Yeah, you can begin.

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia

I'm Daniel Andrew. I did my masters. In biochemistry. Under UH Bharadwajan University in Saint Joseph's College. I did my PhD in Vit Vellore.

Okay, so you've got your master's in biochemistry from Saint Joseph's under UH Bharadwajan University, and your PhD from VIT Vellore.

In SBST. In 2014. I worked on redox enzymes, heme enzymes. Like horseradish peroxidase, chloropyroxidase, cytochrome P-450 which is involved in drug metabolism.

Professor, you mentioned your research on redox enzymes and cytochrome P-450. In your teaching work,

And my work. Shows that. The enzymes which we are. We call redox enzymes. One fundamental concept. That I want students to learn. Is electron transfer reactions. And redox. Chemistry.

Okay, so you emphasize electron transfer reactions and redox chemistry as foundational for your students.

So in electron transfer reactions, electrons jump from. A donor. To an acceptor. In biological science. Oxidoreductase among enzymes. The first class of enzymes is oxidoredectasis. So whenever you're learning. Enzymes and mitochondrial respiration or. Chloroplast electron transfer.

This concept is foundational.

Alright,

This concept is foundational. And now?

Looking at your publication, “The intriguing enhancement of chloroperoxidase mediated one-electron oxidations by azide,” I’m curious—how do you use insights from that work to help undergraduates understand the connection between enzyme structure and function?

Mm-hmm.

OK.

You emphasized that the concept is foundational, and your publication explores how azide affects chloroperoxidase activity. When you discuss that with students,

Azide is. Type 2 ligand. Which binds to heme.

Alright, so azide is a type 2 ligand binding to the heme group. When you explain ligand binding to undergraduates, do you have a favorite demonstration or analogy that helps them visualize how this interaction affects enzyme function?

OK, so. I usually ask them to make. A clay model. With a hollow. Or an active.

Which is shaped. In such a way that it can accommodate the substrate, so it's not just the shape. But it's also the electrostatic.

Dr., focusing on your expertise with redox enzymes and heme proteins, where do you see the most promising—and fundable—research directions over the next three years? What kinds of grants would you pursue to support that work?

You mentioned modeling the active site with clay to show how substrate shape and electrostatics matter. Thinking about funding, what specific grant agencies or industry partners would you target to support research on heme enzyme mechanisms or applications?

OK.

OK. Right now I'm. Thinking about. Certain funding agencies.

You mentioned using clay models for teaching enzyme-substrate interactions, which is a hands-on approach. Suppose you had to guide a group of postgraduate students through an interdisciplinary project—maybe something bridging Genetic Counselling and Food Science and Technology. How would you structure that project to foster genuine collaboration and ensure students from different backgrounds actually learn from each other?

Okay, noted.

But the concept is not. OK, firstly. I teach them molecular docking. Using something like Schrodinger Glide.

Alright, so you introduce molecular docking with tools like Schrodinger Glide to help students grasp active site interactions. When you're guiding students through computational modeling, how do you assess if they've actually understood the theory behind docking, not just the software steps?

These kind of programs.

You bring up programs like Schrodinger Glide for molecular docking. When students are running these, how do you differentiate between those who've just followed the software steps and those who've actually understood the chemical principles behind binding affinity?

Basically they go through the. Basics of. Those programs, they understand. How those programs work? Only then they work on the program. So I asked them to read. The. Manual first. And then work on docking And I think that's a better. Approach And I think that's a better. Approach. I show them. How to do it? 1st I take a small protein and then I show them how to do it. 1st and then I guide them. And then they. And I give them some. Docking to do and then they do it. And then I. Validate together they've done something right.

Basically they go through the. Basics of. Those programs, they understand. How those programs work? Only then they work on the program. So I asked them to read. The. Manual first.

Alright, you ask them to read the manual first and get familiar with how the software works before diving in. When students struggle to connect what they're reading in the manual to the underlying chemistry,

Ask them where they've struggled and then. Based on what?

Alright, you walk them through the process by demonstrating docking on a small protein and then validating their results together, which helps bridge theory and practice.

You ask students where they've struggled and base your support on that. If you notice a student consistently struggling with docking concepts, how do you adapt your instruction to help them gain confidence without just giving them the answers?

I reassure them that. Anything that they do first is like riding a bicycle.

