A wide-angle landscape of a salt marsh at dusk. Tall, golden marsh grasses frame the foreground, leading to a still body of water that perfectly mirrors a line of dark trees and a vibrant orange sunset glowing through the clouds.

Vijay Hemmadi

A professional headshot of Vijay in the IMET Lobby

Vijay Hemmadi

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Sowers Laboratory
Office Room:
5027
vhemmadi@umbc.edu

Research Interests

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dr. Kevin Sowers’ lab at IMET, where I study PCB-dehalogenating microorganisms and their role in transforming chlorinated pollutants in anaerobic coastal sediments. My current research focuses on the biology and physiology of dehalogenating microbes, the kinetics of microbial dechlorination, and the development of in situ bioremediation strategies for PCB-contaminated sediments. My broader background includes ecotoxicology, bacterial physiology, host-pathogen interactions, antimicrobial resistance, and infectious disease. Through my work, I aim to better understand microbial dehalogenation and apply this knowledge to the remediation and risk assessment of contaminated marine environments.