KARAN KUMAR
RWTH Aachen University, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Ministry of Education
Research areas: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Molecular Biology · Biofuel production and bioconversion · Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization · Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
About
Dr. Karan Kumar is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Applied Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany. His research sits at the interface of microbial biotechnology, systems biology, and sustainable biomanufacturing, with a focus on fermentation, genome-scale metabolic modeling, comparative genomics, and data-driven strain design. He is currently involved in the European Innovation Council-funded Pathfinder project HYDROCOW, where he works on computational and systems-level strategies for engineering hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria for sustainable protein production. Dr. Kumar completed his Ph.D. at IIT Guwahati, where his work focused on bioenergy, solventogenic Clostridia, and bioprocess optimization, and he received the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award in the field of Energy Science and Engineering. He has also received several distinctions, including being part of the first batch of Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF), the AcSIR Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Summer Training Fellowship, the Business Games Award at the highly competitive 142nd BASF International Summer Course 2025, the Best Young Scientist Award, and multiple best oral, keynote, and paper awards, along with competitive travel support from SERB ITS and DBT-CTEP. His broader interests include AI-assisted promoter engineering, gas fermentation, and the development of microbial cell factories for green manufacturing.
Discover more about his research experiences, publications, awards/recognition, and other accolades on his personal webpage: https://sites.google.com/view/karaniitg/home
Let's journey together towards scientific excellence and sustainability.
Employment
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RWTH Aachen University Postdoctoral Research Associate2024 - Present
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Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati PhD Research Scholar2018 - 2024
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Ministry of Education Prime Minister's Research Fellow (PMRF)2018 - 2023
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Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research AcSIR- Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Summer Training Fellow2017 - 2017
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National Institute of Technology Calicut Summer Research Intern2016 - 2016
Education
Education history is unavailable.
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (33)
- Introduction to AI-assisted Promoter Engineering for Microbial Cell Factory Design Save
- Protein without farms: What comparative genomics reveals about “Power-to-Food” microbes Save
- Food production from air: gas precision fermentation with hydrogen-oxidising bacteria Save
- Fourth-generation (4G) biodiesel: Paving the way for a greener and sustainable energy future in emerging economies Save
- HYDROCOW: Milk from carbon dioxide and electricity Save
- Introduction to Design of Experiments (DoE) for Bioprocess Optimization: Unlocking the Power of Experimental Design Save
- Developing a pangenome pipeline for gene library preparation to engineer autotrophic strains for net-zero carbon dairy protein production Save
- Converting lignocellulosic biomass into valuable end products for decentralized energy solutions: A comprehensive overview Save
- Application of Enzymatic Technique for the Synthesis of Bioalcohols From Different Agrobiomasses Save
- Application of Enzymatic Technique for the Synthesis of Biodegradable Polymers from Different Agrobiomasses Save
- Application of Microbial Fermentation Technique for the Synthesis of Fermentable Sugars from Different Agrobiomasses Save
- Application of Microbial Technique for the Synthesis of Organic Acid from Different Agrobiomasses Save
- Applications of Microbial Fermentation Technique for the Synthesis of Bioalcohols from Different Agrobiomasses Save
- Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) fermentation with Clostridial Co-cultures for Enhanced Biobutanol Production Save
- Biomarker Analysis for Alzheimer's Disease Save
- Advancing sustainable biofuel production: A computational insight into microbial systems for isopropanol synthesis and beyond Save
- Genomic insights into clostridia in bioenergy production: Comparison of metabolic capabilities and evolutionary relationships Save
- Molecular Hydrogen (H2) Metabolism in Microbes: A Special Focus on Biohydrogen Production Save
- Ultrasound-assisted hydrolysis of food waste using glucoamylase: Statistical optimization and mechanistic analysis with molecular simulations Save
- Various Routes for Hydrogen Production and Its Utilization for Sustainable Economy Save