Professor Ashok Pandey obtained his Master's degree in Chemistry in 1976 and PhD in Microbiology in 1979 from the University of Allahabad. He was a scientist at National Sugar Institute, Kanpur during1982-85. During 1985-1986, he worked as Research Scientist in Suddeutsche Zucker AG in Germany. In 1987, he joined the CSIR's National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology at Trivandrum as a Scientist and since then continuing there. During this period, Professor Pandey undertook short/long visits to several institutions in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, USA, etc.
Professor Pandey's current main research focus are on bioprocess and product developments, mainly focused agro-industrial solid waste utilization for the production of biofuels, biopolymers, industrial enzymes, etc. He has developed and transferred three technologies on industrial enzymes to the industries and has completed several industrial consultancy projects. He has 829 publications/communications, which include 12 patents, 27 books, 18 special issues of the journals as Guest Editor, 25 Technical reports, 87 chapters in the books, 321 original and review papers and 339 research communications in international and national conferences.
Professor Pandey is the recipient of many national and international awards and fellowships, which include Fellow of Association of Microbiologists of India, International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Biotech Research Society of India; Honorary Doctorate degree from Univesite Blaise Pascal, France; Thomson Scientific India Citation Laureate Award; Lupin Visiting Fellowship, Visiting Professor in the University Blaise Pascal, France, Federal University of Parana, Brazil and EPFL, Switzerland; Best Scientific Work Achievement award, Govt of Cuba; UNESCO Professor; Raman Research Fellowship Award, CSIR; GBF, Germany and CNRS, France Fellowship; Young Scientist Award, etc. He was Chairman of the International Society of Food, Agriculture and Environment, Finland ((Food & Health) during 2003-2004. He is the Founder President of Biotech Research Society of India and International Coordinator of International Forum on Industrial Bioprocesses. He is editor-in-chief of Bioresource Technology, the Elsevier journal and editorial board member of several international and Indian journals.