Professor Jagroop Pandhal

BSc (Hons), MSc (Hons), PhD

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

Professor of Microbial Systems Engineering

Engineering Graduate School Deputy Head of Admissions

Dr Jags Pandhal
Dr Jagroop Pandhal of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Profile picture of Dr Jags Pandhal
j.pandhal@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4914
Room D61, Sir Robert Hadfield Building

Full contact details

Professor Jagroop Pandhal
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Room D61
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

I am a biological engineer with a passion for exploiting the diverse functional capabilities of microbes to answer emerging societal challenges. We are largely focussed on metabolic engineering of microbial systems for making all sorts of products from high to medium/low value, including therapeutic proteins and polyols for bio-plastics. We also use microbes for bioremediation and resource recovery, including converting complex industrial waste streams into microbial feedstocks. More recently we have become fascinated with the concept of creating synthetic microbial communities to face some of the more complex challenges. We apply a variety of tools to uncover interactions and metabolic functions, with quantitative proteomics being one of our favourite tools.

My undergraduate was in Microbiology in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at The University of Sheffield. I then spent time doing research in Chicago, USA followed a year of research in applied aspects of biosciences in Nottingham. However, I returned to Sheffield for my doctoral studies and worked at the interface of life sciences and engineering, developing quantitative proteomics tools to complement environment-focused projects with functional characterisation. After a successful PDRA funded by the Bioprocess Research Industry Club I was awarded an Independent Fellowship from NERC. Since 2015, I have led my own research team as an academic in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE). I have spent quite some time in Sheffield now, and consequently I have made an excellent base to work with academics across all faculties, and have some brilliant friends to share ideas and write grants with. However, our international portfolio of collaborators is also very strong.

I am particularly proud of my research group, and so far, have been lucky to supervise an incredibly international team of PhD students and PDRA’s with representatives from Portugal, Italy, India, Cameroon, Iraq, UK, Kuwait, Nigeria, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Peru, Egypt and Mexico.

Research interests

My research aims to exploit microbial systems for biomanufacturing through to bioremediation. We engineer cells, but also apply advanced omics technologies to better understand how microbial communities in the natural environment function, with a view to creating synthetic microbial consortia for industrial processes.

Key research interests:

  • Metabolic engineering
  • Quantitative proteomics (metaproteomics and glycosylation)
  • Synthetic microbial communities
  • Algae Biotechnology
  • Biomanufacturing

It is widely recognised that the fundamental training of a biologist and an engineer is different. Mathematical theories and quantitative methods are at the forefront of engineering approaches, and therefore their application to complex systems, including biological, is a useful attribute.

However, biologists have the advantage of formulating better testable hypotheses, experimental designs and data interpretation from these complex biological systems. This is namely due to different techniques and strategies used by life scientists to qualitatively decipher complex systems.

The skills of an engineer and life scientist are therefore complementary. I work at this interface to reveal (hopefully useful) information about complex biological systems.

