Dr.B. Anandan | Professor, Madras university
Dr.B. Anandan is currently working extensively in the field of environmental biotechnology. Through interaction and discussion of our project with him, he helped us understand the complexity that goes behind metal binding and enzyme kinetics. He suggested our team focus on the quality of the substrate to be used and told us to monitor the boundary conditions for the reactor. Dr. Anandan helped us gain more clarity on the numbers of bio-carriers and membranes to be used. He offered us guidance as to how we can scale up the process while maintaining efficiency, low wastage and stability. He instructed the wet lab team to express the targeted protein using SDS PAGE. The advice that was given by Dr.Anandan helped our team shape the project in a much better sense with all of the new profound knowledge that was gained and we are tremendously grateful for his contribution.
Dr. Venkat Nancharaiah & Dr. Kiran | Head of the Biofouling and Biofilm Processes, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Dr.Venkat is an extensive researcher in the fields of Biofilms and Bio-fouling. He provided us with efficient assistance that helped us to develop our biofilms with the right sets of parameters. He extended his support by presenting suggestions that helped the team enhance the quality of our project. One such advice that he gave, is to use charcoal particles instead of plastic bio-carriers due to its convenient characteristics that can help with the biofilm growth. Our original plan of proceeding with the project is to use a moving bed bio-reactor, but Dr.Venkat suggested using a fixed bed reactor or sequencing bed reactor for lab scale work as it is a simpler and cost effective system that can provide good quality results. He helped us understand that the usage of moving bed reactor would be a lot more suitable in the case of industrial scale.During initial stages of our experimental phase, we had encountered problems with biofilm formation, to tackle this, Dr.Venkat instructed us to change certain crucial factors that are necessary for biofilm formation such as temperature, pH and the right method to use certain instruments with the necessary RPM required. He advised the team to perform post-treatment of effluents. He notified us that we could face a possible troubleshoot that can be the detachment of bacteria, and to solve this issue, we have to perform ultrafiltration that will help build a strong anchorage between the biocarrier and bacteria. Dr.Venkat abetted our team in the right direction and aided us in our troubleshooting by ameliorating our knowledge in biofilm growth. Our team is extremely thankful for all the help that he has provided.
Dr. P. Saravanan | Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Rajalakshmi Engineering College
Dr. P. Saravanan is an expert in the field of Biofilms and he specializes in various assays of biofilms and optimisation of biofilms and enzymes. We had reached out to Dr.Saravanan to ask him some general questions and advices pertaining to biofilm growth and optimisation.This interaction was extremely necessary as biofilm composition and its activity are important factors needed for proper control of film processes in wastewater treatment and Dr.Saravanan instructed us to perform crystal violet assay as our project contains the csgD gene present, which codes for biofilm production. He further instructed us with safety instructions that provided us a lot of insight into how to handle biofilm and reduce contamination and errors. Dr.Saravanan helped by guiding the team when we faced some difficulties, during the initial stages of developing the biofilms. The team is filled with gratitude and thanks Dr.Saravanan for all his help.