Group Leader, Systems Biology for Biofuel
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Aruna Asaf Ali Marg
110 067 New Delhi, India
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Tel: +91-11-26741358 ext 450
Education
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA, PhD (Chemical Engineering), 2007
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, KA, India, MSc (Eng.), Chemical Engineering, 2001
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, MP, India, MSc (Biotechnology),1999
Career History
Since 2017, Group Leader, Systems Biology for Biofuels Group, ICGEB New Delhi, India
2012-2016, Team Leader, DBT-ICGEB Center for Advanced Bioenergy Research, New Delhi, India
2007-2012, Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow, Laboratory of Metabolic Control, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, USA
2002-2007, Research Assistant, Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
Scientific Activity
Our lab focuses on improving bioenergy and waste-to-value (circular bioeconomy) bioprocesses by applying metabolic systems biology to optimize the rates, yields, and titers (RYTs). We supplement experiments with careful measurements and modeling approaches to streamline discovery and optimization. This includes applying flux balance analysis (FBA) and metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to identify metabolic engineering targets to increase product yield. We are also developing fast-growing marine cyanobacteria for carbon capture, photosynthetic biomanufacturing, and space nutrient recycling applications. One of our experiments was conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as a part of the Axiom 4 mission (see here). Lastly, the group has improved the methane content in biogas from anaerobic digestion of canteen food waste through process optimization.
Please click on the “Research Interests and Description” link above for a slightly more detailed description of our research activities.
Teaching Activity
Instructor, PhD Course ICG 604 Synthetic and Systems Biology, ICGEB New Delhi, 2017 – Present
2022 Fall, BMB 829, Taught Module 2: Recombinant DNA and Genome Editing, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University
2001, Teaching Assistant, Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
Selected publications
Shireesh Srivastava on PubMed
Shireesh Srivastava on Google Scholar
Mathur A, Pachauri P, Srivastava S. et al. Enhanced delignification of pearl millet straw for biorefinery applications: Statistical Optimization of hydrogen peroxide acetic acid pretreatment and ANN-based predictive modelling. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 2026. 16, 203.
E Chot, G Rawat, GK Gupta, S Srivastava, P Shukla. Abiotic stress-induced enhanced pigment production and its multifaceted process optimization in fast-growing Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901. Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing, 2026, 6 (1), 17.
P Rai, R Pathania, N Bhagat, R Bongirwar, P Shukla, S Srivastava. Current insights into molecular mechanisms of environmental stress tolerance in Cyanobacteria. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2025, 41 (2), 53.
M Kaushal, DJ Upton, JK Gupta, AJ Wood, S Srivastava. Reconstruction of a genome-scale metabolic model and in-silico flux analysis of Aspergillus tubingensis: a non-mycotoxinogenic citric acid-producing fungus. Biotechnology for biofuels and bioproducts, 2024, 17 (1), 70.
P Pachauri, T Desai, A Ahmad, S Srivastava. Quantitative differences in anaerobic growth and metabolism of three different E. coli strains using 13C-Metabolic Flux Analysis. bioRxiv, 2024.03. 27.586947.
JK Gupta, KK Jain, M Kaushal, DJ Upton, M Joshi, P Pachauri, AJ Wood, SS Yazdani, S Srivastava. Marine cyanobacterial biomass is an efficient feedstock for fungal bioprocesses. Biotechnology for biofuels and bioproducts, 2024, 17 (1), 23.
Books
Desai TS, Dutt V, Srivastava S. Systems biology and metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria for biofuel production. In: Marine Bioenergy: Trends and Developments, Se-Kwon Kim (Ed), CRC Press 2015; 163–178. DOI: 10.1201/b18494-13.
Srivastava S, Li Z, Chan C. Identification of gene-networks associated with cell-death in lipotoxicity. Methods in Molecular Biology: Caspase Regulation. 2010. Ed. Jeffrey Varner.
Chan C, Li Z, Srivastava S. Integration of Micro-Array and Metabolic Data. Mathematical Modeling in Nutrition and Agriculture. 2007; Chapter 5: p 82-96. Ed. Mark Hanigan.