Pankaj Kumar, Ph.D

About

My research interests encompass plant secondary metabolites and antinutritional factors, gene expression, and molecular biology, with a strong focus on CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing and plant tissue culture. I work on plant–pathogen interactions involving fungal and viral systems, including Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of both fungi and plants. In addition to research, I am actively engaged in science communication and outreach, aiming to make scientific knowledge accessible to the general public.

Employment

• INRAE- Institute of Genetics, Environment and Plant Protection Postdoctoral
  2026 - Present
• John Innes Centre Postdoctoral Scientist
  2025 - 2026
• Institute of Plant Genetics PhD Student
  2019 - 2024
• National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute Project assistant
  2017 - 2019

Education

• Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Biotechnology and equivalent
  2019 - 2024

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (7)

• Efficient in-vitro regeneration and transformation for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene in pea (Pisum sativum L.)
  Plant Cell Reports 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-026-03945-z
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• Efficient protoplast isolation and transfection for CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in pea (Pisum sativum L.)
  Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s11240-025-03198-w
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• Genome-Wide Identification of WRKY Transcription Factors in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and their Response to Sulfur and Water Stress
  Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s11105-024-01498-7
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• Biofortification of Pea: Improving Nutrition and Sustainable Food Systems
  Harnessing Crop Biofortification for Sustainable Agriculture 2024 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-97-3438-2_13
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• Validation of Molecular Markers Significant for Flowering Time, Plant Lodging, Stem Geometry Properties, and Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides in Pea (Pisum sativum L.)
  Agriculture 2022 DOI: 10.3390/agriculture12081125
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• CRISPR/Cas9 directed editing of lycopene epsilon-cyclase modulates metabolic flux for β-carotene biosynthesis in banana fruit
  Metabolic Engineering 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.01.008
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• ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC PURITY OF INTER-SPECIFIC F1 HYBRIDS INVOLVING VIGNA RADIATA AND VIGNA UMBELLATA
  Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences 2017 DOI: 10.18006/2017.5(5).636.643
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