Dr. Gurvinder Singh Kocher did his B.Sc from Panjab University, M.Sc and Ph.D from Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana, India. Dr. Kocher is an academic and researcher with more than 32 years of experience in biotech research and development. Presently he is working as Principal Microbiologist at Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana, Punjab. Formerly, he has worked as Assistant Professor, PAU Ludhiana (1996-2006) and Associate Professor (2006-2012) and Principal Microbiologist-cum-Head from 2019-2023 in the same institute. He has taught courses in Industrial Microbiology, Fermentation technology, Microbial genetics besides basic courses in Microbiology at UG and PG level and has written four books including 3 edited books. He has also guided 39 students as major advisor. Dr Kocher has carried out research projects and consultancy work in the areas of Value addition of agricultural produce into wines and vinegars, ermentation of agricultural wastes into ethanol, Bioconversion of industrial wastes and by products into enzymes. He has been principal investigator/ co-investigator of 18 adhoc research projects funded by DST, DBT, ICAR, BARC etc. Dr Kocher has been granted 3 Indian patents, has published 124 original research papers, contributed 21 book chapters, 5 practical manuals, 40 extension articles and three extension compendiums. Dr Kocher has 18 recommendations which have been recommended by REC, PAU. He is technical coordinator of biannual training programs on fermented beverages, organized by Skill training centre, PAU since 2015. Dr Kocher is Life member and State President of Microbiologists Society (2022-2024), India. He is also Life Member and Secretary, Ludhiana Chapter of Association of Microbiologists of India and life member of Punjab Academy of Sciences, India as well as a Member of Bioenergy, Australia.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects completed (as PI)

1. Scale up, Demonstration and promotion of Technology for production of Natural vinegar and Non alcoholic carbonated beverages. (Department of Science and Technology, 2010- 2013).Principal Investigator
2. Demonstration & promotion of techno-economically viable options for sustainable livelihood generation in kandi area of Punjab.(Department of Science and Technology, 2015- 2018).Principal Investigator
3. Scale up of Natural vinegar production. (Unati cooperative society, Talwara, Dist. Hoshiarpur, Punjab, Feb 2015 to July 2015). Principal Investigator
4. “Value addition of wastes from potato processing industry and mandis of Ludhiana District”.(Department of Science and Technology under Secondary Agriculture Entrepreneurship) Principal Investigator
5. “Enhanced Treatment of wastewater using a Synergy of Microalgae and Microorganisms – Without Energy Investment and Biofuel Production”, (Thapar University, Patiala and Tel-aviv University, Israel, 2022-25). Principal Investigator

Research Publications (2025)

1. Gill MK, Kocher GS, Panesar AS and Taggar, MS (2025). Deep eutectic solvent mediated delignification of corn stover for improved fermentable sugar yield and bioethanol production. Fuel, 135457 (NAAS  Rating 12.7).

2. Khanna R, Arora R and Kocher GS (2025). Bioprospecting the production of functional type II sourdough using novel yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii YB1: a step towards SDGs. Food Science and Biotechnology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-025-01869-0. (NAAS Rating 8.4)
3. Sharma SG, Sharma N, Kocher GS, Singla P, Singh B and Dhir A (2025). The Mechanism
4. Behind Bio-recovery of Precious Metals from Industrial Wastes. In: Shah, M.P. (eds)
5. Extraction of Precious Metals from Industrial Waste Using Microbial Technology.
6. Environmental Science and Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83623-7_5
7. Kaur H and Kocher GS (2025). Process optimization for fermentative production of black rice vinegar. Starke 77(3), e202400070 (NAAS Rating  8.6).
8. Sandhu S, Kocher GS and Khushwah A (2025). Maize-based bioethanol: A sustainable
9. pathway for crop diversification in Punjab. Maize Journal 14(1),1-5. (NAAS Rating 4.28).
10. Sharma SG, Singla P, Sharma N, Kocher GS, Sharma S and Satpute S. (2025). Isolation and characterization of microalgae and bacteria for bioremediation of domestic waste water. Ecology, Encironment and Conservation (0971765X)31 (NAAS Rating 5.05).

7. Johal M, Arora R, Bons HK and Kocher GS (2025). Bioprocessing of underexploited green purplish karonda (Carissa carandus L) fruit berries into low alcoholic functional beverage: A healthy substitute Food Bioscience 64, 105821 (NAAS 10.8).

8. Shiwani Guleria Sharma, Nishu Sharma, Pankaj Prakah Verma, GS Kocher (2025). Effect of operational conditions on nitrification-denitrification of bacterial-microalgae community. In: Microbial Applications of Nitrifiers and Denitrifiers in Industrial Wastewater Treatment Maulin P. Shah, Mayur J. Kapadia, P.R. Shah (Eds.) Academic Press, p 115-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13929-1.00001-5 ISBN: 9780443139291.

Awards and Recognitions:

1. Nominated to the “Scientific Panel on Alcoholic Beverages- 2022” byFood Safety and Standards Authority of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

2. “Applied Fermentation Excellence award-2022” Microbiologist Society of India, Pune, Maharashtra, India.

3. “Distinguished Professor Award-2021”, Institute of Researchers, Wayanand, Kerala, India.
4. “High Tech Horticultural Society’s Gold medal 2020 for outstanding contributions in the fieldof Microbiology” at 4th Global meet on Sci. Tech. for staying healthy and feeding ever-growing population worldwide, Sept 12-13, 2021.
5. University Merit Certificate and Plaque for the year 2017-18, awarded by Chancellor, PunjabAgricultural University, Ludhiana on Annual Convocation, July 24, 2019.
6. “Achievement Award” for outstanding work, awarded by Vice Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, March 24, 2017.
7. “International training in Fermentation Technology”, awarded by Indian Council of Agricultural Research at Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, California, USA ((April 1 to June 29, 2010).

8. “Normon E Borlaug Fellowship” awarded by USDA under “biofuels” at OARDC Wooster, Ohio, USA. (April 9 to May 11, 2007)”.

9. International Training program in Biotechnology-13th course" at GBF, Braunschweig, Germany (Sept 6 to Oct 8, 1999).
10. “Young Scientist ward in Environment Microbiology” in 1997 by Assoc. of Microbiologists of India