I currently work as a researcher in Dr. Wangchuk's research group at the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) under the College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences (CPHMVS) at James Cook University. My research is focused on finding novel treatments for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) from natural products of Australian Wet Tropics in Far North Queensland. 

After completing my master's degree in India, I pursued a PhD at James Cook University (Cairns campus), Australia. During my doctoral studies, I collaborated with the Australian Indigenous Community (Mbabaram community) in Atherton Tableland to discover novel anti-inflammatory drug leads from their medicinal plants. Moreover, I have also explored endemic plants from the Wet Tropics region in Far North Queensland and parasitic worms for their biodiscovery potential using different natural product isolation techniques, including the 'omics' platform. From my PhD project, I have identified three potential drug leads for IBD, which are currently under preparation for the full patent.  

Interests

Research

• Phytochemicals and pharmacology of medicinal plants and plants affected by climate change
• Fungi and their bioactive secondary metabolites
• Pre-clinical studies of bioactive compounds
• Metabolomics and biomarkers of natural compounds and diseases

Experience

• 2023 - Researcher, AITHM, James Cook University (Australia)
• 2019 - Lecturer, Sherubtse College, Royal University of Bhutan (Bhutan)
• 2013 to 2018 - Lecturer, Ministry of Education (Bhutan)

Research Disciplines

• Organic chemistry (3405)
• Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry (3404)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing (4504)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding knowledge (2801)

Awards

• 2019 - James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (JCUPRS) to pursue PhD
• 2018 - Winner of Young Researchers Regional Writing Competition, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Nepal
• 2017 - "University Academic Honour" for standing first in order of merit in MSc
• 2017 - "University Gold Medal" for standing first in order of merit in MSc
• 2016 - University Honor Roll for Excellent Academic Performance

Fellowships

• 2018 - Foundational Leadership Program (FLP) at Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS), Phuntsholing, Bhutan
• 2014 to 2016 - Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship to pursue MSc

Other

• 2020 - Invited as a speaker during 'International Webinar on Medicinal Plants and Folk Healing' organised by Jawaharlal Nehru College, Arunachal Pradesh, India

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Gempo N, Yeshi K, Jamtsho T, Jamtsho L, Samten and Wangchuk P (2024) Development of quality control parameters for two Bhutanese medicinal plants (Aster flaccidus Bunge and Aster diplostephioides (DC.) Benth. ex C.B.Clarke) using traditional and modern pharmacognostical platforms. Heliyon, 10 (3).
• Jamtsho T, Yeshi K, Perry M, Loukas A and Wangchuk P (2024) Approaches, Strategies and Procedures for Identifying Anti-Inflammatory Drug Lead Molecules from Natural Products. Pharmaceuticals, 17 (13).
• Wangchuk P, Yeshi K and Loukas A (2023) Metabolomics and lipidomics studies of parasitic helminths: molecular diversity and identification levels achieved by using different characterisation tools. Metabolomics, 19 (63).
• Jamtsho T, Yeshi K, Samten and Wangchuk P (2022) Comparative analysis of two Himalayan Aconitum species for their phytopharmaceutical properties. Journal of Herbal Medicine, 32.
• Ritmejeryte E, Ryan R, Byatt B, Peck Y, Yeshi K, Daly N, Zhao G, Crayn D, Loukas A, Pyne S, Ruscher R and Wangchuk P (2022) Anti-inflammatory properties of novel galloyl glucosides isolated from the Australian tropical plant Uromyrtus metrosideros. Chemico-Biological Interactions, 368.
• Yeshi K, Ruscher R, Miles K, Crayn D, Liddell M and Wangchuk P (2022) Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Endemic Plants of the Australian Wet Tropics. Plants, 11 (19).
• Yeshi K, Ruscher R, Loukas A and Wangchuk P (2022) Immunomodulatory and biological properties of helminth-derived small molecules: Potential applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. Frontiers in Parasitology, 1.
• Yeshi K, Turpin G, Jamtsho T and Wangchuk P (2022) Indigenous Uses, Phytochemical Analysis, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Australian Tropical Medicinal Plants. Molecules, 27 (12).
• Yeshi K, Crayn D, Ritmejeryte E and Wangchuk P (2022) Plant secondary metabolites produced in response to abiotic stresses has potential application in pharmaceutical product development. Molecules, 27 (1).
• Jamtsho T, Wangchuk P, Yeshi K, Tobgay and Sridith K (2021) Riparian plant species of Sherichhu River in Eastern Bhutan: their diversity, distribution, and ethnobotanical uses. Tropical Ecology, 62. pp. 563-579

Book Chapters

• Yeshi K and Wangchuk P (2023) Bush Medicinal Plants of the Australian Wet Tropics and Their Biodiscovery Potential. In: Bioprospecting of Tropical Medicinal Plants. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 357-379
• Yeshi K and Wangchuk P (2023) Aconitum napellus (Monkshood). In: Exploring Poisonous Plants: Medicinal Values, Toxicity Responses, and Therapeutic Uses. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, pp. 101-112

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 25+ research outputs authored by Dr Karma Yeshi from 2017 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
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