Dr. Ciji Alexander
Senior Scientist
| Name | Dr. Ciji Alexander |
| Designation | Senior Scientist, ARS |
| Qualification | M.F.Sc, PhD |
| Email Address | ciji.alexander@icar.org.in cijialex83@gmail.com |
| Professional experience (Years) | 12 years |
| Area of Research Expertise |
Fish Nutrition, Broodstock nutrition, Immunomodulation and stress mitigation in fish. |
| Google scholar link | https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=O_sKPW8AAAAJ |
| ORCID ID | 0000-0001-6407-7590 |
| Awards/ Recognitions | 1. Received S.S. Gupta Memorial Award for the Young Scientist (2022) by the Coldwater Fisheries Society of India, Bhimtal. 2. Conferred “Jawaharlal Nehru Award for outstanding doctoral thesis research in Agricultural and allied sciences-2013” by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi. 3. Received “Dr. Karunasagar Best Post-Graduate Thesis (Ph.D. – Indian category) Award for the year 2013” by the Professional Fisheries Graduate Forum (PFGF). 4. Received “Kerala Agricultural University Endowment Fish Processing Best Student Award” of B.F.Sc 2001 batch. 5. Awarded with “Kerala Agricultural University Merit Scholarship” for pursuing under graduation. 6. Awarded with “CIFE Fellowship” for pursuing post graduation and PhD programmes in ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai. |
Publication (no.) | Research papers:- 70 Review Papers:- 03 Books:- 01 (Authored) Book Chapters:- 15 Scientific Popular articles:- 10 Others: Technical Bulletins and leaflets:- 10 NCBI Genbank Submissions :- 50 Patent:- 01 Technology commercialized:- 04 |
| Projects (Institutional/ External) | Institutional Projects: 1. Development of a waning strategy for golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Project code: AQ 16/SP7; 2023-2026; PI). 2. Development of protocols for live transportation of mahseer brooders (2025-2028, Co-PI) 3. Nutritional intervention for improving reproductive competence and larval quality traits of golden mahseer, Tor putitora in captivity (Project code: AQ 21b; 2020-2023; PI). 4. Endocrine aspects of growth and maturation in snow trout, Schizothorax richardsonii (Project code: AQ 17d; 2015-2019, PI) 5. Optimizing reproductive and spawning performance of golden mahseer (Tor putitora) for upscaling its seed production in captivity (Project code: AQ 16d; 2018-2022; Co-PI). 6. Unravelling thermal and size dependent fertility traits of male golden mahseer brooders in captive conditions (Project code: AQ18-SP10; 2022-2025; Co-PI). 7. Development and validation of cost effective feed formulation for rainbow trout based on commercial scale industrial by-products (Project code: AQ 21a; 2018-2021; Co-PI). 8. Formulation, development and validation of efficient broodstock feed for rainbow trout (Project code: AQ 21c; 2020-2023; Co-PI). 9. Development and validation of cost-effective commercial rainbow trout feeds and nutrient sensitive feed management strategies (Project code: AQ 21d; 2021-2024; Co-PI). 10. Nutrient mediated metabolic regulation of growth and well being in snow trout, Schizothorax richardsonii (Project code: AQ 17b; 2015-2019; Co-PI) 11. Photo-thermal manipulations for gonadal development of golden mahseer in captivity (Project code AQ16a; 2014-2018, Co-PI). Externally Funded Projects: 1. Ecohydrology and vulnerability assessment in groundwater-fed and snow and glacial-fed river systems of Western and Eastern Himalaya under the warming climate (NMHS 2024-25/SC-XIII/MG/SL-05; 2025-2028; Co-PI) 2.Immunomodulation in golden mahseer (Tor putitora) broodstock in captive conditions (BT/PR26920/AAQ/3/884/2017; 2018-2021, Co-PI). 3.Development of climate resilient rainbow trout and innovative trout farming strategies to mitigate climatic stressors (2017-2022, Co-PI). 4.Outreach activity-3: Nutrient profiling and evaluation of fish as a dietary component (Outreach activity-3 for 12th plan) (2014-2018, Co-PI). |
Important Research Papers
1. Ciji, A., Akhtar, M.S., Kamalam, B.S., Rajesh, M. and Sharma, P., 2025. Tailored broodstock diet fortified with functional nutrients enhances reproductive efficiency and larval quality traits of Tor putitora, an endangered cyprinid. Animal Reproduction Science, 283: 108027.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.108027
2. Ciji, A., Akhtar, M.S., Tripathi, P.H., Dubey, M.K., Sharma, P., 2024. Higher intake of β-glucan impairs reproduction in a female teleost, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822). Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 50: 589-603. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-023-01292-4
3. Ciji, A., Akhtar, M.S., Dubey, M.K., Pandey, A., Tripathi, P.H., Kamalam, B.S., Rajesh, M. and Sharma, P., 2022. Comparative assessment of egg and larval quality traits of progeny from wild-collected and captive-matured brooders of endangered golden mahseer, Tor putitora: A prelude to quality broodstock development and seed production. Aquaculture, 552: 737949. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.737949
4. Ciji, A., Akhtar, M.S., Tripathi, P.H., Pandey, A., Rajesh, M. and Kamalam, B.S., 2021. Dietary soy lecithin augments antioxidative defense and thermal tolerance but fails to modulate non-specific immune genes in endangered golden mahseer (Tor putitora) fry. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 109: 34-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2020.11.031
5. Ciji A., Sharma, P., Rajesh, M., Kamalam, B.S., Sharma, A., Dash, P. and Akhtar, M.S., 2021. Intra‐annual changes in reproductive indices of male and female Himalayan snow trout, Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832). Aquaculture Research, 52(1): 130-139. https://doi.org/10.1111/are.14875
6. Ciji, A. and Akhtar, M.S., 2021. Stress management in aquaculture: a review of dietary interventions. Reviews in Aquaculture, 13(4): 2190-2247. https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12565.
7. Ciji, A. and Akhtar, M.S., 2020. Nitrite implications and its management in aquaculture: a review. Reviews in Aquaculture, 12(2): 878-908. https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12354
8. Akhtar, M. S., Tripathi, P. H. and Ciji A*., 2022. Light spectra influence the reproductive performance and expression of immune and anti-oxidative defense genes in endangered golden mahseer (Tor putitora) female brooders. Aquaculture, 547: 737355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.737355
9. Akhtar, M. S., Ciji, A*., Tripathi, P. H. and Sharma, P., 2021. Dietary β-glucan influences the expression of testicular aquaporins, antioxidative defence genes and sperm quality traits in endangered golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822). International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 193: 1286-1293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.10.177
10. Akhtar, M. S., Tripathi, P. H., Pandey, A. and Ciji A*., 2021. Transgenerational effects of β-glucan on thermal tolerance, growth performance, and immune gene expression of endangered cyprinid Tor putitora progeny. Journal of Thermal Biology, 102: 103120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103120
11. Akhtar, M. S., Tripathi, P. H., Pandey, A. and Ciji A*., 2021. β-glucan modulates non-specific immune gene expression, thermal tolerance and elicits disease resistance in endangered Tor putitora fry challenged with Aeromonas salmonicida. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 119: 154-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2021.09.038
12. Akhtar M.S., Manchi R., Kamalam B.S., Ciji. A*., 2020. Effect of photoperiod and temperature on indicators of immunity and wellbeing of endangered golden mahseer (Tor putitora) broodstock. Journal of Thermal Biology, 93: 102694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102694
Other Information:- As on November 2025:
Total citations: 1820
h-index: 23
i10 index: 39