Faculty Profile

Teaching Experience

• UG: Over nineteen years (since July 2004).
• PG: Over fifteen years (since July 2009).

Research Experience

Research guidance

Ph.D. Theses Supervised/Co-supervised

• Ph.D. thesis –01 awarded, 03 ongoing
  
• Co-supervised thesis: ‘Forest Laws and Sustainable Development with Special Reference to the Impact of the Saurashtra Prevention of Felling of Trees (Infliction of Punishment) Act, 1951 on Conservation and Livelihood in Dangs, Gujarat, India’ (awarded)
  

Areas of General Interest

• Biodiversity, Traditional Knowledge, Emerging Biotechnologies and ELS issues, Biosciences and Law
  

Current Research Interest

• Regulatory Biotechnology
  
• Bioethics
  

New Course(s) Designed/Introduced

• Certificate course in Genetics and Law
• Advanced Training Programme on "Biotechnology, Law and Bioethics"
• Biosafety and Biosecurity

Research Projects (completed Under GNLU faculty seed grant program)

• The Key Developments in Biotechnology and Its Impact on Society, and the Creation of Techno-Legal Awareness towards the Recent Trends in Biotechnology in 2018 (Co-PI)
  
• Knowledge and Attitudes Concerning DNA Databases and the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 amongst University Students in and Around Gandhinagar in 2020 (PI)
• Assessment of Carbon Sequestration Potential of Tree Species in Gujarat National Law University Campus in 2023 (PI)

Book Chapters

• One chapter in the book on Biodiversity: Monitoring Management and Utilization” published by Astral International (P) Ltd, 2018. ISBN: 9789351249276
  
• One chapter in the book on "Biodiversity and Ecology" Published by Discovery Publishing house Pvt. Ltd. First Edition 2012. ISBN: 978-93-5056-152-2.

Journal Articles

• Allelopathic Effect of Digera muricatta (L) mart on in vitro seed germination of Pennisetum typhoideum (2011). Internat. J. Plant Sci., 6 (2): 333 - 334. ISSN: 0973-1547. 
  
• 'Allelopathic effect of Lantana camara on in vitro seed germination and seedling growth of Phaseolus mungo'. Internat. J. Plant Sci., vol. 5(1), 2010, pp. 43-45.
• 'Genetically modified crops- issues and challenges'. Internat. J. Plant Sci., vol. 5 (1), 2010, pp. 363-365

Books Edited

• Green Biotechnology. Astral International Publishers, 2018.
  
• Science, Technology and Law Contemporary Issues in Biotechnology, Editor, Gujarat National Law University, ISBN: 978-81-910389-7-2. 
  
• Food Security Law: Interdisciplinary perspective, Assistant Editor, Eastern Book Company (2014), ISBN: 93-5145-026-0.

Books Reviewed

• XI (II Semester) Biology textbook published by Gujarat State Education Board.
  

Paper Presentation 

Conferences

• Presented paper titled “Moringa oleifera: A Miracle Plant for Accomplishing Sustainable Development” in 1st International Conference on Nature and Natural Sciences (1st ICNS 2023) Goals” Organized & hosted by Rani Durgavati University (RDVV), Jabalpur (M.P.) during 5th and 6th May 2023.
•  Presented paper on Human genome editing using CRISPR Cas: 9 Ethical concerns at the National Conference on CRISPR/Cas: From Biology to Technology (iCRISPR- 2021) during 25-27, November 2021.
• Presented a review paper on “Environmental Dioxin pollution – a serious public health threat” at the National Conference on Environmental Law Organized by GCESD, GNLU during 7-8 April 2018.
• Presented a paper on “Ethics in cancer clinical trials” at a "National Symposium on Current Research in Cancer Biology & Therapy during 7th- 8th October 2016" at the Indian Institute of Advanced Research, Koba, Gandhinagar.
• Presented research paper on "Assisted Reproductive Technologies- Legal and Ethical issues" in an International conference on "Reproductive Health with Emphasis on Occupational, Environmental and Lifestyle factors" and 26th Annual Meeting of the Indian Society for the study of Reproduction and Fertility, organized by National Institute of Occupational Health (ICMR) Ahmedabad during 18-20, February 2016.
• Presented a research paper on "Genetically Modified Crops and Ethics" at an International Conference on Challenges in Biotechnology Food technology, held on 8th to 11th October, 2009 at Chennai.

Seminars

• Presented  research paper on “Dioxin a threat to human health” at National Seminar on Environmental and Occupational Health at NIOH Ahmedabad during 5th and 6th June, 2016. 
  
• Effect of Lantana Camara on crop biodiversity in a UGC sponsored State Level Seminar on "Environment Education and Disaster Risk Management "held in M.G.Science Institute, Ahmedabad on 28th and 29th January, 2009.

