Project associates and assistants

Current project associates and assistants

TAPASYA THAPA, Project associate

Indian Institute of Science (March 2022-)

Born and brought up in a small city, Dehradun. Did my master’s in Biotechnology in 2018. It was my post-graduation dissertation that sparked my interest in the field of phylogenetics. Just after my masters, I joined Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and gained experience in conservation genetics tools and techniques. And since March 2022, I have been working as a Project Associate in Population and Community Ecology lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISC, Bangalore. Here, I help with the molecular lab work and routine chemistry work. I am keen to understand the effect of the environment on the evolution of characters and the survival of these characters from the molecular point of view. Apart from extracting and amplifying DNA, I love to dance and read some good fiction. Also, a music fanatic and yes, a major Potterhead.

PRAKRUTI MEHTA, Project associate

Indian Institute of Science (Feb 2024-)

With a fascination in ecology, and interest in the environment, I completed my master’s in environmental science. With a diverse background in studying birds, butterflies, macro fungi and invasive snails, I have honed my skills in ecology and conservation. Currently, at the PoCo Eco lab, I am delving deeper into the community ecology of parasitoids, helping with sample collection, and rearing insects, including butterflies and parasitoids. I am eager to understand the complexities of these ecosystems and the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on these communities. In addition to my scientific curiosity, I’m a cat parent to two adorable fur babies and a major bookworm.

MALAY PANDEY, Project associate

Indian Institute of Science (April 2025-)

Ecological research fascinates me. During my B.Sc. at Azim Premji Uni., I explored habitat selection by cockroaches. For my M.Sc. thesis, in Ben-Gurion Uni., I explored foraging responses and physiological consequences of crude-oil pollution on gerbils. Additionally, I did some work on the social dynamics of Free-Ranging Dogs in in Bengaluru. I also studied maternal investments during egg sac construction between an invasive and a native species of widow spider. Currently, in the PoCoEco Lab, I investigate a tri-trophic system with a host plant, its pest and the natural enemies of the pest. The Asian Citrus Psyllid – pest of a wide range of plants in the family Rutaceae, such as citrus, curry, etc.- is a vector of the bacterial greening disease that causes tree mortality. This research explores how choices of monitoring methods impact our understanding of pest populations, along with documenting natural predators to improve pest management strategies.

Girish G, Assistant

Indian Institute of Science (Sept. 2024-)

Girish wears many hats in the lab, from office work to transportation, to help with research. One day he may be going around campus chasing down signatures and the next day he’ll be helping a student collect black buck droppings from the field for her research.

Past project associates and assistants (since the lab has been at IISc)

VANSHIKA PAL, Research assistant IISc (May 2023 – July 2024)

Vanshika Pal completed her education till post grad from University of Lucknow. I In PoCo Eco she surveyed butterfly behaviour and diversity as a function of weather, and worked on behavior of Trichogramma parasitoid wasps with respect to competition. Now she is a PhD scholar at Ahmedabad University.