I received my DVM from India and MS and PhD in animal science from the University of Connecticut. Following this, I pursued my post-doctoral training in molecular food microbiology in the Food Science Department at Purdue University. Presently I am an associate professor of food microbiology in the department of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut. My research primarily focuses on food safety and gut health. Specifically, it is targeted towards understanding pathogen survival and persistence along the food chain, their virulence attributes and the application of probiotics to control foodborne pathogens. I also study the efficacy of currently applied intervention (hurdle) technologies to reduce pathogen transmission during pre- and post-harvest processing of fresh produce, meat and dairy products. Beyond controlling pathogens in food systems my research investigates the potential application of probiotics and functional foods in the prevention and treatment of gut pathologies. Major efforts in my lab are directed towards elucidating the molecular cross talk between diet, microbiome and host on all levels of regulation namely, genes, proteins and metabolites and ii) developing evidence-based dietary interventions for restoring health and preventing chronic pathologies. Through all aspects of my research, my main objective is to improve food safety and promote public health. As part of my current position at UConn, I teach graduate and undergraduate courses on Food Microbiology and Safety and Probiotics and Prebiotics. In addition to research and teaching, I serve as an academic advisor to honors and pre-vet students in the department. Outside of work, I love to read (fiction), catch up on history, learn about different cultures, try out new foods and travel.