Dr. Biplab Sarkar is currently working as Principal Scientist(Nanobiotechnology) at ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ranchi, Jharkhand. His group is focusing nanotechnology driven research for agricultural benefits. He has published more than forty-five international papers, and worked at ‘Centre of excellence (COE)’, Nanotech., AIT, Thailand on nanoparticle synthesis and characterization. He executed two DST and two ICAR institute funded projects on nano-formulations and nano-encapsulation for agricultural use. His group developed novel methods of formulating anti-bacterial nanosilver from rohu waste-tissues (Patent a.-3255/Mum/2012) and nanocomposite hydrogel for wound healing (Patent a.-9172/2019-KOL). First time, he reported the growth promoting role of nanosilver, unleashed the dose dependent molecular activity of magnesium and iron nanoparticles in zebra fish, and framed the futuristic application of nanoscale selenium and zinc. He also worked on nano-zeolite, nano-hydrogel, nanoliposomes for use in farming sector. Prof. Avinash Sonawane is working as professor at IIT-Indore. He is elected as the fellow of Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), UK; Humboldt Fellow, Germany; SwissNational Science Fellow: Switzerland; EMBO Fellow:Germany; JSPS Fellow:Japan. He has published more than fifty international research articles and four patents. His group has identified several novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence and antigenic determinants that subvert host innate immune responses such as autophagy, oxidative stress, peroxisome biosynthesis, host antimicrobial peptide synthesis, genomic stability and T-cell activation using mice and zebrafish infection models. They demonstrated that nanoparticle encapsulated anti-TB drug delivery through polymer, chitosan etc. admixed with metal and metal oxide nanoparticles can exhibited targeted delivery and higher efficacy in the animal models.
