Dr. Chandramohan is a marine microbiologist, with a 35-year long academic (as Professor of marine microbiology) and research (leader of marine microbiology group at National Institute of Oceanography, India) career. Hallmarks of his career are his contributions to the knowledge of marine bacterial groups involved in phosphate solubilization, sulfate-reduction, bioluminescence, oil degradation and enhancement of nutritive value of suspended organic particles, and establishment of Microbial Identification System that was instrumental in generating authentic marine microbial culture collections in India. These activities led him to publish more than 120 research papers and supervise about a dozen doctoral theses. During the later part of his career, he played a crucial role in transforming microbiological research in NIO into technologically rewarding activities: besides holding 3 US patents on polyunsaturated fatty acids from Marine Thraustochytrids and on a novel pigment produced by a deep-sea bacterium, he enabled his team and others at NIO to file more than 60 patents in USA and Europe. Other credits include editorial positions in international journals on marine microbiology and biotechnology (Journal of Microbiological Methods and Journal of Marine Biotechnology), memberships in several national committees on science and technology and advisory role in implementation of national programs in marine biology.

Currently he is a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Census of Marine Life (CoML) and provides the link needed between IO-CoML and other programs of CoML.