In collaboration with the University of Tours, France, IIT Madras would offer Course In Sustainable Biomanufacturing. It would invite researchers, industry professionals, and students from the BTech/MTech/M Sc/PhD programs in plant biotechnology/bioprocess engineering/biotechnology and faculty members from reputed institutions to apply.

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in collaboration with the University of Tours, France has designed a course in Sustainable Bio-Manufacturing of high-value Phytochemicals. As per an institute press release, under the GIAN programme, the course is being offered for sustainable biomanufacturing of high value plant derived natural products through plant and microbial bio-factories which can also conserve nature in fulfilling the growing demand of market for phytochemicals for various commercial applications.
The IIT added that applicants have to be researchers, industry professionals and students of BTech, MTech, MSc, PhD in plant biotechnology/bioprocess Engineering/biotechnology, as well as faculty from recognized institutions. The applicants must have basic knowledge of the technology relating to the plant cell and microbial with fermentation, the IIT added. Furthermore, there will be only 30 seats for attending the course in person. The course is now open for registration till November 22, 2024. The dates of the course are between December 2 and 14, 2024.

The course will introduce state-of-the-art available technologies for the sustainable production of high-value plant metabolites as alternatives to natural plant extraction or to total chemical synthesis. As described by the IIT, these techniques are based on the application of technology called 'cell factory' for the sustainable biomanufacturing of phytochemicals.
Prof Smita Srivastava of the Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences at IIT Madras said it critically important to work on three pillars: capacity building, innovation, and entrepreneurship in this niche area for India to become the global biomanufacturing hub in this niche area and so benefit from ever-increasing demand of plant-based natural products and phytochemicals both in domestic as also the international market.
Prof. Smita Srivastava, Faculty-in-Charge for IIT Madras Bioincubator, said, "Short courses like these can be quite useful in generating interest and awareness among young researchers, industry professionals, and entrepreneurs who develop such sustainable technologies for huge socio-economical impact nationally and internationally too".

Dr. Nathalie Giglioli-Guivarc'h, Director of Biomolecules and Plant Biotechnologies Laboratory, University of Tours, France, further explains that the COVID pandemic in 2020 "has, in addition to its other impacts, established the need for States in the Asiatic and European world to guarantee production of certain necessary medicines.". Therefore, the development of technologies for the production of active ingredients of plant origin as an alternative to the cultivation of plants on the field should become one of the major challenges of the next decade within the framework of the sustainable development approach.