Dr. Dhar received his master’s and PhD at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, where he focused on plant viruses. He spent two years in Canada doing postdoctoral research on a potato virus, which he realized was similar to a shrimp virus (Taura Syndrome Virus). He did additional postdoctoral work in Massachusetts at Tufts University, this time working with shrimp. He subsequently spent two productive years in industry, during which he published ten papers on molecular diagnostic methods and potential therapies for shrimp viruses.

In the early 2000's, he received multiple grants for various projects as he continued exploring molecular diagnostics and therapies, including oral vaccines. Over the next decade, he continued working as a teacher and researcher in both academic and industrial settings. By 2017 (when he became APL’s principle investigator), he had authored/coauthored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and obtained multiple patents. Since then, he has continued to teach, mentor, and lead APL.