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Dr. Vidhya Prakash

Assistant Professor , School of Biotechnology, Amritapuri

Qualification: MSc, Ph.D
vidhyaprakash@am.amrita.edu
Research Interest: Bacteriocins Isolation, Probiotics / Prebiotics / Functional Foods, Purification and Applications, Sanitation Biotechnology, Waste Water Treatment and Solid Waste Management

Bio Publications Awards/ Honors Extension Activities Dissertations Guided Teaching Funded Research Projects
Bio

Vidhya Prakash currently serves as Assistant Professor at Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amritapuri. She received her Ph.D. in Life Sciences from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in 2023.

Professional Affiliations (Roles):

Currently serves as Academic coordinator, UG Programs, School of Biotechnology.

Educational Qualification:

Ph.D. in Life Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

  • 2002 – 2009: M. Sc. (Microbiology) GRD College of Science, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore
  • 2004: PG Diploma in Bioinformatics, GRD College of Science, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore

Research Interests

Publications

Journal Article

Year : 2023

Harnessing the probiotic properties and immunomodulatory effects of fermented food-derivedLimosilactobacillus fermentum strains: implications for environmental enteropathy

Cite this Research Publication : Prakash V, Madhavan A, Veedu AP, Babu P, Jothish A, Nair SS, Suhail A, Prabhakar M, Sain T, Rajan R, Somanathan P, Abhinand K, Nair BG and Pal S (2023) Harnessing the probiotic properties and immunomodulatory effects of fermented food-derivedLimosilactobacillus fermentum strains: implications for environmental enteropathy. Front. Nutr. 10:1200926. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1200926

Publisher : Frontiers

Year : 2021

Synergistic Effects of Limosilactobacillus fermentum ASBT-2 with Oxyresveratrol Isolated from Coconut Shell Waste

Cite this Research Publication : Prakash V, Krishnan AS, Ramesh R, Bose C, Pillai GG, Nair BG, Pal S. Synergistic Effects of Limosilactobacillus fermentum ASBT-2 with Oxyresveratrol Isolated from Coconut Shell Waste. Foods. 2021 Oct 22;10(11):2548. doi: 10.3390/foods10112548. PMID: 34828830; PMCID: PMC8622123.

Publisher : Foods

Year : 2020

Draft Genome Sequence of a Lactobacillus fermentum Strain Isolated from Domestic Sewage in Kerala, India

Cite this Research Publication : Pradeesh Babu, Veedu, A. Palillam, Vidhya Prakash, Megha Prasad, Amrita Salim, Madhavan, A., Dr. Bipin G. Nair, and Pal, S., “Draft Genome Sequence of a Lactobacillus fermentum Strain Isolated from Domestic Sewage in Kerala, India”, Microbiology Resource Announcements, vol. 9, 2020.

Publisher : Microbiology Resource Announcements

Year : 2018

Antagonistic Effects of Bacteriocins from Lactobacillus Spp. against Enteric Pathogens

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, H. Sreetha, K. H. Poornima, K. N. Lakshmimol, R. Regma, H. Fathima, T. V. Vishnu, S. Venu, Dr. Bipin G. Nair, and Dr. Sanjay Pal, “Antagonistic Effects of Bacteriocins from Lactobacillus Spp. against Enteric Pathogens”, Pollution Research Paper, vol. 37, pp. 128-134, 2018.

Publisher : Pollut. Res.

Conference Proceedings

Year : 2023

Exploring the Probiotic and Immunomodulatory Properties of S. warneri MN336185 isolated from Fermented Rice Water

Cite this Research Publication : Exploring the Probiotic and Immunomodulatory Properties of S. warneri MN336185 isolated from Fermented Rice Water. Proceedings of Microbiome: Human, Plant, and Environmental Health - Applications and Challenges (UAE Microbiome 2023).

Year : 2022

Exploration of Probiotic Properties and Antagonistic Traits of Staphylococcus warneri Isolated from Fermented Rice Water

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Exploration of Probiotic Properties and Antagonistic Traits of Staphylococcus warneri Isolated from Fermented Rice Water". Proceedings of 34th Kerala Science Congress-2022

Publisher : Proceedings of 34th Kerala Science Congress

Year : 2020

Synergistic effects of probiotic strains with oxyresveratrol isolated from agro-waste –A value addition approach

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, Synergistic effects of probiotic strains with oxyresveratrol isolated from agro-waste –A value addition approach. Proceedings of International Webinar on Phytochemistry-2020

Publisher : Proceedings of International Webinar on Phytochemistry

Year : 2019

Probiotic properties of Lactobacillus fermentum strains isolated from rice water and lemon pickle

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Probiotic properties of Lactobacillus fermentum strains isolated from rice water and lemon pickle”, Proceedings of Biospectrum-2019; International Conference on Advances in Food and Industrial Biotechnology. 2019.