I reassure them that. Anything that they do first is like riding a bicycle. You have to. Learn the step. You'll have to understand what you do.

And I reassure them that. It's easy and first time. Anybody does anything? It's difficult, but then I have attended. Several workshops on. NAC accreditation processes.

Alright, let's shift gears to something a bit broader—department-level responsibilities. Accreditation cycles can be demanding. If you joined our department and found that outcome assessment data was inconsistent across courses, how would you approach fixing that?

So you reassure them it's like learning to ride a bicycle, and that understanding the steps is just as important as doing them. Let's shift gears—if you joined our department and found that outcome assessment data was inconsistent across courses, how would you approach fixing that to meet accreditation standards?

Okay, you mentioned attending several workshops on NAC accreditation processes. Can you give me a concrete example from those workshops of a strategy you’d use to standardize outcome assessment data across courses?

And outcome based. Evaluation, OBE. One is we do something known as an attainment. Calculation. And to see whether students have attained. The level of knowledge that we expect of them.

And outcome based. Evaluation, OBE. One is we do something known as an attainment. Calculation. And to see whether students have attained. The level of knowledge that we expect of them. And that can be done.

Dr., let's discuss ethical dilemmas in academia. Imagine a student formally complains that your grading is biased, while at the same time your department head is urging you to raise pass rates. How would you handle that situation to maintain both academic integrity and institutional harmony?

So you use attainment calculations to measure if students have reached the expected level of knowledge, tying that to outcome-based evaluation.

So every course. 1 I feel that. To my conscience, whatever grading I have done is. Right, but I would ask a colleague. To also. Check the students paper if there's any question about. Me having favoritism. Then I would. You know, based on that. I can. You know. If I am found to be biased then I would accept that.

You know why the student deserves more marks? And move on. Otherwise I would stick to the original grade that I gave.

So you'd have a colleague double-check the student's paper and be open to accepting if you were found biased.

Given your experience with bioinformatics and genetic counselling, do you have any industry connections that could help students secure internships or placements in those fields?

Absolutely I would. Talk to my contacts I have.

Friends in certain industry. Which work on bioinformatics as well as genetic counseling.

Alright, so you'd actively reach out to your contacts to help students with placements or internships. Can you name a specific company or organization you've worked with in the past, and how you'd facilitate those opportunities for students here?

Right, you’ve got those industry connections and would help facilitate introductions. Let’s shift focus now—I want to ask about your research publications. Can you walk me through one of your recent papers and explain how you decided on the research question?

Sure.

Uh, I published a recent paper in. BioMed Research International.

You mentioned having industry friends in bioinformatics and genetic counseling.

Alright, BioMed Research International is a solid journal. What was the main finding in that paper, and how did it influence your teaching or student projects?

My main finding was that. Horseradish peroxidase. Did not uh. Conform to Michaelis Menten kinetics.

So your main finding was that horseradish peroxidase didn’t follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics. What impact did that discovery have on your approach to teaching enzyme kinetics to students?

And the gutter that we obtained. Deviated from classical enzyme. In the textbook. We have Michaelis Menten being. Given as one of the main models of enzyme action and. I have taught. Enzyme kinetics in. 3rd semester. In undergraduate. And uh, for biochemistry students and then I. Found that it was challenging for me to. Teach Michael is making kind ticks the way it is given in the textbook.

Okay, so teaching enzyme kinetics was challenging because your research results didn’t match the textbook model. Did you adjust your lectures or labs in any specific way to help students grasp that complexity?

But then I gave them the alternative model that I'm working on. Without. Yeah. Did not inform. I view who's on the students because it's a developing story.

So you introduced an alternative model to students, but didn’t fully disclose since it’s still a work in progress. Switching gears—can you describe your approach when guiding student research projects,

But then I. Told them that. I have found. This alternative mode. A student brings a very unrealistic idea. I do not. Be dismissive of the student. I would not. Mock the student or anything like that. But I would explain to the student. That there are certain things. Given the limitations. Resources. Limitations of ideas and things like that, that we could explore it in the future. But then I would say that. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the Bush and whatever. Resources I have and ideas I have.

I would ask the student if he or she is willing to work on that. And then?

Right,

Okay, so you check with the student if they're willing to work within the available resources. For grading lab reports or written exams, what’s your process to make sure every student gets a fair and consistent evaluation?

