Make this your homepage
Interview
Home > Interview
Prof K. Sankaran on Biotechnology and its Emerging Role
Prof K. Sankaran on Biotechnology and its Emerging Role
PHOTO :

We are entering the "Century of Biology." Recent developments in the biological sciences are giving us a better understanding of the natural world. At the same type we are developing new tools that are collectively referred to as "biotechnology." These help us address problems related to human health, food production, and the environment. Any new technology - particularly one as far-reaching as biotechnology - will generate interest, as well as concerns. Because the science behind biotechnology is complex, misconceptions arise over its impacts and implications.

Anna University is pioneer in Bio-Technology in India, Asia and contributed in research & development alongwith private sectors. Prof. K. Sankaran, an Eminent Scientist, Member of Advisory Committees, Govt of India, Director and Head of Centre for Biotechnology, Director of Centre with Potential for Excellence in Environmental Science and Coordinator of National Hub for Healthcare Instrumentation Development at Anna University, Chennai, India - in spite of his very busy schedule shared his time with us.  

 TIWN : Tell us little about you and current responsibilities

Prof Sankaran :Currently I am the Director and Head of Centre for Biotechnology, Director of Centre with Potential for Excellence in Environmental Science and Coordinator of National Hub for Healthcare Instrumentation Development, all at Anna University, the premier and the largest affiliating-type Technical University in Tamil Nadu, India. I am responsible to run 3 UG, 4 PG, M.S. and Ph.D programmes in Biotechnology disciplines (Industrial, Food and Pharma). More than 30 funded projects support our research and academics. I take special interest in establishing interdisciplinary teams across different disciplines of science, engineering and technology to provide Biotech solutions to problems of social relevance.  I was born in 1956 in Coimbatore and studied B.Sc., Chemistry and then took M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry (1985) from University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad. After 5 year stint as Scientist in Astra Research Centre and PDF& Research Associateship abroad, I joined Anna University in 1995 as Visiting Faculty. In the past 30 years of reearch, I have published 40 research articles (in many new areas with promising new biotech applications) and 6 reviews/book chapters on my protein work in reputed international journals. There are 9 patents and 3 instrumentation prototypes at various stages of technology transfer. I am serving in Advisory Committees of Department of Science and Technology for the past 6 years.

TIWN :How Bio-Technology can help states like Tripura ?

Prof Sankaran :Biotechnology is maturing into technology gradually as there is a lot to be understood about living things and their technology manipulations. Well-established technology applications like genetically modified systems are yet to be approved for public consumption because of possible risks that are being studied for safety. In this scenario, there are many promises of Biotechnology in almost all fronts but it’ll take time to realize one by one. Vaccines and recombinant protein production for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes are now well established industrial Biotechnology. States like Tripura, with its unique biodiversity, should really use biotechnology tools to characterize and come up with lead molecules of commercial potential. Research in Biotechnology should be accorded high priority and there should be an active collaboration with advanced biotech laboratories in other parts of the country. 

TIWN : Tell us Anna University’s  contribution on Bio-Technology and specially in Stevia

Prof Sankaran :Anna University is the pioneer in starting Biotech education with research in this country way back in 1984 when the subject had just emerged and many countries didn’t even recognize it’s potential. We, 18 faculty colleagues from diverse disciplines of Biotechnology, have worked hard to make this still one of the best Biotech institutions in the country and contributing to HRD and R&D of the country. Three products including a rapid diagnostic kit for filariasis have been commercialized and a few more are in the pipeline. With a large team of Ph.D. and M.S. students, faculty colleagues, national and international collaborators, and generous support from organizations like DST, DBT, UGC, DRDO, EU and NIH we are working on molecular pathogenesis, applications in healthcare, drug discovery, neutraceuticals, bioprocesses including novel food fermentation processes, computational biology etc. With regard to our Tripura’s association, we had researched about Stevia and developed a process to isolate the glycoside responsible for the sweetness and on Saumen’s initiative myself and my colleague, Dr. B.S.Lakshmi, presented our capability to isolate and characterize the Sweetner from the plant. It is possible there are quite useful plant products of commercial and medicinal value that can be isolated from the plants of the region. Biotech solutions for enhancing the quality and quality of production of commercial bio-products are potential options. 

Setting up interdisciplinary teams that include scientists, engineers and technologists from various departments of the University and other institutions to solve socially relevant complex problems is our present focus. This approach has helped us to establish a Centre with Potential for Excellence in Environmental Science funded by UGC and National Hub for Healthcare Instrumentation Development funded by DST. Both are significant national initiatives in which Anna University’s role is pioneering.

 

TIWN :Your advise to Student Community on Bio-technology as a career

Prof Sankaran :There can be little doubt that Biotechnology is an essential futuristic technology that would touch almost every aspect of our life. Being conveniently defined as technology that uses biological systems and any technology for human and other biological beings, its scope is rather unlimited. Therefore it has great potential but requires a lot of research before such technology could be put to use in diversified applications. This is the main reason that it is developing at a slower phase, unlike IT, in our country as well as abroad. Since it is a complex material science, Ph.D. is a must in Biiotechnology. So those who wish to take Biotech as a career should be prepared to complete their doctorate. Since it is complex and intriguing it’ll be a challenge and one should be ready to ride roller coaster in understating it through intense research. I wish the student readers the very best in and through Biotechnology. Others, please wait to witness how it touches you.

 

 

 

 

Add your Comment
Comments (0)

Special Articles

Sanjay Majumder Sanjay Majumder
Anirban Mitra Anirban Mitra