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Hirendra Nath Sarma

Educator. Professor. Mentor

Dr Hirendra Nath Sarma is a Professor at Rajiv Gandhi University specializing in Molecular Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology.

Area of Research

Cell molecular studies on female reproduction in laboratory model system (rat/mice): Natural product as reproduction modulator, isolation of phytocompound (phytosteroids) and study on its mechanism. In situ localization of genes in female reproductive cycle, fetal maternal tissues during early gestation  implantation, decidualizationa, growth of embryo. Finding possibility of natural alternative use as agonist and/ or antagonist of H-P-G hormones as a beneficial agent instead of EDC. Effects of natural products on ovarian follicular development and recruitment; subsequent programmed cellular response of uterine tissues for receptivity and embryo development. Natural products’ docking studies with human estrogen and progesterone receptors.

Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity studies in Arunachal Pradesh. Survey and documentation of traditional medicines (TM) and knowledge associated on practice of TM especially for Reproductive health; study of high altitude ecology of Arunachal Pradesh.

30+ years of active academic and research contribution

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Academic Appointments
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16-09-1988 to 14-08-1990

Lecturer of Zoology, Goalpara College, Assam, Teaching undergraduate (B.Sc. Honours)
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16-08-1990 to 31- 08 -1997

Lecturer of Zoology, Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati, Assam, teaching undergraduate (B.Sc. Honours)
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01-09-1997 to 15-08-2003

Assistant Professor of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, (Arunachal University) Itanagar, Established the Department of Zoology as the founder faculty member in Arunachal University.
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16-08-2003 to 15-08-2009 :

Associate Professor of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
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December 2011 to June 2019

Coordinator, Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity, Phase- II
(Recommended by University Grants Commission, New Delhi) 

Administrative Experiences

  • 2003-2006, 2012-15: Head of the Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar
  • 2004-2005: Chairman: Establishment of Faculty of Engineering in Rajiv Gandhi University  (Arunachal University)
  • 2009-2012:Dean Faculty of Life Science, PS, IT & ET, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar 
  • 2011- 2019:Coordinator, Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity, RGU 
  • 2003- 2015:Member, Academic Council and Research Board, RGU
  • 2003-2006; 2012-2015: Chairman, Board of Under Graduate & Post Graduate Studies, Department of  Zoology, RGU
  • 2013: Chairman, Board of Studies for Advance Post Graduate Diploma in Biodiversity
  • 2016- present: Member, University court, RGU
  • 2018- 2nd July – 3rd August: Member, Executive council, RGU               

Academic Qualifications

B.Sc Honours (in Zoology) 1983

First class: Chemistry/Zoology/Botany
Arya Vidyapeeth College, Gauhati   University, India
* Examination delayed by the University due to Assam agitation on alien issue. Loss of two academic years.

M.Sc (Zoology) 1987*

First class: Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, India

National Eligibility Test - 1989

National Eligibility Test (NET) for Junior Research Fellowship and Lecturership, UGC-CSIR, New Delhi, India. (Research Fellowship awarded by CSIR).

Ph.D. (Zoology) -1998

Ph.D. (Zoology)  Gauhati University (1993-1998).
Professional Honors, Awards

My Fellowships and Post Doctoral Research in India & Abroad

1999: SERC Visiting Fellowship

Awarded by Department of Science & Technology,  Government of India. Fellowship. Research carried out in the laboratory of  Prof. Polani  B. Seshagiri in the Department of  Molecular Reproduction Development and Genetics (MRDG), at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (April – June, 2000). Research work/ training was done on study on expression of growth factors in rodents uteri using molecular biology technique, immunohistochemistry and nucleic acid blotting.

2002-2003: Biotechnology Overseas Associateship

Awarded by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, Fellowship availed in the laboratory of Prof. Vasantha Padmanabhan in the Department of Pediatrics Endocrinology, Reproductive Sciences Program, University of Michigan, USA (March, 2002 – February, 2003). Research was carried out on ewes as model system. Prenatal programming of exposure to excess androgen causes phenotypic changes and gonadal hormone feed back mechanism on hypophyseal gonadotropins LH and FSH.

2003 : Post Doctoral Fellowship

In the Reproductive Sciences Program, University of Michigan, USA, under Prof. Vasantha Padmanabhan ( March 2003 – August 2003).

2009–2010: Commonwealth Post doctoral Fellowship

Awarded by Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, United Kingdom. Research was carried out in the laboratory of Prof. Ilpo Huhtaneimi in the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB), Imperial College, London ( October, 2009 – March, 2010). Study of GPCR polymerization in HEK 293 cell line was carried out in vitro in response to LH and FSH signaling following method of gene transfection and use of reporter gene. 

Visiting Faculty in Universities

2009 – 2010 :  Visiting Faculty: Imperial College London
Imperial College, London offered me Visiting Faculty during the tenure of Commonwealth Post Doctoral Fellowship, 2009 – 2010.

