Maleeha Afaq Butt, M.Sc

Maleeha is a genetics researcher with expertise in molecular biology, computational biology, bioinformatics, and plant biotechnology. She earned her Master's degree in Genetics from Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, where she investigated the regulation of terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus. Her research focused on melatonin-mediated metabolic pathways and their role in enhancing the production of pharmaceutically important alkaloids, including vinblastine and vincristine. By integrating molecular genetics, plant metabolic engineering, and computational biology, she aims to understand the regulation of plant secondary metabolism and improve the biosynthesis of therapeutically valuable compounds. Her research interests include plant biotechnology, metabolic pathway engineering, functional genomics, and bioinformatics-driven approaches to crop and medicinal plant improvement.