MadhavNepal2020

Madhav Nepal

Professor

Biography

I am a passionate educator with teaching experience of over 30 years. My teaching journey began right after my 10th grade in Nepal and I have taught all levels of students from pre-K to 20. My research group is interested in projects ranging from natural history to molecular mechanisms related to stress regulation in plants. Being one of the first-generation college and school students, I believe in making a difference through excellence in teaching and research as well as leading by example to inspire and engage next generation of students.

Education

  • Ph.D. in biology | Kansas State University
  • HBX-CORE | Harvard Business School, Harvard University
  • M.S. in biology | University of Northern Iowa
  • B.S. in biology/botany | Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Academic and Professional Experience

Academic Interests
  • Plant systematics and ethnobotany 
  • Bioinformatics and genomics of crops and wild relatives 
  • Plant population genetics

 

Academic Responsibilities
  • General Biology-Honors (BIOL 151/L; Enrollment capped at 70)
  • General Botany (BOT 201/201L: Spring, High enrollment course)
  • Biology Survey II (BIOL 103/103L; Spring, until 2012)
  • Evolution (BIOL 373; Fall, until 2015)
  • 7-12 Science Methods (SEED 413; Fall)
  • Molecular Plant Physiology (BIOS/PS 664; Spring, until 2018)
Committees and Professional Memberships

Committees:

Department of Biology and Microbiology

  • Curriculum Committee (2012-2016, 2021-2022)
  • Executive Committee (2022-current)
  • Tenure and Promotion Committee (chair, 2021-2022)
  • Graduate Thesis and Dissertation Advisory Committees
  • Faculty Search Committees

College Level

  • Internal Advisory Board- College of Natural Sciences (2020-2022)
  • Academic Appeal Committee for Teachers Certification Program (Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership; 2014-current)
  • Teacher Education Faculty (TEF; 2009-current)
  • Honors College Faculty Advisory Committee (2014-2020)
  • College of Education and Human Sciences -Admission and Scholastic Standards Committee (2014-Current)

University Level

  • Faculty Senate president (2021-2022)
  • Faculty Senate vice president (2020-2021)
  • Graduate Student Council advisor (2021-current)
  • F. O. Butler Foundation trustee (2019-2022)
  • Higher Learning Commission-NCA Accreditation Steering Committee (2018-19)
  • Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) Advisory Council (2016-2020)
  • Administration Search Committee - member (two)
  • University Committees
    • Tenure and Promotion Committee (2022-current)
    • Committee on Committees (chair, 2020-2021)
    • Academic Affairs (2012-2013)
    • Academic Appeals (2018-2020)
    • Faculty Budget (2021-2022)
    • Intercollegiate Athletics Board (2018-2019)
    • International Affairs (chair, 2016-2018; member 2015-2016)

South Dakota Board of Regents (System Academic Affairs)

  • Natural Science Discipline Council (chair, 2018-2022)
  • Biology Discipline Council (ad-hoc; Fall 2013)
  • State Representative, WICHE - Interstate Passport Initiative (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education - Natural Sciences Group, 2015-2022)

South Dakota

  • Department of Education- Science Advisory Council (2017-2019)

Botanical Society of America

  • Committee on Committees (board member, 2023-current)
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-Impact Award sub-committee (chair, 2021-2022)

Professional Memberships:

  1. Botanical Society of America-Teaching Section chair (elected; 2015-2018)
  2. Botanical Society of America- vice chair and program director (2012-2015)
  3. American Society of Plant Biologists-member
  4. Sigma Xi Chapter President (2013-2014)
  5. South Dakota Honor Society of Agriculture president (2015-2016)
  6. Ecological Society of America
  7. Genetics Society of America

Other Activities

  • Founding Faculty Member of Institute for STEM Education Enhancement (ISEE@SDState)
  • Founding Faculty Adviser of Bio-Micro Graduate Student Association (BMGSA)
  • Founding Faculty Advisor of SDSU Graduate Student Council (GSC)

