Srinivasan (Srini) Krishnamoorthy, Ph.D.
CEO & CSO
Experience
Public Health Advocate: 2014 to 2019
Cancer Researcher: 2001 to 2013
Plant Geneticist & Molecular Biologist: 1997 to 2001
Education:
Ph.D Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute
M.A. Health Communication, Emerson College Boston MA
As a young boy, I was fascinated by the power and mastery of nature. I started my research career in India as a plant geneticist and molecular biologist at the National Research Center on Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB) which is part of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). My experience includes positions at Kansas State University in the Department of Plant Pathology, Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in cancer research using the Drosophila model system, R&D in the in the life science group at Physical Sciences Inc., Andover, MA, and a faculty position at University of Houston, where I researched protein post translational modifications for cancer biomarkers and drug targets.
I am also interested in public health advocacy, completing a Masters degree in Public Health at Emerson College in Boston, MA. I have experience as a Communication Specialist in the Cancer Surveillance Research Program (SRP) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Washington DC, and as a Technical Writer for the Office of Information Services at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics NCHS.
My true calling remains agriculture as it enables the vital medicine-food connection that is essential to public health. I am inspired to carry on Dr. Tom Yamashita’s legacy of helping farmers, and expand and diversify Sunburst. As reflected in the company name, our mission is to diversify Sunburst Agri Biotech Solutions LLC to broaden its range of its services to farmers, hobbyists, garden lovers and animal lovers. In addition to continuing our services as a plant disease clinic, the company will transform into a full-fledged agribusiness that develops and distributes products to promote eco- friendly agriculture to people from all walks of life.
Dr. V.G. Malathi
Renowned virologist with more than 40 years of experience in plant pathology and specialization in whitefly transmitted Geminivirus genome research infecting grain legumes, cotton and tomato. She was a Principal Scientist heading the molecular virology unit in the Division of Plant Pathology at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), a premier research Institute of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). She also taught graduate level pathology and virology as a faculty member of IARI.
Dr. Malathi’s research on genome characterization studies led to the understanding of unique and distinct genetic isolation of yellow mosaic viruses infecting grain legumes. She developed agroinoculation, virus specific immuno and nucleo based diagnostics for specific detection of cassava mosaic, yellow mosaic, cotton and tomato leaf curl viruses.
She was a member of the Indian government’s Department of Biotechnology task force overseeing molecular virology research in India. She served as a Member of the Study Group on Geminiviruses in the ICTV International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2010-2015). She is currently a member of the Expert Committee on Access and Benefit Sharing and People Bidodiversity Register, Evaluation Committee, National Biodiversity Authority Of India. Dr. Malathi is a currently an independent consultant in plant virology research.
