Rate My Professor Ananda Nanjundaswamy

Ananda Nanjundaswamy serves as the Richard and Janice Vetter Endowed Associate Professor of Biotechnology and Bioprocessing in the Department of Biology and Microbiology at South Dakota State University. He obtained his B.S. in agriculture in 1995 and M.S. in agricultural biochemistry in 1998 from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India. Nanjundaswamy completed a graduate certificate in biobased products and bioenergy and earned his Ph.D. in grain science and industry from Kansas State University in 2010. Following his doctoral studies, he held a postdoctoral position in the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn University Montgomery from 2011 to 2013.

His research specializes in bioprocess technology, fermentation processes, and the valorization of agricultural coproducts for bioproduct development. Nanjundaswamy leads efforts to produce natural food colorants as alternatives to synthetic dyes by utilizing microbes such as fungi, yeast, and bacteria to generate carotenoids including astaxanthin and beta-carotene. These pigments are derived from low-cost agricultural byproducts like sugar beet molasses and high fructose corn syrup, promoting a circular economy. His laboratory has optimized production processes, scaled up operations at the Dakota BioWorx facility to 70-liter batches, and secured U.S. provisional patents on related technologies. This work addresses impending FDA restrictions on synthetic dyes and extends to applications in animal feed and personal care products. Key publications include 'Breaking Down Biomass: How Pretreatment and Enzyme Strategy Shape Efficient Bioethanol Yields' (2025), 'Sustainable β-carotene production from sorghum syrup using engineered yeast' (2025), and patents such as 'Efficient Process for Producing Saccharides and Ethanol from a Biomass Feedstock' (2017). Nanjundaswamy received the Award for Excellence in Outreach and Engagement in the Extension category at the 2026 South Dakota State University Celebration of Faculty Excellence. His contributions have resulted in over 325 citations across 19 publications.