PhD in Genetics. Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, New Zealand.

PhD in Agricultural Entomology and Pest Control. Northwest A&F University, China.

MSc in Agricultural Entomology. Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

BSc of Science in Agriculture. Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

Mandira received her B.Sc. in Agriculture and M.Sc. in Agricultural Entomology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal (2005-2012). During her master’s, she joined the Department of Agriculture, Nepal as a plant protection officer. There she worked with farming communities providing plant protection-related extension services.

She received her first Ph.D. from Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, China (2014-2018). This Ph.D. research focused on screening entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria spp., Isaria spp., and Metarhizium spp.) based on their pathogenicity and virulence against multiple model insects for their potential role as biological control agents.

In her 2nd Ph.D. in the Gemmell Lab, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, she worked on genomics and microbiomics of three NZ pasture weevils: the clover root weevil, the lucerne weevil, and the Argentine stem weevil. She assembled, profiled, and compared their genomes and microbiomes to dissect the genetic underpinnings of the pests’ resistance against their biological control agents.

Her research interests include the broad areas of insect biology, genomics, genetic pest management, and host-parasite interaction in non-model insect species.

In the Extavour lab, she is working on an emerging neuroscience research insect model, the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, to understand the role of adult neural stem cells in long-term memory formation.

Clark Anna, Alexander Alana, Champer Jackson, Edison Rey, Katuwal M, Gemmell, NJ. (2022). Management of Vertebrate Pests Using Genetic Control Techniques, CSIRO Press textbook, Applied Environmental Genomics. Accepted for publication.

Katuwal M, Bhattarai UR, Dowle E, Phillips C, Gemmell NJ. (2022). Whole genome assembly and annotation of the lucerne weevil (Sitona discoideus). bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2022.08.01.502324.

Bhattarai UR, Katuwal M, Poulin R, Gemmell NJ, Dowle E. (2022). Genome assembly and annotation of the European earwig Forficula auricularia (subspecies B). G3 12(10): jkac199.

Katuwal Bhattarai M, Bhattarai UR, Li F, Wang D. (2018). Insights into the temporal gene expression pattern in Lymantria dispar larvae during the baculovirus induced hyperactive stage. Virologica Sinica. 33: 345-358.

Katuwal Bhattarai M, Bhattarai UR, Feng J, Wang D. (2018). Effect of the different light spectrum in Helicoverpa armigera larvae during HearNPV induced tree-top disease. Insects. 9(4): 183..

Katuwal Bhattarai M, Bhattarai UR, Masoudi A, Feng J, Wang D. (2018). Pathogenicity and virulence of the entomopathogenic fungi depend on selective suppression of anti-oxidative and detoxification enzymes in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae. Biochemical and Cellular Archives. 18(1): 861-874.

Bhattarai UR, Li F, Katuwal Bhattarai M, Masoudi A, Wang D. (2018). Phototransduction and circadian entrainment are the key pathways in the signalling mechanism for the baculovirus-induced tree-top disease in lepidopteran larvae. Scientific Reports. 8(1): 17528

Kafle LN, GC YD, Yang JT, Bhattarai S, Tiwari S, Katuwal M. (2014). Integrated Pest Management in Nepal. The Fifth International Conference of Clinical Plant Science. NPUST. pp 113-125.

Katuwal M, Kafle LN, Mandal CK, GC YD, Tiwari S. (2012).The Efficacy of Bio-rational Compounds against the Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in Nepal. Formosan Entomology. 32:289-296.

Katuwal M, GC YD. (2012). Study on the Incidence of Late Blight of Potato and Its Management through Organic Approach. Journal of the Plant Protection Society, Plant Protection Society of Nepal. 3:120-128.

GC YD, Katuwal M. (2012). Linking Farmers Field School (FFS) Towards Organic Agriculture: A Case Study of Jyapu Ethnic Community in Bhaktapur District, Nepal. Journal of the Plant Protection Society, Plant Protection Society of Nepal. 3:136-147.