Deep Jyoti Bhuyan

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PhD, MSc, BSc
Research Support Program Fellow - Healthy Ageing: Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products, NICM Health Research Institute
International Engagement Coordinator, NICM Health Research Institute
Acting HDR Director, NICM Health Research Institute

Dr Bhuyan is a Research Support Program Fellow, International Engagement Coordinator and Acting HDR Director at NICM Health Research Institute. He joined the institute in 2018 as an ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Dr Bhuyan's research focuses on the development of therapeutic agents using gut microbial metabolites, also known as postbiotics, and deciphering their molecular mechanisms of action. Developing natural product-based therapies for bacterial and viral diseases is another key aspect of his research group. Dr Bhuyan is also interested in understanding the complex synergistic interactions among various phytochemicals (particularly those found in Bush foods and medicine), and standard drugs with specific biological targets. He explores how these interactions can be used as therapeutic strategies against infectious diseases and cancer.

In 2023, he was appointed as NICM HRI’s International Engagement Coordinator to help strengthen the institute’s partnership with India through research collaboration, engagement, policy development, and scholar exchange programs. In November 2023, he was appointed as Acting HDR Director of NICM HRI, overseeing a diverse group of more than 40 PhD, MRes and MPhil candidates.

Dr Bhuyan completed his PhD research at the University of Newcastle, where he explored the anticancer (against pancreatic adenocarcinoma) and antimicrobial properties of phenolic compounds and antioxidants in Australian Eucalyptus species at the molecular level. His current research at NICM HRI is supported by several government, industry, and university grants, including those from the Australian Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources; Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia; and Western Sydney University. He has built active collaborations with over 40 international organisations across the world.

Before coming to Australia, Dr Bhuyan worked as a Senior Research Fellow in probiotic food development at Assam Agricultural University on a National Agricultural Innovation Project funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Since the completion of his MSc in Applied Microbiology in 2010, he has pursued many academic and industry-funded research projects in food chemistry, microbiology and pharmacology in India and Australia.

Dr Bhuyan contributions extend to several peer-reviewed journal articles, invited book chapters with national and international collaborators, and presentations of his research at different national and international conferences. He has also written for The Conversation on postbiotics and appeared in television interviews and received wide media coverage in both India and Australia. Currently, he provides supervision and guidance to 11 HDR (PhD and MRes) candidates, two undergraduate students, and four Research Assistants while actively promoting science communication and STEM education.

Research focus

• Gut microbiota
• Postbiotics
• Phytochemicals and antioxidants
• Synergistic mechanisms
• Combination therapy
• Anticancer agents
• Antimicrobial agents

Projects and grants

Dr Bhuyan's research has been supported by several external funding agencies including government and industry.

See a list of past and current projects.(opens in a new window)

Awards and recognitions

• 2023 Universal Scientific Education and Research Network Nominee
• 2022 People’s Choice Award, Research Impact Competition, Western Sydney University, Australia
• 2022 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence as an Early Career Researcher Award  – Nominee, Western Sydney University
• 2022 Researcher Development Early Career Researcher Award, Western Sydney University, Australia
• 2021 Research Partnership Program Grant, Western Sydney University, Australia
• 2021 Research Support Program Fellowship, Western Sydney University, Australia
• 2020 Early Career Research Excellence Award, NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Australia
• 2019 John and Daphne Keats Endowment Research Fund, The University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2016 Research Higher Degree Conference Scholarship, The University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2014 International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and Central Postgraduate Research Scholarship, The University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2011 Senior Research Fellowship, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Assam Agricultural University, India
• 2010 Travel Grant, Graduate Training Program “Viruses of the immune system” GRK 1071, Friedrich Alexander University, Germany and the Harvard Medical School, United States of America
• 2010 Research Internship, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ministry of Defence, India
• 2010 Merit Certificate and Merit Scholarship for the best academic performance for the academic year 2009-2010, VIT University, India
• 2009 Merit Certificate and Merit Scholarship for the best academic performance for the academic year 2008-2009, VIT University, India

Affiliations

• 2023 Joint Academic Microbiology Seminars Society
• 2023 Universal Scientific Education and Research Network
• 2023 Polyphenols Applications
• 2023 Committee Member, Joint Academic Microbiology Seminars Society
• 2022 Committee Member, NHMRC – Ideas Grants Peer Review Working Committee 2022
• 2022 International Society for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Research
• 2020 NSW Cardiovascular Research Network, National Heart Foundation
• 2019 The Good Practice In Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Association
• 2017 Pharmacological Society of Singapore
• 2016 Institute of Food Technologists, Chicago, USA
• 2015 Australian Society of Medical Research
• 2014 Hunter Medical Research Institute
• 2014 Pancreatic Cancer Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2010 Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ministry of Defence, India
• Invited Scientific Expert, Hort Innovation and FOODiQ Global
• Global Advisory Board Member, ViGA
• Guest Editor, Frontiers in Nutrition
• Guest Editor, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
• Review Board Member, Cancers, MDPI
• Review Board Member, Microorganisms, MDPI
• Committee Member, Western Sydney University Microbiology Interest Society
• Committee Member, Western Sydney University Microbiome Interest Group
• Committee Member, National Science Centre Poland, European Commission

Education

• 2018 PhD in Food Science, The University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2010 Master of Science Applied Microbiology, VIT University, India
• 2008 Bachelor of Science Biotechnology, Bangalore University, India

Publications

For a full listing of publications please see:

• WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY PROFILE (opens in a new window)
• ORCID (opens in a new window)
• GOOGLE SCHOLAR (opens in a new window)
• RESEARCHGATE (opens in a new window)
• THE CONVERSATION (opens in a new window)