Bethsheba Basaiawmoit

Dr. Bethsheba Basaiawmoit

BioNEST NIPER Guwahati Incubation Centre, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) Guwahati, Guwahati, India
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Biography

Food microbiologist and Incubation Manager with 9+ years of research experience spanning traditional fermented foods, dairy microbiology, and bioactive peptide research. PhD in Rural Development and Agricultural Production (specialisation: Food Microbiology) from North-Eastern Hill University, with research focused on value addition of traditional Khasi and Jaintia rice cakes and probiotic fermentation. Currently manages the DBT-BIRAC Bio-NEST Bioincubation Centre at NIPER Guwahati, mentoring biotech and pharma startups. Active peer reviewer across Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley journals, and Review Editor/Guest Editor at Frontiers in Food Science and Technology. Research interests include fermented food technology, probiotics, dairy science, and the underexplored bioactive potential of traditional Northeast Indian fermented foods (Tungrymbai, Pusla, Putharo, Pusyep, Chubitchi).

Affiliations

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) Guwahati

Guwahati, India

BioNEST NIPER Guwahati Incubation Centre

Honors and Awards

honor

Young Scientist Award

Swedish South Asian Network on Fermented Foods (SASNET-FF), Lund, Sweden

Awarded at the 11th International Conference on Fermented Foods, Health Status, and Social Well-being, organized by the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Production, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, in association with SASNET-FF, held 21-22 November 2023 at NEHU, Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

honor

Young Scientist Award

Microbiologists Society, India (MBSI), Mumbai, India

Awarded during the academic year 2022-2023 in recognition of contributions to microbiology research, particularly in the field of fermented foods and probiotics.

honor

Best Research Publication Award

Web of Microbiologists (WoM), Ahmedabad, India

2021 WoM Best Research Publication Award for the paper "Exploring potentials of antioxidative, anti-inflammatory activities and production of bioactive peptides in lactic fermented camel milk," published in Food Bioscience, Issue 44, Article 101404. Awarded for outstanding contribution to microbiology.

honor

1st Prize, Oral Presentation

11th International Conference on Fermented Foods, NEHU Shillong & SASNET-FF, Shillong, India

Awarded for the presentation "Evaluating the Impact of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces on Growth Efficiency, Hematological Parameters, Serum Biochemistry, Fecal Microbiota, and Metagenomic Profiling," 21-22 November 2023.

honor

1st Place (Young Investigator)

Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation (India), Delhi, India

Awarded for the presentation "Influence of Supplementation of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces on Growth Performance, Blood Profile, Cholesterol Contents, and Metagenomic Analysis in Broilers," 25-26 March 2023.

honor

National Fellowship for Scheduled Tribe Students (NFST) - PhD

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, Delhi, India

National Fellowship for Scheduled Tribe Students for Higher Education, awarded for Doctor of Philosophy studies, 2019-2021. Student Award Number: 201718-NFST-MEG-01298.

honor

National Fellowship for Scheduled Tribe Students (NFST) - MPhil

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, Delhi, India

National Fellowship for Scheduled Tribe Students for Higher Education, awarded for Master of Philosophy studies, 2017-2019. Student Award Number: 201718-NFST-MEG-01298.

honor

1st Prize, Oral Presentation

North-Eastern Hill University & SASNET-FF, Shillong, India

27th International Conference of the International Academy of Physical Sciences, "Advances in Food Science and Technology" (AFSTECH-2021), 26-28 October 2021. Title: Sensory and Biofunctional Analysis of Traditional Rice Cakes from the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pearl Millet.

honor

1st Prize, Oral Presentation

Mohanlal Sukhadia University (MLSU), Udaipur, Udaipur, India

International Conference on "Recent Trends and Innovations in Microbiology," 15 July 2021. Title: Comparative and Biofunctional Study of Traditional and Laboratory-made Pusla, Pusyep, and Putharo Rice Cakes of Meghalaya.

honor

3rd Prize, Oral Presentation

BRIATS, Allahabad, India

22nd Indian Agricultural Scientists and Farmers' Congress, "Post-Harvest Technology and Management for Empowering the Rural Society and Employment Generation," 22-23 February 2020.

