Scientist Profile

Dr. Rupam Kumar Bhunia

Dr. Rupam Kumar Bhunia

Scientist E

Date of Joining: 15 Feb 2024

+91 172 522 1126

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Plant Biotechnology, Lipid Biochemistry, Genome editing

  • Assistant Professor, Gujarat Biotechnology University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (June 2023 - February 2024)
  • Associate Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi (September 2022 - June 2023)
  • Rothamsted International Fellow, Rothamsted Research, UK (August 2021 - May 2022)
  • DST-INSPIRE Faculty, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), January 2018 - September 2022)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Iowa State University, IA, USA (June 2015 - Nov 2017)
  • PhD, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur (2010 - 2015)
  • Identified key lipase genes associated with rapid hydrolytic rancidity in rice bran during storage.
  • Characterized candidate lipases in pearl millet that drive lipid degradation and limit flour shelf life.
  • Elucidated the role of OsPLB (phospholipase B) in initiating membrane lipid breakdown, contributing to rice bran lipid rancidity.
  • Applied CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genomic deletion to generate native promoter–gene fusions (targeting DGAT2), enabling transgene-free enhancement of oil accumulation.

Genome Editing for Improving Lipid Stability in Rice Bran and Pearl Millet: 

My research focuses on enhancing lipid stability in cereal crops to address post-harvest rancidity, a major constraint limiting the utilization of nutrient-rich grain components such as rice bran and pearl millet flour.
In rice, I am working on improving the stability of rice bran oil (RBO), a valuable by-product rich in essential fatty acids and bioactive compounds such as γ-oryzanol. Despite its nutritional benefits and suitability for cooking, RBO remains underutilized due to rapid hydrolytic rancidity triggered during bran storage. This deterioration is driven by phospholipase, lipases and oxidative enzymes, particularly lipoxygenases, which initiate triacylglycerol breakdown. My approach employs CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to target key lipid-degrading enzymes, aiming to reduce rancidity and extend shelf life, thereby enhancing the commercial value and utilization of rice bran.
In parallel, I am investigating the molecular basis of rancidity in pearl millet, where flour shelf life is severely constrained by rapid lipid degradation. By identifying and targeting critical enzymes involved in lipid mobilization, this work seeks to develop genome-edited lines with improved storage stability and better retention of nutritional quality.

Genome Editing to Develop High-Oleic Oilseed Crops:

A second focus of my research is on improving the quality of vegetable oils by optimizing their fatty acid composition in oilseed plants. Oils with high oleic acid content are particularly desirable due to their enhanced nutritional value, improved oxidative stability, and suitability for both culinary and industrial applications.

A key determinant of oleic acid levels is the enzymatic conversion of oleic acid (18:1) into polyunsaturated fatty acids, which plays a central role in defining overall oil quality. This metabolic step represents a critical target for developing high-oleic oilseed crops. However, conventional approaches involving complete gene knockout or strong suppression of these pathways often result in undesirable effects on plant growth and overall performance.

To address this challenge, my research employs a CRISPR/Cas9-based strategy to achieve controlled, seed-specific modulation of fatty acid desaturation pathways. This approach is designed to enhance oleic acid content while maintaining optimal plant growth and productivity, ultimately enabling the development of nutritionally superior oilseed varieties.

  1. Sinha K, Chaudhary S, Gupta D, Achary VMM, Eastmond P, Rishi V and Bhunia RK. (2026) Genome editing of phospholipase B (LOC_Os11g43510) promotes rice bran triacylglycerol stability without affecting seed germination. New Phytologist.  DOI: 10.1111/nph.71200 (In Press).

  2. Chen K1, Bhunia RK1, Wendt MM, Campidilli G, McNinch C, Hassan A, Li L, Nikolau B, Yandeau-Nelson MD. (2024) Cuticle Development and the underlying transcriptome-metabolome associations during early seedling establishment. Journal of Experimental Botany, erae311, https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erae31.
    1equal contribution

  3. Bhunia RK, Menard G and Eastmond P. (2022) A native promoter–gene fusion created by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genomic deletion offers a transgene-free method to drive oil accumulation in leaves. FEBS letters, 596:1865-1870. https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14365

  4. Verma L, Bhadouria J, Bhunia RK, Singh S, Panchal P, Bhatia C, Eastmond P, and Giri J. (2022) Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol synthase 3 affects phosphate utilization and acquisition in rice. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73:5033-5051. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erac192.

  5. Menard GN, Langdon M, Bhunia RK, Shankhapal AR, Noleto-Dias C, Lomax C, Ward JL, Kurup S, and Eastmond PJ. (2022) Diverting phenylpropanoid pathway flux from sinapine to produce industrially useful 4-vinyl derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acids in Brassicaceous oilseeds. Metabolic Engineering, 70:196-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2022.01.016.

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  • 2021 Best Publication Award (Agri-Biotechnology), NABI, India.
  • 2021 Rothamsted International Fellowship, Rothamsted Research, UK.
  • 2018 DST-INSPIRE Faculty, DST, India.
  • 2013 BioAsia Innovation Award, BioAsia, Hyderabad, India.
  • 2013 Best Poster Presentation, National Symposium on Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology for Food and Nutritional Security, CFTRI, Mysore, India.