Gaurav Kumar

With a strong academic foundation in Biotechnology (M.Sc., VIT University, Vellore) and a Ph.D. from IISER Mohali and INST Mohali, I bring a deep and multidisciplinary expertise in protein biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology.

Currently, I am pursuing postdoctoral research at the University of York, UK, where I continue to explore the fascinating dynamics of biomolecular phase separation and protein self-assembly using cutting-edge microscopy, biophysical tools and in vivo cloning.
Over the years, I’ve developed a keen interest in how proteins organize themselves within the cellular environment and how these principles can be leveraged to understand complex biological phenomena. My work sits at the interface of biology, chemistry, and physics — bridging fundamental science with emerging applications.

Ph.D. 

Defense date: 17th Feb 2023 

Doctoral thesis title:  Functional Attributes and Self-Assembly Behavior of a Shell Protein from the 1,2-Propanediol Utilization Prokaryotic Metabolosome

Institute

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India

Institute of Nanoscience and Technology, Mohali, India

M.Sc. 5 yrs. Integrated Biotechnology

Years: 2011-2016

Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore

CGPA: 9.53

Masters’ Thesis: “Nano-bioremediation of hexavalent chromium in aqueous medium using zero valent iron nanoparticles and bacterial isolates in a continuous flow system

Institute

Center for Nano-biotechnology, VIT University

12th

Mount Assisi School, Bhagalpur

Percentage: 84.83

Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology

10th

Mount Assisi School, Bhagalpur

Percentage: 91.71

Research papers

• Payne-Dwyer A*, Kumar G*, Barrett J*, Gherman LK, Hodgkinson M, Plevin M, Mackinder L, Leake MC, Schaefer C. Predicting Rubisco-Linker Condensation from Titration in the Dilute Phase. Physical Review Letters. 2024 May 24;132(21):218401. *(equal contributions)
• Kumar G, Sinha S. Self-assembly of shell protein and native enzyme in a crowded environment leads to catalytically active phase condensates. Biochemical Journal. 2023 Apr 26;480(8):539-53.

     *(Featured on cover page)

• Kumar G, Bari NK, Hazra JP, Sinha S. A Major Shell Protein of 1, 2‐Propanediol Utilization Microcompartment Conserves the Activity of Its Signature Enzyme at Higher Temperatures. ChemBioChem. 2022 May 4: e202100694.
• Kumar G, Hazra JP, Sinha S. Disordered regions endow structural flexibility to shell proteins and function towards shell–enzyme interactions in 1, 2-propanediol utilization microcompartment. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. 2022 Oct 23:1-1
• Bedi S, Kumar G, Rose SM, Rakshit S, Sinha S. Barrier-free liquid condensates of nanocatalysts as effective concentrators of catalysis. Chem Commun (Camb). 2022 Jul 12. doi: 10.1039/d2cc03111f.
• Bari NK, Hazra JP, Kumar G, Kaur S, Sinha S. Probe into a multi-protein prokaryotic organelle using thermal scanning assay reveals distinct properties of the core and the shell. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-General Subjects. 2020 Oct 1;1864(10):129680.
• Bari NK, Kumar G, Hazra JP, Kaur S, Sinha S. Functional protein shells fabricated from the self-assembling protein sheets of prokaryotic organelles. Journal of Materials Chemistry B.2020;8(3):523-33.
• Bari NK, Kumar G, Bhatt A, Hazra JP, Garg A, Ali ME, Sinha S. Nanoparticle fabrication on bacterial microcompartment surface for the development of hybrid enzyme-inorganic catalyst. ACS Catalysis. 2018 Jul 24;8(9):7742-8.
• Ravikumar KV, Kumar D, Kumar G, Mrudula P, Natarajan C, Mukherjee A. Enhanced Cr (VI) removal by nanozerovalent iron-immobilized alginate beads in the presence of a biofilm in a continuous-flow reactor. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 2016 May 25;55(20):5973-82.

Book chapters

• Kumar G, Sinha S. Biophysical approaches to understand and re-purpose bacterial microcompartments. Current Opinion in Microbiology. 2021 Oct 1; 63:43-51.
• Bari NK, Kumar G, Sinha S. The Wrappers of the 1, 2-Propanediol Utilization Bacterial Microcompartments. Biochemical and Biophysical Roles of Cell Surface Molecules. 2018:333-44.

