Mr. Karma Wangchuk
Personal Infromation
Karma Wangchuk
Associate Lecturer,
Head, Department of Food Science and Technology
College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan
Email: karmaw.cnr@rub.edu.bt; Phone: +975 77855692
Professional membership
American society for Microbiology (ASM)
Association for University Technology Transfer Managers (AUTM)
Educational Backgrounds
- 2019-2021 MSc Biotechnology (SRM Institute of Science and Technology), India
- 2015-2018 BSc Biotechnology (SRM Institute of Science and Technology), India
- 2023 – 2025 Fulbright fellow in Fueling the engine of innovation in Indo-Pacific region, fullbring University of Vietnam funded by US department of State, USA.
Appoinments
- 2022-present Department Head, Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
- 2021-present Associate Lecturer, Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
- 2021-present Head, Centre for Sustainable Mountain Agriculture (CSMA), College of Natural Resources (CNR), Royal University of Bhutan
- 2021-present Technical Laboratory Advisor, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
- 2021-2023 Internship Coordinator, Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
- 2019-2021 Assistant Lecturer, Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
- 2018-2019 Research Officer, Himalayan Agro-venture, Paro
Research Experience
- 2024- Development of acetic acid bacteria-based inoculum for the apple cider production in collaboration with Bhutan Agro Industries Limited, Bhutan.
- 2023-2024: Protease and Amylase Producing Bacteria: Isolation and characterization of protease and amylase-producing bacteria from agro-waste and their potential applications
- 2023-2024: Effect of Rhizobium-Based Fertilizer: Evaluating the effect of rhizobium-based fertilizers on the growth and performance of peas.
- 2023-2024: Molecular and Microbiological assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus from Jersey Cattle in Samtse, Bhutan
- 2023-2024: Protease and Amylase Producing Bacteria: Isolation and characterization of protease and amylase-producing bacteria from agro-waste and their potential applications.
- 2023-2024: Effect of Solid-State Fermentation on Nutritional Composition: Analyzing the impact of solid-state fermentation on the nutritional composition of quinoa, millet, and potato flour.
- 2022-2023: Phytochemical and Nutrient Analysis: Phytochemical analysis, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Usnea longissima Arch., Usnea orientalis Motyka, and nutrient analysis of asparagus, combined with nutritional analysis of tomatoes based on different maturity indices
- 2022-2023: Rhizobium and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria: Isolation, identification, and characterization of Rhizobium and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in the maize rhizosphere and their impact on maize and tomato growth promotion
- 2021- 2023: Evaluation of Antifungal Activities: Investigating the antifungal properties of Trichoderma spp. against Phytophthora spp. using in-vitro bioassay, alongside antifungal activities of Bacillus spp. against tomato blight pathogen, and Pseudomonas spp. against Phytophthora spp., including silver nanoparticle synthesis
- 2021-2022: In Vitro Antimicrobial Studies: Investigating antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts from Ocimum sanctum, Allium sativum, and Curcuma longa against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus associated with bovine mastitis.
Awards
- 2024 AFACI-RDA research grant – Quality Improvement of Asian Food Composition Database ($100000)
- 2024 Awarded for participation in the Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Transfer Program in Kentucky, USA, as part of the Fulbright Program’s initiative, “Fueling the Engine of Innovation in the Indo-Pacific Region.”
- 2023 “Visiting Scientist” for the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
- 2023 College Research Grant on Assessment of Antibiotics Resistance in Jersey Cattle Population under Samtse Dzongkhag in Bhutan ($4000)
- 2022 UNTBLDC-TWAS-ICGEB South-South Programme for Exchanges and Collaborations in International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town, South Africa.
- 2022 College Research grant and annual university research grant for the research work for Isolation and characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria from milk and fermented milk products of Bhutan and assess their biological activity ($5300)
- 2021- 2023 Establishment of Asian food Composition database -Bhutan ($90000)
- 2021 Annual University research Grant (AURG) for the “Evaluation of the in vitro antibacterial activity of the ethanolic plant extracts of Allium sativum, Curcuma longa and Ocimum sanctum against Mastitis causing bacterial pathogen, and in silico analysis.”
