Department
Biosciences
Designation
Asst. Professor
Qualifications
M.Sc., Ph.D.
Telephone
+91 8554 272567
Dr. Udhaya Ponraj is a plant developmental biologist. She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Developmental Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany, under Prof. Klaus Theres, investigating axillary meristem development in the perennial plant Arabis alpina.
She continued at the institute as a postdoctoral researcher, comparing the transcriptomes of developing axillary buds and shoot apical meristems. She then undertook a second postdoctoral position at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences, UK, with Prof. Beverley Glover, investigating floral patterning in the South African daisy Gorteria diffusa. She joined SSSIHL in 2025.
Areas of Teaching
Plant Diversity, Angiosperm Development and Evolution, Cell Biology, Genetics and Evolution
Research Interests
Molecular and genetic regulation of meristem development, shoot branching and floral patterning
Pedicel abscission and fruit softening
Crop quality and postharvest resilience
Developmental studies in tomato, rice and Arabidopsis using molecular biology, RNA in-situ hybridisation, scanning electron microscopy and transcriptomics
Awards & Recognitions
Advanced Research Grant (ARG) by the ANRF, Government of India, for a three-year interdisciplinary research project on tomato fruit quality and post-harvest resilience (2026-)
CEPLAS Graduate school funding funding to perform PhD under Prof apl. Dr. Klaus Theres at Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne (2013-2017).
Indian Academy of Science – Summer Research Fellowship (2009)
Professional Bodies & Research Groups
Dr. Udhaya Ponraj Serves as a peer reviewer for The Plant Journal.
Sri Sathya Sai Values-based Integral Education
Coordination of DBIOs Department Self-Reliance activities (Gardening and Landscaping)