Prof. Arun K. Bhunia received his Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) degree from India, Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming (USA), and postdoctoral training from the University of Arkansas (USA). He is a professor of food microbiology in the Department of Food Science and is also affiliated with the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease (PI4D), and Purdue University Life Science program (PULSe). He is chair of the Interdepartmental Food Science Graduate Program. His expertise is in the area of microbial pathogenesis (host-pathogen interaction), probiotic bioengineering, and foodborne pathogen detection. To date, he has co-authored more than 190 peer-reviewed research publications, 2 textbooks (Fundamental Food Microbiology; Foodborne Microbial Pathogens–Mechanisms and Pathogenesis), edited 4 books, and delivered over 148 talks. He teaches graduate-level courses on Foodborne Pathogens and Mechanism of Pathogenesis, Microbial Foodborne Pathogen Detection Techniques, and Intestinal Microbiology and Immunology. He served in the USDA National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF; 2013-2017) and has received Purdue Agriculture Research Award (2003), Purdue Faculty Scholar (2005), Purdue Team Award (2006), IFT R&D Award (2009), Outstanding Graduate Educator Award at Purdue (2013), High-End Foreign Experts Recruitment Program (China) fellowship (2014-2016), Fulbright Specialist (2016-2021), and Maurice Weber Laboratorian Award from IAFP (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:
Microbial pathogenesis, host immune response, and bioengineered
probiotics approach in mitigating foodborne pathogen infection
(ii) Pathogen and Toxin Detection:
Development of mammalian cell-based biosensors and immunosensors
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)