Dr. Sandhu is working as Principal Biotechnologist at School of Agricultural Biotechnology. His research interests are to enhance resistance in field and horticultural crops against fungal pathogens along with quality improvement using transgenic and genome editing approaches. He has published 72 research papers in leading high impact plant biotechnology journals, along with several book chapters, reviews etc. and is on review panel of several highly reputed journals. His research work has received awards at national and international conferences, besides, the distinction of being awarded two US patents. He is member of technical expert committee on plant biotechnology at Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi. He is actively involved in teaching and has offered 12 UG and 17 PG courses with an average of four courses/semester; been class in-charge of three batches of B.Sc. biotechnology; guided 16 M.Sc., 5 Ph.D. students as major advisor and 168 students as advisory committee member for thesis research. His four students won national level awards for thesis research and twenty went overseas to pursue higher studies. As chairperson academic affairs and teaching committee of the School he played a pivotal role in developing new UG, PG biotechnology degree programs. He is also the coordinator of  Internal Quality Assurance Cell at PAU.

Professional Accomplishments

Education: B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons.) Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (1984-1990); M.Sc. Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (1990-1992); Ph.D. Plant Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (1993-1996); PDF Plant Molecular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA (1996-2000)

Positions Held: Assistant Biotechnologist, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (2001-2010); Biotechnologist, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (2010-2013); Senior Biotechnologist, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (2013-2016); Principal Biotechnologist, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (2016…)

Research Interests: Gene Cloning; Regulation of Gene Expression; Transgenesis; Genome Editing

Important Achievements: As chairperson academic affairs and teaching committee of the School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Dr Sandhu received appreciation from Board of Management, PAU for institutional building by developing new UG, PG degree programs in biotechnology, role in running the programs and generating good human resources in the area of Agricultural Biotechnology

Research Publications (Maximum up to five):

1. AS Sharma, A Kalia, A Sharma, MS Sidhu, GS Sanghera, G Chhabra, M Sharma, M Singh, E Patel, P Das, S Hazra, A Kaur, D Singla, JS Sandhu^† (2024) Expression of Trichoderma spp. endochitinase gene improves red rot disease resistance in transgenic sugarcane. PLoS ONE 19(9): e0310306. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0310306  (NAAS rating = 9.80; Impact factor = 3.80)
2. E Patel, P Kumar, P Priyadarshini, D Singla, JS Sandhu^† (2023) Molecular docking and dynamic simulation studies of isoflavones inhibiting Lox-2 activity for reducing beany flavor in soybean seeds. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2023. 2275179  (NAAS rating = 11.24; Impact factor = 5.24)
3. H Kaur, A Kalia, JS Sandhu, GS Dheri, G Kaur, S Pathania (2022) Interaction of TiO2 nanoparticles with soil: Effect on microbiological and chemical traits. Chemosphere doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134629  (NAAS rating = 14.94; Impact factor = 8.94)
4. A Kaur, U Sharma, S Singh, R Singh, Y Vikal, P Malik, K Kaur, I Singh, B Sharma, JS Sandhu^† (2022) Introgressing cry1Ac for pod borer resistance in chickpea through marker-assisted backcross breeding. Frontiers in Genetics 13, doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.882836  (NAAS rating = 10.77; Impact factor = 4.77)
5. JS Sandhu^†, S Nayyar, A Kaur, R Kaur, A Kalia, A Arora, Y Kaur, SK Thind,G Chhabra (2019) Foot rot tolerant transgenic rough lemon rootstock developed through expression of β‐1,3‐glucanase from Trichoderma Plant Biotechnology Journal doi: 10.1111/pbi.13152  (NAAS rating = 19.26; Impact factor = 13.26)

^†Corresponding author

Research Project (Ongoing):

1. DBT Funded Project Unravelling the Diversity of R Genes against Yellow Mosaic Disease in Vigna.
2. DBT Funded Project Minimizing Post Harvest Sugar Losses and Enhancing Biofuel Efficiency from Bagasse in Sugarcane by Editing INV & COMT genes.
3. DBT Funded Project Enhancing Rice Bran Shelf Life to Maximize Oil Contents by Targeting Phospholipase (PLDα1) & Lipoxygenase (LOX3)  genes.

Research Projects (Completed):

1. ICAR Funded Project Genetic Modifications to Improve Biological Nitrogen Fixation.
2. ICAR Funded Project Synthesis of Rice Husk Nanosilicates and its Agricultural Applications.
3. DBT Funded Project Isolation, Cloning and Characterization of Antifungal Genes from Potent Strains of Trichoderma for Resistance to Phytophthora in Rough Lemon.
4. DBT Funded Project Genetic Engineering in Maize for Resistance to Stem Borer and Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses.
5. DBT Funded Project Identification, Functional Characterization and Utilization of Bacterial Leaf Blight Resistance Genes in Rice.
6. DBT Funded Project Fine Mapping, Cloning and Validation of Brown Plant Hopper Resistance Introgressed from Oryza nivarainto Oryza sativa L.
7. DBT Funded Project Development of Haploid Inducer Rice Lines using CRISPR Cas9 Gene Editing System for High Induction Frequency.

Awards/Honours/Distinctions: 

1. US Patent Awarded-Enhancer Increased Gene Expression in Transgenic Plants. US6,323,393 B1 (2001) 
2. US Patent Awarded-Plant Derived Vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus. US8,591,915 B2 (2013) 
3. Technical Expert Committee Member of Plant Biotechnology Program, DBT, Ministry of Science and Technology, GOI (2022-2025) 
4. Advisor to Edible FruitVaccine Company, USA (2021…) 
5. Member Governing Body of Dr. GS Khush Foundation (2025…)
6. Capicity Building in Emerging Areas of Plant Biotechnology at Hangzhou, China; Texas A&M, USA; Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Australia (1992…) 
7. Visiting Fellowship in Canadian Government Laboratories by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2000-2001) 
8. Cambridge Nehru Scholarship, Overseas Research Student Award, Downing Müller Scholarship, John Treherne Studentship for Pursuing Ph.D. at University of Cambridge (1993-1996) 
9. Fellow Cambridge Philosophical Society, Cambridge Commonwealth Society, Royal Society London (1993…) 
10. University Merit Scholarship throughout B.Sc., M.Sc. and Gold Medal for Achievements in B.Sc. (1984-1992)