Rahul., Khurana, Ashima., Sharma, Arun K., (2013) , Molecular regulators of fruit ripening , Stewart Postharvest Review, Stewart Postharvest Review,9,4,.
7 Kumar, Rahul., Agarwal, Priyanka., Tyagi, Akhilesh K., Sharma, Arun K., (2012) , Genome-wide investigation and expression analysis suggest diverse roles of auxin-responsive GH3 genes during development and response to different stimuli in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) , Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Springer,,,1-15.
6 Kumar, Rahul., Sharma, Manoj K., Kapoor, Sanjay., Tyagi, Akhilesh K., Sharma, Arun K., (2012) , Transcriptome analysis of rin mutant fruit and in silico analysis of promoters of differentially regulated genes provides insight into LeMADS-RIN-regulated ethylene-dependent as well as ethylene-independent aspects of ripening in tomato , Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Springer,,,1-15.
5 Sato, Shusei., Tabata, Satoshi., Hirakawa, Hideki., Asamizu, Erika., Shirasawa, Kenta., Isobe, Sachiko., Kaneko, Takakazu., Nakamura, Yasukazu., Shibata, Daisuke., Egholm, Michael., (2012) , The tomato genome sequence provides insights into fleshy fruit evolution , Nature, ,485,,635-641.
4 Kumar, Rahul., Tyagi, Akhilesh K., Sharma, Arun K., (2011) , Genome-wide analysis of auxin response factor (ARF) gene family from tomato and analysis of their role in flower and fruit development , Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Springer,285,3,245-260.
3 Sharma, Manoj K., Kumar, Rahul., Solanke, Amolkumar U., Sharma, Rita., Tyagi, Akhilesh K., Sharma, Arun K., (2010) , Identification, phylogeny, and transcript profiling of ERF family genes during development and abiotic stress treatments in tomato , Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Springer,284,6,455-475.
2 Mueller, Lukas A., Lankhorst, Rene Klein., Tanksley, Steven D., Giovannoni, James J., White, Ruth., Vrebalov, Julia., Fei, Zhangjun., van Eck, Joyce., Buels, Robert., Mills, Adri A., (2009) , A snapshot of the emerging tomato genome sequence , The Plant Genome, Crop Science Society of America,2,1,78-92.
1 Gupta, Vikrant., Mathur, Saloni., Solanke, Amolkumar U., Sharma, Manoj K., Kumar, Rahul., Vyas, Shailendra., Khurana, Paramjit., Khurana, Jitendra P., Tyagi, Akhilesh K., Sharma, Arun K., (2009) , Genome analysis and genetic enhancement of tomato , Critical reviews in biotechnology, Taylor & Francis,29,2,152-181.
Title Year Duration Amount(In Lakhs) PI/I
An Automated System for tracking Physical Characteristic Changes in Tomatoes 2022 2 1000 CoPI
Creation of a genetic resource of ........fruit ripening and phosphate starvation response 2019 3 2000 PI
Engineering of ................ traits in tomato 2019 3 4083 PI
Understanding genetic diversity ..... to low phosphate in tomato 2019 3 3500 PI
Exploring the natural .. for phosphate starvation responses 2019 2 1182 PI
Investigations on the carotenoids level in tomato genotypes with altered ethylene signalling 2017 1 350 PI
Genetic manipulation of ripening-associated ERFs for the regulation of ripening in tomato 2013 5 3500 PI