ORNL Placeholder Image

Komal Sharma Agrawal

Postdoctoral Research Associate - Microbial Synthetic Biologist & Metabolic Engineer

Dr. Komal Sharma Agrawal is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Biosciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Her research focuses on engineering thermophilic and mesophilic microbes for sustainable biomanufacturing and circular bioeconomy applications. She has extensive experience in microbial genome engineering, metabolic pathway design, and bioprocess development for high-value chemical and material production. At ORNL, Dr. Agrawal develops genetic tools for non-model thermophiles and designs microbial platforms for high-temperature depolymerization and bioconversion of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into industrially relevant products. Her broader research interests integrate systems and synthetic biology to advance microbial solutions for waste valorization, greenhouse gas mitigation, and sustainable materials innovation.