Faculty & Staff
Dr. Pratibha Dwarkanath
MSc, PhD
Professor, Division of Nutrition
Languages
English, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi
- Overview
- Projects
- Publications
- Other Contributions
Dr. Pratibha Dwarkanath is a senior public health nutrition researcher and academic with over two decades of experience advancing research on maternal, fetal, and child nutrition in low- and middle-income settings. Her work centres on understanding how maternal nutritional status influences fetal development, birth outcomes, and long-term child health, with particular expertise in micronutrient deficiencies including vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B12, and iron, and the early-life origins of disease.
She has extensive experience designing and implementing prospective cohort studies, randomised controlled trials, pooled analyses, and secondary data analyses, integrating epidemiological and mechanistic approaches, including the use of stable isotope techniques to elucidate maternal-fetal nutrient transfer and early-life metabolic programming. A defining feature of her work is the translation of these mechanistic insights into scalable, evidence-based interventions and policy-relevant recommendations.
Her research has been supported by leading national and international organisations including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Medical Research Council (MRC) UK, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Grand Challenges Canada, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Her contributions to nutrition science have been recognised through numerous prestigious honours including the Dr. BK Anand Memorial Award at the 57th Annual National Conference of the Nutrition Society of India (2025), a fully funded bursary to present at the OpeN Global Launch Event at King's College London supported by the MRC UK (2019), the Ramanathan Prize for best oral presentation at the 43rd NSI, NIN, ICMR, Hyderabad (2011), the International Nutrition Foundation/Kraft Short-term Fellowship to present at the 19th International Congress of Nutrition in Bangkok (2009), the Junior Scientist Award for best oral presentation at the 38th NSI, NIN, ICMR, Hyderabad (2007), and the Best Poster Award at the 7th ISSFAL Congress in Cairns, Queensland (2006).
Beyond her research, Dr. Dwarkanath is actively engaged in doctoral mentorship, policy advisory roles, and editorial responsibilities, shaping the next generation of nutrition scientists and contributing to the advancement of maternal and child nutrition science in India and globally.
Qualification/ Education
Completion date Field of study Institution and location Degree University of Pune, Maharashtra BSc 1998 Microbiology University of Pune, Maharashtra MSc 2000 Health Sciences University of Curtin, Perth, WA PhD 2012 Public Health
Experience
Designation Institution Timeline Professor Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute 2025 - Present Associate Professor Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute 2018 - 2025 Assistant Professor Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute 2015 - 2018 Lecturer Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute 2012 - 2015 Senior Research Fellow Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute 2001 - 2012 Research Assistant KEM Hospital, Pune 1999 - 2001
Areas of interest
Maternal, fetal, and neonatal nutrition and health
Micronutrient deficiencies and supplementation across pregnancy and lactation
Placental biology and its role in fetal growth and development
Preterm birth, preeclampsia, and adverse pregnancy outcomes
Stable isotope techniques for metabolic and nutritional assessment in pregnancy
Randomised controlled trials and longitudinal study designs in maternal-child health
Translation of nutrition research into clinical and public health practice
Nutrition policy development and implementation in maternal and child health
Fellowship & Membership
- 2024 - Executive Committee Member, Nutrition Society of India
- 2021 - Expert Committee Member, "Addressing the Health Needs of Women and Children" in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), in partnership with DFID, ESRC, and MRC, UK
- 2020 - Associate Editor, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
- 2020 - External Expert, Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) for PhD Candidate Ms. H. Vidhyalakshmi (part-time student), Mysuru University
- 2018 - Task Force Committee Member, "Human Developmental and Disease Biology Maternal and Child Health Programme"
- 2014 - Collaborator, Healthy Birth, Growth, and Development Knowledge Integration India Extension, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- 2007 - Member, Nutrition Society of India
| Designation | Institution | Timeline |
| Professor | Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute | 2025 - Present |
| Associate Professor | Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute | 2018 - 2025 |
| Assistant Professor | Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute | 2015 - 2018 |
| Lecturer | Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute | 2012 - 2015 |
| Senior Research Fellow | Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute | 2001 - 2012 |
| Research Assistant | KEM Hospital, Pune | 1999 - 2001 |
Maternal, fetal, and neonatal nutrition and health
Micronutrient deficiencies and supplementation across pregnancy and lactation
Placental biology and its role in fetal growth and development
Preterm birth, preeclampsia, and adverse pregnancy outcomes
Stable isotope techniques for metabolic and nutritional assessment in pregnancy
Randomised controlled trials and longitudinal study designs in maternal-child health
Translation of nutrition research into clinical and public health practice
Nutrition policy development and implementation in maternal and child health
No groups and associations specified.
Adjusting for truncated study duration in recurrent event analysis: A weighting approach for clinical trials
John Michael Raj A,Tinku Thomas ,Pratibha Dwarkanath PRAYAS: individual patient data meta-analysis database for Pooled Research and Analysis for Yielding Anemia-free Solutions in India.
Pandey AK, Sinha AP, Rawat R, et al. Impact of high- and moderate-protein supplementation on early-life obesity and body composition: a randomized controlled trial in India.
Manapurath, Rukman; Chowdhury, Ranadip; Upadhyay, Ravi Prakash; Kurpad, Anura V.; Bose, Beena; Devi, Sarita; Dwarkanath, Pratibha; Bhandari, Nita; Taneja, Sunita; Strand, Tor A. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes: two prospective cohort studies of nulliparous women in India and Tanzania.