Research and Scholar Work

Areas of Research
  • Plant systematics, molecular phylogenetics and comparative genomics
  • Plant species identification and management (biodiversity and conservation)
  • Stress responsive gene identification and characterization (crop Improvement)
Awards and Honors
  • Distinguished Service Award, 2024 (Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, SDSU) 
  • Teacher of the Year 2024 Finalist (Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, SDSU) 
  • Planting Science Senior Mentor Scientist Recognition, 2024 (Botanical Society of America)
  • SDSU Inaugural Global Achievement Award (Office of International Affairs, 2022)
  • FO Butler Excellence in Teaching (2021)
  • Samuel Noel Postlethwait Award for Outstanding Service to Teaching Section of the Botanical Society of America (2018)
  • Honor Society of Agriculture (Gamma Sigma Delta) Past President Recognition (2017)
  • Honor Society of Agriculture Distinguished Service Award (2017)
  • Edward Patrick Hogan Award For Teaching Excellence (2016)
  • Sigma Xi Past President Recognition (2015)
  • National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences (2015 National Academies Northstar Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology)
  • Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Award (South Dakota Honor Society of Agriculture; 2014)
  • Tom Cheesbrough Excellence in Teaching Award (Department of Biology and Microbiology, SDSU; 2014)
Grants
  • USDA NIFA Genomics of Juneberry (2025-2027)
  • USDA NIFA 7Gen-FnA-iLEARN (Nepal et al. 2021-2025)
  • NSF RCN-UBE: The Wokini Undergraduate Biology Education Network (Heiberger and Nepal; 2021-2022)
  • NSF Synthetic Biology (Butzin, Nepal, Fernandez; 2019-2024)
  • NSF REMAST Phase-III (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Miller and White; 2020-2025)
  • USDA-NIFA; FAST-REEU (Nepal, Bott-Knutson, Janaswamy, Mathew and White; 2018-2022)
  • South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotional Council (with F. Mathew, 2017-2018)
  • USDA-NIFA; iLEARN (Nepal, White, Browning and Miller; 2016-2019)
  • USDA-NIFA; AES Hatch Fund (Nepal; 2013-2018)
  • DOE/SDBOR; Science and Technology Resources for Engagement Activity Modules (STREAM) (Browning, Nepal and Miller; 2015/2016)
  • NSF-REMAST Robert Noyce Scholarship Program –Phase II (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Miller and Bertolini; 2014-2016)
  • South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotional Council (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
  • Department of Education - South Dakota Board of Reagents (SETI^2, SETI^2-PhaseII) (Browning, Nepal and Miller; NCLB, Title II Grant) 2012/13 and 2013/2014
  • NSF-REMAST Robert Noyce Scholarship Program (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Emo and Miller; 2007-2012)
  • SDSU Academic and Scholarly Excellence Initiative (Miller, Nepal, Browning, Vestal and Emo; 2010-2011)
  • USDA Forest Service (2010-2012)
  • SDSU Research Scholarship Fund 2010 (2009-2010)
Publications

*Corresponding author

 Journal Articles 

  1. Parajuli S., Adhikari B. and *Nepal, M.P. Accepted. Genetics of Floral Development in Amborella trichopoda: Genome-wide Survey and Expression Analysis of MADS-Box Transcription Factors. Scientific Reports.

  2. Vestal, S.S., Burke, R.S., Browning, L.M., Hasselquist, L., Hales, P.D., Miller, M.L., Nepal, M.P.* and White, P.T. 2025. . Education Science 15(1), 85 (DOI: 10.3390/educsci15010085)

  3. Adhikari B., Parajuli S. and *Nepal, M.P. Under Review. Reporting Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences of Endangered Morus rubra Useful for Studying Hybridization and Phylogenomics. Scientific Reports.

  4. Adhikari, B., Pradhan, B., Parajuli, S. and *Nepal, M. P. (2024). Genome-wide identification of WRKY transcription factors in Amborella trichopoda, the basal flowering plant species. . 

