Physiology and Biochemistry of cyanobacteria and microalgae including Extremophiles, Environmental Biotechnology; Gene expression study in cyanobacteria under stress, Identification of bioactive molecules / drugs, Bacterial hydrogen production.Current Research Interests and area innovated: Response of cyanobacteria and microalgae (Dunaliella) under stress and metabolic engineering. Isolation of antimicrobial and anticancer molecules from cyanobacteria and green algae. Biofuel production and nanoparticle biosynthesis from microalgae.

1. Deputy Program Coordinator of Centre of Advanced Study in Botany

2. Former coordinator, M.Sc. Applied Microbiology course at PG level and Industrial Microbiology at UG level.

3. INSA-KOSEF Exchange Programme (2007) Chungnam National University (Korea).

4. Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship (2007-08) Durhum University (U K).

5. Banaras Hindu University Merit Fellowship (1984-1985)

6. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi Fellowship awarded, but did not join (1984)

7. National Entrance Test of CSIR, New Delhi, qualified (1984)

8. Junior Research Fellow -Jan., 1985 to 1987

9. Senior Research Fellow -Feb., 1987 to 1989

10. Research Associate in U.G.C.Project (One and half year)

11. Research Associate, C.S.I.R. (Direct Award), 1992-95

12. First position in UP Public Service Commission (U.P. Higher Education Service), Got trained in Genetics and Genetic Engineering Techniques in BARC, Trombay, Bombay, 1993

13. Attended 4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Algal Biotechnology held on July 3-6, 2000 in Hong Kong, Attended and interacted in An International Conference Related to Frontiers of Modern Biology (especially Bioinformatics) held in Tokyo, Japan (Oct. 2002)

14. Nominated Tokyo university under INSA-JSPS Exchange Programme (Sept. 02 to Nov. 27, 2002)

15. Delivered an invited lecture in Yeosu ,Korea during 9th October to 14th October 2011

List of 10 major Publications:

1. Ankita Srivastava, So-Ra Ko, Chi-Yong Ahn, Hee-Mock Oh, Alok Kumar Ravi, Ravi Kumar Asthana (2016) Microcystin biosynthesis and mcyA expression in geographically distinct Microcystis strains under different nitrogen, phosphorus and boron regimes. Biomed research international (IF 2.134) (Accepted)

2. Tiwari, A, Singh, P, Asthana, R. K., (2016) Role of calcium in the mitigation of heat stress in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. J. Plant Physiol 199, 67-75 (IF 2.97)

3. Srivastava, A., Tiwari, R., Srivastava S., Singh T. B., Asthana, R.K., (2015) Fresh Water Cyanobacteria Geitlerinema sp.CCC728 and Arthrospira sp. CCC729 as an Anticancer Drug Resource. PLOS ONE DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0136838 (IF 3.5)

4. Singh, S., Rai P. K., Chau R., Ravi A. K., Neilan B. A., and Asthana R. K. (2015). Temporal variations in microcystin-producing cells and microcystin concentrations in two fresh water ponds. Water Resesrch 69, 131-142. (IF-5.32)

5. Srivastava, A. Ahn, C. Y. Asthana, R. K., Lee, H. G., and Oh H. M. (2015). Status, Alert System, and Prediction of Cyanobacterial Bloom in South Korea. BioMed Research International, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/584696 (IF-2.706)

6. Pankaj K Rai, S.P Singh & R.K Asthana. 2014. Biohydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse by integrating dark- and photo-fermentation. Bioresource Technology, 152:140-146. (IF-4.36)

7. Ankita Srivastava, Shweta Singh, Chi-Yong Ahn, Hee-Mock Oh, and Ravi Kumar Asthana. 2013. Monitoring Approaches for a Toxic Cyanobacterial Bloom Environ. Sci. Technol., 47, 8999-9013 (IF 5.06)

8. Pankaj K Rai, R.K Asthana & S.P Singh. 2013. Optimization of photo-hydrogen production based on cheese whey spent medium. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.(IF 4.086)

9. Srivastava, A., Choi, G-G., Ahn, C-Y., Oh, H-M., Ravi, A.K., Asthana, R.K. 2011. Dynamics of microcystin production and quantification of potentially toxigenic Microcystis sp. using real-time PCR. Water Research. 46, 817-827. (Impact Factor: 6)

