Bharathkumar RAJAGOPAL

I’m an early-career researcher who’s always been curious about how biotechnology can help us understand and tackle environmental problems. Both my previous work and my intended PhD aim to build an interdisciplinary approach by bringing together different scientific areas.

I have fair experience with analytical techniques and always enjoy learning more about them. Whenever I get the chance, I try to study and operate different instruments with proper guidance. Over time, this has made me comfortable with most analytical tools commonly used in environmental research.

If you’re working in environmental science, you probably know that we usually begin by characterising materials and pollutants using advanced analytical techniques to understand their structure and physico-chemical properties. That’s how most of my projects start too, because this step forms the basis for further studies. In my dissertation, after characterising microplastics, I worked on environmental risk assessment. I used toxicological assays to study their effects on both in vitro and in vivo models. Alongside this, I’m interested in microbial systems, especially the role microbes play in environmental processes. I often try to combine these areas in my work to get a broader prospective of the problem.

I completed my Master’s in Biotechnology with First class distinction (CGPA 8.75 out of 10) at Amity University, Uttar Pradesh. At present, I am working independently under the supervision of Dr. Boobal Rangaswamy, who also my adviser during my undergraduate studies. We are currently working on projects related to the ecotoxicology and the microbial ecology.

While my name is right up there, I usually go by Bharath. If you’re unsure how to pronounce my name, here’s a quick pronunciation guide 🔍.

Science, for me, is less about having answers and more about learning to ask better questions.