Ashok Mulchandani
Professor, Chemical Engineering (Chair)
Professor Ashok Mulchandani received his B. Tech in 1976 and M. Tech in 1978 in Chemical Engineering from the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, and the Indian Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in 1985 from McGill University respectively, in Chemical/Biochemical Engineering.
Research Topics
Biosensors and Biodetoxification are two primary thrust areas of Dr. Mulchandani’s research program.
Biosensors: Biosensors are analytical tools or systems consisting of an immobilized biological sensing material in close contact with a suitable transducer that converts the biochemical signal to a quantifiable electrical signal. The incorporation of biological materials such as enzymes, antibodies, microorganisms, tissues and receptors, as sensing elements makes the ordinarily used transducer more selective and sensitive. A goal of Dr. Mulchandani’s research is to develop enzyme, whole cell, antibody, receptor, tissue, etc. based specific, sensitive, rapid and economical biosensors for applications in health care, environmental monitoring, food industry and bioprocess monitoring and control. Presently on going projects are: (1) development and application of enzyme and microbial biosensors for selective, rapid and direct monitoring of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents; (2) development of a highly selective and sensitive receptor protein-based biosensor for monitoring of anticancer drug taxol; (3) development of integrated amperometric enzyme electrodes based on electrochemical polymers for monitoring and control of mammalian and hybridoma cell culture processes for production of therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies and (4) development of novel molecular beacon-based DNA-probes for monitoring pathogens and viruses in drinking water.
Biodetoxification: Biological methods of detoxification provide an environmentally friendly/benign and economical alternative to the conventional methods presently available. Dr. Mulchandani’s laboratory is also active in the area of biodetoxification of wastewaters contaminated with highly toxic organic chemicals and heavy metal using novel immobilized cell bioreactors. Current projects in this area are investigating the (1) application of the novel recombinant Escherichia coli expressing the enzyme responsible for the biodetoxification of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents on its cell surface, thereby eliminating mass transport problems normally encountered in systems using enzyme expressed intracellularly, in immobilized cell bioreactor and (2) application of synthetic phytochelatins displayed and anchored on the cell surface of recombinant E. coli for the bioremediation of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury.
Recent Significant Publications
Suye, S., Tandel, S. and Mulchandani, A. 1997. “A novel receptor protein-based assay for quantitative determination of paclitaxel.” Anal. Chem. 69, 3633-3635.
Richins, R., Kaneva, I., Mulchandani, A., and Chen, W. 1997. “Biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides by surface – expressed organophosphorus hydrolase.” Nat. Biotechnol. 15, 984-987.
Mulchandani, A., Kaneva, I. and Chen, W. 1998. “Microbial biosensor for direct determination of organophosphate nerve agents using recombinant Escherichia coli with surface - expressed organophosphorus hydrolase.” 2. Fiber-optic microbial biosensor. Anal. Chem. 70, 5042-5046.
Mulchandani, A., Mulchandani, P., Chen, W., Wang, J. and Chen, L. 1999. “Amperometric thick-film Strip electrodes for monitoring organophosphate nerve agents based on immobilized organophosphorus hydrolase.” Anal. Chem. 71, 2246-2249.
Mulchandani, A., Kaneva, I., Chen, W. 1999. “Detoxification of organophosphate pesticides by immobilized Escherichia coli expressing organophosphorus hydrolase on cell surface.” Biotechnol. Bioeng. 63, 216-223.
Chen, W., Martinez, G. and Mulchandani, A. 2000. “Molecular beacons: A real-time PCR assay for detecting S a l m o n e l l a.” Anal. Biochem. 280, 166-172.
Bae, W., Chen, W., Mulchandani, A. and Mehra, R. 2000. “Enhanced Bioaccumulation of heavy metal by bacteria cells displaying synthetic phy-tochelatins.” Biotechnol. Bioeng. 70: 518-524.