10. Katoh H., R.K. Asthana and M. Ohmori (2004). Gene expression in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120 under desiccation. Microbial Ecology 47(2): 164-174. (IF: 3.32)

Additional Information/ Achievements:

1. Joint Secretary, International Symposium on Phycological Research (ISPR-2010).

2. Member, Indisciplinary Committee for Hydrogen Energy, BHU.

3. Teaching experience: P.G. & U.G. Classes: Since Dec 1995 (More than 18 years), Industrial Microbiology since1999 in this dept.; Coordinator of Industrial Microbiology (2011-2014) Introduced a new special paper (MJE--2B) at PG level having one section on Molecular genetics of Cyanobacteria and one paper in New PG Course Applied Microbiology as Environmental Microbiology (CC-8).

4. Member, Interdisciplinary Committee for Hydrogen Energy, BHU

5. Delivered invited lecture in 40th All India Botanical Conference of The Indian Botanical Society held on September 15-17, 2017 organized by Panjabi University, Patiala, Punjab.

6. Delivered inaugural lecture in 16th Probir Chatterjee memorial Lecture held on 2nd Feb 2018, at Dept. of Botany, University of Calcutta.

7. Member of BOS, Bio-technology, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi held on 21st July, 2017.

8. Invited to deliver talk in 4th International conference of Fresh water diversity, current status and its future to be held at Nakdonggang, National Institute of Biological Resources (NNIBR), Republic of Korea on September, 13-14 2018

List of Full Publications:

1. Tiwari, A., Singh, P., Khadim, S. R., Singh, A. K., Singh, U., Singh, P., & Asthana, R. K. (2018). Role of Ca2+ as protectant under heat stress by regulation of photosynthesis and membrane saturation in Anabaena PCC 7120. Protoplasma, 1-11. (IF: 2.457)

2. Khadim, S. R., Singh, P., Singh, A. K., Tiwari, A., Mohanta, A., & Asthana, R. K. (2018). Mass cultivation of Dunaliella salina in a flat plate photobioreactor and its effective harvesting. Bioresource technology, 270, 20-29. (IF:5.8)

3. Singh, P., Khadim, R., Singh, A.K., Singh, U., Maurya, P., Tiwari, A. and Asthana, R.K., (2018). Biochemical and physiological characterization of a halotolerant Dunaliella salina isolated from hypersaline Sambhar Lake, India. Journal of phycology. (IF: 3.0)

4. Srivastava, A., V. K. Singh, S. Patnaik, J. Tripathi, P. Singh, G. Nath, and R. K. Asthana. (2017)."Antimicrobial assay and genetic screening of selected freshwater cyanobacteria and identification of a biomolecule dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one derivative." Journal of Applied Microbiology. (IF:2.15)

5. Singh, A.K., Tiwari, R., Kumar, V., Singh, P., Khadim, S.R., Tiwari, A., Srivastava, V., Hasan, S.H. and Asthana, R.K., (2017). Photo-induced biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from aqueous extract of Dunaliella salina and their anticancer potential. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 166, pp.202-211. (IF: 2.037)

6. Tripathi, M. K., Kumar M., Deepali, Asthana, R. K., and Nigam S. (2017) Proteomic Analysis of Sensitive and Resistant Isolates of Escherichia coli in Understanding Target(s) of a Cyanobacterial Biomolecule Hapalindole-T. J Aquaculture and Research and Development 8:1.

7. Ankita Srivastava, So-Ra Ko, Chi-Yong Ahn, Hee-Mock Oh, Alok Kumar Ravi, Ravi Kumar Asthana (2016) Microcystin biosynthesis and mcyA expression in geographically distinct Microcystis strains under different nitrogen, phosphorus and boron regimes. Biomed research international (IF 2.134)

8. Tiwari, A, Singh, P, Asthana, R. K., (2016) Role of calcium in the mitigation of heat stress in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. J. Plant Physiol 199, 67-75 (IF 2.97)

9. Srivastava, A., Tiwari, R., Srivastava S., Singh T. B., Asthana, R.K., (2015) Fresh Water Cyanobacteria Geitlerinema sp.CCC728 and Arthrospira sp. CCC729 as an Anticancer Drug Resource. PLOS ONE DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0136838 (IF 3.5)

10. Srivastava A, Asthana R.K, (2015) Screening of bioactive molecules from cyanobacteria: a traditional as well as modern approach, Journal of Protein and Proteomics. ISSN: 0975-8151b 5(5).

