Prof. Arun K. Bhunia received his bachelor of veterinary medicine degree (BVSc) from India, PhD from University of Wyoming (USA), and postdoctoral training from University of Arkansas (USA). Currently, he is a professor of food microbiology at Purdue University (USA) and the Chair of Food Science Graduate Program. His expertise is in the area of microbial pathogenesis (host-pathogen interaction), probiotic vaccine and foodborne pathogen detection. To date, he has coauthored more than 177 research publications, 2 textbooks (Fundamental Food Microbiology, 5^th Ed; Foodborne Microbial Pathogens, 2^nd Ed), edited four books, and delivered over 130 talks in national and international venues. He teaches graduate level courses on Foodborne Pathogens and Mechanism of Pathogenesis, Microbial Foodborne Pathogen Detection Techniques, and Intestinal Microbiology and Immunology. He is awarded four patents. He is serving as an editor or editorial board member for several journals. He was a member of the USDA National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF; 2013-2017). He has received Purdue Agriculture Research Award (2003), Purdue Faculty Scholar (2005), Purdue Team Award (2006), IFT R&D Award (2009), Outstanding Graduate Educator Award from the Department of Food Science (2010, 2011) and the College of Agriculture (2013) at Purdue University, High-End Foreign Experts Recruitment Program (China) fellowship (2014-2016), Fulbright Specialist Roster (2016-2021), and IAFP Maurice Weber Laboratorian Award (2017). 

Education:

B.V.Sc. (Veterinary Medicine), BCKV, West Bengal, India.

Ph.D. (Food Microbiology), University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA

Postdoctoral Training (Food Microbiology, Immunology), University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

Research:

Publications

(i) Pathogenesis and Control:

Host-Pathogen Interaction: Understanding molecular mechanism of Listeria monocytogenes pathogenesis during intestinal phase of infection and subsequent control strategies using probiotics and antimicrobials.

(ii) Pathogen and Toxin Detection:

Biosensors and Biorecognition Molecules: Development of novel detection and diagnostic tool for pathogens employing optical biosensors including light scattering, fiber-optic and cell-based sensors and biorecognition (antibodies, receptors) ligand molecules 

Teaching:

Microbial Foodborne Pathogens (FS 565; 3 credit hours)

Microbial Techniques for Food Pathogen (FS 566; 2 Credit hours)

Intestinal Microbiology and Immunology (FS 660; 1 credit hour)

Current Graduate Students and Research Lab Members

Xingjian Bai

Nicholas Gallina

Rishi Drolia (Post Doc)

Dongqi Liu

Manalee Samaddar

Shivendra Tenguria (Post Doc)