Dr. Rehna Augustine

Dr. Rehna Augustine has obtained her Ph.D. Degree from National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi (Jawaharlal Nehru University) in 2013. She has about four years of research experience as Post-doctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research and more than one year of experience as Research Scientist at Agrigenome Labs, Pvt. Ltd. Kochi, before joining KAU in 2019. Her main research focus is on nutritional quality improvement of important food and oil crops through CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene editing and RNAi mediated gene silencing. She has published research papers in highly reputed journals like Plant Cell, Plant Biotechnology Journal, Plant Cell Environment, Journal of Experimental Botany etc. She has an Indian patent also to her credit. Dr. Rehna is the recipient of prestigious awards like “NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award 2016” from National Academy of Sciences, India, Allahabad, “INSA Medal for Young Scientist 2015” from Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, “Jawaharlal Nehru Award for outstanding P.G. Doctoral thesis in agriculture and allied subjects, 2014 from Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=iZvhxqEAAAAJ

ResearchGate:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rehna-Augustine

Awards/recognitions

Selected member NASI (2024)

SERB-Women Excellence Award 2020 from Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi

NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award 2016 from National Academy of Sciences, India, Allahabad,

INSA Medal for Young Scientist 2015 from Indian National Science Academy.

Jawaharlal Nehru award for outstanding P.G. Doctoral thesis research in agricultural and allied sciences, 2014, from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India.

Best scientific presentation award and Gold Medal for Sciefflux- student’s research symposium held at National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.

Best score award and Gold Medal for Ph.D. course work at National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.

Junior and Senior Research Fellowship from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R.), New Delhi for pursuing Ph.D.

Qualified National Eligibility Test (for lectureship/Assistant Professorship) in Plant Biotechnology conducted by ASRB/ICAR, New Delhi in 2006 and in life sciences conducted by C.S.I.R., New Delhi in 2007.

Best poster award under the theme “Innovative agriculture practices and livestock management” at India International Science Festival (IISF-2016), held during December 7-11, at New Delhi.

Projects as Principal Investigator

SERB POWER research grant on “CRISPR/Cas mediated metabolome editing and genomics assisted glucosinolate pathway elucidation of the miracle tree Moringa oleifera Lam.” funded by Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi (Ongoing)

SERB-WEA project “CRISPR Cas9 mediated targeted editing of OsMADS26 gene for multiple stress tolerance in rice” funded by Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi (completed)

MicroRNA editing for enhancing yield in rice, funded by Kerala State Planning Board (Ongoing)

CRISPR/Cas mediated targeted editing of host factor/susceptibility genes for viral disease resistance in vegetable crops, funded by Kerala State Planning Board (Ongoing)

Strengthening frontier areas of research on plant biotechnology funded by Kerala State Planning Board (Completed)

Membership in professional bodies

Life member, Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) 

Life member, Society for Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (SPBB)

Patents/publications

Patent

Indian patent No. 411478. Date of award: 25.11.2022

Title: “Compositions and methods for production of transgenic plants having reduced glucosinolates levels.” Inventors: Bisht NC, Augustine R.

 Selected publications

Anjala K and Augustine R (2023) Designing of guide RNA constructs for CRISPR/ Cas9-mediated editing of rice transcription factor OsMADS26 for enhancing drought tolerance. Journal of Applied Biology and Biotechnology 11:176-182.

Wongamthing R, Kurian SP, Gopal SK, Anju C, Augustine R and Varghese SG (2024) Phylloplane microorganisms and induction of systemic resistance against pathogen Alternaria solani in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research 8(1):800-813.

Augustine R and Pradeepkumar T (2022) Genome editing of crop plants: relaxations and realities. Current Science. 123:1191-1192.

Veerabhadraswamy M, Sindhumole P, Mathew D, Joseph J, Augustine R and James D (2022) Molecular analysis of aroma gene (BADH2) in Biriyanicheera: a tropical aromatic rice genotype from Kerala, India. Molecular Biology Reports 49: 3149–3155.

Ganesh K V, Mathew D, Augustine R et al. (2022) Development of transgenic okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) lines having RNA mediated resistance to Yellow vein mosaic virus (Geminiviridae). Journal of Virological Methods 301: 114457

Nambiar DM*, Kumari J*, Augustine R, Kumar P, Bajpai PK and Bisht NC (2021) GTR1 and GTR2 transporters differentially regulate tissue-specific glucosinolate contents and defence responses in the oilseed crop Brassica juncea. Plant Cell and Environment. doi: 10.1111/pce.14072.

Gohain B., Kumar P., Malhotra B., Augustine R., Pradhan A.K., and Bisht N.C. (2021) A comprehensive Vis-NIRS equation for rapid quantification of seed glucosinolate content and composition across diverse Brassica oilseed chemotypes. Food Chemistry. 354: 129527.

Jayaraj L*, Thulasidharan N*, Antony A., John M., Augustine R., Chakravartty N., Sukumaran S., Uma Maheswari M., Abraham S., Thomas G., Lachagari V.B. Reddy, Seshagiri S., Narayanan, S., and Kuriakose, B. (2021). Targeted editing of tomato carotenoid isomerase reveals the role of 5′ UTR region in gene expression regulation. Plant cell reports, 40: 621-635.

