Dr. Asim Kumar Dutta

Dr. Asim Kumar Dutta holds a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the Department of Zoology, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Meghalaya. He obtained his M.Sc. degree in Biochemistry from H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand, and completed his B.Sc. with Botany Major from Don Bosco College, Tura, affiliated to NEHU. He has a strong academic foundation in biochemistry, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and phytopharmaceutical sciences. His doctoral and postdoctoral research focused on enzyme regulation, natural product bioactivity, and molecular mechanisms relevant to metabolic and parasitic diseases. Additionally, he has undergone professional training in Laboratory Quality Management Systems and Internal Auditing as per IS/ISO/IEC 17025:2017, and in “Measurement of Uncertainty,” conducted by the National Institute of Training for Standardization (NITS) under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), New Delhi. His educational background reflects an integrated expertise spanning life sciences, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance, providing a strong base for advanced research and scientific leadership in biochemical and phytopharmaceutical domains.

Before joining AdtU, Dr. Asim Kumar Dutta is currently serving as Research Scientist cum Quality Manager at the Quality Control and Quality Assurance (QCQA) Laboratory for Herbals, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, where he played a key role in establishing North East India’s first QCQA Laboratory for Herbals and Phytopharmaceuticals. He successfully led the team in obtaining the region’s first AYUSH Drug Testing Licence and NABL accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 norms. His responsibilities include preparation of technical specifications for GLP-compliant laboratory setup, development of quality manuals, and implementation of pharmacopeial testing standards (API/IP/FSSAI).

Earlier, as a SERB National Postdoctoral Fellow and DBT Research Associate at IASST, he worked on molecular and computational studies targeting the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) for anti-diabetic drug discovery. His research involved gene cloning, mutagenesis, protein purification, enzyme assays, and in silico virtual screening of plant-based compounds. Overall he has more than 8 years of postdoctoral research experince.

He has also contributed to DBT-funded projects on rhizosphere microbial diversity in shifting cultivation systems of Northeast India using NGS and QIIME2-based bioinformatics. Beyond research, Dr. Dutta co-founded Nilachal Foods Pvt. Ltd. and AbhaManu VanBiotech Pvt. Ltd., securing government grants (~₹70 lakhs) to develop functional foods and AI-based digital platforms for safe herbal drug innovation and commercialization.

Dr. Asim Kumar Dutta’s research integrates molecular biology, biochemistry, computational biology, and phytochemical standardization. His doctoral work focused on the disease biology of domestic fowl cestode parasites, elucidating the biochemical role of the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) as a potential anthelmintic drug target. During this period, he published five peer-reviewed articles and submitted five gene sequences to NCBI GenBank. His research involved transcriptomic and proteomic characterization of PEPCK through RACE, cDNA cloning, overexpression, protein purification, refolding, and enzyme kinetics.

As a DBT Research Associate and SERB National Postdoctoral Fellow, he applied structure-based drug design and high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS) to identify phytochemical inhibitors of human PEPCK, revealing ephedrine and genistein as promising anti-diabetic leads. These studies combined site-directed mutagenesis, molecular docking, and enzyme inhibition assays to validate ligand-receptor interactions at the Phe-triad region. In earlier projects at IASST, his research expanded to microbiome ecology using metagenomic and QIIME2-based analyses of rhizosphere bacterial diversity in shifting cultivation soils, correlating functional pathways with soil nutrient dynamics.

Concurrently, he contributed to phytopharmaceutical research through bioinformatics-driven marker identification, HPLC-based biomarker validation, and development of digital phytochemical libraries aligned with AYUSH and FSSAI standards. His work spans 7 journal publications, 1 book chapter, and multiple national-level grants.

Recognized as AYUSH drug testing expert by the Directorate of AYUSH, Assam