Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Sustainable Production and Biotechnological Applications III

This book provides an in-depth analysis of recent developments in microbial diversity, molecular biology, and biotechnology related to PHA production. PHAs are highlighted as unique biopolymers that are biocompatible, bioresorbable, biodegradable, versatile, and sustainable―qualities that make them strong contenders for various biomedical applications. The chapters cover essential topics such as microbial production of PHAs from biowastes, co-digestion processes to enhance their physio-chemical properties, and challenges related to regulatory approvals and commercialization. Readers will learn about the diverse range of medical applications for PHAs including tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems, implants, anti-osteoporosis treatments, and memory enhancers. The book also addresses how these biopolymers can be fine-tuned for specific medical uses through advanced bioengineering techniques. Particular attention is given to the potential translation of these technologies into globally competitive business ventures. The volume provides expert analyses on how governmental funding agencies can identify prospective scientific R&D areas. For society at large, this book offers novel concepts about the eco-friendly and economic benefits of PHAs.

Researchers in biotechnology, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, and related fields will find this book indispensable. This volume is part of a series dedicated to exploring the vast potential of bioplastics across various sectors. It serves as an essential guide for researchers aiming to achieve sustainable polyhydroxyalkanoate production while addressing critical questions about their practical applications in medicine.

Dr. Vipin Chandra Kalia is presently working as a Professor at the National Research Foundation (Korea), Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Previously, he was working as a CSIR-Emeritus Scientist. He has been the Chief Scientist and the Deputy Director at Microbial Biotechnology and Genomics, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi. He is a Professor, AcSIR, who obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Genetics, from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. He has been elected as (1) Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (FNASc), (2) Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS), and (3) Fellow of the Association of Microbiologists of India (FAMSc), and. His main research areas are Microbial biodiversity, Bioenergy, Biopolymers, Genomics, Microbial evolution, Quorum sensing, Quorum quenching, Drug discovery, and Antimicrobials. He has published more than 200 papers in Scientific journals such as Nature Biotechnology, Biotechnology Advances, Trends in Biotechnology, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Science of the Total Environment, Annual Review of Microbiology, Critical Reviews in Microbiology, Bioresource Technology, Seminars in Cancer Biology, BMC Genomics, Polymers, and Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. He has authored 35 book chapters. His works have been cited 14326 times with an h index of 66 and an i10 index of 179. He has Edited 16 books: (i) Quorum Sensing vs Quorum Quenching: A Battle with No End in Sight (2015) (Springer Nature), (ii) Microbial Factories   Vol.  1: Biofuels, Waste treatment (2015) (Springer Nature), (iii) Microbial Factories   Vol. 2: Biodiversity, Biopolymers, Bioactive Molecules (2015) (Springer Nature), (iv) Waste Biomass Management–A Holistic Approach (2017) (Springer Nature), (v) Drug Resistance in Bacteria, Fungi, Malaria, and Cancer (2017) (Springer Nature), (vi) Microbial Applications Vol.1 (2017) (Springer Nature), and (vii) Microbial Applications Vol.2 (2017) (Springer Nature), (viii) Metabolic Engineering for Bioactive compounds:  Strategies and     Processes (2017)(Springer Nature); (ix) Mining of Microbial Wealth and MetaGenomic (2017) (Springer Nature); (x) Optimization of Applicability of Bioprocesses (2018)(Springer Nature); (xi) Soft computing for biological systems (2017) (Springer Nature), (xii) Biotechnological applications of quorum sensing inhibitors (2018) (Springer Nature), (xiii) Quorum sensing and its biotechnological applications (2018) (Springer Nature), (xiv). Biotechnological Applications of polyhydroxyalkanoates (2019) (SpringerNature) (xiv) Biotechnological applications of quorum sensing inhibitors (2019) (SpringerNature), (xv. - xvi) Microbial Bioprocessing of Agri-food Wastes: Food Ingredients (Vol. No. 2) and  Industrial enzymes (Vol. No. 4) (2023).  (CRC Press, Taylor & Francis). He has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Journal of Microbiology (2013 through 2023) and is still serving as the Editor/ Academic Editor of (1) Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology (Korea), (2) International Journal of Molecular Sciences, (3) PLoS ONE, (4) Frontiers in Bioneng. Biotechnology. He is a life member of the following Scientific societies: (1) Society of Biological Chemists of India (2) Society for Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, India; (3) Association of Microbiologists of India; (4) Indian Science Congress Association; (5) BioEnergy Society of India, and (6) the Biotech Research Society of India (BRSI). He has been a member of the American Society for Microbiology (2010-2015). He has been conferred the following awards: (i) Prof. S.R. Vyas Memorial Award, Association of Microbiologists of India (2016); (ii) ASM-IUSSF Indo-US Professorship Program, American Society of Microbiologists, USA (2014); (iii) INSA Bilateral Exchange Programme, Indian National Science Academy, India (2006);  (iv) DBT Overseas Associateship, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (2005-2006); (v) Dr. J.V Bhat Award, Association of Microbiologists of India (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017) and Faculty Research Award in Microbiology, 2018.