Kumar R*, Lee SG*, Augustine R*, Reichelt M, Vassão DG, Palavalli MH,Allen A, Gershenzon J, Jez JM, and Bisht NC (2019) Molecular basis of the evolution of methylthioalkylmalate synthase and the diversity of methionine-derived glucosinolates. The Plant Cell 31: 1–15(*equal contribution).

Bajpai PK, Reichelt M, Augustine R, Gershenzon J and Bisht NC (2019) Heterotic patterns of primary and secondary metabolites in the oilseed crop Brassica juncea. Heredity 123, 318–336.

Augustine R and Bisht NC (2019) Targeted silencing of genes in polyploids: lessons learned from Brassica juncea-glucosinolate system. Plant cell Reports doi.org/10.1007/s00299-018-2348-8.

Kumar P*, Augustine R*, Singh AK and Bisht NC. (2017) Feeding behaviour of generalist pests on Brassica juncea: implication for manipulation of glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway for enhanced resistance. Plant, Cell & Environment doi: 10.1111/pce.13009(link is external). (*equal contribution).

Pandey C, Augustine R, Panthri M, Zia I, Bisht NC and Gupta M (2017). Arsenic affects the production of glucosinolate, thiol and phytochemical compounds: A comparison of two Brassica cultivars. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 111: 144e154. doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.11.026.

Chandna R*, Augustine R*, Kanchupati P*, Kumar R, Kumar P, Arya GC and Bisht NC (2016). Class-specific evolution and transcriptional differentiation of 14-3-3 family members in mesohexaploid Brassica rapa. Frontiers in Plant Science DOI:10.3389/FPLS.2016.00012. (*equal contribution).

Augustine R and Bisht NC (2015). Biofortification of oilseed Brassica juncea by suppressing the GSL-ALK gene family. Scientific Reports 5:18005 | DOI: 10.1038/srep18005.

Augustine R and Bisht NC (2015). Biotic elicitors and mechanical damage modulate glucosinolate accumulation by co-ordinated interplay of glucosinolate biosynthesis regulators in polyploid Brassica juncea. Phytochemistry 117: 43-50. doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.05.015.

Meenu*, Augustine R*, Majee M, Pradhan AK and Bisht NC (2015). Genomic origin, expression differentiation and regulation of multiple genes encoding CYP83A1, a key enzyme for core glucosinolate biosynthesis, from the allotetraploid Brassica juncea. Planta 241:651–665 (*equal contribution).

Bisht NC, Jagannath A, Augustine R, Burma PK, Gupta V, Pradhan AK, and Pental D (2015). Effective restoration of male-sterile (barnase) lines requires overlapping and higher levels of barstar expression: A multi-generation field analysis in Brassica juncea. Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology. DOI 10.1007/s13562-014-0289-z.

Augustine R*, Arya GC*, Nambiar DM, Kumar R and Bisht NC (2014). Translational genomics in Brassica crops: challenges, progress, and future prospects. Plant Biotechnology Reports 8: 65-81 (*equal contribution). doi.org/10.1007/s11816-013-0298-8.

Augustine R, Majee M, Gershenzon J and Bisht NC (2013). Four genes encoding MYB28, a major transcriptional regulator of aliphatic glucosinolate pathway, are differentially expressed in the allopolyploid Brassica juncea. Journal of Experimental Botany 64: 4907-21. 

Augustine R, Mukhopadhyay A and Bisht NC (2013). Targeted silencing of BjMYB28 transcription factor gene directs development of low glucosinolate lines in oilseed Brassica juncea. Plant Biotechnology Journal 11: 855-866.doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12078.

Chandna R, Augustine R andBisht NC (2012). Evaluation of candidate reference genes for gene expression normalization in Brassica juncea using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. PLoS ONE 7(5): e36918. 

 Book chapters

James D and Augustine R (2022) Plant Genetic Engineering. In Shylaja, MR, Mathew D and Peter KV (eds), Techniques in Molecular Biology and Plant Biotechnology, (ISBN: 978-93-90591-02-2) New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi

Mathew D, James D, Binu S, Jose M, Augustine R, Nair S and Shylaja MR (2022) Techniques in Molecular Biology. In Shylaja, MR, Mathew D and Peter KV (eds), Techniques in Molecular Biology and Plant Biotechnology, (ISBN: 978-93-90591-02-2) New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi.

Bisht NC and Augustine R (2019). Development of Brassica oil seed crops with low antinutritional glucosinolates and rich in anticancer compounds In: Pawan KJ et al., (eds.), Nutritional Quality Improvement in Plants, Springer, Germany.

Augustine R and Bisht NC (2016). Regulation of glucosinolate metabolism: from model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to Brassica crops. In: Ramawat K and Merillon JM (eds), Reference series in phytochemistry: Glucosinolates. Springer, Germany.