Aastha Ranjan is a PhD student based out of Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury campus. Prior to joining Western Sydney University, Aastha completed her Bachelor’s in Biotechnology (Honours) at Sharda University and her Master’s in Biotechnology at Central University of Rajasthan, India.
Aastha is currently working on the ‘Gummy stem blight disease in cucurbits’ PhD project, supervised by Dr Jonathan Plett and co-supervised by Dist. Prof. David Tissue.
The project aims to test and pilot fast detection procedures with the aim of giving growers a suite of options to test for the presence of the pathogen prior to disease being evident. The project also aims to test a range of commercially available control measures and create management recommendations. Finally, the project will investigate novel means of controlling the pathogen through targeted repression of key disease developmental pathways (i.e. non- GMO repression of effector proteins) and manipulation of the plant’s natural resistance pathways.
Publications
Ranjan, A., Raj, S., Soni, K.K. et al. Insights into the role of SUMO in regulating drought stress responses in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Plant Cell Rep 43, 129 (2024). DOI:10.1007/s00299-024-03205-y
Sadhu S, Ranjan A, Khan A, Pattanaik L, Padhi K S, Dikhsit K P. Manuscript entitled- “A Critical review on Nanotechnological advancement in Biogas production from Organic Waste” ‘Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery’. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13399-023-04432-1
