Exclusive Interview with Dr. Swaranjit Singh, Deputy
Director, Professor & Head Environmental Biotechnology and Microbial
Biochemistry, Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh
In
this issue, we are extremely happy to publish interview of Dr.
Swaranjit Singh, Deputy Director, Professor & Head Environmental
Biotechnology and Microbial Biochemistry, Institute of Microbial
Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh. He has over 30 years of experience in
the field of environmental biotechnology and biosurfactant production.
Dr. Swaranjit Singh is currently employed as Deputy Director at
Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh. Dr. Swaranjit Singh has
been awarded many awards and is a Fellow of many National Academies.
Here are the excerpts of the exclusive interview with Dr. Swaranjit Singh from his write up:
Origiin: It is a great pleasure to interact with you and publish your thoughts in this interview.
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: It’s a pleasure for me too. The
interview of mine that you published a couple of years back with Ms
Bindu Sharma was a great hit.
Origiin: Tell us how you first got involved with
Microbial Type Culture Collection and Gene Bank/IMTECH. Kindly share
your experiences while working with Institute of Microbial Technology.
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: I did my M. Sc. Biochemistry
from BHU and Ph.D. Biochemistry from RRL, now NEIST Jorhat in Assam. I
was working as a scientist there. MTCC/IMTECH was newly being installed
in a shed in the Industrial Area, Chandigarh. I got in touch with the
Director that time Dr. Sandeep Basu and Dr. VC Vora. They called me to
help MTCC/IMTECH in its formative years and join hand on the
bioremediation of toxic pollutants. This is how I joined MTCC in 1987.
It was a great experience working all these years in the youngest lab of
the CSIR. It has grown and developed a lot with the dedicated efforts
of the staff and students. Due to the excellent work of MTCC, it was
elevated to an International Depository Authority (IDA) on 4 October,
2002 becoming the first IDA in our country.
Origiin: What were your main responsibilities involved in handling both service and research domain of your Organization?
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: My main responsibility was to
work in the Bacteria Section. I also took care of the Liquid Nitrogen
Plant. This was a very important activity as the microbial cultures can
be preserved very well for several years in the gaseous and liquid
phases of Liquid Nitrogen wells. I also identified, preserved and
supplied cultures to researchers. I actively helped in the training
programs and wrote Chapters in the training manuals. I was member of two
WFCC committees.
Besides this I did project work on (i) Bioremediation of Petroleum
Sludge, (ii) pesticides, (iii) Study of Selenium transformation and its
use in Prostrate Cancer inhibition, and (iv) Synthesis of
Biosurfactants.
My Publication h-index is 33 and the CI is 5860.
Two of my publications were in list the 70 best CSIR papers that were
announced by Dr. Samir Brahmachari, then DG CSIR. I have guided 10 Ph.
D. students for their Ph. D. I did Post Doc from the PennState
University USA and went for research to the Kobe University Japan and to
KIT Karlsruhe, Germany for short stints.
Origiin: Kindly brief our reader about the
importance of International Depositary Authority (IDA) and also when
Institute of Microbial Technology did start functioning as IDA?
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: IDA has a very important role
in acting as a repository of microorganisms. Microorganisms can be
deposited in an IDA under the Budapest Treaty and patent protection may
be sought in contracting states. It is convenient for the citizens of
India to do R & D as the facility for different services is
available in our country itself. The research material and products can
be procured at a cheaper rate when compared to imports at a higher
value. The first IDA in India was recognized on October 4, 2002.
Origiin: To obtain a patent protection in India with
respect to inventions relating to microorganisms, is it a mandatory
step to deposit the culture with IDA?
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: Yes, the culture has to be
deposited in India. Apart from that the culture has also to be deposited
in another culture collection to fulfill this requirement of deposit
inventions related to microbes.
Origiin: What is the requirement to be fulfilled for
submission of microorganisms in IDA? What are the benefits offered by
this submission?
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: In case of Patent protection in
multiple countries the specific microbe(s) have to be deposited in IDAs
of these countries/Unions. The laws of the different countries vary and
have to be looked into. Likewise,the requirement to be fulfilled for
submission of microorganisms in an IDA differs from IDA to IDA. The best
thing would be to look up the public website of a relevant IDA. For
e.g. the public websites in India are
http://mtcc.imtech.res.in/downloads/brochure.pdf of Chandigarh and of Pune is
http://www.nccs.res.in/mcc/index.html. All pertinent information is available on these links.
Origiin: What are Biosurfactants (BS)? What are the major applications offered by production of Biosurfactants?
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: Biosurfactants are structurally
and functionally diverse amphiphilic, surface active compounds, which
lower the surface and interfacial tension between individual molecules
at respective surfaces and interfaces. Thus, these are very important in
the living systems and can be regarded as the backbone of the
biological membranes,which promise the transport and exchange of the
various important materials. Biosurfactants are ecologically safe and
can be applied in bioremediation processes. The microorganisms, which
produce biosurfactants can also be used in the various bio remediation
technologies like solubilization and removal of oil from contaminated
oil, sludge in oil storage tank etc. The most important example of this
is in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR), which is an ecofriendly
petroleum recovery process.Variety of bacteria and few fungi are
reported to produce biosurfactants using renewable and unconventional
sources. They also have applications in the food, cosmetic and
pharmaceutical industries.
Origiin: Looking ahead, what do you think are the
mega trends that will shape the future of innovation especially in the
field of biotechnology?
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: In the present scenario people
are talking of conversion of smart labs into Technology labs. A lot of
research has been going on all these years in our country. Thus, a lot
of data has accumulated in the Universities, Colleges and in the
National Institutes. The mega-trend is to translate the basic data into
potential Industrial Innovations. The gap between Institutes and the
Industry has to be shortened and filled up. In fact, if Industries come
in and work right from the beginning with researchers, many new products
will flood our markets.
Origiin: Thank you so much for your valuable inputs
and time spared for Origiin. I am sure our readers will thoroughly enjoy
it. Wish you all the best for all your future endeavours.
Dr. Swaranjit Singh: Thank you.
