By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : June 11, 2026 5:25 pm
Accomplished molecular microbiologist and protein engineer takes charge of CSIR-IMTECH after serving in key scientific and regulatory leadership roles at FSSAI
Dr. Alka Rao has assumed charge as the full-time Director of CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, becoming the first woman scientist to lead the institute since its establishment 42 years ago.
She succeeds Souvik Maiti, Director of CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, who had been holding the additional charge of Director, CSIR-IMTECH, since March 2026.
Prior to her appointment, Dr. Rao was on deputation from CSIR-IMTECH to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, where she served as Advisor for the Science, Standards and Regulation Division from March 2024. During her tenure, she played a key role in advancing food safety initiatives, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and aligning India’s food standards with international scientific and trade requirements.
A trained protein engineer and molecular microbiologist with more than two decades of research experience, Dr. Rao has represented 24 Asian member countries twice on the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Since 2024, she has served as India’s National Contact Point for the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Enquiry Point, contributing significantly to global food standards development and international trade harmonization.
At CSIR-IMTECH, her research group has gained recognition for pioneering work in the discovery of rare bacterial glycoenzymes. The team successfully developed previously unknown enzymatic methods for the S-diglycosylation of proteins and peptides using bacterial enzymes, opening avenues for applications in food preservation, antibiotic resistance management, and industrial enzyme production.
Dr. Rao earned her Ph.D. from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and has authored more than 60 research publications while filing over 15 national and international patents. She has led several major scientific projects and received widespread recognition for her contributions to science, including being named the CSIR Women Scientist Achiever for 2023.