생화학분자생물학회

Ravi Gupta

Kookmin University

ravigupta@kookmin.ac.kr​

From the rice fields of Asia to the research laboratories of South Korea, Dr. Ravi Gupta’s scientific journey has been guided by one fundamental question: How do plants perceive environmental and pathogenic threats, and how do they translate those signals into molecular defense? A leading plant molecular biologist and proteomics expert, Dr. Gupta has built a distinguished career exploring the intricate signaling networks that govern plant immunity and stress adaptation. Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the College of General Education and Associate Director at the Korea Institute for Astronauts (KIFA), Dr. Gupta has published more than 160 research articles, edited several books, and earned numerous national and international honors. Notably, he has been listed among the top 2% of scientists worldwide by Elsevier for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025). He is also a Member of the Royal Society of Biology (UK), which reflects international recognition of his leadership and contributions to the biological sciences.

Dr. Gupta’s research seamlessly integrates proteomics, redox biology, and hormone signaling to uncover how plants respond to biotic and abiotic stresses at the molecular level. One of his major areas of investigation focuses on post-translational modifications, particularly cysteine-based redox switches that function as molecular sensors during stress and pathogen attack. Through high-throughput proteomics and redoxomics, his group has identified key proteins involved in nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) signaling, and elucidated their crosstalk with plant hormone networks. His pioneering work has significantly deepened our understanding of how redox modifications regulate plant immunity, paving the way for the development of crops with enhanced resilience and productivity. By framing these plant-pathogen and signaling dynamics as an evolutionary arms race, Dr. Gupta’s work not only advances fundamental biological understanding but also provides practical insights for engineering durable, broad-spectrum disease resistance, a crucial step toward sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.

Beyond his ongoing research in plant-pathogen interactions and stress signaling, Dr. Gupta is venturing into the exciting frontier of space agriculture. As the Associate Director of KIFA, he envisions taking plant science beyond the boundaries of Earth. His proposed research at KIFA focuses on astrobiology, particularly on developing sustainable plant growth systems for extraterrestrial environments such as the International Space Station (ISS), lunar soil, and even Martian habitats. By integrating plant proteomics, controlled environment agriculture, and nanotechnology-driven nutrient systems, he aims to unravel how plants can adapt to microgravity, radiation, and nutrient-limited conditions, the key challenges in supporting future human life beyond Earth. Dr. Gupta says that “Plants are the foundation of life on Earth, and they will be the foundation of life beyond it. Understanding how they sense and adapt to extreme environments will not only strengthen food security here but also enable sustainable living elsewhere.”

With his deep expertise in redox signaling and plant stress biology, combined with a visionary outlook on astrobiology, Dr. Ravi Gupta represents a new generation of scientists who seamlessly bridge fundamental biology with futuristic exploration. His work continues to inspire young researchers to look beyond conventional boundaries, from the molecular intricacies of a rice cell to the vast possibilities of growing crops among the stars.

[Contact information]

Dr. Ravi Gupta

Room No. B104, Yeongbin Kwon, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707 

ravigupta@kookmin.ac.kr

+82-1092160356 (Kakaotalk)

+91-9654020356 (WhatsApp)

[Key recent publications]

1. Min CW, Kim ST, Rakwal R, Gupta R (2025) Unlocking plant proteomes in four dimensions: diaPASEF and beyond. Trends Plant Sci. S1360-1385 (25) 00257-2 

2. Gupta R (2025) Cysteine modifications as molecular switch governing salicylic acid biosynthesis in systemic acquired resistance. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 67(5): 1202-1204  

3. Gupta R (2025) Saponins as double-edged swords in plant–fungal interactions. Trends Plant Sci. 30 (1): 4-6 

4. Gupta P, Saxena G, Gupta R (2025) Nitrate reductase-mediated nitric oxide synthesis in shaping stress resilience in plants. J. Exp. Bot. eraf353 

5. Munir A, Min CW, Wang Y, Kim ST, Gupta R (2025) S‐nitrosoproteome analysis of rice leaves highlights the possible roles of superoxide dismutase in resistance against Magnaporthe oryzae. Physiol. Plant. 177 (5), e70515 

6. Gupta R (2025) Assembly dynamics of OsCBSX3 regulates H2S biosynthesis and the concurrent growth-defense tradeoff in rice. J. Plant Growth Reg. 44: 5020–5022

7. Shukla K, Nikita, Ahmad A, Noorani MS, Gupta R (2025) Phytohormones and emerging plant growth regulators in tailoring plant immunity against viral infections. Physiol. Plant. 177(2): e70171 

8. Maurya AK, Agarwal R, Gupta R (2025) Unraveling the crosstalk among ethylene, nitric oxide, and polyamines in tailoring the abiotic stress resilience in plants. Stress Bio. 5 (1), 20 

9. Min CW, Jang JW, Yoo JS, Lee GH, Kim YJ, Gupta R, Kim ST (2025) Identification of HSP70 as a key regulator of MSP1-induced signaling in rice. J. Plant Growth Reg. 44: 3843–3852

10. Gupta R, Singh VP, Sharma A, Sharma P, Kumar M (2025) Emerging roles of nanoparticles in sustainable agriculture. Plant Nano Biol. 100197