Graduate Chair
Richard L. and Carol S. McNeel Associate Professor

Academic Degrees

  • Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
  • M.S., Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
  • B.S., Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

News

Interesting research shows impressive prospect for higher ethanol blend in conventional vehicles!
Research led by us showed that non-flex-fuel vehicles could burn E-30 ethanol blends and get performance comparable to blends that use less of the corn-based fuel, such as E-10 or E-15. Multiple news outlets have featured the story, including EthanolProducer magazine, SDPB radio, KLKN TV, and Journal Star

 

Experience

2022 -            Associate Professor

                        Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

                        University of Nebraska-Lincoln

2016 -  2022   Assistant Professor

                        Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

                        University of Nebraska-Lincoln

2014 - 2016   Postdoctoral Research Fellow

                        Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis

                        Advisor: Dr. Himadri B. Pakrasi

2009-2014    Graduate Research Assistant

                        Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University

                        Advisor: Dr. Costas Maranas

 2005-2009   Research Scholar

                        Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore

Curriculum Vitae (CV):

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

  • Reconstruction and analysis of genome-scale and community models
  • Systems-level analysis of ‘omics’ data
  • Genetic redesign of non model organisms for biotechnological purposes
  • Development of genetic toolkit and engineering metabolic pathways
  • Redesign photosynthetic apparatus and carbon fixing mechanism

Research Profiles:

Courses Taught

About Rajib Saha

Dr. Rajib Saha is the Graduate Chair and Richard L. and Carol S. McNeel Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical & Bimolecular Engineering at UNL. Prior to his appointment at UNL, he worked as a post-doctoral research associate in the Himadri Pakrasi Lab in Biology department at Washington University in St. Louis. He graduated with his PhD and MS in Chemical Engineering from the Costas Maranas Lab at The Pennsylvania State University in 2014 and 2011, respectively. He obtained his Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology with the top position in his graduating class.


Throughout his multidisciplinary graduate research career, he has developed metabolic network models for photosynthetic organisms and subsequently utilized those for studying their physiology and also for metabolic engineering applications. His recent postdoctoral research includes study of light/dark behavior and development of efficient and tunable gene expression control system of a model cyanobacterial strain. His research interests include reconstruction and analysis of genome-scale and community models, systems-level analysis of ‘omics’ data, development of genetic toolkit and engineering metabolic pathways, and redesign photosynthetic apparatus and carbon fixing mechanism.

His lab, the Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory (SSBio) conducts research aimed at discovey and redesign of non-model microbes, plants and microbial consortia. We focus on both computational and experimental techniques to overcome the challenges in utilizing these organisms as platforms for producing bio-renewables or answering biological questions regarding metabolism, health and environment.

Honors and Awards

Funding

  • NSF EPSCoR Track 2 Award
  • NSF Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Grant
  • NIH R35 MIRA Award
  • NSF Molecular and Cellular Bioscience (MCB) Grant
  • NSF CAREER Award
  • Nebraska Collaboration Initiative grants
  • Nebraska Corn Board award
  • Nebraska Ethanol Board award
  • Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research (NCESR) Energy Research grant
  • NSF EPSCoR Track 1 Center for Root & Rhizobiome Innovation (CRRI) grant

Selected Publications

Recent Presentations