Dr Logeshwaran Panneerselvan

My research expertise over last 5 years has been on the environmental remediation of organophosphorus compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by bacteria. I was awarded with International Post Graduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) by Commonwealth of Australia to conduct my research at the Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia, on the enzymatic detoxification of organophosphorus pesticides, Fenamiphos and Malathion by Microbacterium sp. MM1 under the supervision of Prof. Megharaj Mallavarapu, Dr. Kannan Krishnan and Prof. Ravi Naidu. My PhD research has demonstrated that the enzymes isolated from Microbacterium sp. MM1 was capable of efficient detoxification of organophosphorus compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. As a world’s first report, I have successfully purified and identified enzyme capable of detoxifying organophosphorus neurotoxic compounds. Gene(s) responsible for the degradation of environmental pollutants have been characterised. Molecular docking and dynamics studies conducted with the homology modelled enzyme from Microbacterium sp. MM1 has showed potential binding with chemical warfare agents. Due to the promising nature of the enzyme that can be used for the detoxification of stock pile chemical warfare agents particularly “V-type” nerve agents, a preliminary provisional patent application has been submitted to the patenting authority and I am expecting to get the approval for provisional patent anytime soon. Alongside the hydrolytic pathways of potential enzymes capable of detoxifying other structurally similar pollutants are being currently explored through site-directed mutagenesis.

After completing my PhD, I got an opportunity to work as Research Assistant at the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Risk Assessment and Remediation (CRC-CARE) at the University of South Australia on the eco and genotoxicity of fluorinated Class B and bush firefighting compounds to aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia carinata), aquatic plants (Lemna minor. L.), fishes (Danio rerio), earthworms (Eisenia fetida). From the results it is evident that both fluorinated and non-fluorinated firefighting products cause both ecotoxicity and genotoxicity to the test organism.

Prior to commencing PhD at University of South Australia, I was twice employed as a Senior Research Fellow at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. One of the project aimed at assessing the long term impact of distillery effluent application to soil and crop potential funded by Sakthi Sugars, India. During the period of employment (October 2008 to February 2009), Soil and water analysis and characterization was done in more than 500 sites and a field trail was carried out  with maize (Zea mays) crop irrigated with various combination of distillery effluent showed positive relationship in terms of growth and yield with respect to the increasing concentration of effluent. Another project entitled “IPM-CRSP Research and Education in South Asia” funded by Virginia Tech, USA and USAID. During this employment (September 2007 to June 2008), I was involved in the identification of Cry proteins in Bacillus thuringiensis transformed egg plants using immuno strips and also performing bioassays with neonates of Lepidoptera and Spodoptera. Also assisted professors with preparation of laboratory manual and conducting laboratory sessions for the course “ABT 404 – Industrial Biotechnology” for B.Tech in Biotechnology students at TNAU, India.

I have completed my postgraduate diploma in nanobiotechnology through Life Science Foundation of India, Karanataka, India. I have completed my Master in Agricultural Microbiology in 2007 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. My Master’s thesis entitled “Assessment on bio-control properties and plant growth promoting potential of Gluconacetobater diazotrophicus”. I have obtained an overall grade point average (OGPA) of 9.06 out of 10.0. My undergraduate degree was in Horticulture in 2005 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University with an OGPA of 9.39 out of 10.0.