Pembe, Andrea B.; Dwarkanath, Pratibha; Kikula, Amani; Raj, John Michael; Perumal, Nandita; Paulo, Heavenlight A.; M, Rajalakshmi; Duggan, Christopher P.; Masanja, Honorati M.; Chopra, Nandini; Sando, Mary M.; Thomas, Tinku; Yelverton, Cara A.; Muhihi, Alfa; Kurpad, Anura V.; Fawzi, Wafaie W.; Wylie, Blair J.; Sudfeld, Christopher R. Cohort profile of the ICMR-Stillbirth Pooled India Cohort (ICMR-SPIC): estimating prevalence, analysing risk factors and developing prediction models for stillbirths in India.
Mukherjee, Reema Relationship Between Total 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone Concentrations During Early Gestation in Indian Women.
Chopra, Nandini; Ayoob, Fathima; C, Roopashree; Karanth, Shashikala; Harish, Manjula; Thomas, Annamma; Adiga, Vasista; Vyakarnam, Annapurna; Hawrylowicz, Catherine; Kurpad, Anura V.; Dwarkanath, Pratibha Low-dose calcium supplementation during pregnancy in low and middle-income countries: A cost-effectiveness analysis.
Saronga, Happiness P.; Dwarkanath, Pratibha; Cui, Hening; Muhihi, Alfa; Kurpad, Anura V.; Sri Poornima, V.; Sando, Mary M.; Poornima, R.; Yelverton, Cara; Masanja, Honorati M.; Sudfeld, Christopher R.; Pembe, Andrea B.; Fawzi, Wafaie W.; Menzies, Nicolas A. Non-inferiority of low-dose compared to standard high-dose calcium supplementation in pregnancy: study protocol for two randomized, parallel group, non-inferiority trials in India and Tanzania.
Dwarkanath P, Muhihi A, Sudfeld CR, Rani S, Duggan CP, Sando MM, Wylie BJ, Fernandez R, Kinyogoli S, Munk C, Perumal N, Raj JM, Buggi N, Swai N, Thomas T, Wang M, Kurpad AV, Masanja H, Pembe AB, Fawzi WW. Two Randomized Trials of Low-Dose Calcium Supplementation in Pregnancy.
Dwarkanath, Pratibha; Muhihi, Alfa; Sudfeld, Christopher R.; Wylie, Blair J.; Wang, Molin; Perumal, Nandita; Thomas, Tinku; Kinyogoli, Shabani M.; Bakari, Mohamed; Fernandez, Ryan; Raj, John-Michael; Swai, Ndeniria O.; Buggi, Nirmala; Shobha, Rani; Sando, Mary M.; Duggan, Christopher P.; Masanja, Honorati M.; Kurpad, Anura V.; Pembe, Andrea B.; Fawzi, Wafaie W. Impact of nutritional and multiple micronutrients supplementation to lactating mothers 6 months postpartum on the maternal and infant micronutrient status: a randomised controlled trial in Delhi, India.
Manapurath, Rukman; Chowdhury, Ranadip; Upadhyay, Ravi Prakash; Bose, Beena; Devi, Sarita; Dwarkanath, Pratibha; Kurpad, Anura V.; Bhandari, Nita; Taneja, Sunita Suboptimal gestational weight gain and neonatal outcomes in low and middle income countries: individual participant data meta-analysis.
Perumal, Nandita; Wang, Dongqing; Darling, Anne Marie; Liu, Enju; Wang, Molin; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Christian, Parul; Dewey, Kathryn G.; Kac, Gilberto; Kennedy, Stephen H.; Subramoney, Vishak; Briggs, Brittany; Fawzi, Wafaie W. Invited Speaker – “Role of Calcium during Pregnancy”
Invited speaker at the RUSA Sponsored National Conference “Little Beginnings, Lifelong Impact – The Nutrition Connection”, held at the Interactive Research School for Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati V…
Invited Speaker – “The Role of Calcium in Pregnancy: Policy Perspective”
Invited speaker at the 13th Workshop on Capacity Building in Public Health and Nutrition (PHN): “Understanding Public Health Nutrition and Policy”, held at The Metropolitan, New Delhi (15–18 December …
Advancing Paediatric Nutrition: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from the Clinic to the Community
The symposium was conducted in collaboration with the Indian Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (IAPEN) and the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA), Bengaluru Chapter
Non-Voting Delegate – IUNS General Assembly (IUNS-ICN 2025)
Selected as the non-voting delegate from India to attend the IUNS General Assembly during the International Congress of Nutrition (ICN 2025), Paris, France (24–29 August 2025).
Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Member – Stillbirth Research
Served as a Technical Advisory Group member for the ICMR project on building evidence and designing solutions to prevent stillbirths in India through retrospective cohort analyses.
Speaker – “Microbiome: Targeting Therapeutics in Diseases and Other Opportunities”
Delivered an invited lecture at the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi.
Panelist – “Malnutrition in India: Prevention and Reduction Strategies”
Panelist at a round-table discussion organised in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and IIT Bombay (CTARA).
Speaker – “Addressing Global Malnutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies”
Invited speaker at the Second Online National Conference on Nutrition and Health, organised by AIIMS Mangalagiri.
Speaker – Debate Session on Global Hunger Index
Invited speaker for the debate session “Global Hunger Index: Does it depict hunger and malnutrition?” at the 56th Annual Conference of the Nutrition Society of India, Pune.
Resource Person – PDA Anemia Workshop
Served as a resource person at the Pooled Data Analysis (PDA) Anemia Workshop organised at the ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi.