Microbial Biotechnology: Basic Research and Applications

M​icrobial biotechnology is an important area that promotes advanced research into using microbes for value-added products, human nutrition, and the overall wellbeing of society. This book presents the latest information on the use of microbes for sustainable development, and highlights state-of-the-art biotechnological techniques used to harness microbial biotechnological traits on a commercial scale. Gathering contributions from authoritative researchers in the field, it addresses recent advances in microbial biotechnological approaches that offer sustainable options for future generations.

 Exploring a broad range of microbial products and their uses, the book specifically places emphasis on the application of microorganisms in healthcare, the environment and industry. It also discusses various compound classes derived from microbial metabolites. Pursuing a holistic approach to recent advances in the utilization of various microbes as biotechnological tools, the book also covers traditional uses, and explores emerging strategies to harness their full potential. Accordingly, it offers a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students alike.

Dr. Joginder Singh is presently working as Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India. Previously, he worked as Young Scientist at Microbial Biotechnology and Biofertilizer Laboratory, Department of Botany, Jai Narain Vyas University in Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. He is an active member of various scientific societies and organizations including, Association of Microbiologists of India, Indian Society of Salinity Research Scientists, Indian Society for Radiation Biology, and European Federation of Biotechnology. He has more than 65 research and review articles in the peer-reviewed journals, edited four books entitled “Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi” & “Microbes: In Action” published by AgroBios, India and “Microbial Bioprospecting for Sustainable Development” and “Fungi and their Role in Sustainable Development: Current Perspectives” published by Springer International Publishing and authored/co-authored 35 chapters in edited books. He serves as reviewer for many prestigious journals, including Science of the Total Environment, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Pedosphere, Soil and Sediment Contamination, International Journal of Phytoremediation, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Annals of Agricultural Sciences, and Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. He attended several International and National Seminars, Symposia, Conferences and chaired technical sessions and presented papers in them.

Ashish Vyas is PhD from Dr. HS Gour University (a central university) Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. His areas of research include the multidisciplinary field of fermentation technology with special reference to microbial enzymes, pilot-scale production, and optimization on low-value lignocelluloses. Additional research area includes biocontrol strategies to mitigate plant pathogen and microbial pigments, green nano synthesis for therapeutic applications. He has more than 40 peer reviewed national and international publications and has delivered numerous oral and poster presentations in numerous platforms. Dr. Ashish is the Member Secretary of Association of Microbiologists of India-LPU unit. He is presently serving as Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab..

Dr. Shanquan (Alan) Wang is currently an associate professor at School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. His research focus on environmental microbiology, especially on organohalide-respiring bacteria and their conversion of halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). He integrates microbial cultivation, metagenomics, molecular techniques and bioreactor operation to gain fundamental insights into complex biosystems (e.g. bioremediation sites and anaerobic digesters), specifically from molecular-, cellular-, community- to system-levels. The generated knowledge on these reductive processes will be further employed to devise novel methods, techniques and products for environmental engineering purposes. He was awarded as SYSU Bairen Scholar and Zhujiang Youth Scholar in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

Dr. Ram Prasad is associated with Department of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India. His research interest includes applied microbiology, plant-microbe-interactions, sustainable agriculture and nanobiotechnology. Dr. Prasad has more than one hundred fifty publications to his credit, including research papers, review articles & book chapters and five patents issued or pending, and edited or authored several books. Dr. Prasad has twelve years of teaching experience and has been awarded the Young Scientist Award (2007) & Prof. J.S. Datta Munshi Gold Medal (2009) by the International Society for Ecological Communications; FSAB fellowship (2010) by the Society for Applied Biotechnology; the American Cancer Society UICC International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators, USA (2014); Outstanding Scientist Award (2015) in the field of Microbiology by Venus International Foundation; BRICPL Science Investigator Award (ICAABT-2017) and Research Excellence Award (2018). He has been serving as editorial board members: Frontiers in Microbiology, Frontiers in Nutrition, Academia Journal of Biotechnology including Series editor of Nanotechnology in the Life Sciences, Springer Nature, USA. Previously, Dr. Prasad served as Assistant Professor Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India; Visiting Assistant Professor, Whiting School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, United States and Research Associate Professor at School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.