Kumar Venkitanarayanan

Background

About Kumar Venkitanarayanan

Dr. Kumar Venkitanarayanan serves as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut (UConn). He is also the Associate Director of Storrs Experiment Station at UConn. As an accomplished researcher and administrator, Dr. Venkitanarayanan oversees and provides leadership for CAHNR’s research mission and graduate education by enhancing faculty scholarship in research and increasing graduate research and training opportunities, including diversity in graduate student population. As a veterinarian trained in livestock production, food safety and microbiology, Dr, Venkitanarayanan’s research investigates the efficacy of plant-derived molecules, essential minerals and probiotics for attenuating virulence and antibiotic resistance in human and veterinary pathogens, and reducing their colonization in food animals for improving food safety. Having been successful as a Principial Investigator in garnering over 17 million dollars in competitive funding for his research, Dr. Venkitanarayanan has published 125 peer-reviewed journal manuscripts, 27 book chapters, 116 conference presentations, and characterized five new bacterial genes, and given 51 invited talks. Dr. Venkitanarayanan serves on the editorial boards of multiple journals, including his position as Academic Editor in PLOS One. Dr. Venkitanarayanan has mentored over 80 personnel in his laboratory, including 25 graduate students, 5 postdoctoral scientists, and 55 undergraduate student researchers. Dr. Venkitanarayanan is the recipient of several accolades, including the Fellow of Institute of Food Technologists, 2021; Research Excellence and Creativity Award (Science), University of Connecticut, 2019; Evonik Degussa Award for outstanding research in Poultry Science for a period of seven years, Poultry Science Association, 2017; Food Microbiology Division award, Institute of Food Technologists, 2017; Research Excellence Award, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, UConn, 2011; UNESCO/ASM Visiting Resource Person award to lecture on Antibiotic Resistance, 2011, and Gamma Sigma Delta Faculty Award of Merit, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, UConn, 2007.