 2010 Tezpur University
Series of lectures including (i). Prenatal exposure to Environmental & Native Steroids:  Potential benefits and hazards
in Reproductive Health

 2011    Gauhati University 
Series of   lectures including (i) Animal Model System for Reproduction    Research : Insight in Molecular Reproduction; (ii) Modern Approach to Reproductive Health :    Prospect of new Drug from Natural Product; (iii) Ligand binding and functional correlation between gonadotropin receptors (hLHR & hFSHR) in HEK 293 cells

 2012 Dibrugarh University 
Series of lectures on Endocrinology & Reproductive Physiology

 2013  Gauhati University
Lectures in Biochemistry and Reproductive Physiology.

 2014 Gauhati University
 Lectures on Reproductive Physiology

Courses Teaching in UG & PG

1988 – 1997:
Teaching under graduate ( Zoology Honours) students : Developmental Biology & Endocrinology, Cell & Molecular Biology, Biochemistry & Animal Physiology

1997 – present:
Teaching Post Graduate (M.Sc in Zoology) students : Rajiv Gandhi     University.
Teaching Special paper in Zoology :Molecular Endocrinology & Reproductive   
Biology, Developmental Biology, embryonic origin & differentiation of Reproductive organs, Endocrine organs & hormones, Hypothalamus-Pituitary-gonadal structure & interrelationship, Reproductive techniques, Cell signaling, gamete biology

2010 – Present
Ph.D. course work and M. Phil classes in Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University

My Work at Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity

 2011 – 2019 : Coordinator, Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity

The University Grants Commission, New Delhi recommended the name of Dr. Hirendra Nath Sarma as the Coordinator of Phase-II of CPEB

 2013: Established the one year (Two semester) Advance Post Graduate Diploma in Biodiversity (Theory, practical and field training) under “Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity”.

2008: Established the Butterfly Museum with 136 species of Butterfly from Arunachal Pradesh. His Excellency, former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh General (Retd.) J. J. Singh, PVSM,AVSM,VSM visited the museum

2014: Established the Biodiversity Heritage Museum. Museum was constituted by the matters donated by the people of Arunachal Pradesh

2014 : Established the Biodiversity Orchidarium, Sixty species of Orchids cultivated in the Orchidarium

2014 : Established a Library under the Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity

Research

Collaborative Research and Research Projects

Collaborative Research

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

2013 – 2018
(i). Prof. D. Velmurugan, Department Crystallography and Biophysics (Center of Advance Studies), University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai. India

(ii). Prof. Vasantha Padmanabhan, University of Michigan, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, 7510 MSRB I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5718, USA

(iii). RIWATCH, Roing (Arunachal Pradesh) Research on Traditional Medicines andits practice among the Tribal communities of the state.

Research Projects
2006 – 2008 In vivo validation and toxicological evaluation of herbal preparations for abortifacient property used by Adi women of Arunachal Pradesh (DST): Supervised under DST Women Scientist Programme, Govt. of India.
2006 – 2009 In-Vivo testing of traditional herbal preparation for anti-reproductive effect used by indigenous women of Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh (DST). Supervised under DST Women Scientist Programme, Govt. of India.
2008 – 2012 Developing a digitized database on medicinal plants used as food in the North East Region (DBT)
2012 – 2019  Validation of Traditional herbal products for Reproduction regulation (UGC) (Under the Grant of Center with Potential for Excellence in Particular Area (Biodiversity)
My Publications

Links to Books, Book Chapters, Journal, New letters and Reports

Selected Publications

Selected publication from various international and national journals.

Supervising Students

Get and insight at what’s going in our Lab at RGU. Supervising students for PhD and M.Phil Degree

Honour, Member of Expert Committee at National Level

2009: Charles Darwin Gold Medal 2009, for distinguished contribution in research in the field of Life Science, awarded by International Society for Ecological Communication, India.

2013: Expert, Arunachal Pradesh state selection board, recruitment of faculty positions in Government Colleges.

2016: Member of the Planning Board of Assam University, Silchar, nominated by President of India as Visitor’s nominee for a period of three years ( 2016 – 2019).

2018: External Member, Board of Under Graduate Studies, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University, Nagaland.

2018: External Member, Board of Post Graduate Studies, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram.

2018: External Member, Board of Post Graduate Studies, Department of Zoology, Assam University, Silchar.

2018: Appreciation letter from His Excellency, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh as performing painstaking work on digitalization of an old manuscript on traditional medicine of Tai Khamti of Arunachal Pradesh

2018: Member, “Swachhta Ranking Inspection Team” by UGC and AICTE; Inspected two Universities on 15th September, 2018.
(1) Assam Science and Technology University, Jalukbari, Guwahati-781013
(2) K. K. Handiqui State Open University, Guwahati, Assam

2021: Subject Expert for recruitment of Faculty in the Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam

2021: Expert, Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission

2021 External Member of Board of Studies for UG and PG course of Zoology, Nowgong (Autonomous) College, Assam