Department of FST

Name: Mr. Karma Wangchuk (HoD)

Designation: Associate Lecturer

Qualification:Master of Science in Biotechnology

Affiliation (Programme): Department of Food Science & Technology.

Phone: +975-77855692

Email: karmaw.cnr[at]rub.edu.bt

Research Interest:  Biotechnology, microbiome biotechnology, metagenomics, Industrial Biotechnology, Bioprocessing, environmental microbiology, value added chemicals, Biochemistry

Brief Bio:

Karma Wangchuk is an Associate Lecturer and the Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan in Punakha, Bhutan. He holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Biotechnology and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biotechnology, both from the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in India.

With a strong background in biotechnology, Karma Wangchuk’s research interests include industrial biotechnology, microbiome biotechnology, bioprocessing, environmental microbiology, molecular biology and value-added chemicals. He has held various academic and administrative positions within the Royal University of Bhutan, including Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology, head for the centre for sustainable Mountain Agriculture and Technical Laboratory Advisor.

Karma Wangchuk has extensive experience in teaching undergraduate courses such as Biotechnology in Food, Biochemistry, Fermentation, and Enzyme Technology, among others. He is actively involved in supervising both undergraduate and postgraduate students in their research projects and theses, covering a wide range of topics from antimicrobial activities to phytochemical analysis.His skills encompass a wide range of laboratory techniques such as PCR, RT-PCR, spectrophotometry, chromatography, and molecular modeling. He is also proficient in bioinformatics tools for NGS data analysis (shortgun metagenomics) transcriptomic analysis and differential gene expression analysis, as well as in basic plant and animal tissue culture techniques.

Overall, Karma Wangchuk is a dedicated researcher and educator with a diverse portfolio of academic and research accomplishments in the field of biotechnology and food science.

Links: 

1. 1. ORCID

1. Head of the Department, Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan
2. Associate Lecturer, Department of Food Science and Technology, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan
3. Head, Centre for Sustainable Mountain Agriculture (CSMA), College of Natural Resources (CNR), Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan
4. Technical Laboratory Advisor, College of Natural Resources (CNR), Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan
5. Internship Coordinator, Department of Food science and Technology, CNR, RUB.
6. Assistant Lecturer, Department of Food Science and Technology, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan Research Officer, Himalayan Agro-venture, Paro

Teaching modules Biochemistry, Biotechnoloy in Food, Biotechnology in animal production, Fermentation and Enzyme Technology

Research Supervsion: Postgraduate

Tab Content

Publications: Sagar, L., Wangmo, K. L., Gurung, D. B., Wangchuk, K., Dorji, R., Subedi, R., … & Dorji, P. (2023). The first record of Macrognathus aral (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 26(12), 708-714.

Dorji, U., Wangchuk, K., Moktan, S., & Tenzin, U. (2023). Freshwater Metacommunity Structure of Suchhu River, Haa District, Bhutan. Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources and Development, 10(2), 28-40.

Yoezer, N., Gurung, D. B., & Wangchuk, K. (2023). Environmental Toxicity, Human Hazards and Bacterial Degradation of Polyethylene. Nature Environment & Pollution Technology, 22(3). 10.46488/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 relation 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 L.). 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 L.) at Lingmethang, Eastern Bhutan. Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources Development, 7(2), (12-22). https://doi.org/10.17102/cnr.2020.48

Grants(Funded Research): Establishment of Asian food composition database – Bhutan” funded by AFACI.Grantee (Co-PI) of 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.

Co-Principal Investigator for project “Establishment of Asian food composition database – Bhutan” funded by AFACI.

Grantee (Co-PI) of college research grant (CRG) for the “Molecular characterization of local rice varieties of Bhutan.”

Grantee (PI) of 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.”

Grantee (PI) of College Research grant to set up a college plant tissue culture laboratory at College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan.

Available project:

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