Professional Statement of Dr. A. Annamalai
It is with great pleasure and confidence that I am Dr. A. Annamalai, currently serving as Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India. With over two decades of distinguished academic and research experience, I have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarly research, and academic leadership.
I hold a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Plant Sciences from the Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras. During my academic career, I have held various teaching and research positions, including Teaching Assistant, Guest Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor at reputed institutions such as the Department of Biotechnology, Karunya University (Coimbatore); the Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Arignar Anna Government Arts and Science College (affiliated with Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore); and the Department of Biotechnology, University of Madras.
In recognition of my research capabilities, I have been awarded prestigious Post-Doctoral Fellowships from the National Science Council at the Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, and the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute at the School of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
My research contributions span multiple interdisciplinary domains, including Food Chemistry, Nutritional Biochemistry, Foodomics, Nutrigenomics, DNA Barcoding for Adulterant Products, Food Informatics, Food Nano-Biotechnology, and Food Processing and Technology. I have published 65 peer-reviewed papers with over 1,344 citations and h-index of 21. Moreover, I am the inventor of a published patent (No. 202341051642 A, 2023) on bioactive compounds from Indigofera caerulea.
As a dedicated research mentor, I have guided more than 90 students across Ph.D., M.Phil., M.Sc., M.Tech., and B.Tech. programs. I have also secured competitive research grants, including those under the DST-SSTP scheme, and have supported students funded by UGC-RGNF and UGC-MANF fellowships.
My academic leadership experience includes serving as NIRF Nodal Officer, Chairperson, and Member of Boards of Studies (Thiruvalluvar University, Karunya University, and Pondicherry University), Vice-Chancellor’s nominee, and Coordinator for Placement and the National Service Scheme (NSS). I remain actively engaged in institutional development and academic quality enhancement.
In addition, I contribute to the scholarly community as a reviewer and editorial board member for leading journals, including Food Chemistry, Molecular Ecology Resources, Journal of Experimental Nanoscience, Pharmacognosy Journal, Journal of Agrochemicals and Food Safety, Natural and Life Sciences Communications, and Journal of Faunal Science and Biological Studies.
I am also a proud member of several professional societies, including:
• Life Member, Nutrition Society of India, ICMR-NIN-Hyderabad.
• Life Member, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) CSIR-CFTRI-Mysuru
• Member, American Society of Plant Biologists
• Member, Botanical Society of India
• Member, Indian Science Congress Association
• Life Member, Coconut Society of India – Kerala

Food Chemistry& Nutritional Biochemistry and Food Biotechnology