Ila Joshi

Ila Joshi is an Assistant Professor at the School of Bio-Engineering and Food Technology. She earned her PhD from ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, specialising in Plant-Pathogen Interactions using advanced Next-Generation Sequencing and transcriptomics techniques. Her research focused on identifying important Meloidogyne incognita effector genes related to root-knot nematode parasitism, addressing a significant agricultural issue.   

Asst Prof Ila used HD-RNAi technology to make Arabidopsis resistant to nematodes by silencing genes related to parasitism. This innovative method offers a new way to protect crops. She has led impactful projects, such as the characterisation and transcriptome analysis of seed protein, beta-carotene, and mineral content in chickpeas, with funding from NASF in 2019. She also researched how DNA changes during drought stress and discovered important genes and microRNAs that help chickpeas tolerate drought, supported by DST-SERB.  

Asst Prof Ila has also published papers in respected international journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Plant Science, and Plant Science. Following her doctorate, Ila contributed to animal vaccine research in the R&D division of Biovet Pvt Ltd (Bharat Biotech International Ltd.) in Bangalore and collaborated with neurosurgeon Dr NK Venkatramana on stem cell research. She later co-founded Agroww Livestock and Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd., where she developed advanced farm management protocols focusing on animal welfare.