Dr Roshan Khadka

Associate Investigator

Towards Zero Waste - Reconfigurable Systems

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• Roshan.Khadka@plantandfood.co.nz

Biography

Dr Roshan Khadka is a material scientist working at a Crown Research Institute in New Zealand, Plant and Food Research (PFR), A smart green future. Together. · Plant & Food Research (plantandfood.com). He completed his master’s in advanced Material Engineering from Kongju National University, South Korea in 2015 and PhD from the School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand in 2019.

Research interests

His current research is focused on the synthesis/fabrication and characterisation of functional organic materials derived from nature, and their composites, for smart electronics (sensor & supercapacitor), membrane technology (air, water & wine filtration) and biomedical (drug delivery & tissue engineering) application. He is also heavily involved in production of various biological sensing elements such as DNA, proteins, aptamers, etc. and integrating them into a range of sensor substrates such as conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, graphene, planar electrodes and microfabricated chips, and showing reproducible detection of volatile organic compounds. More recently, they have focused on demonstrating that insect olfactory receptors can be used as novel sensing elements in next-generation biosensors. This led to the establishment of a new spin-out company, ScentianBio, Unlocking the language of life - Scentian Bio.

Dr Khadka is actively exploring opportunities to connect science communities from various parts of the world. Being born and raised in a developing country, Nepal, he is also looking at engaging PFR International Development team and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Nepal for the horticulture development of Nepal. Apart from scientific work, he is also involved in community activities. Recently, he served as the vice president of NZ Nepal Society for two years, and organised various community activities such as Nepal festival to promote Nepalese food, art, and culture. Similarly, he is also involved in organising ‘Everest Day’ every year at the Beehive in coordination with the Himalayan Trust and NZ MPs. They are working to have 29 May 1953, when Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay summitted Mt Everest, recognised in the NZ calendar.

Please see the following case study about Dr Khadka's work published on the Plant & Food website: Dr Roshan Khadka: Powering health devices with biowaste · Plant & Food Research (plantandfood.com)