Dr. Jonnalagadda Padmaja leads a Group on Food Safety and Pesticide. She completed her doctoral degree in 1992 from Nagarjuna University, Guntur, and started her professional career at ICMR-NIN initially as a researcher post-doctoral fellow in 1990s as a Scientist C. She has been working on various issues related to food safety with special emphasis on pesticide toxicity. She has undergone training at various international and national Institutes in the Netherlands, Germany and India on analytical techniques on GC-MS, chromatography principles, Mass spectra principles, Types of Ionization, Electron Ionization, chemical ionization, examples of EI, Mass Analysis, types of mass analyzers, and also mass detectors, ion trap theory, etc. As a Principal Investigator she has successfully completed nine projects funded by ICMR, Department of Health Research, Govt. Of India; Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and DST-SEED. While, as Co-PI, she has worked on projects funded by WHO and ICMR. She is an expert member of the Indian National Committee (INC) of the International Dairy Federation (IDF); Standing Committee on Residues and Chemical Contaminants and FAD 8 on Food Additives and FAD 27 for Pesticide Residues of Bureau of Indian Standards. She has also served on Scientific panels on Methods of sampling and Analysis and Pesticides and Antibiotic Residues of FSSAI. She is also a life Member of various associations like the Food Scientists and Technologists Association, Parasitological Association, and Women Scientists' Association, among many others. Recently, she was awarded the Woman Achiever Award for Excellence in Science by the Indian Red Cross Society, Hyderabad; She was Gold Medallist in MSc in Andhra University. She has published 31 original research articles and also one book chapter in peer-reviewed National and International journals. She has guided 3 PhDs and several Masters’ Dissertations. She organized several national and international conferences on Pesticide Residues, Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and coordinated Expert Committee Meetings of DST Women Scientist Scheme. She takes active interest in outreach activities to mitigate pesticide residues and promoting eco-friendly practices.

1. Pandiyan, Arun., Lari Summaiya, Vanka Janardhan, Gauravarpu SubbaRao M, BabbanJee, Jonnalagadda Padmaja R. Knowledge, attitude and practices related to pesticide usage among farmers: findings from a hospital based cross-sectional study. WORK. 2022. (under consideration for publication). (IF: 1.803).
2. Summaiya Lari, Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda*, Praveen Yamagani, Srujana Medithi, Janardhan Vanka, Arun Pandiyan, Mohan Naidu, BabbanJee. Assessment of dermal exposure to pesticides among farmers using dosimeter and hand washing methods. Frontiers in Public Health (Section: Occupational Health and Safety), May 2022. (IF: 6.461).
3. Medithi, Srujana, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Vijay Radhakrishna Kankipati, Venkaiah Kodali, Babban Jee, and Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda. "Impact of Micronutrient Supplementation on Pesticide Residual, Acetylcholinesterase Activity, and Oxidative Stress Among Farm Children Exposed to Pesticides." Frontiers in Public Health (Section:. Environmental health and Exposome) 10 (2022). (IF: 6.461). 
4. Medithi, Srujana, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Babban Jee, Kodali Venkaiah, and Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda. "Alterations in reproductive hormone levels among farm women and their children occupationally exposed to organophosphate pesticides." Women & Health (2022): 1-11. (IF: 1.708).
5. Jonnalagadda, Padmaja, Srujana Medithi, Summaiya Lari, Kalyan Chinthanuri, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Raju Nagaraju, Janardhan Vanka, and Venkaiah Kodali. "Assessment of chemical contaminants in fresh and packaged tender coconut (Cocos nucifera) water." Czech Journal of Food Sciences 40, no. 2 (2022): 154-162. (IF:1.300). 
6. Medithi, Srujana, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Rajanna Ajumeera, Babban Jee, Venkaiah Kodali, and Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda. "Effect of organophosphorus pesticide exposure on the immune cell phenotypes among farm women and their children." Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health (2021): 1-9. . (IF: 1.765).
7. Medithi, Srujana, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Babban Jee, Venkaiah Kodali, and Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda. "Organophosphate pesticide exposure among farm women and children: Status of micronutrients, acetylcholinesterase activity, and oxidative stress." Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health 77, no. 2 (2022): 109-124. . (IF: 1.765).
8. Pandiyan, Arun, Summaiya Lari, Sudip Ghosh, Naveen Kumar Boiroju, Janardhan Vanka, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Babban Jee, and Padmaja Jonnalagadda. "Increased Serum Level of 8-Hydroxy-2’-Deoxyguanosine may be an Indication of Pesticides Induced DNA Damage among Indian Farmers."
9. Lari, Summaiya, Srujana Medithi, Yogeswar Dayal Kasa, Arun Pandiyan, and Padmaja Jonnalagadda. "Pesticide handling practices and self-reported morbidity symptoms among farmers." Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health 76, no. 8 (2021): 471-481. . (IF: 1.765).
10. Medithi, Srujana, Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda, and Babban Jee. "Predominant role of antioxidants in ameliorating the oxidative stress induced by pesticides." Archives of environmental & occupational health 76, no. 2 (2021): 61-74. (IF: 1.765).
11. Medithi S, Kasa YD, Lari S, Nagaraju R, Kodali V, Padmaja R Jonnalagadda. A Cross-sectional study to assess knowledge, practice and self- reported morbidity symptoms of pesticide use among farm women. Indian Journal of Community Health. 2017 29; 4: 410-416.
12. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda, Sudershan RaoV, Vishnu Vardhana RaoM, Kalpagam Polasa. Dietary Exposure to Pesticide Residues by various Physiological Groups of the population in Andhra Pradesh, South India - a case Study. Journal of Food And Nutrition Sciences.2015 4; (1): 139-148.
13. Pragney Deme, Tirupathi Azmeera, Prabhavathi Devi BLA, Padmaja R Jonnalagadda, Prasad RBN, Vijaya Sarathi UVR. An improved dispersive solid-phase extraction clean-up method for the gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometric determination of multiclass pesticide residues in edible oils. Food Chemistry.2014 142: 144-151.
14. Padmaja Jonnalagadda, Prasad AYE, Vijaya Sarathi UVR, Manohar G,Venkaiah K. Impairment in biochemical indices in sprayers exposed to commonly used Organophosphorous and Pyrethroids – a Case study. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 2013 7;8: 846-85.
15. Pragney Deme, Tirupathi Azmeera, Prabhavathi Devi BLA, Padmaja R Jonnalagadda, Prasad, Rachapudi BN, Vijaya Sarathi UVR. Effect of background derivatization on the signal enchancement of pesticide residues extracted from edible oils. Journal of Separation Science. 201336;24:3926-3933.(Pubmed ID: 24132997).
16. Pragney Deme, Tirupathi Azmeera, Sanjit Kanjilal, Padmaja Jonnalagadda, Vijaya Saradhi Upadhyayula.  LC-MS/MS Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues in Coconut Water. Food Anal. Methods.2013 6:1162-1169.
17. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda, Parveen Jahan, Sambasivan Venkatasubramanian, Imran Ali Khan, Prasad AYE, Ashok Reddy K, Vishnuvardhana Rao M, Venkaiah K, Qurratulain Hasan. Genotoxicity in agricultural farmers from Guntur district of South India - a case study.  Human and Experimental Toxicology. 2011 31;7:741-747.(Pubmed ID: 21558303).
18. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda, Prasad AYE, Ashok Reddy K, Suresh C, Vishnu Vardhana  Rao M, Ramya G and Raghunatha Rao D. Biochemical alterations of certain health parameters in cotton growing farmers exposed to organophosphorous and pyrethroid insecticides. African Journal of Biotechnology.2010 9;49: 8369-8377.
19. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda, Sudershan Rao V, Raji NS and Raghunatha Rao D. Identification of Critical Control Points (CCPs) in the two selected HACCP Certified Prawn Processing Units. Journal of Food Quality. 2009 32: 177–189. 
20. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda and D. Raghunatha Rao. Safe methods of use of pesticides as a part of IPM and Non-IPM for better promotion of food security and food safety in a rural set up. Published in the Indian Science Congress proceedings of “Bioresources for Rural Livelihood” Vol 1, 205-216. Eds: G.K. Kulkarni, B.N. Pandey and B.D. Joshi, Narendra Publishing House, pp238. 2010
21. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda. Identification of Critical Control Points (CCPs) in the two HACCP Certified Units. Nutrition News 2008 29:2.
22. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda. The reliability of food colours. Popular article published in Times Food Processing Journal. 2008. 42.
23. Suresh C, Padmaja Jonnalagadda, Uday Kumar P, Divya K, Sandesh P and Swadeep P. Alterations In The Antioxidant Profile In Patients With Colorectal Carcinoma. Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy, 2008 2;4: 531-53
24. Jonnalagadda, Padmaja R., Pratima Rao, Ramesh V. Bhat, and A. Nadamuni Naidu. "Type, extent and use of colours in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods prepared in the non‐industrial sector–a case study from Hyderabad, India." International journal of food science & technology 39, no. 2 (2004): 125-131.
25. Jonnalagadda, Padmaja R., and Ramesh V. Bhat. "Quality of shrimp sold in the markets of Hyderabad, India." Journal of food quality 27, no. 2 (2004): 163-170.
26. Padmaja R. Jonnalagadda., Food colors in Ready-to-Eat foods in unorganized sector-a case study, Nutrition News: 25:3 & 2004.
27. Jonnalagadda, Padmaja R., Ramesh V. Bhat, R. V. Sudershan, and A. Nadamuni Naidu. "Suitability of chemical parameters in setting quality standards for deep-fried snacks." Food Quality and Preference 12, no. 4 (2001): 223-228.
28. Jonnalagadda, Padmaja R., and B. P. Rao M. "Histopathological changes induced by specific pesticides on some tissues of the fresh water snail, Bellamya dissimilis Müller." Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 57, no. 4 (1996): 648-654.
29. Jonnalagadda, Padmaja R., and R. V. Bhat. "Parasitic contamination of stored water used for drinking/cooking in Hyderabad." The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health 26, no. 4 (1995): 789-794.
30. Padmaja R Jonnalagadda. Climate Change and its impact on Pest Control and Pesticide use in Ensuring Food Security. Published in Agriculture under Climate Change – Threats, Strategies and Policies. Edited by: Belavadi, V.V. Nataraja Karaba, N., Gangadharappa, N.R. Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., pp. 56-61, (475) 2017.
31. Padmaja R Jonnalagaddaand Prasad AYE. Methods of analysis of pesticide residues in food.  In: Biology and management strategies of pests and pathology. 2nd volume Edited by Prof. Nagaraja Rao and Prof. Dashvantha Reddy, OU College for women, Osmania University, 2009.