About Rajnish

Rajnish Khanna, Ph.D., is a plant biologist, photobiologist, entrepreneur, and educator whose work connects fundamental plant science with agricultural innovation, biotechnology, and questions about how living organisms perceive and respond to their environment.

He is a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Biology at Stanford University and Founder & CEO of i-Cultiver, Inc., an agricultural research company established in California in 2015.

Khanna's scientific background spans plant molecular biology, photobiology, crop biotechnology, plant signaling, plant-microbe interactions, and agricultural product development. His work has included academic research, biotechnology industry research, technology development, greenhouse and field studies, and collaborations with agricultural companies.

He received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a focus on Plant Molecular Biology from Purdue University. His research career has included positions at the University of California, Berkeley; Mendel Biotechnology; and the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford.

Through i-Cultiver and the BEST program, Khanna also works to create pathways for community college biotechnology students to participate in real-world scientific research.

His broader interests include science communication and the biological study of consciousness. Through TerreScience, he brings scientists, authors, and thinkers into conversations about biology, agriculture, health, consciousness, and our relationship with the living world.

BIOGRAPHY

• 2026–Present
  Visiting Scientist
  Department of Biology, Stanford University

• 2015–Present
  Founder & CEO
  i-Cultiver, Inc.

• 2020–2026
  Senior Investigator
  Carnegie Institution for Science

• 2012–2020
  Research and outreach positions
  Carnegie Institution for Science

• 2006–2012
  Senior Scientist
  Mendel Biotechnology

• 2000–2006
  Research
  University of California, Berkeley

EDUCATION

CAREER TIMELINE

• Ph.D., Biological Sciences / Plant Molecular Biology
  Purdue University

• M.Sc., Botany
  University of Delhi

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Rajnish Khanna, Ph.D.

Plant Science • Biotechnology • Education