INTERNATIONAL BEST RESEARCHER AWARD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF LIFE SCIENCES
Dr. Priya Josson Akkara is an eminent academician, researcher, and leader who currently serves as the Head of the Department of Life Sciences at the School of Biological and Forensic Sciences, Kristu Jayanti Deemed to be University, Bengaluru. With an illustrious career spanning 27 years, her professional journey seamlessly blends 17 years of dedicated teaching, 5 years of rigorous research, and 5 years of invaluable industry experience. Her previous academic leadership includes serving as the Head of the Biochemistry Department at Garden City University, alongside impactful faculty roles at institutions like Cochin University of Science and Technology, St. Teresa’s College, and Shyamala Reddy Dental College. Beyond academia, she has driven industrial biotechnology training at Biozeen and advanced pharmacological research at the Science Analytical Facilities, Kuwait University. As a pioneering scientist, Dr. Akkara’s interdisciplinary research spans biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, bio-nanotechnology, and sustainability sciences. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious international journals indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and Springer Nature. Her research encompasses nanomaterials in biosensors, drug studies, wound healing, and antimicrobial properties. Merging biology with modern engineering, she also published a patent in 2021 on plant trait enhancement utilising Internet of Things (IoT) applications and one more. Furthermore, she has mentored numerous student projects that bridge laboratory innovation with sustainable community needs. Her outstanding contributions have earned her highly distinguished accolades, including the AICTE Lilavati Award for Women Empowerment (2022), the IIT Madras NPTEL Top Performing Mentor Award (2024), and the Research Excellence Award from Kristu Jayanti College (2024). Passionate about environmental stewardship, her green initiatives led her university to secure the National First Prize in the Clean and Smart Campus Awards and achieved a Platinum Band ranking in the Sustainable Institutions of India Green Ranking 2025. In academic governance, Dr. Priya Josson serves on the Boards of Studies and Examination across several universities, acts as an IQAC member, and led as the Director of the Centre for Environment and Sustainability. An ISO-qualified internal auditor, she regularly conducts academic and environmental audits and serves as a trusted resource person for AICTE and IGNOU. Through this extraordinary synergy of high-impact research, visionary leadership, and sustainability, Dr. Priya Josson stands as a benchmark of excellence in the field of scientific research, sustainability and education.