Dhanya Kumaran
Areas of Interest & Expertise
- Epistemic affect
- Teacher education
- Teaching and learning practices in science classroom
- Neurodegeneration
- miRNA
- Cancer biology
Biography
Dhanya is a biologist and school teacher with a background in both life science research and school education. She is interested in developing effective teaching practices that lead to meaningful learning in Science. She utilises her experiences in scientific research, classroom teaching, science communication, and teacher training to achieve this.
Dhanya’s PhD thesis was on understanding the neurogenetics of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 (SCA1) at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru. Her research revealed changes in miRNA and mRNA expression during disease progression, offering new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying SCA1 and contributing to a broader understanding of its pathogenesis.
After her PhD, Dhanya taught Biology at a private residential school for 5 years. Later she worked as an Education Consultant with Genwise, Bengaluru.
Dhanya holds a bachelor’s degree in Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, a master’s in Molecular Biology, and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.).
Publications
- Jayashree Ramadas and Dhanya K (2023), Learning to heal the Earth (Part 1, 2, 3, 4), Nature Classrooms
- Dhanya K (2022), An Inquiry-based Approach to Germination, i wonder… (9) pp 21 – 26
- Dhanya K (2022), Teaching Human Reproduction, i wonder… (8). pp. 35 – 39. ISSN 2582 – 1636
- Dhanya Kumaran, Gaiti Hasan (2015), Spinocerebellar ataxia 1: Case and Cohort-based studies in India, Current Science
- Dhanya K (2015) Molecular Basis of Spinocerebellar Ataxia in a selected south Indian population. (Ph.D. Thesis)
- Dhanya Kumaran, Krishnan Balagopal, Reginald George Alex Tharmaraj, Sanjith Aaron, Kuryan George, Jayaprakash Muliyil, Ajith Sivadasan, Sumita Danda, Mathew Alexander and Gaiti Hasan (2014), Genetic characterization of Spinocerebellar ataxia 1 in a South Indian cohort, BMC Medical Genetics, 15:114
- Amritha Suresh, Muhil Vannan, Dhanya Kumaran, Zeynep H. Gu ̈mu ̈s, Priya Sivadas, Elango Erode Murugaian, Vikram Kekatpure, Subramanian Iyer, Kumarasamy Thangaraj and Moni Abraham Kuriakose (2012) Resistance/response molecular signature for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma, Disease Markers 32, 51 – 64