  5. Stagner K., Weber, A., Nepal, H.P. and *Nepal, M.P. 2024. . Life Science Reports 1(1):1-24 (DOI: 10.62812/FRUE4067)

  6. Johnson, R.M. Nepal, H.P. and *Nepal, M.P. 2024. . Life Science Reports. 1(1): 25-35 (DOI: 10.62812/MGJP4087)

  7. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S. and * Nepal., M. P. 2021. Necrotrophic Fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Triggers Expression of Multiple Resistance Components in R esistant and Susceptible Wheat Cultivars. Journal of Plant Pathology. 37(2):99-114.

  8. *Xue, J., Takken, F.L.W., Nepal, M. P., Maekawa,T. and Z. Shao. 2020. Editorial: Evolution and Functional Mechanisms of Plant Disease Resistance. Frontiers in Genetics. 11:593240. 

  9.  Andersen, E.J, *Nepal, M.P, Nelson, D., Mermigka, G., Purintun, J.P. and P.F. Sarris. 2020. Wheat Disease Resistance Genes and their Diversification through Integrated Domain Fusions. Frontiers in Genetics 11: 898. 

  10. Neupane, S., Mathew, F.M., Varenhorst A.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Transcriptome profiling of interaction effects of soybean cyst nematodes and soybean aphids on soybean. Scientific Data 6:133 

  11. Neupane, S., Purintun, J.; Mathew, F.M.; Varenhorst, A.J.; *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Molecular Basis of Soybean Resistance to Soybean Aphid and Soybean Cyst Nematode. Plants. 8(10): 374 

  12. White, P. T., Browning, L. M., Miller, M. L., Vestal, S. S., Lemke, M. and *M. P. Nepal. 2020. Perceptions and Usages of Online Teaching Resources by South Dakota Science and Agriculture Teachers. Proceeding of South Dakota Academy of Sciences. 99:101-117

  13. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S. and *M.P. Nepal.2019. Transcriptomic changes in wheat during tan spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) disease. BMC Research Notes 12:471 

  14. Neupane, S., Varenhorst, A.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Transcriptome Profiling of Induced Susceptibility Effects on Soybean/Soybean Aphid Interaction. BMC Research Notes. 12:325 

  15. Neupane, S., S.E. Schweitzer, A. Neupane, E.J. Andersen, A. Fennell, R. Zhou, *M.P. Nepal. 2019. Identification and Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Genes in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Plants. 8(2): 28

  16. Neupane, S., E.J. Andersen, A. Neupane and *M.P. Nepal. 2018. Genome-wide Identification of NBS-encoding Genes of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Genes. 9:384

  17. Andersen, E.J., E. Byamukama, S. Ali, Y. Yen and *M.P. Nepal. 2018. Disease Resistance Mechanisms in Plants. Genes. 9(7): 339 

  18. Neupane, S., E.J. Andersen, Q. Ma, F. Mathew, A. Varenhorst and *M.P. Nepal. 2018. . Biochemical Genetics. 56 (4):397–422 

  19. *Nepal, M.P., E.J. Andersen, S. Neupane and B.V. Benson. 2017. Comparative Genomics of non-TNL Disease Resistance Genes from Six Plant Species. Genes. 8(10):249 

  20. Andersen, E.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2017. Genetic Diversity of Disease Resistance Genes in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica[L.] . Plant Gene. 10: 8–16

  21. Nanda-Kafle, G., T. Seale, T. Flint, M.P. Nepal, S.N. Venter and V. S. Brözel. 2017. Distribution of Diverse Escherichia coli between Cattle and Pasture. Microbes and Environments, 32(3): 226–233

  22. Andersen E.J. and *M.P. Nepal. 2017. Data on Genome-wide Identification of CNL R-genes in Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. Data in Brief. 13: 259–273

  23. Andersen, E.J., S. Ali, R.N. Reese, Y. Yen, S. Neupane and *M.P. Nepal. 2015. Diversity and Evolution of Disease Resistance Genes in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Evolutionary Bioinformatics.12:99-108 

  24. *Nepal, M.P. and B.V. Benson. 2015. Soybean Disease Resistance Genes and Their Evolutionary Divergence. Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 11: 49–63

  25. Andersen, E.J., S.R. Shaw and *M.P. Nepal. 2015. Genome-wide Identification of Disease Resistance Genes in Aegilops tauschii Coss. (Poaceae). Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 94:281-295. 

