Uma Ramakrishnan is an Indian molecular ecologist and professor at National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore. Her research investigates population genetics and evolutionary history of mammals in the Indian subcontinent, including work to save India’s tigers.[1] In July 2019, she was elected as a fellow to the Indian National Science Academy.[2]
Ramakrishnan joined NCBS in 2005 as an assistant professor.[citation needed] Her lab developed methods to conduct population monitoring and landscape/population genetics with tiger fecal samples.[4] Her previous projects include work on contrasting population structure between commensal and wild rodents, and understanding drivers of diversification in montane bird communities in the Western Ghats.[4]Ramakrishnan has worked with the tiger expert and former director of Wildlife Conservation Society- India, K. Ullas Karanth. Together with Karanth, Ramakrishnan's lab used genetic sampling to estimate the tiger population in Bandipur National Park.[5] Her research on the connectivity of tiger populations in Central India was presented in court to stay the widening of NH7 which cuts across the Kanha-Pench corridor.[6]
Conservation priorities for endangered Indian tigers through a genomic lens, Scientific Reports[11]
Rapid multiplex PCR based species identification of wild tigers using non-invasive samples, Conservation Genetics.[12]
Commensalism facilitates gene flow in mountains: a comparison between two Rattus species [1]
Identifying species, sex and individual tigers and leopards in the Malenad-Mysore Tiger Landscape, Western Ghats, India - Mondol, S., Kumar, N.S., Gopalaswamy, A. et al. Conservation Genet Resour (2015) 7: 353. doi:10.1007/s12686-014-0371-9 [2]
Reassessment of the distribution and threat status of the Western Ghats endemic bird, Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis - V. V. Robin*,†, C. K. Vishnudas* and Uma Ramakrishnan [3]
Awards and honours
Ramanujan Fellowship, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (2010)[13]