In Kaust my research is focusing on Genetic engineering of Rice and Pearl millet for crop improvement, which includes molecular cloning, tissue culture and transformation studies.

In TLL (my previous Lab) my project summary is - Plants are capable of producing an overwhelming variety of specialized metabolites among which terpenoids are of great economic importance and are widely used for flavors, fragrances, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Most of these chemicals are produced and stored in specialized secretory structures called glandular trichomes present on plant aerial structures. The genes that are involved in the development of these structures are largely unknown. 

Most of the commercially important chemicals made by plants are produced as part of their secondary metabolism. Majority of secondary metabolites are generally produced in low quantities in their host plants and their isolation suffers from low yield and high consumption of natural resources, which are driving some plants and forests to near extinction. Aromatic Mint plants of Mentha species are easy to cultivate and harvest and they are the source of the best known monoterpene chemical the - Menthol which is the principal component of peppermint essential oil that is widely used in, pharmaceuticals, oral care products, cosmetics & teas product.

Transformation protocols are essential for metabolic engineering; hence I established transformation system and hairy root culture in Mint and Sweet Basil.