Microbial and Natural Sciences

The resources of biological origin are non-fossil biogenic materials or processes that are renewable and biodegradable in a natural and sustainable manner. These resources meet our basic need for food, feed, bioactives, fuel, energy, shelter, fiber, bioremediation, and biomedicals, among others. They all have a significant impact on our current and future socioeconomic and ecological developments. As per statistics the present global population of 7.96 billion is projected to grow to nearly 9.8 billion by 2050. India is one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots with unique flora and fauna. Though, exploitation of these bioresource is now challenged worldwide due to overpopulation and in the face of climate change risk; the need for further exploration, conservation, and sustainable utilization of resources of biological origin is undeniable for the sustainability of mankind.

Past decades have seen support to several conservations, mapping and inventorization studies led by modern biotechnology tools and technologies on microbes, plants, animals, insects, etc., Though continual support for conservation, mapping and inventorization of bioresource is imperative, the critical necessity is to develop processes and technologies for better and ecologically relevant utilisation of these bioresource through citizen participation. The Microbial and Natural Sciences programme of the Department promotes the sustainable utilization of such natural resources through development of technologies and products from it. The programme intends to realize the diverse & potential applications of bioresources in food, fuel, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines, nutraceutical, paper & pulp sectors, etc., which in turn ensures the sustainable development of a bio-based economy.

Mandate

The Department of Biotechnology under its “Microbial and Natural Sciences Programme” supports interdisciplinary development of emerging interventions through fundamental and translational research, enabling comprehensive mechanistic and ecological understanding of resources of biological origin and its sustainable utilization.

Thrust Areas

The “Microbial and Natural Sciences” programme facilitates following Thrust Areas:

1. Terrestrial Ecology and Bioprocesses:

1. Emerging tools & technologies to support bioresource centric eco-science, ecosystem services and citizen science driven conservation;
2. A “systems Approach” to unravel rules and principles that govern and regulate microbial cells, and ecosystems;
3. Fundamentals of bioprocesses, leading to industry-ready sustainable tools, technologies and processes for bioproduct(s), bioproduct(s) pipelines/platforms/services. (This excludes bioenergy, and waste-to-value landscapes); and
4. Innovative and sustainable diversification of bioresource(s) originated fibres, gums, resins and polymers (and derivatives thereof)

2. Convergence of Biotechnology and Indian Traditional Medicine (AYURVEDA)

1. Elucidation of mechanistic details of novel metabolites (including essential oils and aroma), and converting research leads into potential process(es) and product pipeline(s);
2. Establishment of facilities for high-through screening, and for the preparation of clinical batches; of standardized preparations towards developing candidate phytopharmaceutical drugs formulations;
3. To promote and support end-to-end consideration (including development of novel delivery system) of phytopharmaceutical, herbal, ayurvedic; extracts/ preparations/ formulations under existing regulatory frameworks such as (a) US-FDA Botanical Drugs; (b) DCGI-Phytopharmaceutical Drugs; and (c) Proprietary Ayurvedic Medicine in AYUSH mode; and
4. Exploration of Phytonutraceuticals as an adjuvant therapy to the existing treatments of diseases for regaining strength, and revitalization of affected organs.

3. Marine-resource Technologies:

1. Prospecting of novel bioactive compounds through development and validation of proof-of-concept technologies (including trapping of holobiont molecules in their natural environment);
2. Establishment of High Throughput Screening facilities for discovery of biologically active novel compounds of marine origin with a potential to scale up at industry level;
3. New and emerging technologies for improved, enhanced, secured and sustainable on-shore, in-shore and off-shore (closed lifecycle-based) mass production of marine biomass;
4. Cascading approach guided green biorefinery processes for biomass production and its conversion to novel bioactive compounds, value-added chemicals, etc;
5. Development and evaluation of novel tools and approaches towards environmental services that sustain the health of marine ecosystems, and its dynamics; and
6. Biotechnology interventions to mitigate climate change impact on marine bio-resources

4. Post-Harvest & Food Processing Technologies:

1. Innovative, sustainable and climate neutral processing, processes, packaging and storage solutions to control spoilage and damage to farm produce and/or to enhance shelf-life of fresh farm produce & food;
2. Process technologies (including waste valorisation) to enable new products, from food processing and supply chain waste, essentially with zero waste generation concept;
3. Green technologies for food distribution; and
4. Biotechnology-based micro or nanoscale biosensors: assuring safety & quality of agrifood, dairy and poultry products.

Major Programs and initiatives:

• National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR): NCMR currently holds 1,35,470 bacterial cultures used for bioprospecting purpose. These cultures were processed for bioactive compounds for anti-inflammatory, anti-infective, anti-cancer and anti- diabetic activities. A total of 3,710 bacterial and fungal cultures were deposited by various researchers across India in NCMR for their long-term preservation. NCMR has deposited 1200 AMR isolates in 2021-22. In the year of assessment NCMR has published 26 research papers including 2 novel bacterial taxa.
• Marine Bioresource and Biotechnology network: This programme has been implemented with strong linkages with the Deep Ocean Mission of Ministry of Earth Sciences. Prospecting, conservation and exploration of deep-sea bio-diversity is an essential component of this initiative. Seven network projects under this initiative have been implemented.
• Indian Bioresource Information Network (IBIN): IBIN provides detailed information of plants on taxonomic classification, synonyms, habitat, chromosomes, chemicals, general and morphological description, phenology, and conservation status. Apart from this, the spatial database associated with the species data can be visualized through the IBIN’s spatial viewer module. At present, the new IBIN portal is addressing the need of species knowledge bases by holding data on following diverse categories of species – plants (22,740), animals (14,318), bacteria (577), chromista (406), fungi (5,790), protozoa (286) and archaea (24).

Facilities Established

• A QC and QA facility for medicinal plants has been established at IASST, Guwahati
• A cGMP facility for pilot-scale extraction for phytopharmaceutical products from the medicinal Plants of NE India has been set up at NIPER, Guwahati.
• National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR) facility has been created to as repository of microorganism.

Contacts Concerned Officer for more Information