Poonam Singh - Nee Nigam

Dr Poonam Singh Nigam was awarded Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in 2020 by Ulster University, UK; her DSc thesis included her Post-doctoral Research outputs  (1985-2019), from her Supervision of Doctoral, Postdoctoral  & Visiting overseas researchers, research in funded-projects, and the activities and dissemination of several global-collaborations. She holds a PhD in Industrial Microbiology (1985) funded by the award of Junior & Senior Research Fellowships from the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research of India.

She was a Postdoctoral Researcher in an R & D Company in Germany (1985-1988), then appointed as a Senior Research Officer in Biotechnology at Ulster University in Nov 1989. She joined as a full-time Lecturer in Biotechnology in 1996 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2001 at Ulster University.

Affiliations: Poonam received Chartered Biologist status in 1992 from the Institute of Biology (currently known as the Royal Society of Biology).

She is an Alumna of Ulster University N.Ireland, with two degrees: A postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching (PGCUT) in 1998; and a Doctor of Science (DSc) in 2020.

Poonam is affiliated with several scientific societies & Academies; She is a Senior Fellow in The Higher Education Academy (HEA) UK,  a Fellow of the Centre of Higher Education Research & Practice UK,  Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB) UK,  Fellow and Life Member of the International Forum on Industrial Bioprocesses (IFIBioP)-International Bioprocessing Association (IBA) France,  Fellow of Academy of Microbiological Sciences (AcMSc) India, and a Fellow and Life member of  Biotechnology Research Society India (BRSI).

Research Interests: Microbial-Biotechnology, Industrial & Applied Microbiology, Fermentation Technology, in the area of Enzymes for Industries & Diagnostics; Biotransformations; Bioprocessing; Food-Fermentation & Probiotics;  Bioremediation of Food, Sugar, Distillery, Brewery and agricultural residues/By-products for Circular Bioeconomy

Research Outputs: One EU Patent, Four Biotechnology Reference books, more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, Research-informed chapters in Biotechnology-books, and Research-informed Review Articles in International Scientific Journals.

Global Collaborations: Poonam has several active research collaborations with international Research Institutes in Australia, Brazil, Greece, Ireland, Cyprus, Italy, Taiwan and India.  PhD students supervised by her now working in the US, Canada, Europe and India. 

Research Awards:  Poonam has a sustained track record of FUNDS £1,065,278.00  through 16 awards from prestigious sources, including Royal Society, British Council, UNESCO, Higher Education Academy, Association of Commonwealth Universities,  Department of International Development, CEC/ERDF, IRTU-START, CEC-IRTU Networking Prog, Department of Environment CEC/ERDF-Env Protec, European Social Fund, Randox Pharmaceutical company, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Education India.

She was a key contributor to several other research projects:  £416,279.00 funded by International Fund for Ireland, and Randox Pharmaceutical company; and £92,100.00 from the EU INCO-DC program for International cooperation of UK university with a University in a Developing country India.

UK Academy of Sciences (Royal Society) nominated her twice under Bilateral International Exchange Program as a British Scientist visiting Indian National Science Academy and its affiliated institutes. The Royal Society also funded her four visits to delegate to International conferences.

Teaching Experience: Industrial and Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Topics in modules designed based on her Research expertise for courses at Undergraduate & Postgraduate levels.

Administrative Roles: Course Director Biotechnology Postgraduate program (2000-present); Course Director Food Biotechnology, a  Postgraduate joint Dual-Degree Program with two Greek Universities (2000-2013), Module coordinator over 16 Taught modules at Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels (1996-present).