Publisher : Proceedings of Biospectrum-2019 International Conference on Advances in Food and Industrial Biotechnology

Year : 2017

Partial Purification and Characterisation of Potential Bacteriocin Producers from Fermented Rice Water

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Partial Purification and Characterisation of Potential Bacteriocin Producers from Fermented Rice Water”, Proceedings of 27th Swadeshi Science Congress. 2017.

Publisher : Proceedings of 27th Swadeshi Science Congress

Year : 2016

Studies on Antagonistic Effects of Partially Purified Bacteriocins from Microflora of Fermented Vegetables Against Enteric Pathogens

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Studies on Antagonistic Effects of Partially Purified Bacteriocins from Microflora of Fermented Vegetables Against Enteric Pathogens”, NextGen Genomics, Biology, Bioinformatics and Technologies (NGBT) Conference. 2016.

Publisher : NGBT

Year : 2015

Effects of Nisin in Enhancing the Effect of Conventional Antibiotics against a Few Enteric Pathogens: An in Vitro Study

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Effects of Nisin in Enhancing the Effect of Conventional Antibiotics against a Few Enteric Pathogens: An in Vitro Study”, Proceedings of International Conference on New Horizons in Biotechnology (NHBT-2015). 2015.

Publisher : NHBT-2015

Year : 2015

Detection, Partial Purification and Characterization of Bacteriocins from Microflora of Pineapple Wine

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Detection, Partial Purification and Characterization of Bacteriocins from Microflora of Pineapple Wine”, Kerala Science congress . 2015.

Publisher : Kerala Science congress

Year : 2013

Studies on Biofilm Inhibition and Antibacterial Activity of Plant Extracts Against Dental Plaque Pathogens

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Studies on Biofilm Inhibition and Antibacterial Activity of Plant Extracts Against Dental Plaque Pathogens”, International Conference on Biotechnology for Innovative Applications Amrita Bioquest 2013. 2013.

Publisher : International Conference on Biotechnology for Innovative Applications Amrita Bioquest 2013

Year : 2013

Studies on biofilm inhibition and antibacterial properties of plant extractsagainst Streptococcus mutans

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, ,, Surendran, S., Krishnan, A., Mohan, A., Nair, P., and Nair, B., “Studies on biofilm inhibition and antibacterial properties of plant extractsagainst Streptococcus mutans”, Amrita Bioquest 2013. 2013.

Publisher : Amrita Bioquest 2013

Year : 2011

Enhancement of Biodegradative Activity in Commercial and Lab Scale Compost Preparations with Lignocellulolytic Bacteria and Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria as Supplements – A Comparative Study

Cite this Research Publication : Vidhya Prakash, “Enhancement of Biodegradative Activity in Commercial and Lab Scale Compost Preparations with Lignocellulolytic Bacteria and Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria as Supplements - A Comparative Study”, Proceedings of International Conference on New Horizons in Biotechnology (NHBT-2011). 2011.

Publisher : NHBT-2011

Awards/ Honors
  • Amrita Innovation & Research Awards (AIRA 2024)
  •  Best Paper Award in ‘International Webinar on Phytochemistry-2020’ organized by Kerala Academy of Sciences.
  • Best Young Researcher Award at Biospectrum 2019 – International Conference on Advances in Food and Industrial Biotechnology.
Extension Activities
  • Subject matter expert (SME) in field of Microbiology developing Sakshat Amrita Virtual Labs project which is an initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) under National Mission on Education (NME) through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Amrita .
  • Subject matter expert in Biology for Online learning labs (O-labs), educational initiative pioneered by CREATE @ Amrita, in partnership with CDAC, Mumbai under a research grant from the Department of Information Technology,Government of India.
Dissertations Guided

Under Graduate Dissertations Guided (BRITE Projects)

