Indian Institute of Science
Dr. Suryesh Kumar Namdeo
Senior Research Analyst

Dr. Suryesh Kumar Namdeo is a Senior Research Analyst at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and a former Fellow of the Asia Centre for Health Security, National University of Singapore. He is also a member of the Indian National Young Academy of Science (INYAS). He leads several policy research projects on technology security and science diplomacy. Previously, he served as the science and technology consultant for the Biological Weapons Convention at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs in Geneva. Here, his responsibilities included facilitating science and technology advice to diplomats and international civil servants. He has co-authored the UN ‘Seoul Youth Declaration for Disarmament and Non-proliferation’ and the UN ‘Youth Declaration for Biosecurity.’ Suryesh has recently served as the co-chair of the expert committee of a multinational project of the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) titled ‘Biological Threats in the Age of Bioeconomy’. He is a member of the advisory board of the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS), an international organisation focused on addressing biological threats. He is also a member of the AIxBio Global Forum, an initiative by the US-based Nuclear Threat Initiative to develop guardrails for emerging threats at the interface of artificial intelligence and biotechnology. He previously served as programme officer for the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Fellowship Programme of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and held the role of Director of Outreach and Engagement for the Journal of Science Policy and Governance (JSPG). He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany. 

Publications

Policy Research Articles

  • Namdeo, S.K., Aziz, F., Friedman, S.M., Developing multi-stakeholder engagements to strengthen biosecurity. Health Security (Accepted for publication - March 2026 Issue).
  • Namdeo, S.K. and Chandan, G.N., 2025. Scientometric Analysis of Research on Deliberate Biosecurity Threats Reveals North-Transatlantic Dominance. Journal of Biosafety and Biosecurity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobb.2025.04.002
  • Namdeo, S.K. and Zhang, J.Y., 2024. Rethinking science diplomacy and global biosecurity: challenges, emerging practices and the way forward. International Affairs, 100(6), pp.2623-2635. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae187
  • Mahuli, A., Kumar, S. and Namdeo, S.K., 2023. Identification of Strategic International Partnerships for Emergent Global Artificial Intelligence Policies. Cambridge Journal of Science & Policy. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.101466
  • Koley, M., Namdeo, S.K., Bhattacharjee, S., & Afifi, N. A. (2022). Digital platform for open and equitable sharing of scholarly knowledge in India. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 55(2), 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006221083678
  • Namdeo, S.K. and Koley, M., 2021. Citizen science in India: introduction, challenges and way forward. DIALOGUE: Science, Scientists and Society, pp.1-15. https://dialogue.ias.ac.in/index.php/dialogue/article/view/28

 

Book Chapters

  • Namdeo, S.K., 2026 (Submitted). 'Rethinking Global Biosecurity Governance: Emerging Non-Western Perspectives', in J. Zhang (ed), Building a BioGovernance Commons: Reflections on China’s Role in Global Risk Governance, Springer
  • Thorat, K. and Namdeo, S.K., 2025. 'Securing the Life Sciences: The Role of Biosafety and Biosecurity in the Biological Weapons Convention' in A. Lele (ed), 50 YEARS OF THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION: Tracking the Journey, Pentagon Press, Chapter 10. https://idsa.in/publisher/book/50-years-of-the-biological-weapons-convention-tracking-the-journey

 

Scientific Research Articles

  • Namdeo, S.K., Moreno, E., Rödelsperger, C., Baskaran, P., Witte, H. and Sommer, R.J., 2018. Two independent sulfation processes regulate mouth-form plasticity in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. Development, 145(13), p.dev166272. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.166272
  • Werner, M.S., Sieriebriennikov, B., Loschko, T., Namdeo, S.K., Lenuzzi, M., Dardiry, M., Renahan, T., Sharma, D.R. and Sommer, R.J., 2017. Environmental influence on Pristionchus pacificus mouth form through different culture methods. Scientific Reports, 7(1), p.7207. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07455-7
  • Sommer, R.J., Dardiry, M., Lenuzzi, M., Namdeo, S.K., Renahan, T., Sieriebriennikov, B. and Werner, M.S., 2017. The genetics of phenotypic plasticity in nematode feeding structures. Open biology, 7(3), p.160332. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.160332
  • Serobyan, V., Xiao, H., Namdeo, S.K., Rödelsperger, C., Sieriebriennikov, B., Witte, H., Röseler, W. and Sommer, R.J., 2016. Chromatin remodelling and antisense-mediated up-regulation of the developmental switch gene eud-1 control predatory feeding plasticity. Nature Communications, 7(1), p.12337. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12337

 

Reports/Strategy Documents

  • Namdeo, S.K. and Friedman, S.M., Deliberate Biological Threats in India: Existing Risks and National Capacity for Prevention and Mitigation. Report Submitted to Centre for National Security Studies (CNSS), RUAS Bengaluru.
  • Namdeo, S.K. 2023. Multi-stakeholder Engagement Strategy to Strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention. Strategy Document submitted to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).
  • Namdeo, S.K., 2023. Science and Technology Developments: Benefits and Risks for the Biological Weapons Convention. United Nations. ISBN (PDF): 9789211068146. https://doi.org/10.18356/9789211068146

 

PhD Thesis

 

Policy briefs/Perspective Articles/Op-eds/Book Review