  26. *Nepal, M.P., M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2015. Breeding System and Sex Ratio Variation in Mulberries. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 9(2):383–395

  27. Benson, B.V., *M.P. Nepal, L.G. Davison, P. B. Duwadi and B.G. Moore. 2014. In Silico Analysis of Cis-Regulatory Elements of Disease Resistance Genes across Six Plant Species. Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 93: 133–144.

  28. Piya, S., *M.P. Nepal, J.L. Butler, G.E. Larson and A. Neupane. 2014. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Sickleweed (Falcaria vulgaris) in the Upper Midwest USA. Biological Invasions 16(10): 2115–2125.

  29. Neupane A., *M.P. Nepal, B.V. Benson, K.J. MacArthur and S. Piya. 2013. . Plant Signaling & Behavior 8 (11): e27189 

  30. Piya, S. and *M.P. Nepal. 2013. Characterization of nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers for Falcaria vulgaris (Apiaceae). American Journal of Plant Science. 4: 590-595.

  31. *Nepal, M.P. and D.J. Wichern. 2013. . Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 92: 19–29 

  32. Neupane, A., *M.P. Nepal, S. Piya, S. Subramanian, J.S. Rohila, R.N. Reese and B.V. Benson. 2013. . Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 9: 363–386

  33. *Nepal, M.P. and C.J. Ferguson. 2012.. Systematic Botany. 37(2): 442–450 

  34. Piya, S., *M.P. Nepal, A. Neupane, G.E. Larson and J.L. Butler. 2012. . Proceedings of South Dakota Academy of Science. 91:113–129

  35. *Nepal, M.P., M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2012. . Phytoneuron 26:1–6&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

  36. Woods, T.M., S.C. Strakosh, M.P. Nepal, S. Chakrabarti, N.B. Simpson, M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2005. . SIDA Contributions to Botany 21: 1695–1725 

  37. *Nepal, M.P., V.N.P. Gupta, O.R. Vetaas, and R.P. Chaudhary. 1999. Utilization of Plant Resources of Makalu-Barun Buffer zone, Eastern Nepal by the Rais and the Sherpa Communities. Proceedings of Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST), Pp. 1359–1370

Teaching Modules; Available at)

  1. Chang, J., Ritter, B., Feller, D. and Nepal, M. P. 2024. Soil Health Class-2: Soil pH. ILEARN Teaching Resources. Volume 6 (1): 156—165

  2. Chang, J., Ritter, B., Feller, D. and Nepal, M. P. 2024. Soil Health Class-2: Soil pH. ILEARN Teaching Resources. Volume 6 (1): 146—155

  3. Little Eagle, M., Janis, M. and Nepal, M. P. 2023. Lakota Ethnobotany for South Dakota Middle School Students. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 5(1): 136—145

  4. Janis, M., Little Eagle, M. and Nepal, M. P. 2023. Lakota Ethnobotany for South Dakota Middle School Students. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 5(1): 126—135

  5. Roy, S., Abrahamson, M., Nepal, M.P. and Butzin, N.C. 2022. Exploring Bacterial Diversity through Hand-printing & Bacterial Art. ILEARN Teaching Resources 4(2):95-105 

  6. Nelson, L.S., Roy, S., Bohnet, B.J., Chase, T., LaBelle, B., Nepal, M.P. and Butzin, N.C. 2022. Teaching Central Dogma of Biology Using Cell Free Environment. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (1):81—94 

  7. Kovash, I., Hossain, T., Mitchell, M., Roy, S., Nepal, M.P. and Butzin, N.C. 2022. Exploring Bacterial Diversity through Hand-printing & Bacterial Art. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (2): 106—125 

  8. Pourier, A., Pomarleau, W., Nelson, D., Cutler, K. and Nepal, M.P. 2022. Teaching Medicinal Plants Used by Native Americans. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (1):69—80 

  9. Pourier, A., Pomarleau, W., Nelson, D., Cutler, K. and Nepal, M.P. 2022. Teaching DNA Extractions from Fruits (Strawberry, Banana, Kiwi, and Watermelon). ILEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (1):61—68 