Organised

Training Programmes

• Convener for 2nd Edition of Legislative Drafting Training Workshop, GNLU, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. (25th - 29th January 2012) 
  
• Co-Convener for 1st Edition of "Legislative Drafting Training Workshop for the Western States of India", GNLU, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. (29th September 2010 to 3rd October 2010).

Orientation Programmes

Certificate Courses

• Organised and offered Certificate course on “Genetics and Law” as a principal course coordinator from 11th to 14th February, 2016 at GNLU.

Participated 

• Attended 85th Orientation Programme at Academic Staff College, Gujarat University from 18 November to 15 December 2015.

• Attended “Research Methodology Workshop on Legal and Interdisciplinary Research” organized by Gujarat National Law University from 6th to 18th November 2017.
  
• Attended One - Week Faculty Development Programme organized by Gujarat National Law University during May 2017.
• Attended One - Week Faculty Development Programme organized by Gujarat National Law University during May 2016.
• Attended One - Week Faculty Development Programme organized by Gujarat National Law University from 2nd to 7th November 2015.

Training Programmes

• Participated in the "Hands on Training Program in Bioinformatics" held from 10 to 12th August 2016 at Department of Biophysics and Bioinformatics, UIAR, Gandhinagar.
  

Refresher course

• Completed Refresher course in life sciences from 12-11- 2022 to 25-11-2022 Organized by HRDC Punjabi University.
• Completed Refresher Course in Environmental Studies (MD) at HRDC, Gujarat University from 18 Nov-01 December 2019.

• Received best non law faculty award for the Academic year 2013-14.
  

Resource person in conference/ session chair/committees

• Delivered lecture on “Ethics in Research" during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Research @ St. Thomas & Two-Day National Conference on ‘Research-Catalyst for National Development’ at St. Thomas College, Thrissur held on 1 & 2 March 2024.
• Delivered lecture  in UGC- HRDC Refresher course  in  Environmental Studies at HRDC Gujarat University on 19 December 2023
• Delivered lecture in UGC- HRDC Refresher course on Basic Sciences at HRDC RDVV, Jabalpur on 25 August 2023.
• Chaired the session on “Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Policy” at the 2nd International Conference on Social Work and Law on the theme: Building Social Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for a More Sustainable and Resilient Society, jointly organised by the GNLU Centre for Law and Society & the GUJCOST-GNLU Centre of Excellence in IPR at its campus from 29 th – 30th July 2022.
• Distinguished speaker on “ Food and Nutritional changes during adolescent” during the workshop on “Food Habits, Changing Lifestyle and Nutritional Needs of Adolescents'' organized by National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development Western Regional Centre, Indore, on November 22-23, 2016 at Gujarat National Law University Gandhinagar.
• Resource person for "Intensive Certificate Course on advanced issues of Maritime Laws and Laws of Sea '' organized by GNLU from 25th March 2013- 08th April 2013.
• Represented GNLU and participated in the IRR meeting (Innovative research reward) under the aegis of the Gujarat biotech innovation cluster by GSBTM (July 2013).
• Part of a three-member panel for scrutinizing the application for Scientist B posts at NIF (June 2013).
•  Expert member for reviewing class XI (II Semester) Biology textbook published by Gujarat State Education Board in May 2011.

Guest Lectures

• Plant Variety Protection, Biodiversity, and Traditional Knowledge for LLM (IPR) students at the School of Law, Gujarat University.
• Introduction to genes, genetics, DNA, and rDNA for BA LLB students for the advanced course of Patenting Life Forms at the School of Law at Vellore Institute of Technology Chennai.
• Ethics in reproductive technologies for Masters of Public Health Program at Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar.
• Environmental law, Impact Assessment, and Audit for MSc environment science Program at North Gujarat University, Patan, Gujarat.

Technical Session Chaired/Co-Chaired

• Distinguished speaker on “ Food and Nutritional changes during adolescent” during the workshop on “Food Habits, Changing Lifestyle and Nutritional Needs of Adolescents” organized by National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development Western Regional Centre, Indore, on November 22-23, 2016 at Gujarat National Law University Gandhinagar.
  

Others

• Represented GNLU and participated in IRR meeting (Innovative research reward) under the aegis of Gujarat biotech innovation cluster by GSBTM (July 2013)

Membership/Associations

• An external member of  Doctoral research committee of Gujarat Maritime University.
  
• External member for the Academic and Research Council committee (A&RC) at the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Gandhinagar
• Ethics committee member at the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Gandhinagar, from 2016-2019
• Appointed on the panel of examiners for the M.Sc. Environmental Science Programme at North Gujarat University, Patan in the academic year 2020-2021.
• Appointed on the panel of examiners for the MSc Forensic Biotechnology program at Gujarat Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar in the year 2017-18.