Vikas Devkar

Dr. Vikas Devkar obtained his Ph.D. from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany, where he investigated transcription factor (TF)-governed gene regulatory networks involved in plant growth and stress resilience (drought and salinity stress). His doctoral research unraveled novel molecular mechanisms underlying drought and salinity stress tolerance and resulted in publications in high-impact international journals.
Following his doctoral studies, he worked as a Postdoc and Research Scientist at IGCAST, Texas Tech University, USA, where he worked on advancement of genome editing technologies and functional genomics for crop improvement. Moreover, He was involved in projects on developmental regulator-mediated transformation and regeneration methods, tissue culture-free transgenesis and gene editing, and single-cell/single-nucleus RNA sequencing for crop improvement. He has also worked extensively on plant–pathogen interactions (soybean cyst nematode resistance), silicon-mediated plant immunity, and molecular mechanisms governing crop resilience. He has secured competitive international research funding, including a USD 150,000 grant from the United Soybean Board (USB), USA to investigate the roles of NAC and WRKY transcription factors in soybean resistance against soybean cyst nematode and Phytophthora root rot.
He joined the Centre for Life Sciences at Mahindra University as an Assistant Professor in April 2026. His research integrates state-of-the-art genome editing, synthetic biology, and functional genomics approaches to advance sustainable agriculture and address global food security challenges.

• Ph.D. in Molecular Plant Physiology at Max Plank Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology and University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
• M.Sc Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, TN, India.
• B.Sc Agricultural Biotechnology (4Y Degree) from MPKV, Rahuri University, MH, India.

• Devkar V., D’Agostino L., Chhapekar S., Li J., Frausto M., Yong-Villalobos L., Herrera Estrella L., Goggin, F. L., Nguyen H. T., Patil G. B. 2026. “Cell-type-resolved transcriptional reprogramming in resistant soybean roots reveals cambial activation and early syncytium initiation upon nematode infection”. bioRxiv. (https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.08.717279).
• Ojha-Kshetry, A., Ghose, K., Alok, A., Devkar, V., Raman, V., Stupar, R.M., Herrera-Estrella L., Zhang, F., and Patil, G. B. 2025. “A synthetic transcription cascade enables direct in planta shoot regeneration for transgenesis and gene editing in multiple plants”. Molecular Plants. (IF:32.7) (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2025.09.017)
• D’Agostino L, Devkar V., Yong-Villalobos L., Jagadish K., Herrera-Estrella L., Patil G. B. 2025.  Single-cell transcriptomic landscape of sorghum leaf reveals cell-specific mineral nutrient regulation. Plant Physiology Reports.
  (https://doi.org/10.1007/s40502-025-00912-w)
• Chhapekar, S.S.*, Devkar, V.*, Khan, A.W., Ye, H., Singh, S., Lakhssassi,N., Vuong,T.D., Meksem,K., Nguyen, H.T. and Patil G.B. 2025. Identification of novel genetic resources for broad-based soybean cyst nematode resistance independent of conventional loci. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. (https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0069-FI)
• Devkar, V., Ghose, K., Dagostino, L., Patil G. B. 2025. “Exonuclease-fused CRISPR Cas systems enable high-frequency large deletions for functional genomics in soybean”. BMC Plant Biology. (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07230-1)
•  *Devkar V, *Dagostino L, Kshetry A.O., Chen, Y., Yong-Villalobos, L., Nadaf, A.B.,    Thirumlaikumar, V.P., Skirycz, A., Sonah, H., Ma, J., Stupar, R., Miller, A.J., Herrera- Estrella, L., Deshmukh, R. and Patil, G.B. 2025. “Cell-type-specific response to silicon treatment in soybean leaves revealed by single nucleus RNA-sequencing and targeted gene-editing”. The Plant Journal. (IF:7.1) (https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70309). 
• *Nigam, D., * Devkar, V., *Dhiman, P., Shakoor, S., Liu, D., Patil, G.B. and Jiao, Y. 2025. “Emerging frontiers in sorghum genetic engineering”. The Plant Journal. (https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.17244).
•  * Lakhssassi, N., *Chhapekar, S.S., Devkar, V., Knizia, D., El Baze, B., Ye H. Vuong, T., Patil, G.B., Nguyen, H.T. and Meksem, K. 2025. “Discovery of two tightly linked soybean genes at the qSCN10 (O) locus conferring broad-spectrum resistance to soybean cyst nematode”. Communications Biology. (https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07633-8). 
•  Dhingra, A^*., Shinde, S^*., D’Agostino, L., Devkar, V., Shinde, H., Rajurkar, A.B., Sonah, H., Vuong, T.D., Siebecker, M.G. and Jiao, Y., Hancock, N.C., Ngyuyen, H. T., Deshmukh, R. and Patil, G.B. 2024. “Identification of novel germplasm and genetic loci for enhancing mineral element uptake in soybean”. Environmental and Experimental Botany. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2023.105643).
•  Devkar, V., Thirumalaikumar, V.P., Xue, G.P., Vallarino, J.G., Turečková, V., Strnad, M., Fernie, A.R., Hoefgen, R., Mueller‐Roeber, B. and Balazadeh, S. 2020. “Multifaceted regulatory function of tomato SlTAF1 in the response to salinity stress”. New Phytologist. (IF:10.3) (https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16247).
•  Thirumalaikumar, V.P., Devkar, V., Mehterov, N., Ali, S., Ozgur, R., Turkan, I., Mueller‐Roeber, B. and Balazadeh, S. 2018. “NAC transcription factor JUNGBRUNNEN 1 enhances drought tolerance in tomato”. Plant Biotechnology Journal. (IF:12.8) (https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12776).  
   