1. Association of Commonwealth Universities Bursary to attend British Council event Going-Global-2018 £2000
2. Higher Education Academy, UK  Three Travel Grants £900  
3. International Research Support Initiative £2,027
4. Commonwealth Research-support Scholarship £1,000
5. Department Education Learning (DEL)-European Social Fund (ESF) (2006-08) MSc Biotechnology £111,516
6. DEL-ESF (2006-06) MSc Food Biotechnology £29,194
7. DEL-ESF (2004-06) MSc Food Biotechnology £160,779
8. DEL-ESF (2004-06) MSc Biotechnology £128,339
9. The Royal Society Travel Grant £1,230
10. DEL-ESF (2002-04) MSc Biotechnology £132,989
11. DEL-ESF (2002-04) MSc Food Biotechnology £136,703
12. DEL-ESF (2000-02) MSc Food Biotechnology £101,737
13. DEL-ESF (2000-02) MSc Biotechnology £99,407
14. UNESCO-Fellowship in Biotechnology £2,767
15. CEC/ERDF-Envir Protec A novel approach for the remediation...£82,000
16. IRTU - START Bioremediation of textile dye.....£68,970
17. The British Council A novel remediation system....£5,900
18. CEC - IRTU Networking Prog, EU FFP Project.....£720

Supervision at Ulster

1. 2008-12 Mazumdar (Overseas Self-Funded) "Analysis of extracts from higher plants to treat disease"  (2nd Supervisor)
2. 2008-12 Dwivedi (Overseas Self-Funded) "Bacteriolytic therapy of tumors"  (2nd Supervisor)
3. 2008-09 Hussain (International Higher-Education funded split-site PhD 1year in UK) "Bioactivity in plant materials"  (UK Supervisor)
4. 2007-08 Gupta (Commonwealth  funded split-site PhD 1year in UK) "Bioremediation of textile wastewater"  (UK Supervisor)
5. 2008-11 Hughs Paul (DEL NI) "Electro-biosorpative recovery of economic metals from waste streams"  (2nd Supervisor) 
6. 2005-08 Nomikou N (VCRS) "Electric field-mediated biosorption-Assessing potential applications" (2nd Supervisor)
7. 2001-04 Yuanchen Xue (VCRS) "Isolation structural characterisation and molecular cloning of novel polypeptides from frog venom" (2nd Supervisor)  
8. 1999-02 Chirumamilla (Overseas Res Studentship+VCRS) Studies on Fermentative Production of Chiral Compounds for Optically Active Pharmaceuticals, (1st Supervisor)  
9. 1999-02 Reddivari M (ORS+VCRS) "Microbial Biotransformations For Drug Synthesis" (1st  Supervisor)
10. 1999-02 Robinson T (DELNI) "Solid-state fermentation of dye-absorbed agricultural residues" (1st Supervisor)
11. 1998-01 Meehan CM (DELNI) "Biotreatment of textile industry wastewater" (2nd Supervisor) 

Supervision External

1. 2013-15 Ganatsios Vasilis Greek Government funded "SCP, Edible Fungi & Food Additives from Biotechnological Exploitation of Food & Agro-industrial Wastes" (UK supervisor)
2. 2007-15 Terpou Antonia (PhD+PDF) "Production of probiotic sour milk, yogurts, cheese & liqueurs with immobilized cells at low temperatures". European Cooperation, University of Patras, Greece 
3. 2011-15 Gialleli Angelika-Ioanna (PhD) "Production of wine and beer making in a domestic refrigerator". European Cooperation, University of Patras, Greece
4. 2007-12  Loulouda Bosnea (PhD +PDF) "Food-Fermentation, Probiotics" European Social Fund Project, Greece
5. 2013-14 Cecilia de Souza Cordeiro, "Utilisation of Barley waste from Bushmills Distillery, NI" Research Trainee under Science without Borders programme (Brazil, UK HE International Unit)

Visting-Researchers from Polytech Clermont, France 

1. 2009  Coline Saunier "Bioactivity in essential oils from Lameacea Family-Extraction A"
2. 2009  Laura Blanc "Bioactivity in essential oils from Lameacea Family-Extraction B"
3. 2008  Sauvage Severine "Bioactivity of Scutellaria pinnatifida Extract"
4. 2008  Granger Melanie "Bioactivity of The Extracts of Centaurea Polyclada-Extraction A"
5. 2008  Samson Emilie "Bioactivity of The Extracts of Centaurea Polyclada-Extraction B"
6. 2007  Samuel Genest "Bioactivity Studies in extracts from Two Mimosa Species"