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Biography
Dr. Nagamani Bora is a Chair and Director of Biotechnology Degree Programmes, where she spearheads strategic oversight of curriculum development, faculty collaboration, and program innovation. Her leadership is rooted in a distinguished career spanning academia and industry. She has vast experience in developing immersive curricula and championing evidence-based pedagogies to enhance student engagement and academic success. She served as the University academic lead for student outcomes. She was a Senior Lecturer in Microbial Technology at De Montfort University, where she pioneered innovative approaches in teaching and learning. Previously, as a Senior Research Fellow at Aston University, she managed an EPSRC-funded industry-academia partnership focused on translational research. Her industry tenure as a Senior Scientist at Avecia Biotechnology saw her lead teams in the development of therapeutic proteins, aligning R&D with commercial objectives. During her foundational role as a Research Associate at Newcastle University, Dr. Bora honed her expertise in managing large-scale, complex EU consortium projects, cross-sector partnerships, aligning academic research with industrial needs for food applications, while ensuring seamless collaboration, resource allocation, and translational outcomes across multi-stakeholder initiatives.
A Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE (PFHEA) and Royal Society of Biology Fellow, Nagamani holds a Genetics and Biochemistry degree from India and a PhD in Industrial Biotechnology from the University of Newcastle (2000-2005). Recognized for her leadership in biotechnology education, she was named 'Inspirational Woman in Biotechnology-2019' and chairs the Biotechnology Teaching Theme, where she champions inclusive student experiences through initiatives targeting access, retention, and equitable attainment. Her work bridges academic rigor with visionary governance, fostering growth across institutional and sector-wide landscapes.
Expertise Summary
Dr. Nagamani Bora has a multidisciplinary portfolio spanning sustainability integration, experiential learning design, and holistic student experience development. Dr. Bora's work transcends disciplinary boundaries, leveraging her background in applied sciences and education to create scalable, student-centered ecosystems. Her expertise bridges scientific rigor, pedagogical innovation, and inclusive education strategies, applicable across disciplines and institutional contexts.
Core expertise is in Sustainability-Driven Education, Experiential & Applied Learning, Student Onboarding & Transition Programs, Curriculum Innovation & Pedagogy, Global Academic Partnerships - Building cross-cultural teaching and research collaborations, fostering knowledge exchange and joint degree programs with institutions worldwide, Faculty Development & Institutional Leadership - inclusive pedagogy, champions governance models that align institutional priorities with student success metrics and community impact goals.
Teaching Summary
Dr. Nagamani Bora is an award-winning educator and curriculum innovator recognized for advancing student-centered pedagogies aligned with the evolving demands of higher education. Her practice… read more
Research Summary
Dr. Nagamani Bora's research program integrates bio-engineering innovation and sustainable development goals (SDGs) to address pressing global challenges in health industry, and environmental… read more
Selected Publications
CHRISTOPHE MONNET, FRANCOISE IRLINGER, NAGAMANI BORA AND ALAN C WARD, 2015. Genomics of smear cheese microflora. In: NAGAMANI BORA CHRISTINE DODD NATHALIE DESMASURES, ed., Diversity, Dynamics and Functional Role of Actinomycetes on European Smear Ripened Cheeses Springer International Publishing. 19-50 NATHALIE DESMASURES, NAGAMANI BORA, ALAN C WARD, 2015. Smear ripened cheeses. In: NAGAMANI BORA, CHRISTINE DODD AND NATHALIE DESMASURES, ed., Diversity, Dynamics and Functional role of Actinomycetes on European Smear ripened cheeses Springer International Publishing. 1-18
Dr. Nagamani Bora is an award-winning educator and curriculum innovator recognized for advancing student-centered pedagogies aligned with the evolving demands of higher education. Her practice integrates digital transformation, global employability, and inclusive excellence, preparing learners to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce.
Leadership in Curriculum Innovation: Future-Ready Curriculum Design: Pioneered curricula that embed digital literacy, cultural competence, and sustainability literacy, ensuring graduates meet global industry standards. Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL): Champions immersive, tech-driven pedagogies-virtual labs, AI-assisted simulations, and hybrid learning toolkits-to foster engagement in courses. Employability & Experiential Learning: Developed Professional Skills for Biotechnologists (UG/PG) and Bioprocessing & Bioengineering modules, integrating real-world case studies, industry partnerships, and competency-based assessments to cultivate transferable skills.
Inclusive & Global Education: Designs EDI-centered curricula with universal design principles, employs adaptive learning resources to reduce attainment gaps.Lead initiatives to inspire women in STEM, creating mentorship networks and gender-inclusive project frameworks in courses. Infused curricula with cross-cultural perspectives, fostering global citizenship through virtual exchanges and collaborative projects with international institutions.
Accreditation & Quality Assurance: Spearheads program accreditations (e.g., RSB, AMB) by aligning learning outcomes with professional competencies and sector benchmarks.Utilizes data analytics to monitor student progression, tailoring interventions for at-risk cohorts and enhancing retention.
Recognition & Impact:
- Recipient of the Lord Dearing Award for excellence in teaching and student support, reflecting her transformative impact on learner success.Pedagogic research focuses on curricular agility, inclusive curriculum and assessment models and strategies to address emerging trends like AI integration and green skills development.
Key Modules Taught:
- Advanced Methods in Molecular Biotechnology
- Professional Skills for Biotechnologists (UG/PG)
- Bioprocessing & Bioengineering
- Brewing Waste Management & Environmental Issues
- Research Skills in Microbial Biotechnology
- Cell Factories
- Industrial and Commercial aspects of Microbial Biotechnology
Current Focus: Scaling micro-credential programs, embedding AI literacy across curricula, and advancing sustainability education through cross-disciplinary collaborations.
Current Research
Dr. Nagamani Bora's research program integrates bio-engineering innovation and sustainable development goals (SDGs) to address pressing global challenges in health industry, and environmental stewardship. Anchored in interdisciplinary collaboration, her work bridges microbial biotechnology, circular bioeconomy principles, and green chemistry. Dr. Bora's research thrives on partnerships with industry, policymakers, and academia, embedding sustainability into biotechnological workflows. Her work pioneers scalable, low-carbon alternatives to traditional manufacturing while addressing global health inequities.
Key Research Themes:
- Sustainable Biomanufacturing & Waste Valorization:
- Develops bioprocessing platforms to convert agricultural and industrial waste into high-value bioactive compounds and interesting proteins like collagens, reducing reliance on resource-intensive processes.
- Leverages Actinomycetes, a resilient group of Gram-positive microbes, to mine novel enzymes for biodegradable plastics and sustainable alternatives to synthetic chemicals, advancing circular economy goals.
- Search and Discovery of Novel Compounds:
- Explores under explored ecological niches to identify next-generation antimicrobials and therapeutic agents
- Employs cutting-edge omics-driven strategies to decode microbial regulatory networks, accelerating the discovery of Actinomycete-derived anti-infectives.
- Bioengineering for Therapeutic Protein Enhancement:
- Optimizes heterologous expression systems (e.g., Pichia pastoris) to sustainably produce therapeutic proteins, improving yields and scalability for biopharmaceutical applications.
- Microbiome Innovation:
- Characterizes microbial consortia from extreme environments to engineer solutions for health and carbon sequestration.