INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY / Biofuels and Industrial Biotechnology
Research Interests
Algal Biotechnology, Biomanufacturing, Carbon Capture, Computational Biology, Integrated Omics, Synthetic Biology
Description of Research
Our research is centered on transforming algae into a powerful, two-pronged solution for climate change and waste. We’re harnessing these microscopic organisms to capture atmospheric and industrial CO₂ and convert it into valuable bioproducts such as sustainable fuels, bioplastics, and nutritional supplements. Our initial step is to optimise the CO₂-capturing efficiency of unique, non-model algal strains through a non-GMO adaptive evolutionary process, which is a natural, speeded-up version of selection. This approach encourages the algae to become inherently more efficient at CO₂ sequestration over time.
Subsequently, we shall engineer these algae into sophisticated bio-factories. This involves creating synthetic biology tools to precisely control their metabolic functions, building genome-scale metabolic models to map out how they convert CO₂ into specific products, and developing genome integration strategies to ensure these enhanced capabilities are stable and inheritable.
Our ultimate goal is to pioneer scalable and sustainable CO₂ biomanufacturing systems, fostering a circular bioeconomy where industrial waste is recycled into valuable resources, creating a more environmentally friendly and economically robust future.
Recent Publications
Jutur, P. P. The phycosphere’s promise: Algae and bacteria rewrite biotechnology’s rules. Journal of Phycology 61: 440-442, 2025. doi: 10.1111/jpy.70029
Makaranga, A., P.P. Jutur. Nutrient stress triggers sugar-mediated carotenoid production in algal-bacterial interactions. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 41: 93, 2025. doi: 10.1007/s11274-025-04310-0
Sawant, K.R., Sarnaik, A.P., Singh, R., Savvashe, P., Baier, T., Kruse, O., Jutur, P.P., Lali, A., Pandit, R.A. Outdoor cultivation and metabolomics exploration of Chlamydomonas engineered for bisabolene production. Bioresource Technology 398: 130513, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130513
Mehra, A., Zafar, S.U., Jutur, P.P. Optimization of Biomass production by Chlorella saccharophila UTEX 247 employing response surface methodology. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 14: 8549–8561, 2024. doi: 10.1007/s13399-022-02966-4
Sharma, J., Mariam, I., Kareya, M.S., Jutur, P.P., Joshi, M., Harish, Bhatnagar, A., Chaurasia, A.K., Nigam, S. Metabolomic response of microalgae towards diclofenac sodium during its removal from water and concomitant recovery of pigments and lipids. Bioresource Technology, 371: 128617, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.1286 17
Zafar, S.U., Mehra, A., Nesamma, A.A., Jutur, P.P. Innovations in algal biorefineries for production of sustainable value chain biochemicals from the photosynthetic cell factories. Algal Research, 69: 102949, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.algal.2022.102949
Group Leader
Pavan Jutur
ICGEB New Delhi, India
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Tel: +91-11-26741358 ext 451
Group Leader CV
Group Members
Asha A. Nesamma, Research Associate
Bijaya Nag, PhD Fellow
Gourav Kumar, PhD Fellow
Abeba Haile Mariamenatu, PhD Fellow
Bharmjeet, PhD Fellow
Rithwick Surya, PhD Fellow
Mahesh Vemula, Visiting Fellow
Sangram Singh, Laboratory Technician