Bhubaneswar, Nov. 2: A two-day national seminar on ‘Research and Innovations in
Industrial and Marine Biotechnology: A Circular Economy’ will be held at the Siksha ‘O’
Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here on November 4 and 5.
Sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology’s Science and Engineering
Research Board (DST-SERB), it is being organised by SOA’s Centre for Industrial Biotechnology
Research (CIBR) in collaboration with National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and
Biotechnology Research Society of India (BRSI), Thiruvananthapuram.
The seminar, to be attended by researchers, industry experts and policy makers, would
aim to foster discussions on innovative biotechnological solutions which align with circular
economy principles, Prof. Hrudayanath Thatoi, Director of CIBR and Convenor of the national
seminar, said.
“The subject of the seminar is very important in the present scenario as industrial and
marine biotechnology are poised to play critical roles in addressing contemporary global
challenges such as resource scarcity, environmental degradation and climate change,” he said.
Prof. Thatoi said by leveraging biological processes for industrial applications these
fields offered sustainable alternatives to traditional methods enhancing efficiency and reducing
waste.
Marine biotechnology, in particular, unlocks the vast potential of marine resources
contributing to food security, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels while promoting the conservation
of marine ecosystems, he said.
“The concept of a circular economy further amplifies these benefits by emphasizing the
importance of reusing and recycling materials, thereby minimizing waste and promoting
sustainability as against the traditional linear economy,” he said adding the upcoming seminar
would serve as a pivotal platform to explore these interconnections.
Prof. Thatoi said the CIBR was established in SOA in 2023 with the objective of carrying
out advance research in the fields of marine, agriculture, environment, pharmaceutics and
medical biotechnology focusing on industrial applications in a drive for sustainable
bioeconomy.
“In today’s world where sustainability and environmental concerns are at the forefront,
a ground breaking field known as white biotechnology or industrial biotechnology has
emerged,” he said.
White Biotechnology harnesses the power of living organisms, particularly microbes, to
produce sustainable and ecological solutions for a wide range of industries, Prof. Thatoi said
adding CIBR was at the forefront of this evolution.