11. Singh, S., Rai P. K., Chau R., Ravi A. K., Neilan B. A., and Asthana R. K. (2015). Temporal variations in microcystin-producing cells and microcystin concentrations in two fresh water ponds. Water Resesrch 69, 131-142. (IF-5.32)

12. Srivastava, A. Ahn, C. Y. Asthana, R. K., Lee, H. G., and Oh H. M. (2015). Status, Alert System, and Prediction of Cyanobacterial Bloom in South Korea. BioMed Research International, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/584696 (IF-2.706)

13. Akhilesh Pratap Singh, Ravi Kumar Asthana and Subhasha Nigam (2015). A comparison of photopigments and characterization of phycocyanin in cyanobacteria originating from different habitats. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences. Int J Pharm Bio Sci 2015 July; 6(3): (B) 1020 - 1028

14. Shweta Singh, Ravi Kumar Asthana 2014.Assessment of Microcystin Concentration in Carp and Catfish:A Case Study from Lakshmikund Pond, Varanasi, India. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 92:687-692 (IF-1.018)

15. Pankaj K Rai, S.P Singh & R.K Asthana. 2014. Biohydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse by integrating dark- and photo-fermentation. Bioresource Technology, 152:140-146. (IF-4.36)

16. Kumar, M., Singh, P., Tripathi, J., Srivastava, A., Tripathi, M. K., Ravi, A. K., Asthana, R. K. (2014) Identification and structure elucidation of antimicrobial compounds from Lyngbya aestuarii and Aphanothece bullosa. Cell. Mol. Biol. 60 (5): 82-89. doi: 10.14715/cmb/2014.60.5.14 (IF-1.23)

17. Ankita Srivastava, Shweta Singh, Chi-Yong Ahn, Hee-Mock Oh, and Ravi Kumar Asthana. 2013. Monitoring Approaches for a Toxic Cyanobacterial Bloom Environ. Sci. Technol., 47, 8999-9013 (IF 5.06)

18. Pankaj K Rai, R.K Asthana & S.P Singh. 2013. Optimization of photo-hydrogen production based on cheese whey spent medium. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.(IF 4.086)

19. Singh P, Tiwari A, Singh SP, Asthana RK. 2013. Desiccation induced changes in osmolytes production and the antioxidative defence in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants 19 (1):61-68.,

20. Singh P, Tiwari A, Singh SP, Asthana RK. 2013. Proline biosynthesizing enzymes (Glutamate 5-kinase and Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase) from a model cyanobacterium for desiccation tolerance. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants 19 (4) 521-528.

21. Kumar, M., Tripathi, M.K., A, Srivastava., Gour, J.K., Singh, R.K., Tilak, R., Asthana, R. K. 2013. Cyanobacteria, Lyngbya aestuarii and Aphanothece bullosa as antifungal and antileishmanial drug resources. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 3(6):458-63.

22. Kumar, M., M.K, Tripathi., A, Srivastava., Nath, G., Asthana, R.K. 2012. A comparative study of antibacterial activity of brakish and fresh water cyanobacterial strain�. Asian Journal of Experimental Biological Sciences 3: 548-552.

23. Singh, S., Srivastava, A., Oh, H-M., Ahn, C-Y., Choi G-G., Asthana, R. K. 2012. Recent trends in development of biosensors for detection of microcystin. Toxicon 60; 878-894 (Impact Factor: 2.92)

24. Rai, P.K., Singh, S.P., Asthana, R.K. 2012. Biohydrogen production from cheese whey wastewater in a two-step anaerobic process. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 167 (6) 1540-1549. (Impact Factor: 1.84).

25. Gupta, V., Kumar, A., Asthana, R.K. 2012. Serum zinc and copper levels in aplastic anemia. Indian Pediatrics; 49: 493-94. (Impact Factor: 1.048)

26. Tripathi M K, M Kumar, V K Singh, G Nath and R K Asthana. 2012. Use of ERIC PCR in detecting target of Hapalindole-T, a biomolecule isolated from a cyanobacterium, on a reference strain Escherichia coli: In silico validation. American Journal of Binformatics 1 (1): 30-40.

