Hena Dhar

Hena Dhar is an Assistant Professor at Shoolini University, specialising in microbiology, enzymology, microbial genomics, metagenomics, and metabolic engineering. She earned her PhD in Microbiology from AcSIR at the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, following a master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Bikaner and a BSc from Government Degree College, Dharamshala.  

With over seven years of post-doctoral experience, her research focuses on the microbial production of high-value biomolecules, including enzymes and nutraceuticals. Her notable achievements include developing a rapid method for detecting microbial cellulases, recombinant production and characterisation of the endoglucanase enzyme, and metabolic engineering approaches to enhance microbial production of health-beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. She also investigates microbial diversity through culture-dependent and culture-independent methods to identify novel genes and microbes for industrial and health-related applications.  

As a researcher, she has published over 21 articles in high-impact journals and received prestigious fellowships and competitive grants, including the DST-INSPIRE Faculty Award. She successfully led a project funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under the Early Career Research Award (ECRA) scheme as Principal Investigator.  

Combining her expertise in advanced microbiological research with a passion for teaching and mentoring, Hena Dhar continues to contribute significantly to biotechnology and microbiology, inspiring the next generation of scientists.