honor

2nd Prize, Poster Presentation

NEHU Shillong & SASNET-FF, Shillong, Meghālaya, International

Awarded for the poster "Exploring Safety, Probiotic Potential, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Yeast and Lactobacillus Isolated from Fermented Foods in North-Eastern India," 21-22 November 2023.

honor

1st Prize, Poster Presentation

Indian Dairy Association, Anand, India

India Dairy to the World: Opportunities & Challenges," Gandhinagar, 16-18 March 2023. Title: Influence of Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the Growth Performance, Hematological Traits, and Metagenomic Analysis of Caeca Microbiota of Broiler Chickens.

honor

1st Prize, Poster Presentation

Tezpur University, Tezpur, India

International Conference on Sustainable Approaches in Food Engineering and Technology, 24-25 June 2021. Title: Bio-Functional and Microbial Analysis of Traditional Rice Cakes of Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya using S. cerevisiae and Pearl Millet.

honor

Best Exhibition Stall Award

North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, International

Held under the aegis of Biotech KISAN Hub, NEHU Tura Campus, during the National Seminar on Conservation of Biodiversity (NSCB 2022), funded by the Department of Biotechnology, 02-03 September 2022.

honor

1st Prize, Best Exhibitor

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India

Awarded at the North-Eastern Research Conclave, held 20-22 May 2022 at IIT Guwahati, Assam, India.

honor

1st Prize, Fermented Food Contest

Anand Agricultural University, Anand, India

Fermented Foods, Health Status, and Social Well-being," Anand, Gujarat, 13-14 December 2019, organized by SASNET-FF. Product: "Chubitchi" - a functional fermented rice beverage of Garo Hills, Meghalaya.

honor

Top 10% Nationally, National Standard Examination in Biology

Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), Kanpur, India

National Standard Examination in Biology (NSEB) 2010-2011, Class XII Level, out of 98 candidates enrolled, held at Lady Keane College, Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

honor

1st Place, Regional Meet Game and Sports

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Chaudhapunia, Guwahati, India

Regional Meet Game and Sports, held 26-27 October 2006 at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Chaudhapunia, North Lakhimpur, Shillong region, India.

honor

Junior Research Fellowship

North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, International

Junior Research Fellowship awarded under the DBT-funded project "Deployment and Piloting of Improved Indigenous Fermented Food Products, 'Chubitchi' and 'Tungrymbai,' for Sustainable Livelihood in Meghalaya, North-East India," 2021-2023.

honor

Umbrella Scheme Post-Matric Scholarship

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, Delhi, India

Umbrella Scheme for Education of Scheduled Tribe Students, Post-Matric Scholarship, awarded during Master of Science studies, 2014-2016.

Experience

Manager

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) Guwahati, Guwahati, India

06 Mar 2025 - present

Consultant Microbiologist (Part-Time) - quality control and compliance

MeghFarm Processing Hub, Muktidata Multipurpose Co-operative Society, Shillong, India

20 Jun 2025 - 19 Jun 2026

Technician or Assistant

Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) - PRIME Start-up Hub, Shillong, International

04 Nov 2024 - 03 Mar 2025

Laboratory Technical Officer - bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticide production

Larry Organic, Larry Enterprise, Shillong, India

01 May 2024 - 31 Oct 2024

Laboratory Technical Officer (Consultant, Part-Time) - quality control

Larry Organic, Larry Enterprise, Shillong, India

01 Feb 2024 - 30 Apr 2024

Junior Research Fellow - DBT-funded fermented foods research project

North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, International

28 Oct 2021 - 30 Apr 2024

PhD, Rural Development and Agricultural Production - Food Microbiology

North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, International

19 Feb 2019 - 12 Sep 2023

MPhil, Rural Development and Agricultural Production - Food Microbiology

North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, International

20 Feb 2017 - 20 Oct 2018

Graduate Student or Post Graduate

North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, International

20 Aug 2014 - 20 Aug 2016

Undergraduate Student

St. Anthony's College, Shillong, Shillong, International

06 Apr 2011 - 09 Jul 2014