EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH INTEREST
Bioinformatics, Next-Generation Sequencing, Big Data Analysis, Data Science, Data Driven Genomics Research

EDUCATION
2011     PhD, Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM University, India
2007     MSc, Medical Biochemistry, University of Madras, India

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2018-Present      Associate Faculty Member of the Biotechnology Graduate Program and Bioinformatician, West Virginia State University, USA
2016-2018           Assistant Professor (Research), SRM University, Chennai, India
2012-2013           Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Toronto, Canada
2011-2016           Assistant Professor, SRM University, Chennai, India
2009-2011           Senior Research Fellow, SRM University, Chennai, India

GRANTS AWARDED TO DR. NATARAJAN (AS INVESTIGATOR AND CO-INVESTIGATOR)

1. Principal Investigator/Project Director, Integrating Data Science with Speed Breeding for Gummy Stem Blight Resistance in Watermelon and Nurturing Next Generation Minority Scientists, USDA-NIFA, USD $ 599,708 (2020-2023)
2. Principal Investigator/Project Director, Empowering Next Generation Plant Geneticists and Crop Breeders: Machine Learning Tools and Techniques in Data Driven Genomics Research, USDA-NIFA, USD $ 299,973 (2022-2025)
3. Co-Principal Investigator/Co-Project Director, exploring wild germplasm for introgression and grafting to combat biotic and abiotic stress for watermelon, USDA-NIFA, USD $ 599,679 (2021-2024)
4. Co-Principal Investigator/Co-Project Director, Translational genomics using Drosophila model for obesity and human health by linking gut microbiome with the benefits of various phytochemicals, USDA-NIFA, USD $ 599,808 (2022-2025)

PUBLICATIONS
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RyrLloAAAAAJ&hl=en