And see where I could. You know, help students pass I have only started an industry collaboration with Mer. I have not been. Involved in I have only started an industry collaboration with Mer. I have not been. Involved in. An industry collaboration until now.

I do relative grading.

I do relative grading. So if I see. Some students are not scoring well on my paper.

I do relative grading. So if I see. Some students are not scoring well on my paper. I would normalize the mark.

So you use relative grading for fairness. What happens if the entire class performs poorly—do you ever curve grades, or do you look deeper into what might’ve gone wrong with the teaching or the exam itself?

So your approach is to use relative grading, especially if you notice students aren’t scoring well. What happens if the entire class performs poorly—do you ever curve grades, or do you look deeper into what might’ve gone wrong with the teaching or the exam itself?

So you use relative grading for fairness. What happens if the entire class performs poorly—do you ever curve grades,

I have only started an industry collaboration with Mer. I have not been. Involved in. An industry collaboration until now. I mean, I haven't completed one.

You mentioned starting a collaboration with Mer. Can you tell me what the focus of that project is, and what specific contribution you expect to make as part of the collaboration?

You’ve started an industry collaboration but haven’t completed one yet. Moving to teaching—how do you make complex bioinformatics or genetics concepts accessible for undergraduates, especially students who might not have a strong math background?

Umm. I do not think there would be. Too much mathematics in. In a life science score.

Umm. I do not think there would be. Too much mathematics in. In a life science score. And therefore I don't see much of a problem there.

So you feel the math component in life sciences isn’t too demanding. Let’s shift a bit—what strategies do you use to help students who struggle with the theoretical parts of bioinformatics or genetics, even if the math isn’t the main barrier?

Alright, so you don’t see math as a big barrier for life sciences students. When you’re teaching theory-heavy topics in bioinformatics or genetics, what strategies do you use to keep students engaged and actually understanding the material, especially when it gets abstract?

Uh, most.

You’re saying most students don’t struggle much with math in life sciences, so you don’t see it as a major issue. Let’s shift topics—can you share a bit about your publication record? What’s one research paper you’ve published that you’re especially proud of, and why?

OK. I would say that. In vit when I was. A PhD student, my first ever research paper was on Azide. And chloropyroxidase.

So your first research paper as a PhD student focused on azide and chloropyroxidase. What was the main finding or contribution of that paper, and how did it influence your later research direction?

And as I'd being an actor. Activator of chloropyroxidase at certain conditions instead of. I've always studied in textbooks. That aside, can inhibit. Heme enzymes but. I found that it activated heme enzymes. 4 to 8 times. Of control rates. And I found that this. Concept known as Murban. Can be applied. To living cells as well as biological processes. And that's what I've started doing.

In a new. In Saint Joseph's University with one of my undergraduate students.

Wait, so you found azide actually activated heme enzymes four to eight times above control rates,

So you worked with an undergraduate student at Saint Joseph's University on applying the Murban concept to living cells. What challenges did you run into when translating that finding from textbook chemistry into real biological systems?

We are still working with Invitro. Setups.

Where you have Kuwait reactions and we are doing EPR spectroscopy, we are doing. Many other. Um, investigation.

Alright, you’re still working with in vitro setups. Shifting gears—how do you guide student research projects,

Okay, so you’re running EPR spectroscopy and investigating Kuwait reactions in vitro. When students get stuck or frustrated with these kinds of complex experiments, what’s your approach to helping them get unstuck without just giving them the answer?

I tell them. Anything that. Is worth. You know, it's always hard.

The best motivation I give them is staying back with them, even if it is. 7:00 to 8:00.

You remind your students that anything worthwhile is usually tough—sounds like you’re encouraging resilience. Last skill for this round: do you have experience evaluating students or handling exam duties, and if so, how do you ensure fairness in your grading process?

Alright, we're wrapping up. Is there anything you'd like to ask about the role or the team?

Yeah. What is the expected role? Because I applied for. Only assistant professor. Research.

I do not know if I have to teach classes. Right now.

You’re asking about the expected role since you applied specifically for Assistant Professor (Research).

Right,

I I am teaching.

Okay, you mentioned you are teaching right now. Is there anything else you want to ask about the Assistant Professor (Research) role or the team before we wrap up?

Yeah, I would like. Know if. I joined us. Assistant Professor Research. Would I be absorbed as a regular faculty? My hometown is Vellore.