Congratulations to Monica Saifi-Biological Sciences- Young Scientist – Award Winner 2023
Monica Saifi-Biological Sciences
Heartiest Congratulations on Your Young Scientist Award, Dr. Monica Saifi, It is with immense joy and pride that we extend our warmest congratulations to you on receiving the Young Scientist Award. Your exceptional contributions to the field of plant biotechnology and your dedication to advancing research have rightfully earned you this prestigious honor. Your unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with your profound expertise in Plant Metabolic Engineering, Genome Editing, and Medicinal Plants, has set a remarkable standard in the scientific community. This Young Scientist Award is a testament to your hard work, passion, and the impact you've made in your field
professional profile:
Early Academic Pursuits
Dr. Monica Saifi embarked on her academic journey with a Bachelor's degree in Science, majoring in Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry. She continued her educational pursuits with a Master's degree in Biotechnology from Jamia Hamdard, where she delved into subjects such as Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Plant Physiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Immunology, Bioinformatics, and Plant Biotechnology. Her academic journey reached its pinnacle with a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the same institution, focusing on "In silico analysis, modulation and expression of miRNAs in Stevia rebaudiana to evaluate their impact on accumulation of steviol glycosides."
Professional Endeavors
Dr. Monica Saifi has accumulated more than twelve years of research experience in the field of plant biological sciences, specializing in Plant Metabolic Engineering of Medicinal plants, Plant Tissue Culture, and Genome Editing. Her significant roles include being a Research Scientist and Project Coordinator at M/s Hydrogreen Leaf Pvt. Ltd., where she contributed to genome editing in Cannabis spp. to develop THC-free plants for improved therapeutic efficacy. She also served as a Guest Faculty at Jamia Hamdard, teaching various aspects of biotechnology to M.Sc. and B.Sc. Biotechnology students.
Contributions and Research Focus
Dr. Saifi's research interests span across Plant Metabolic Engineering, Plant Biotechnology, Plant Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering, Genome Editing, Plant Tissue Culture, Nutraceutical Research, Medicinal Plants, and Plant Biodiversity and Evolution. Her notable contributions include work on CRISPR/Cpf1 genome editing in rice and in silico analysis of miRNAs in Stevia rebaudiana to evaluate their impact on the accumulation of steviol glycosides.
Accolades and Recognition
Dr. Monica Saifi has received several accolades, including the World Intellectual Property Accreditation Scholar Medal for her outstanding performance in "Plant Molecular Biology." She was awarded first prize for the best paper presentation in the National Seminar on Biotechnology in Health Care at Jamia Hamdard in 2017. Additionally, she qualified GATE with 90 percentiles in Life Sciences in 2011 and received UGC-Maulana Azad National Fellowship in 2012.
Impact and Influence
Dr. Saifi's impact is evident in her extensive list of research papers, patent publications, and her role as an editor for a special issue on "Functional Genomics of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis in Medicinal Plants" in Frontiers in Genetics. Her teaching experience, along with her efforts in organizing conferences and workshops, showcases her commitment to knowledge dissemination and academic enrichment.
Legacy and Future Contributions
Dr. Monica Saifi's legacy is marked by her dedication to advancing knowledge in plant biotechnology and her role in fostering collaborations. Her future contributions are anticipated to further enrich the field of life sciences, with a focus on sustainable development, genetic engineering, and the exploration of plant biodiversity.
Enhancement of diterpenoid steviol glycosides by co-overexpressing SrKO and SrUGT76G1 genes in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni 2023
Integrated miRNA, target mRNA, and metabolome profiling of Tinospora cordifolia with reference to berberine biosynthesis 2022 (3)