Venkat Gopalan

Venkat Gopalan is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The Ohio State University. He holds affiliations with multiple interdisciplinary programs, including the Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Program, Microbiology Graduate Program, and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) Program. He obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Madras (India) and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico (under Prof. Robert H. Glew). He completed postdoctoral training at Yale University under Prof. Sidney Altman and has been at OSU since 1998.

His research focuses on the structure, mechanism, and applications of ribonuclease P (RNase P), a catalytic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex critical for tRNA maturation. Key interests include understanding RNase P assembly and exploring plant RNase P as a functional genomics tool. His work integrates biochemical, structural, and genetic approaches to study RNA processing and microbial metabolism, with applications in biotechnology and drug discovery.

Notable contributions include discoveries in archaeal RNase P stoichiometry, plant RNase P applications, and Salmonella metabolic pathways. He has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom have pursued academic and industrial careers. His lab collaborates widely, receiving grants from NIH, NSF, and industry partners. He also advocates for scientific communication and education through training initiatives.

His team’s recent achievements include advancements in RNase P structure-function relationships, Pelotonia-funded cancer research, and interdisciplinary projects in microbial genomics. The lab maintains active participation in conferences and publishes in top journals like Nucleic Acids Research and Journal of Biological Chemistry.