Rate My Professor Abhishek Kumar

Abhishek Kumar earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Otago in 2014, with a thesis entitled 'Reexamination of the Structure and Function of Lactate Dehydrogenase from Temperate and Antarctic Fish.' His doctoral research focused on protein structure and function in cold-adapted organisms. Following his PhD, Kumar joined the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Otago, where he became a key member of the Centre for Protein Research within the Research Infrastructure Centre. As a proteomics specialist, he provided essential mass spectrometry services and data analysis support to numerous research projects across the department and university.

Kumar co-authored several publications demonstrating his expertise in quantitative proteomics. Notable works include 'Quantitative Proteomics on Immune Cells of ME/CFS Patients Using SWATH-MS' (2025, with Katie Peppercorn and Torsten Kleffmann), exploring protein changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome; 'Peroxidasin is associated with a mesenchymal-like transcriptional profile and promotes melanoma invasion' (2025, with Carlos C. Smith-Díaz et al.), investigating protein roles in cancer invasion; 'Comprehensive Matrisome Profiling of Human Adipose Tissue for Soft Tissue Reconstruction' (2024, with Gretel Major et al.), profiling extracellular matrix proteins; 'Neuroproteomic Analysis after SARS-CoV-2 Infection Reveals Signs of Neuroinflammation' (2023, with Indranil Basak et al.), analyzing brain proteome alterations post-infection; and contributions to archaeological studies like 'Extracting the truth through chemical analyses: Early life histories of Victorian-era dental patients' (2024). His technical contributions advanced research in immunology, oncology, reconstructive surgery, neurology, and bioarchaeology. Recognized as a stalwart of the department, Kumar was featured in a 2023 farewell event for long-serving staff.