Industrial Biotechnology

Dr. Debabrata Das pursued his doctoral studies at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and post-doctoral studies at University of Utah, USA. He is a Senior Professor at IIT Kharagpur. He was also associated as MNRE Renewable Energy Chair Professor at IIT Kharagpur. He has pioneered the promising R&D of bioenergy production processes by applying different fermentation technologies like biohydrogen, biohythane, biodiesel from microalgae and microbial fuel cell. He has been actively involved in the biohydrogen research work for the last twenty years. His recent work on biohythane process for the maximization of gaseous energy recovery from the organic wastes is worth mentioning. He has 6 books, more than 150 research publications in peer-reviewed journals (h-index 48) and 38 chapters in books published by International publishers. He has two Indian patents. He successfully commissioned 10 m3 pilot plant at IIT Kharagpur for the commercial exploitation of biohydrogen production process. He is involved in several national and international sponsored research projects like, NSF, USA; DAAD, Germany etc. He has been awarded IAHE Akira Mitsue award 2008 and Malaviya Memorial award for senior faculty 2013 for his contribution in hydrogen research. He is the Fellow of International Association of Hydrogen Energy (IAHE), 2016; Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), 2015; Institute of Engineers (India) (IEI), 2012; Biotechnology Research Society of India (BRSI), 2011; West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology (WAScT), 2004. He is the member of the editorial board of International Journal of Hydrogen Energy; Biotechnology for Biofuels; Indian Journal of Biotechnology; The Open Microalgae Biotechnology Journal; INAE News Letters.

Dr. Soumya Pandit is Assistant Professor II, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Mumbai, India. He pursued his doctoral studies at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and completed his postdoctoral research work at the Department of Desalination & Water Treatment, The Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev under Planning and Budget commission fellowship by Government of Israel. He is also a recipient of North West University postdoctoral fellowship. He has authored 18 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and 15 book chapters and published 2 Indian patents so far. His current research focuses on microbial electrochemical system for bioenergy harvesting and biofouling.