Publications

Journal articles

  • Hamed SM, Raut MP, Evans CA, Pandhal J, Al-Zharani M & Wright PC (2025) . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 172, 151302-151302.
  • Janpum C, Pandhal J, Pombubpa N, Komkhum T, Sirichan C, Srichuen P & In-na P (2025) . Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 29.
  • Hu B, Liu K, Du F, Xing H, Su X, Hu T, Chen F, Qin Y, Dong Z, Sun X , Zhang L et al (2025) . Scientific Data, 12(1).
  • Shi M, Evans C, McQuillan J, Noirel J & Pandhal J (2025) . Bio-protocol, 15(9).
  • Elghazy E, Davies MMJ, Farr NTH, Rodenburg C, Willmott JR & Pandhal J (2025) . Journal of CO2 Utilization, 92.
  • Babamohammadi S, Birss AR, Pouran H, Pandhal J & Borhani TN (2025) . Carbon Capture Science & Technology, 14.
  • Semple A & Pandhal J (2025) . Applied Phycology, 6(1), 21-51.
  • Evans C (2024) Glycoprofile Comparison of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Proteins Expressed in CHO and HEK Cell Lines. Marine Biotechnology.
  • Elghazy E, Mohamed SMDS, Wianglor K, Tetali S, Raut M, Roy I & Pandhal J (2024) . New Biotechnology, 83, 133-141.
  • Kratzl F, Urban M, Pandhal J, Shi M, Meng C, Kleigrewe K, Kremling A & Pflüger-Grau K (2024) . Communications Biology, 7(1).
  • Shi M, Evans CA, McQuillan JL, Noirel J & Pandhal J (2024) . Journal of Proteome Research, 23(3), 999-1013.
  • Cai Z, Karunakaran E & Pandhal J (2024) . Front Microbiol, 15.
  • McQuillan JL, Cutolo EA, Evans C & Pandhal J (2023) . Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, 16.
  • Wan Razali WA & Pandhal J (2023) . Bioresource Technology Reports, 24.
  • Alobwede E, Cotton A, Leake JR & Pandhal J (2022) . Phycology, 2(3), 297-318.
  • Lidbury IDEA, Raguideau S, Borsetto C, Murphy ARJ, Bottrill A, Liu S, Stark R, Fraser T, Goodall A, Jones A , Bending GD et al (2022) . mSystems, 7(4).
  • Shi M, Li M, Yang A, Miao X, Yang L, Pandhal J & Zou H (2022) . Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10.
  • Mcquillan J, Berndt A, Sproles A, Mayfield S & Pandhal J (2022) . New Biotechnology, 68, 9-18.
  • Razali WAW, Evans CA & Pandhal J (2022) . Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10.
  • Court EK, Chaudhuri RR, Kapoore RV, Villa RX, Pandhal J, Biggs CA & Stafford GP (2021) . Microbiology, 167(12).
  • Smyth DJ, Ren B, White MPJ, McManus C, Webster H, Shek V, Evans C, Pandhal J, Fields F, Maizels RM & Mayfield S (2021) . Journal of Biotechnology, 340, 1-12.
  • Leflay H, Pandhal J & Brown S (2021) . Journal of Co2 Utilization, 52.
  • Hounslow E, Evans CA, Pandhal J, Sydney T, Couto N, Pham TK, Gilmour DJ & Wright PC (2021) . Biotechnology for Biofuels, 14(1).
  • Okurowska K, Karunakaran E, Al-Farttoosy A, Couto N & Pandhal J (2021) . Bioresource Technology, 319, ---.
  • Raut MP, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2020) . Bioresource Technology, 321.
  • Leflay H, Kasia E, Pandhal J & Brown S (2020) . Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 6(12), 3400-3414.
  • Roccuzzo S, Couto N, Karunakaran E, Kapoore RV, Butler TO, Mukherjee J, Hansson EM, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2020) . Frontiers in Microbiology, 11.
  • Russo DA, Ferguson A, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2019) . Biology, 8(4).
  • Strutton B, Jaffe SR, Evans CA, Fowler GJ, Dobson PD, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2019) . Bioengineering, 6(1).
  • Hardo G, Karunakaran E, Couto NA, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2019) .
  • Alobwede E, Leake JR & Pandhal J (2019) . Geoderma, 334, 113-123.
  • Sydney T, Marshall-Thompson J-A, Kapoore RV, Vaidyanathan S, Pandhal J & Fairclough JPA (2018) . Metabolites, 8(4).
  • Pandhal J, Siswanto A, Kuvshinov D, Zimmerman WB, Lawton L & Edwards C (2018) . Frontiers in Microbiology, 9.
  • Pandhal J, Choon WL, Kapoore RV, Russo DA, Hanotu J, Wilson IAG, Desai P, Bailey M, Zimmerman WJ & Ferguson AS (2018) . Biology, 7(1).
  • Kapoore RV, Butler TO, Pandhal J & Vaidyanathan S (2018) . Biology , 7(1).
  • Bjorck CE, Dobson PD & Pandhal J (2018) . AIMS Bioengineering, 5(1), 1-38.
  • Helliwell KE, Pandhal J, Cooper MB, Longworth J, Kudahl UJ, Russo DA, Tomsett EV, Bunbury F, Salmon DL, Smirnoff N , Wright PC et al (2018) . New Phytologist, 217(2), 599-612.
  • Strutton B, Jaffé SRP, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2018) . Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 495(1), 686-692.
  • Russo DA, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2017) . AMB Express, 7.
  • Strutton B, Jaffé SRP, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2017) . Heterologous Gene Expression in E.coli, 1586(1586), 233-250.
  • Roccuzzo S, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2017) . Biotechnology Letters, 1-2.
  • Roccuzzo S, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2016) . Biotechnol Lett.
  • Russo D, Couto N, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2016) . Frontiers in Microbiology.
  • Chiverton LM, Evans C, Pandhal J, Landels AR, Rees BJ, Levison PR, Wright PC & Smales CM (2016) . Biotechnology Journal, 11(8), 1014-1024.
  • Jaffé SRP, Strutton B, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2015) , 17-35.
  • Jaffé SRP, Strutton B, Levarski Z, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2014) . Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 30, 205-210.
  • Phansopa C, Roy S, Rafferty JB, Douglas CWI, Pandhal J, Wright PC, Kelly DJ & Stafford GP (2014) . Biochem J, 458(3), 499-511.
  • Pandhal J & Noirel J (2014) . Biotechnol Lett, 36(6), 1141-1151.
  • Pandhal J, Zimmerman W & Hanotu J (2013) Monitoring earths's canary. Planet Earth(WINTER), 22-24.
  • Strutton B, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2013) . Pharmaceutical Bioprocessing, 1(3), 221-224.
  • Pandhal J, Woodruff LBA, Jaffe S, Desai P, Ow SY, Noirel J, Gill RT & Wright PC (2013) . Biotechnol Bioeng, 110(9), 2482-2493.
  • Woodruff LBA, Pandhal J, Ow SY, Karimpour-Fard A, Weiss SJ, Wright PC & Gill RT (2013) . Metab Eng, 15, 124-133.
  • Longworth J, Noirel J, Pandhal J, Wright PC & Vaidyanathan S (2012) . J Proteome Res, 11(12), 5959-5971.
  • Evans C, Noirel J, Ow SY, Salim M, Pereira-Medrano AG, Couto N, Pandhal J, Smith D, Pham TK, Karunakaran E , Zou X et al (2012) . Anal Bioanal Chem, 404(4), 1011-1027.
  • Pandhal J, Desai P, Walpole C, Doroudi L, Malyshev D & Wright PC (2012) . Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 419(3), 472-476.
  • Noire J, Evans C, Salim M, Mukherjee J, Ow SY, Pandhal J, Pham TK, Biggs CA & Wright PC (2011) . Current Proteomics, 8(1), 17-30.
  • Pandhal J, Ow SY, Noirel J & Wright PC (2011) . Biotechnol Bioeng, 108(4), 902-912.
  • Robert FO, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2010) . Current Opinion in Microbiology, 13(3), 301-306.
  • Pandhal J & Wright PC (2010) . Biotechnol Lett, 32(9), 1189-1198.
  • Robert FO, Pandhal J & Wright PC (2010) . Curr Opin Microbiol, 13(3), 301-306.
  • Pandhal J, Noirel J, Wright PC & Biggs CA (2009) . Saline Syst, 5, 8.
  • Pandhal J, Ow SY, Wright PC & Biggs CA (2009) . J Proteome Res, 8(2), 818-828.
  • Pandhal J, Snijders APL, Wright PC & Biggs CA (2008) . Proteomics, 8(11), 2266-2284.
  • Pandhal J, Wright PC & Biggs CA (2008) . Saline Syst, 4, 1.
  • Struebig MJ, Horsburgh GJ, Pandhal J, Triggs A, Zubaid A, Kingston T, Dawson DA & Rossiter SJ (2008) . CONSERV GENET, 9(3), 751-756.
  • Tingay RE, Dawson DA, Pandhal J, Clarke ML, David VA, Hailer F & Culver M (2007) . MOL ECOL NOTES, 7(4), 711-715.
  • Pandhal J, Wright PC & Biggs CA (2007) . J Proteome Res, 6(3), 996-1005.
  • Dawson DA, Burke T, Hansson B, Pandhal J, Hale MC, Hinten GN & Slate J (2006) . Mol Ecol, 15(5), 1299-1320.
  • Dawson DA, Hunter FM, Pandhal J, Buckland R, Parham A, Jones IL, Bradshaw M, Jehle R & Burke T (2005) . MOL ECOL NOTES, 5(2), 289-297.
  • Berg PR, Dawson DA, Pandhal J, Kirkendall LR & Burke T (2003) . MOL ECOL NOTES, 3(2), 270-273.
  • TINGAY RE, DAWSON DA, PANDHAL J, CLARKE ML, DAVID VA, HAILER F & CULVER M () . Molecular Ecology Notes, 0(0), 070621074211164-???.
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Book chapters