WWW:Research
Email:ashok.mulchandani@ucr.edu
Extension: 6419
Professor, Chemical Engineering (Chair)
Professor Ashok Mulchandani received his B. Tech in 1976 and M. Tech in 1978 in Chemical Engineering from the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, and the Indian Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in 1985 from McGill University respectively, in Chemical/Biochemical Engineering.
Research Topics
Biosensors and Biodetoxification are two primary thrust areas of Dr. Mulchandani’s research program.
Biosensors: Biosensors are analytical tools or systems consisting of an immobilized biological sensing material in close contact with a suitable transducer that converts the biochemical signal to a quantifiable electrical signal. The incorporation of biological materials such as enzymes, antibodies, microorganisms, tissues and receptors, as sensing elements makes the ordinarily used transducer more selective and sensitive. A goal of Dr. Mulchandani’s research is to develop enzyme, whole cell, antibody, receptor, tissue, etc. based specific, sensitive, rapid and economical biosensors for applications in health care, environmental monitoring, food industry and bioprocess monitoring and control. Presently on going projects are: (1) development and application of enzyme and microbial biosensors for selective, rapid and direct monitoring of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents; (2) development of a highly selective and sensitive receptor protein-based biosensor for monitoring of anticancer drug taxol; (3) development of integrated amperometric enzyme electrodes based on electrochemical polymers for monitoring and control of mammalian and hybridoma cell culture processes for production of therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies and (4) development of novel molecular beacon-based DNA-probes for monitoring pathogens and viruses in drinking water.
Biodetoxification: Biological methods of detoxification provide an environmentally friendly/benign and economical alternative to the conventional methods presently available. Dr. Mulchandani’s laboratory is also active in the area of biodetoxification of wastewaters contaminated with highly toxic organic chemicals and heavy metal using novel immobilized cell bioreactors. Current projects in this area are investigating the (1) application of the novel recombinant Escherichia coli expressing the enzyme responsible for the biodetoxification of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents on its cell surface, thereby eliminating mass transport problems normally encountered in systems using enzyme expressed intracellularly, in immobilized cell bioreactor and (2) application of synthetic phytochelatins displayed and anchored on the cell surface of recombinant E. coli for the bioremediation of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury.
Recent Significant Publications
Suye, S., Tandel, S. and Mulchandani, A. 1997. “A novel receptor protein-based assay for quantitative determination of paclitaxel.” Anal. Chem. 69, 3633-3635.
Richins, R., Kaneva, I., Mulchandani, A., and Chen, W. 1997. “Biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides by surface – expressed organophosphorus hydrolase.” Nat. Biotechnol. 15, 984-987.
Mulchandani, A., Kaneva, I. and Chen, W. 1998. “Microbial biosensor for direct determination of organophosphate nerve agents using recombinant Escherichia coli with surface - expressed organophosphorus hydrolase.” 2. Fiber-optic microbial biosensor. Anal. Chem. 70, 5042-5046.
Mulchandani, A., Mulchandani, P., Chen, W., Wang, J. and Chen, L. 1999. “Amperometric thick-film Strip electrodes for monitoring organophosphate nerve agents based on immobilized organophosphorus hydrolase.” Anal. Chem. 71, 2246-2249.
Mulchandani, A., Kaneva, I., Chen, W. 1999. “Detoxification of organophosphate pesticides by immobilized Escherichia coli expressing organophosphorus hydrolase on cell surface.” Biotechnol. Bioeng. 63, 216-223.
Chen, W., Martinez, G. and Mulchandani, A. 2000. “Molecular beacons: A real-time PCR assay for detecting S a l m o n e l l a.” Anal. Biochem. 280, 166-172.
Bae, W., Chen, W., Mulchandani, A. and Mehra, R. 2000. “Enhanced Bioaccumulation of heavy metal by bacteria cells displaying synthetic phy-tochelatins.” Biotechnol. Bioeng. 70: 518-524.
WWW:Research
Email:ashok.mulchandani@ucr.edu
Extension: 6419