- 2019 Recipient of Royal Government of Bhutan scholarship to study Master of Science degree in Biotechnology at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology, India.
- 2014 Recipient of full Royal Government of Bhutan Scholarship under Government of India Funding scheme to SRM Institute of Science and Technology, India for bachelor’s degree in biotechnology
Publications and Projects
- Yoezer, N., Gurung, D. B., & Wangchuk, K. (2023). Environmental Toxicity, Human Hazards and Bacterial Degradation of Polyethylene. Nature Environment & Pollution Technology, 22(3). 46488/NEPT.2023.v22i03.006
- Tashi, S., Gurung, D.B., Dorji, U. and Wangchuk, K. (2021). Trace elements in fish species: Schizothorax richardsonii, Salmo trutta and Neolissochilus hexagonolepis in re l a t i o n to sizes and tissues of Punatsang Chhu. Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enceco.2022.01.001
- Rabgay, T., Gurung, D.B., Jambay, Wangchuk, K., Thinley1, P., Tshering, B.,., Penjor, Dorji, T., Tshering, K., Sitaula B.K. and Raut, N. (2021). Environmental Factor Affecting Growth of Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis Lamarck, 1783) Forests of Bhutan. Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources Development, 7(1), 12-25. https://doi.org/10.17102/cnr.2020.42
- Gurung, T., Wangchuk, K. and Sitaula, B.K. (2021). Effect of Blanching Duration and Drying Methods on the Proximate Composition of Green Chilies (Capsicum annuum ). Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources Development, 7(2), 75 83.https://doi.org/10.17102/cnr.2020.54
- Thinley, Jambay, Gurung, D.B., Rabgay, T., Penjor, Kumar, M., Wangchuk, K., Pradhan, M., Sitaula, B.k. and Raut, N. (2021). (Ecology of Sandalwood (Santalum album ) at Lingmethang, Eastern Bhutan. Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources Development, 7(2), (12- 22). https://doi.org/10.17102/cnr.2020.48
Teaching and Mentoring
Undergraduate
- 2019 – present Food Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology in Food, Biotechnology in Animal Production
Supervision and Mentoring Graduate student (Co-advisor)
- 2024 – Laxmi Sagar, MSc Conservation Biology, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Karma L Wangmo, MSc Conservation Biology, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Rupesh Subedi, MSc Conservation Biology, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Durgaman Ghimiray, MSc Conservation Biology, College of Natural Resources
- 2023 – Rinchen Dorji, MSc Natural Resources Management, College of Natural Resources
- 2023 – Nima Yeozer, MSc Natural Resources Management, College of Natural Resources
- 2022- Sonam Tashi, MSc Natural Resources Management, College of Natural Resources
Undergraduate (Advisor)
- 2024 – Peljor Wangdi, BSc Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Tashi Om, BSc Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Rodha Chhetri, BSc Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Lha Dema, BSc Organic Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
- 2024 – Tshering Choden, BSc Organic Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
- 2024- Sonam Lhamo, BSc Organic Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
- 2023- Rajesh Rai, BSc Organic Agriculture, College of Natural Resources
Training and Workshop
- 2025 Resource Person for training in molecular biology and bioinformatics for the capacity building of the faculty in college.
- 2024 Resource Person for training in entrepreneurship Biotechnology in collaboration with Youth Development Fund, Bhutan.
- 2023 Resource person for training in soil microbiology and soil microbiome: tools and techniques organized by National Soil service centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
- 2023 Setting and standardization of citric acid analysis laboratory at National Citrus repository, Agriculture research development centre.
- 2022 Coordinator and resource person for training in molecular taxonomy and DNA barcoding to the students and staff of the College of Natural Resources, Lobesa
- 2021 Five days of online training on Transcriptome analysis, Next generation sequencing organized by Edgene Biomed pvt.ltd
- 2020 Hands-on training on mass spectroscopy, conducted by Dean, School of Biotechnology at SRM institute of science and technology in February 2020.