  1. Investigations on probiotic characterization of L. plantarum and L. casei isolated from indigenous food (2020)
  2. Studies on characterisation of probiotic properties of Lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented foods (2019)
  3. Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Vanadium pentoxide Nanofibrils (2019)
  4. Probiotic mediated control of enteric infections in C.elegans (2018)
  5. Antagonistic Effects of Bacteriocins from Lactobacillus Spp. against Enteric Pathogens. An in vivo study (2017)
  6. Studies on antagonistic effects of partially purified bacteriocins from microflora of fermented vegetables against enteric pathogens (2016)
  7. Effects of Nisin in enhancing the efficiency of conventional antibiotics against a few enteric pathogens: An in vitro study.(2015)
  8. Screening, Identification and characterization of Bacteriocins isolated from wine flora (2014)
  9. Partial purification and characterization of bacteriocins from fermented carrot.(2013)
  10. Studies on biofilm inhibition and antibacterial activity of plant extracts against dental plaque pathogens (2012)
  11. Enhancement of biodegradative activity in commercial and lab scale compost preparations with lignocellulolytic bacteria and nitrogen fixing bacteria as supplements-a comparative study (2011)
  12. Antimicrobial activity of different plant parts and their comparative effect with antibiotics (2010)
  13. Bio enhancing property of cow’s urine in combination with antibiotics and natural plant extracts (2010)
  14. Effects of inorganic salts on antibacterial effects of phenolic compounds (2010)

PG Dissertations Guided

  1. Evaluation of virulence factors and resistance genes in Staphylococcus warneri & Lactobacillus strains isolated from fermented foods (2020)
  2. Studies on enhancing synergistic effects of protective cultures with oxyresveratrol: an in vitro study (2020)
  3. Partial purification and characterisation of potential bacteriocin producers from fermented rice water. Dissertation submitted to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam (2017)
  4. Identification of bioactive compounds from bacterial strains isolated from indigenous milk sample (2021)
  5. Screening of virulence genes in probiotic strains isolated from fermented rice water (2021)
  6. Studies exploring synbiotic potential of probiotic strains with oxyresveratrol (2021)
Teaching
  1. BIO207/Immunology/3 credits/B.Sc. Biotechnology & B.Sc. Microbiology Semester 4
  2. MIC180 / Introductory Microbiology Lab / 2 Credits / B.Sc. Biotechnology & B.Sc. Microbiology Semester 1
  3. MIC100 / Introductory Microbiology / 3 Credits / B.Sc. Biotechnology & B.Sc. Microbiology Semester 1
  4. MIC207 / Food Microbiology / 3 Credits /  B.Sc. Microbiology Semester 4
  5. MIC283 / Food Microbiology Lab / 3 Credits /  B.Sc. Microbiology Semester 4
  6. MIC214 / Microbial Physiology and Metabolism / 4 Credits /  B.Sc. Microbiology Semester 4
  7. MIC402 / Microbial Physiology / 2 Credits /  M.Sc. Microbiology Semester 1
  8. MIC 407 / Microbiology / 2 credits / M.Sc. Biotechnology & Microbiology Semester 1
  9. MIC 480 / Microbiology Lab / 2 credits / M.Sc. Biotechnology & Microbiology Semester 1
  10. MIC 503/Food Microbiology/2 credits/M.Sc Microbiology/Semester 3
  11. BIO485/Industrial Biotechnology Lab/2 Credits/M.Sc. Biotechnology & M.Sc. Microbiology/Semester 3
  12. MIC509/Environmental & Agricultural Microbiology/3 Credits/M.Sc. Microbiology/Semester 3
  13. BIO399/ B.Sc Dissertation/Thesis /7 Credits/B.Sc. Biotechnology & B.Sc. Microbiology/Semester 6
  14. MIC599/M.Sc. Dissertation/Thesis/ 10 credits/M.Sc. Biotechnology & M.Sc Microbiology/Semester 4
Funded Research Projects

Sanitation Biotechnology Lab

  • Contributed to Development of bacteriophages and lytic agents to target and kill pathogens and odor-producing bacteria in faecal waste / Funded by DBT-BIRAC-BMGF (Govt of India – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) (Completed)
  • Subject matter expert (SME) in field of Microbiology developing Sakshat Amrita Virtual Labs(link is external) project which is an initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) under National Mission on Education (NME) through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Amrita .
  • Subject matter expert in Biology for Online learning labs (O-labs)(link is external), educational initiative pioneered by CREATE @ Amrita, in partnership with CDAC, Mumbai under a research grant from the Department of Information Technology, Government of India.
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