Dr. Kiran Bains is presently working as Dean, College of Community Science, PAU, Ludhiana and holds an additional charge of Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities . She was Head of the Department of Food and Nutrition, PAU from 2019-23. She has handled 12 adhoc research projects and guided 25 M.Sc. and 11 Ph.D. students. She has worked at Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB), Mohali as sabbatical faculty (2015-16). She was nominated member of committee of Indian Council of Agricultural Research to reorient PG Curriculum of Food and Nutrition in State Agricultural Universities of India (2018-20). She is a member of the expert committee of Nutrition Sciences Curriculum by National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (2024-25). Her research activities are mainly focused on micronutrient deficiencies; bioavailability of minerals; energy, protein and iron status of population groups. She achieved a competitive project funded by Harvest Plus, IFPRI, Washington DC in 2011 on assessment of zinc status of children and women. She has completed three projects funded by World Vegetable Center, Taiwan and a consultancy project funded by UNFPA. She is currently Principal Investigator of Nestle India Limited funded ongoing project “Nutrition awareness training program for rural girl students” She has been invited by The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan and Riddet Centre, Massey University New Zealand as visiting fellow in the year 2003 and 2007, respectively. She has represented India at International Workshop to exchange best practices in nutrition awareness programs participated by representatives of 35 countries in 2010 at London, U.K. She was nominated by government of India to attend Indo New Zealand Workshop on ‘Food and Agriculture’ at Lincoln University, Christchurch and Massey University, New Zealand in 2011. She has been invited to present papers on protein quality of Indian diets at FAO sponsored Seminar on ‘Protein for Human Health’, New Zealand in 2011;22 nd International Congress of Nutrition at Tokyo, Japan in 2022 and at Utrecht, Netherlands in 2023. She has been involved in testing of 7 crop varieties/technologies. She has published 125 research papers, 7 book chapters, 14 manual chapters, 5 booklets/pamphlets and 30 popular articles. She has contributed in the development of “Regional adaptation and update of food item based dietary guidelines of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) with emphasis on cardio-vascular diseases. Her research work on ‘Culturally accepted ‘Emergency Relief Foods’ was selected as an innovative solution to address complex problems around food security and nutrition National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). She was invited as a panellist at VAIBHAV Summit to establish frameworks for Indian Diaspora participation working in top universities and R&D organisations worldwide to further enhance Indian Science and Academic Institution's knowledge base (2020). She has been recognized as Resource Person under Adolescent Education Program of Ministry of Human Resource Development and United Nations Population Fund, New Delhi. She has been associated with INCLEN-ICMR Research Priority Setting Exercises (nut#4) to build a national research agenda for the Department of Health Research, Government of India. She was a member of 5 th Joint Review Mission on Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Himachal Pradesh by Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India (2012). She was member of Executive Committee of Nutrition Society of India (NSI), National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad (2022-24) and Convener, Nutrition Society of India, Ludhiana Chapter from 2020 to 2023.