  (*equal contribution)
   
  Google Scholar profile for complete list of publications:  
  https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=QaJe0fkAAAAJ&hl=en
   
  Book:
  Bhardwaj, S^*., Devkar, V^*., Kumar, A., Alisha, A., Sharma, S., Deshmukh, R.K. and Patil, G.B. 2022. “Advances and Applicability of Genotyping Technologies in Cotton Improvement”. Book-Genotyping by Sequencing for Crop Improvement. (https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119745686.ch11).

• Assistant Professor (2026-Present), Centre for Life Sciences, Mahindra University. 
• Research Scientist (2024-2026), IGCAST, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
• Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (2020-2023), Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance (IGCAST), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.

Indian agriculture faces unprecedented challenges due to emerging diseases, soil erosion, declining productivity, and a rapidly growing global population. Many economically and strategically important crops, including legumes (pulses), millets, and oilseeds, continue to suffer from low productivity, limited genetic improvement, and rising susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses. At the same time, changing climatic conditions are accelerating the emergence and spread of various plant diseases, leading to threat to food security. Dr. Devkar’s research program at Mahindra University seeks to tackle these challenges through the development of novel crop improvement technologies and a deeper understanding of plant-pathogen interactions.  

Genome Engineering/Editing Technologies for Crop Improvement

Our research focuses on building of next-generation technologies for precision gene editing for crop improvement. We employ genome engineering, CRISPR-based gene editing systems, synthetic biology, developmental regulator-assisted transformation, tissue culture-free transgenesis, and single-cell genomics to overcome major bottlenecks in crop biotechnology. Emphasis is given on developing efficient transformation and targeted precision genetic alteration platforms in recalcitrant crops, including legumes, millets, and oilseed crops, where genetic improvement remains challenging. We are integrating synthetic biology with functional genomics to establish versatile biotechnology toolkits that enable rapid trait improvement, increase crop productivity, and contribute to sustainable agricultural production.

Plant-Pathogen Interactions and Disease Resistance

Plant viral diseases continue to cause substantial yield losses and pose a major threat to agricultural productivity. Altered weather patterns are enhancing the incidence and severity of viral and other diseases in many crop species. Our research aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms governing plant-virus interactions, with a particular focus on Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV), one of the most economically important viral diseases affecting legume crops across India. We are integrating functional genomics, proteomics, molecular plant pathology, and genome engineering approaches to identify key host and viral factors that influence disease progression and resistance, eventually helping plant breeders in development of crop varieties with durable virus resistance.