Dr Monica Saifi

About

My core areas of expertise/interest are Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry, RNA Biology, and Bioinformatics. My Ph.D. research was focused on the identification and functional characterization of the miRNAs targeting genes of steviol glycosides biosynthetic pathway in Stevia rebaudiana, which is a potent alternative to artificial sweeteners. Potential targets of these miRNAs were also found which indicated the more complex nature of miRNAs where they can function as a transcription factor thus, enhancing the expression of their target genes. I have also developed an innovative strategy, the miRNA interference approach to stably inhibit the function of miRNAs. This approach can efficiently and irreversibly silence their target miRNAs thus resulting in de-repression of their target genes.

I have more than 11 years of research experience in in vitro technologies (Plant Tissue Culture), cloning, miRNAs and gene isolation and over-expression, RNAi, miRNA interference, HPLC, HPTLC, Confocal microscopy, GC-MS, Stem Loop RT-PCR, Agrobacterium mediated transformation, Transient Transformation and basic Bioinformatics techniques, genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, CRISPR/Cpf1, HDR based genome editing.

I was also awarded travel grants from several Indian and overseas funding agencies to present my research work including Nature Travel Grant. I have published several international peer-reviewed articles and presented my research work in several Indian and overseas’ congresses.

Employment

• Jamia Hamdard Assistant Professor
  2023 - Present
• Jamia Hamdard Guest Fcaulty
  2021 - Present
• M/s Hydrogreen Leaf Pvt. Ltd. Research Scientist and Project Coordinator
  2021 - 2023
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute Senior Research Fellow
  2019 - 2020

Education

• Jamia Hamdard Ph.D.
  2013 - 2018
• Jamia Hamdard M.Sc.
  2009 - 2011
• Chaudhary Charan Singh University B.Sc
  2005 - 2008

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (27)

• Enhancement of diterpenoid steviol glycosides by co-overexpressing SrKO and SrUGT76G1 genes in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni
  PLoS ONE 2023 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260085
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• Influence of Plant Growth Regulators on Glandular Trichome Density and Steviol Glycosides Accumulation in Stevia rebaudiana
  ACS Omega 2022 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02957
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• Germline transformation of Artemisia annuaL. plant via in planta transformation technology "Floral dip".
  Biotechnology reports (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2022.e00761
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• Integrated miRNA, target mRNA, and metabolome profiling of Tinospora cordifolia with reference to berberine biosynthesis
  3 Biotech 2022 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-022-03342-9
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• Natural inhibitors: A sustainable way to combat aflatoxins
  Frontiers in Microbiology 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.993834
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• Set of miRNAs Involved in Sulfur Uptake and the Assimilation Pathway of Indian Mustard (B. juncea) in Response to Sulfur Treatments
  ACS Omega 2022 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c00676
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• Identification and the potential involvement of miRNAs in the regulation of artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua
  Scientific Reports 2020 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69707-3
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• Transgenic technology to improve therapeutic efficacy of medicinal plants
  Transgenic Technology Based Value Addition in Plant Biotechnology 2020 DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-818632-9.00009-5
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• Co-expression of anti-miR319g and miRStv-11 lead to enhanced steviol glycosides content in Stevia rebaudiana
  BMC Plant Biology 2019 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-019-1871-2
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• Metabolic profiling and expression analysis of key genes during leaf maturation of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (Accepted)
  Pharmacognosy Magzine 2018
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