Dr. Jibu Thomas
Professor & Head, Division of Biotechnology
Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Education:
B.Sc. (Botany); M.Sc. (Botany); Ph.D. (Plant Physiology)
Email Id:
Dr. Jibu Thomas, M.Sc., Ph.D., is a Professor and Head in the Division of Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biosciences, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences. He joined KITS on 01.05.2010. He completed his B.Sc. in Botany from Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirapally, in 2000 and M.Sc. in Botany from Jamal Mohamed College, Tiruchirapally, in 2002, securing University First Rank and Gold Medal. He obtained his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Bharathiar University through UPASI Tea Research Institute, Valparai, in 2008. He also served as a UGC Research Awardee under the Postdoctoral Research Scheme in Plant Biotechnology at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences from 2014 to 2016.
Dr. Jibu Thomas has teaching experience in Plant Secondary Metabolites and Therapeutics, Biopharmaceutical Technology, Bioanalytical Techniques, Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, and Plant Physiology. His research interests include genomics, metabolic profiling of secondary metabolites, phytotherapeutics, algae technology, and plant-microbe interactions. His academic and research activities focus on areas related to plant biotechnology, plant physiology, secondary metabolites, microalgae, and microbial applications.
Dr. Jibu Thomas has published research works in journals including Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Scientific Reports, and Biotechnologia. His recent publications cover areas such as flavonoid production, limnic microalgae, phycoremediation, microbial phylogeny, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and plant biotechnology. He has handled several externally funded research projects supported by organizations including the National Tea Research Foundation, United Board, UGC, Division of Biotechnology, SERB-DST, and W2E/BESI Inc., with projects covering DNA barcoding of tea germplasm, drought stress in Camellia sinensis, plant growth-promoting microbial isolates, microalgal phycoremediation, and algae biorefinery.
Dr. Jibu Thomas has published/granted patents in areas including an aerobic pre-fermenter, pathogen control in maize, insect repellent composition from microalgae, a disinfection chamber, and a herbal disinfection composition and dispensing device. He is a member of professional bodies including the Indian Society of Plantation Crops, Association of Microbiologists of India, Association of Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Technology, and National Society for Ethnopharmacology.