Research theme
I am a designer working on different strategic aspects of bio-design, viz., Sustainable Agricultural Designs, Green Energy Systems, & Body-on-a-Chip Platforms (Micro-Physiological Systems). My overall training is in bio-design & bioengineering. My doctoral research is under the broad umbrella of 'Agro Bio-Design & Food Security System Design.' I proposed a sustainable nano-agronomic design strategy for futuristic farming that allows the optimal interaction of all the stakeholders (land, soil, water, plants, animals, energy, & humans). I demonstrated that higher productivity is feasible without using synthetic fertilizers in nine different crops- grains (wheat, rice), pulse (chickpea), vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, tomato), spice (chilli, onion), & flower (marigold). It is achieved by selectively fortifying the seeds or roots of these plants at the very onset of their growth with nano iron disulfide (nano pyrite). I discovered that seed or root treatment results in more robust root architecture & better root foraging capacity. Improved root architecture offers these plants an ecological advantage in competing for nutrients. Nano pyrite seed treatment of the chickpea (pulse) improves root nodule formation- implying better natural nitrogen-fixing ability, essentially emulating nitrogenase enzyme. It is a disruptive design strategy to counter the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process of ammonia fertilizer synthesis. Thus it is feasible to achieve sustainable growth while maintaining genetic diversity & reducing fertilizer use.
The other aspect of my research is in the 'Green Energy Systems & Silk Bio Battery.' Nature has designed several cellular membrane protein systems for energy harvesting & storage to propel life's bioenergetics. The 'Holy Grail' for humankind's quest for clean energy lies in mimicking these systems. In one of my projects, I draw inspiration from the 'electron transport chain' found in the chloroplast of the plant's leaves, nature's solar cell, to design a futuristic bio-hybrid electrode material for energy application. To this end, I developed a stable bio-hybrid electrode by scaffolding molybdenum, lithium, & sulfur on a silk cocoon-derived nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide matrix. Two factors govern the electron transport phenomenon on this electrode. The first factor is the presence of a series of redox couples of lithium, molybdenum, & sulfur. The second factor is through 'induced electron transfer'; the concept that Professor Henry Taube introduced in his famous book, 'Electron Transfer Reactions of Complex Ions in Solution,' published in 1970. In a more recent project, anticipating the technological challenges in isolating & developing energy devices with membrane proteins, I explore a pure protein-membrane- silk cocoon. Silk-cocoon has an embedded asymmetry. Long shelf life, thermo-electro-photo sensitive features, & ease of handling make silk cocoon membrane ideal for designing protein-energy devices with an eye toward a sustainable future. The silk cocoon membrane generates electricity when exposed to water vapour. The amount of current is low & ceases when the water vapour supply ceases. I first discovered that soaking silk cocoon membrane in brine & briefly exposing it to water vapour improves the amount of current & prolongs its flow. The 17th-century steam engine discovery of Thomas Newcomen & James Watt inspired me. I engineered a water vapour fuelled brine-silk cocoon protein bio-battery for a self-lighting kettle & water-vapour panels for futuristic houses where electricity is generated from a silk-protein membrane when exposed to water vapour. It is the first of its kind protein bio-battery.
In the present job, I am actively pursuing the design & architecture of organ-on-a-chip systems. Along with designing these chips, I am working on various applications ranging from sustainable environmental engineering, food allergen screening, cosmetics testing, & pesticide residue screening to drug discovery research. Understanding these systems helps me to explore different cellular strategies to utilize human-derived induced pluripotent stem cells for bio-sensor & drug discovery applications.
