Professor Pravindra Kumar is an Indian biophysicist, bioinformatician, biochemist and Professor & Head Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute Of Technology–Roorkee (IIT–Roorkee) India. He is known for his work on protein-protein interactions, protein engineering and structure-based drug design. Prof. Pravindra Kumar's primary research interest lies in studying Bacterial enzymes and
pathways involved in the degradation of toxic aromatic compounds, such as PCBs, dibenzofuran, chlorodibenzofurans, DDT, dyes, and plastics/plasticizers. He focuses particularly on oxidoreductases enzymes due to their unique ability to catalyze challenging reactions, with a special emphasis on understanding their catalytic mechanisms and structural basis for guiding protein engineering. One notable achievement of his research group is the successful engineering of dioxygenases capable of metabolizing various toxic compounds, including those found in plastics (J. Bacteriol. 2016, BBRC 2012, JMB 2011, J.Biol. Chem. 2011).
Biography
The global surge in plastic consumption has led to the "Plastic Age," prompting his interest in
finding innovative strategies for PET bioconversion and recycling through the engineering of
robust enzymes and microbial strains. Toxic substances, such as phthalate and terephthalate,
commonly found in plastic bottles, packaging, personal care items, and industrial waste, leading
to their detection in various aquatic environments. These toxic substances cause cancer and heart
diseases and have been found to disrupt the endocrine system and have adverse effects on
reproductive health and physical growth. Hiss recent work has resulted in determining the first
crystal structures of key enzymes involved in the degradation of phthalates and terephthalate,
leading to the successful engineering of oxidoreductases with remarkable abilities to metabolize
these toxic compounds (J. Biol. Chem., 2021; J. Bacteriol., 2021; Arch. of Biochem. and
Biophys., 2022). Additionally, he has also developed a phthalate binding protein-based system
for extracting phthalates from contaminated water. Prof. Kumar's lab has engineered potent
microbial enzymes to eliminate these harmful substances from the atmosphere, potentially
mitigating environmental contamination.This was helpful for the development of biological
systems that convert waste plastic into valuable products, promoting a circular economy and
reducing plastic waste's environmental impact.
Further, his contributions extend to antimicrobial research, where he has made significant strides.
Notably, he successfully determined the crystal structure of a crucial bacterial enzyme (OXA-58)
and identified a novel inhibitor that shows promise in combating antibiotic resistance
(Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015; Mol Biosys. 2016; JMB 2019). Moreover, his research
efforts have identified potential drug targets in Moraxella catarrhalis, leading to the discovery of
new inhibitors that could be utilized in developing novel antimicrobials (Acta Crystallogr D
2015; Biochim Biophys Acta. 2018; Biochemie. 2018; Arch. of Biochem. and Biophys., 2020;
Biochemie. 2022).
In addition to his antimicrobial research, Prof. Kumar's laboratory has explored the antibacterial
properties of chlorogenic acid, a natural compound found in various plant species, as a potential
new class of antibiotics (Sci. Rep. 2017; J. Bacteriol., 2020). Furthermore, his team has
extensively studied the structural aspects of plant proteins and secondary metabolites from
medicinal plants, leading to various discoveries with potential therapeutic implications (FEBS J
2012; PLoS One. 2013; Proteins; Proteomics 2015; Sci. Rep. 2017; Sci. Rep. 2020).
Through collaboration, his team has discovered novel antivirals and patented an enzyme assay
and kit for identifying inhibitors of alphavirus/Chikungunya virus (PLoS One 2013; J Virol.
2014; Sci Rep. 2017; Antiviral Res. 2017; Virology 2018; Virus Res. 2021; Virology 2022;
FEBS J 2022).
Prof. Pravindra Kumar's wide-ranging contributions to the understanding of enzymes, bacterial
pathways, and potential drug targets have significant implications for both national and
international issues. His research on plastics degradation can help address environmental
pollution and promote sustainable practices in waste management. Additionally, his
antimicrobial work offers promising solutions to combat antibiotic resistance and emerging viral
threats, benefiting global public health efforts. Furthermore, his investigations into plant
therapeutic proteins contribute to the advancement of medicinal sciences and the development of
novel therapies for various ailments. Pravindra Kumar also focuses his interest on protein engineering and interactions as well as drug design and leads a team of researchers.[1] In 2017, his team worked on Chlorogenic acid, an aromatic compound found naturally in plants like coffea and their biochemical and structural studies using x-ray crystallography techniques revealed that the compound had anti-bacterial properties.[2] The discovery is reported to have opportunities in the development of a new class of antibiotics[3] as the compound clings to the chorismate mutase enzyme in the shikimate pathway which assists in the synthesis of aromatic amino acids and this could inhibit the growth of bacteria.[4] His studies have been documented by way of a number of articles[5][note 1] and ResearchGate, an online repository of scientific articles has listed 117 of them.[6]
Prof. Pravindra Kumar received a prestigious award as the chairperson from the Ashok Soota Foundation. Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman of Happiest Minds Technologies Limited, is widely recognized as one of the pioneering leaders of the Indian IT industry. As a serial entrepreneur, he has led both companies where he was founding Chairman to very successful IPOs: Happiest Minds (2020) and MindTree (2007).
A Fellow, Biotech Research Society, India (BRSI) in 2021.
ASM-IUSSTF INDO-US Visiting Professorship in 2017.
IUSSTF Award for organizing Indo-US workshop and Symposium in 2014.
BOYSCAST award from Department of Science and Technology, India and Visiting Scientist to USA in 2008.
Visiting Scientist at Purdue University, USA from May - July 2006.
National Bioscience Award by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India in 2016.
S.V. TALEKAR MEDAL for Best Post Graduate Degree in AIIMS, DELHI in 2001.
Dalal, Vipin; Golemi-Kotra, Dasantila; Kumar, Pankaj (2022). "Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics studies on the catalytic mechanism of a novel esterase (FmtA) of Staphylococcus aureus". Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. 62 (10): 2409–2420. doi:10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00057. PMID35475370. S2CID248404244.
Katiki, Madhuri; Sharma, Monica; Neetu, Neetu; Rentala, Manohar; Kumar, Pankaj (2022). "Biophysical and modeling-based approach for the identification of inhibitors against DOHH from Leishmania donovani". Briefings in Functional Genomics. 22 (2): 217–226. doi:10.1093/bfgp/elab017. PMID33758917.
Singh, Vijay; Dhankhar, Pooja; Dalal, Vipin; Tomar, Shailly; Kumar, Pankaj (2022). "In-silico functional and structural annotation of hypothetical protein from Klebsiella pneumonia: A potential drug target". Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling. 116: 108262. doi:10.1016/j.jmgm.2022.108262. PMID35839717. S2CID250202477.