  • (2023) , Computer Aided Chemical Engineering (pp. 2649-2654). Elsevier
  • Russo DA, Couto N, Beckerman AP & Pandhal J (2019) In Evans CA, Wright PC & Noirel J (Ed.), Mass Spectrometry of Proteins : Methods and Protocols (pp. 145-155). Springer Nature
  • Couto N, Evans CA, Pandhal J, Qiu W, Pham TK, Noirel J & Wright PC (2014) , Quantitative Proteomics (pp. 49-79). The Royal Society of Chemistry
  • Couto N, Evans CA, Pandhal J, Qiu W, Pham TK, Noirel J & Wright PC (2014) Making Sense Out of the Proteome: the Utility of iTRAQ and TMT, QUANTITATIVE PROTEOMICS (pp. 51-79).
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Conference proceedings

  • Siswanto AP, Kuvshinov D, Pandhal J & Zimmerman W (2018) . Advanced Science Letters, Vol. 24(12) (pp 9502-9504)
  • SISWANTO A, KUVSHINOV D, PANDHAL J & ZIMMERMAN W (2016) . Fourth International Conference on Advances in Bio-Informatics, Bio-Technology and Environmental Engineering - ABBE 2016 (pp 11-14)
  • Russo D & Pandhal J (2014) . The University of Sheffield Engineering Symposium Conference Proceedings Vol. 1, Vol. 1. The Octagon Centre, University of Sheffield
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Preprints

  • Pflueger-Grau K, Kratzl F, Urban M, Pandhal J, Shi M, Kleigrewe K, Meng C & Kremling A (2023) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Cai Z, Karunakaran E & Pandhal J (2023) , Research Square Platform LLC.
  • Lidbury IDEA, Raguideau S, Liu S, Murphy ARJ, Stark R, Borsetto C, Fraser T, Goodall A, Bottrill A, Jones A , Bending GD et al (2021) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
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Teaching activities

I teach fundamental and applied concepts in biotechnology to first year students through to more complex unit operations involved in environmental engineering to MEng and MSc students. This covers about 350 students.

Professional activities and memberships
  • Committee member of Microbiology
  • Society Associate member of iChemE
  • Metaproteomics Initiative
  • UKRI Peer review college
  • AlgaeUK

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