27. Srivastava, A., Choi, G-G., Ahn, C-Y., Oh, H-M., Ravi, A.K., Asthana, R.K. 2011. Dynamics of microcystin production and quantification of potentially toxigenic Microcystis sp. using real-time PCR. Water Research. 46, 817-827. (Impact Factor: 6)

28. Rai, P.K., Singh, S.P., Asthana, R.K. 2011. Prospects of utilizing dairy waste for biohydrogen production. International Journal of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences 1; 3: 263-270.

29. Rai, P.K., Singh, S.P., Asthana, R.K.. 2011. Dairy waste based fermentative H2 production. Journal of Microbial World 13 (2) 207-213.

30. Asthana RK, Maurya A, Srivastava R, Srivastava BS, Singh SP. (2011).Cloning, over-expression, purification and characterisation of maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (MTSase) from a cyanobacterium Anabaena 7120. Current Science 100(3): 96-299.

31. R. K. Asthana, Deepali, M. K. Tripathi, A. Srivastava, A. P. Singh, S. P. Singh, G. Nath, R. Srivastava and B. S. Srivastava (2009) Isolation and identification of a new antibacterial entity from the Antarctic cyanobacterium Nostoc CCC 537. Journal of Applied Phycology; 42:81-8.

32. Kumar, A., Basu, S., Pandey, M., Shukla, R.C. Asthana R. K. 2008. Thymic size in low birth weight newborns. Arch Dis Child; 93: 390-395. (Impact Factor: 3.05)

33. R. K. Asthana, S Nigam, A Maurya, A M Kayastha and S P Singh (2008) Trehalose producing enzymes MTSase and MTHase in Anabaena 7120 under salt stress. Current Microbiology; 56:429-35.

34. Singh S.P., R. K. Asthana, Singh A.P. (2007). Prospects of sugarcane milling waste utilization for hydrogen production in India. Energy Policy; 35;4164�4168.

35. R. K. Asthana, Arunima Srivastava, Akhilesh P. Singh, Deepali, Sureshwar P. Singh, Gopal Nath, Ranjana Srivastava & Brahm S. Srivast ava (2006). Identification of an antimicrobial entity from a cyanobacterium Fischerella sp. isolated from bark of Azadirachta indica (Neem) tree. Journal of Applied Phycology 18,33-39.

36. R. K. Asthana, Arunima Srivastava, Arvind M. Kayastha , Gopal Nath and Sureshwar P. Singh (2006) Antibacterial potential of γ-linolenic acid from Fischerella sp. colonizing Neem tree bark. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 22,443-448.

37. R. K. Asthana, Subhasha Srivastava, Akhilesh P. Singh, Arvind M. Kayastha S.P. Singh (2005). Identification of maltooligosyltrehalose synthase and maltooligosyltrehalose trehalohydrolase enzyme catalyzing trehalose biosynthesis in Anabaena 7120 exposed to NaCl stress. Journal of Plant Physiology; 162: 1030-1037.

38. A.P. Singh, R.K.Asthana, Arvind M Kayastha and S.P. Singh (2005). A comparison of proline, thiol level and GAPDH activity in cyanobacteria of different origin facing temperature-stress. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 21 : 1-9.

39. S.K.Trigun, Akhilesh Pratap Singh, R.K. Asthana, S.K. Singh, S.M. Pandey, R. Mishra and S.P. Singh (2005) Modulation of Lactate Dehydrogenase in Mice Liver by a cyanobacterium Fischerella sp isolated from Neem bark (Azadirachta indica) Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 4(1) : 119-128.

40. Katoh H., R.K. Asthana and M. Ohmori (2004). Gene expression in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120 under desiccation. Microbial Ecology 47(2) : 164-174.

41. Shweta Singh, A.M. Kayastha, R.K. Asthana and S.P. Singh (2004). Response of pea to nickel toxicity. J. Plant Nutrition, 27(9) : 1543-1560.

42. Neetu Singh, R.K. Asthana and S.P. Singh. (2003). Characterisation of an exopolysaccharide mutant of Nostoc spongiaeforme : Zn2+ sorption and uptake. W. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 19 : 851-857.

