Education: B.Sc., Government College for Women, Ludhiana (1995); M.Sc., PAU, Ludhiana

(1997); Ph.D., PAU Ludhiana (2002)

Positions held: Assistant Biochemist (April 2011 to April 2018), Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, COAE&T, PAU, Ludhiana; Biochemist (April 2018-till date), Department of Biochemistry, College of Basic Sciences & Humanities, PAU, Ludhiana (Working in Department of Renewable Energy Engineering)

Field of Specialization: Plant Biochemistry (Biofuel Technology)

Present Research Interests/Projects:

Research Interests: Plant biochemistry, Lignocellulosic biofuels

Ongoing Projects:

1. Isolation and characterization of indigenous fungal cellulases for saccharification of biomass.
2. Optimization of process for ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass
3. Development of process for hydrogen production from paddy straw

Projects Accomplished:

ICAR-AICRP (All India Coordinated Research Project on Energy in Agriculture and Agro-based Industries)

• Refinement of the process for ethyl esterification of non-edible plant oils
• Lipase catalyzed bio-diesel preparation from non-edible plant oils
• Single phase system for bio diesel production from plant oil
• Survey of water-logged area of South-west Punjab for isolation of vanguard microalgae: Potential for biofuel production
• Enhanced cellulase production using different agricultural residues and its potential for paddy straw saccharification

Adhoc project funded by Department of Atomic Energy, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BARC), Mumbai

• Development of technology for efficient conversion of rice straw into ethanol employing thermostable microbial cellulases

Selected Research Publications:

1. Kaur J, Taggar M S, Kalia A, Sanghera G S, Kocher G S and Javed M (2023) Valorization of sugarcane bagasse into fermentable sugars by efficient fungal cellulolytic enzyme complex. Waste and Biomass Valorisation. 14 (3): 963.975. (NAAS rating: 9.70).
2. Singh N, Taggar MS, Kaur J, Kalia A and Garg T (2023) Optimization of bioethanol production from corn cobs by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using response surface methodology. Cellulose Chemistry and Technology 57 (3-4):359-368. (NAAS rating: 7.39).
3. Kaur G, Taggar M S and Kalia A (2023) Cellulase-immobilized chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles for saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Environ Sci Pollut Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27919-w (NAAS rating: 11.19).
4. Verma N, Taggar, M S Kalia, A and Javed M (2022) Comparison of various delignification/desilication pre-treatments and indigenous fungal cellulase for improved hydrolysis of paddy straw. Biotech 3 12 (7):1-14. (NAAS rating: 8.41).
5. Kaur A, Taggar M S, Kalia A and Singh M (2022) Nitrate-induced carbohydrate accumulation in Chlorella sorokiniana and its potential for ethanol production. Bioenergy Research 15:253-263. (NAAS rating: 8.41).

Awards/Honours/Distinctions

Merit Fellowship during Ph.D.