David Kothamasi

David Kothamasi is a Marie Curie Research Fellow (Horizon 2020) at the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance (SCELG), University of Strathclyde. He collaborates with Dr. Saskia Vermeylen on a project addressing the Microbial Commons. Previously, he held a full-time faculty position in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Delhi and worked as an Environmental Consultant for the UNDP-GEF program in India. His career began with a PhD in biodiversity studies, investigating mycorrhizal-plant interactions in Great Nicobar Island's rainforests.

Research interests focus on the legal and ecological dimensions of microbial resources, including barriers to equitable access, intellectual property regimes, and indigenous rights. He has held prestigious fellowships, including the BELSPO Fellowship at the Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK·CEN), where he studied microbial resilience to nuclear radiation.

Current work examines legal frameworks for microbial commons, advocating for policies akin to Farmer’s Rights for plant varieties. His publications bridge environmental law, microbiology, and socio-economic equity. Grants and fellowships include Horizon 2020 and GEF funding.