Dr. Parveen Chhuneja completed her schooling in Faridkot and obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Government Brijindra College, Faridkot. She pursued her Master’s degree from Punjabi University, Patiala, and later earned a Ph.D. in Genetics from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, in 1992, with an OGPA of 4.00/4.00. Her professional journey began in 1996 with her joining PAU as an Assistant Scientist. In 1999, she was appointed Assistant Cytogeneticist and subsequently progressed into the role of Molecular Geneticist in 2005. In 2011, she was promoted to Principal Molecular Geneticist. Dr. Chhuneja further served as the Director of the School of Agricultural Biotechnology from Sept. 19, 2016 to Nov. 4. 2024 and joined present position of Director, Gurdev Singh Khush Institute of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology on Nov. 8, 2024. With nearly 28 years of experience in research and teaching in the field of Agricultural Biotechnology, Dr Chhuneja has made significant contributions to advancing crop improvement through cutting-edge genomic and molecular technologies.

Professional Accomplishments

Education: Ph.D. Genetics, PAU, Ludhiana (1992)

Positions held: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Plant Breeding/Biotechnology Centre, PAU, Ludhiana (May 1992-Sept. 1996); Assistant Scientist (Young Scientist award), Department of Soils, PAU, Ludhiana (Oct. 1996-April 1999); Assistant Cytogeneticist/Geneticist, Dept. of Genetics and Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana (May 1999-Sept. 2005); Geneticist/Molecular Geneticist, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, (Oct. 2005- Sept. 2011); Senior/Principal  Molecular Geneticist, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana (Oct. 2011-till date); Director, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana (September 19, 2016 – Nov. 4, 2024); Director Gurdev Singh Khush Institute of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (Nov. 8. 2024-till date)

Field of Specialization : Wheat Germplasm enhancement through wide hybridization and Genomics Assisted Breding

Research Interests: 

• Genomics, Molecular marker technology

•  Molecular Cytogenetics 

Research Projects (Ongoing/Completed):

National Projects:

1. Centre of Excellence Project “Development and Integration of Advanced Genomic Technologies for Targeted Breeding” (DBT) Project Coordinator
2. Cambridge India Network for translational Research in Nitrogen-2 (CINTRIN) (DBT)
3. DBT Postgraduate Teaching Program: M.Sc. Biotechnology at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana” Project Coordinator
4. High throughput Genotyping Services, RF-19 PI
5. Strengthening of Post Graduate Teaching and Research facilities in the department. (DST) Project Coordinator
6. Elucidating the Genetic Architecture of tillering in wheat through CRISPR/CAS based editing of Ideal Plant Architechture gene (IPA1) and Teosinte Branched 1 (TB1). (DBT) Co-PI
7. Genome-wide introgression of tetraploid non-progenitor Aegilops peregrine (UUSS) in hexaploid wheat background and mapping of multiple disease resistance. (DBT) Co-PI
8. Application of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology in Agriculture – BIC at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana” (DBT) (Mentor)
9. Characterization and evaluation of wheat germplasm for biotic stress resistance. (ICAR) Co-PI

Awards/Honours/Distinctions :

Fellowship of Scientific Academies:

1. Fellowship of Indian National Science Academy (INSA)- 2025
2. Fellowship of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences  (NAAS)-2022
3. Fellowship of National Academy of Sciences, India  (NASI)-2022
4. Fellowship of Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding- 2020

International Awards/Recognitions

1. Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum (WIT) Mentor award by Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) – 2022 
2. Gene Stewardship Team Award  by Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI)-2018
3. Member, International Organising Committee, International Wheat Congress (2019-2024) 

National Awards/Recognitions 

1. Dr Darshan Singh Brar Award in Agriculture – 2024 by Gurdev Singh Khush Foundation for Advancement in Agricultural Sciences 
2. Dr S. Rajaram Outstanding Woman Scientist Award-2021 by Society for Advancement of Wheat and Barley Research (SAWBAR)
3. Panjabrao Deshmukh Award for Outstanding Woman Scientists-2018 by Indian Council of Agricultural Research
4. Dr Gurdev Singh Khush Distinguished Professor Award  2016-19 by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
5. Award of Plaque and Citation for 2013-14 by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
6. Young Scientist Research Scheme Award 1996-99 by Department of Science and Technology  (DST)
7. Member, Institute Biosafety Committee, Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
8. Member of Governing body of National Institute of Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali (DBT) 2017-2020
9. Member, Board of Studies, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut
10. Member of DBT Technical Expert Committee for Agricultural Biotechnology and Biotechnology support for North Eastern Region 
11. Core Member of SERB Programme Advisory Committee on Organismal and Evolutionary Biology 
12. Member Food & Agriculture Department, Bureau Of Indian Standards Biotechnology for Food & Agriculture Sectional Committee FAD 23 
13. Member of the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM), Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Selected Research Publications:

1. Cavalet-Giorsa, E., González-Muñoz, A., Athiyannan, N. et al. (2024) Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome. Nature 633, 848–855. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07808-z
2. Gaurav K, Arora S, Silva P, Sánchez-Martín J, Horsnell R, Chhuneja P, Wulff BH. (2022) Population genomic analysis of Aegilops tauschii identifies targets for bread wheat improvement. Nature Biotechnology, 40, 422-431. [PubMed PMID: 34725503] https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-01058-4 [IF: 33.1]
3. Boden SA, McIntosh RA, Uauy C, Krattinger SG, Dubcovsky J, Rogers WJ, Xia XC, Badaeva ED, Bentley AR, Brown Guedira G, Caccamo M, Cattivelli L, Chhuneja P, Cockram J, Contreras Moreira B, Dreisigacker S, Edwards D, González FG, Guzmán C, Ikeda TM, Karsai I, Nasuda S, Pozniak C, Prins R, Sen TZ, Silva P, Simkova H, Zhang Y. (2023) Updated guidelines for gene nomenclature in wheat. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 136, 72. [PubMed PMID: 36952017]   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-023-04253-w  [IF: 4.4]
4. The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium. Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome. Science, (2018). 361(6403), eaar7191.1-13. (2AL physical mapping Singh K, Chhuneja P, Gupta OP, Jindal S, Kaur P, Malik P, Sharma P, Yadav B. IWGSC) [PubMed PMID: 30115783]  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aar7191 [IF: 44.7]
5. International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium et al. (2014) A chromosome-based draft sequence of the hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) genome. Science 345 (6194): 1251788-1-11 [IF: 44.7]