• Institute of Physics - Physics of Life 2025 at Harrogate, UK, March 2025 (poster presentation)
• 47th Annual Indian Biophysical Society Meeting at IIT Madras, India, March 2025 (Flash Talk)
• Research away day at department of biology, University of York, UK, January 2025 (Flash Talk)
• Institute of Physics-Smart Condensates and Droplets Symposium at Pembroke college, University of Cambridge, UK, September 2024 (poster presentation)
• EMBL EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Cellular mechanisms driven by phase separation, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany, May 2024 (poster presentation)
• York Physics of Pyrenoid Project retreat 2024 at Lake District, UK, March 2024 (poster presentation)
• Plastid preview conference New College, Oxford University, UKSeptember 2023 (poster presentation)
• 44th Indian Biophysical Society meeting, March 2022, ACTREC-Mumbai, India (poster presentation)
• INST – IISERM Bilateral Meeting 2022, March 2022, INST Mohali, India (poster presentation)
• 2nd Research Scholars Day, March 2022, INST Mohali, India (oral presentation)
• 1st Annual Meeting of Chemical Biology Unit (AMCBU-2021), September 2021, INST Mohali, India (poster presentation)
• 1st Research Scholars Day, March 2021, INST Mohali, India (poster presentation)
• 65th Annual meeting of the Biophysical Society, February 2021 (virtual), (poster presentation)
• Abstract: Kumar G, Sinha S. Unraveling the Driving Forces Behind the Biogenesis of Bacterial Microcompartments. Biophysical Journal. 2021 Feb 12;120(3):209a.
• International conference on Advances in Materials Science and Applied Biology (AMSAB-2019), NMIMS, Mumbai, India (poster presentation).

• Workshop on Genetic Diversity, Molecular Evolution and Genomics at VIT University, Vellore, India during 12th to 14th August 2014
• Summer project on “Some techniques to purify proteins from male reproductive system” at CSIR-Indian institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata, Indiaduring June 2013.
• Internship at RefSyn BioScience Pvt. Ltd. on Bioinstrumentation, Pondicherry, India, during March 2013.
• Internship at Unibiosys Research Labs on Bioinformatics and Drug Design, Kochi, India, during October 2012.

• Flash Talk Award, 47th Indian Biophysical Society meeting, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, 03/01/25
• Poster award, 1st Annual Meeting of Chemical Biology Unit (AMCBU-2021), INST Mohali, 09/01/21
• Poster award, 1st Research Scholars Day, INST Mohali, 03/01/21
• Poster award, International conference on Advances in Materials Science and Applied Biology (AMSAB-2019), NMIMS, Mumbai
• University Gold Medal, 2016, for securing first rank in M.Sc. 5 years Integrated-Biotechnology, at VIT university.
• MR.V.K. CHITTIBABU MUDALIAR & MRS C. PREMAVATHI ENDOWMENT AWARD, for the best academic performance in the academic year 2015-2016, at VIT university
• Merit Certificates, for the best academic performance for the academic years 2015-2016, 2014-2015, 2013-2014, 2012-2013, 2011-2012, at VIT university.

• Conference organization: York Physics of Pyrenoid Project retreat 2024 at Lake District, UK, March 2024.
• Organized and participated in science outreach programs and workshops for general public and school students.
• Served as program representative during my master’s at VIT University, conveying feedback on education, teaching, and research to the university’s governing body.
• Oversaw the common biology lab during my Ph.D., ensuring smooth operations, equipment maintenance, and reporting issues to administration.
• Hosted and anchored 1st Research Scholars Day at INST Mohali and 1st Annual Meeting of Chemical Biology Unit (AMCBU-2021) at INST Mohali.

During my Ph.D. I have participated in writing several project grants along with my Ph.D. supervisor and have successfully secured one project funding by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India in the year 2019.

• Microbiology
• Protein biochemistry
• Molecular biology
• Biophysics
• Nanobiotechnology

• Trained in instrumental Indian classical music (Spanish guitar).
• Blue belt in martial arts (Taekwondo).

• The Biophysical Society, 2021-2023
• The Protein Society, 2022-2023

• Cooking
• Reading
• Watching documentaries, debates, movies,
• Listening to music
• Playing guitar