  10. Scott, C.W. and *Nepal, M.P. 2020. Teaching Natural and Artificial Selection in Production Agriculture. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 3 (1):49—60 

  11. Burwitz, S, Roe, K.M. and *Nepal, M.P, Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L., & White, P.T. 2019. Recycling Aluminum. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 2(3):43-48 

  12. Chang, J. and Nepal, M.P. 2019. Using Drones for Precision Agriculture. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 2 (2):38-42 

  13. Colombe, S., McLaughlin, J., Nepal, M.P., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L. and White, P.T. 2019. Sustainable Agriculture Lesson for Middle School Classrooms. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 2:34-37 

  14. *Nepal, M.P. and E.J. Andersen. 2019. Using Publicly Available GenBank Data to Teach Plant Phylogeny in High School Classrooms. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 2:23-33 

  15. Mueller, J. M., Edwards, L., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and Nepal, *M.P. 2019. Understanding Greenhouse Gases. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 2:18-22 

  16. Hoover, A., Blaha, B., Englin, J., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and Nepal, *M.P. 2019. Using a Case Study Approach to Teach Invasive Species and Climate Change. ILEARN Teaching Resources. 2:10-17 

  17. Kruse, T., Forcier, L., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and Nepal, *M.P. 2019. Climate Change within a Biome. ILEARN Teaching Resources.1:5-9 

  18. Colombe, S., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and Nepal, *M.P. 2018. Three Sister Crops: Understanding American Indian Agricultural Practices of Corn, Beans ILEARN Teaching Resources. 1:1-4 

  19. Carter, A., White, P.T., Hasselquist, L., Nepal, *M.P. 2018. . Curriculum Resources - Open PRAIRIE (>2,900 downloads since 2018)

Extension Articles 

  1. Mathew, F., Okello, P., Kleinjan, J., Osborne, S., Nepal, M. P., Varenhorst, A. and Byamukama, E. 2017. Understanding the relationship between soybean cyst nematode and Fusarium on soybean. South Dakota Soybean Leader, May-June, 19

  2. *Nepal, M.P. and Benson, .B.V. 2014. Understanding Plant's Disease Surveillance. Growing South Dakota iGrow (formerly), SD Extension Magazine. 

  3. *Nepal, M.P. 2006. Is White Mulberry a threat to Red Mulberry on Konza? Tallgrass Gazette, Spring 2006: 1-2

Book Chapter/Lab Manuals 

  1. *Nepal, M.P. and Purintun, J. 2021. Systematics of the Genus Morus L. (Moraceae): Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Potential Responses to Climate Variability. In Genetic Improvement of Mulberry in Context of Climate Change (M.K. Razdan and T. Dennis Thomas, Eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL., USA.

  2. Chaudhary, R.P., Nepal, M.P., Gupta, V.N.P. and Vetaas, O.R. 2002. Traditional use of plants by the indigenous peoples of Makalu-Barun Buffer zone, Eastern Nepal. In: Chaudhary, R.P., B.P Subedi, O.R. Vetaas and T.H. Aase (eds). Vegetation and Society: Their Interaction in the Himalayas. Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Bergen University, Norway. Pp. 83–97 

  3. *Nepal, M.P. 2021. General Botany Laboratory Manual, Pandemic Edition. ºù«Ӱҵ. 75 P. 

  4. *Nepal, M.P. and Wake, C.M. 2017. General Botany Laboratory Manual, 3rd Ed. ºù«Ӱҵ. 112 p.

Mailing Address:
McFadden Biostress Laboratory 252C
Biology & Microbiology-Box 2140D
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007
Office Location:
Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Lab
Room 252C
View Location
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Related Links
Nepal Lab
FAST@SDState (Future Agriculture and Science Taskforce - Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates; USDA Award # 2018-67032-27712)
iLEARN@SDSTATE (Immersive Learning Experiences And Rural Networking; USDA Award # 2017-68010-25956)
Honors Society of Agriculture@SDSTATE
NSF REMAST@SDState
Associated Areas
Bio lab
Department of Biology and Microbiology
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Biology and Microbiology Department Research