43. Shweta Singh, Arvind M. Kayastha, R.K. Asthana, Punit K. Srivastava and S.P. Singh. (2001). Response of Rhizobium leguminosarum to nickel stress. W. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 17 : 667-672.

44. Neetu Singh, R.K. Asthana and S.P. Singh. (2000). Calcium-boron interaction in exopolysaccharide production by the cyanobacterium Nostoc spongiaeforme. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (Korean Society for Applied Microbiology), 10(3) : 381-385.

45. Pandey, S., Asthana, R.K., Kayastha, A.M., Singh, N. and Singh, S.P. (1999). Metal uptake and thiol production in Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) SP20. J. Plant Physiology, 154 : 634-640.

46. N. Singh, R.K. Asthana, A.M. Kayastha, S. Pandey, A.K. Chaudhary, S.P. Singh. (1999). Thiol and exopolysaccharide production in a cyanobacterium under heavy metal stress. Process Biochem., 35/(1-2) : 63-68.

47. Sufia K. Kazy, Pinaki Sar, R.K. Asthana and S.P. Singh. (1999). Copper uptake and its compartmentalization in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains: chemical nature of cellular metal. W. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 15(5) : 599-605.

48. Pinaki Sar, Sufia K. Kazy, R.K. Asthana and S.P. Singh. (1999). Metal sorption and desorption studies on lyophilized Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Intl. Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, 44 : 101-110.

49. Sar P., Kazy S.K., Asthana R.K., Singh S.P.(1998). Ni uptake by P. aeruginosa : role of modifying factors. Curr. Microbiol. 37 : 306-311.

50. Chatterjee, S., Asthana, R.K., Tripathi, A.K. and Singh S.P. (1996). Metal removal by selected sorbents. Proc. Biochem. 31 : 457-462.

51. Asthana, R.K., Chatterjee, S.C. and Singh, S.P. (1995). Investigation on Ni-bisorption and its remobilization. Proc. Biochem. 30 : 729-734.

52. Asthana, R.K., Singh, A.L. and Singh, S.P. (1993). A comparison of Ni-sensitive and Ni-resistant cyanobacteruim. W. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 9 : 323-327.

53. Asthana, R.K., Singh S.P. and Singh, R.K. (1992). Nickel effects on phsphate uptake, alkaline phsphatase and ATPase of a cyanobacterium. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 48 : 45-54.

54. Singh, A.L., Asthana, R.K., Srivastava, S.C. and Singh S.P. (1992). Ni-uptake and its localisation in a cyanobacterium. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 99 :165-168.

55. Asthana, R.K., Pandey, P.K. and Singh, S.P. (1990). Nickel regulation of photoautotrophy in a cyanobacterium. Water, Air and Soil Pollut. 52, 263-276.

Chapters contributed to books:

1. Kumar, M., Srivastava, A. and Asthana R.K. (2013) Geographical and niche specific production of biomolecules by cyanobacteria. (eds. Sharma P. R., Yadav R.S., Sharma U.N. in: Interdisciplinary advances in environmental and earth system studies, PP: 389-400, ICBN: 978-81-910059-9-8).

2. Asthana R. K. (2009). A decade odyssey with cyanobacteria: As a source of bioactive molecules and a model for salt stress study. In: Algal Biology and Biotechnology (eds. J I S Khattar, D P Singh and Gurpreet Kaur) I. K. International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. pp. 151-164.

3. Asthana R.K., A.P. Singh, A.K. Chaudhary and S.P. Singh (2002). Metabolites from cyanobacteria : An emerging technology. In : Algology research in India (ed. N. Anand), Published by Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India, pp. 431-434.

4. Asthana, R.K., Pant, A., Chatterjee S. and Singh, S.P. (1996). Compartmentalization of Ni and Hg in Cyanobacteria : Metal Sorption and Desorption In : Current Researches in Plant Sciences (eds. T.A. Sharma et al) Published by Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India). Vol. II, pp.51-57.

5. Singh, S.P., Singh, C.B. and Asthana, R.K. (1994). A comparison of heavy metal toxicity in selected cyanobacteria. In : Recent Advances in Phycology (eds. A.K. Kashyap and H.D. Kumar, Rastogi Publication, Meerut) pp. 303-312.