Prof. R.C Kuhad
Email: kuhad85@gmail.com
Phone: 011-24157368/011-24157174 
Area of research: Lignocellulose Bioconversion and Fermentation
Research description:
Our lab has successfully developed processes for production of cellulase, pectinase, xylanase and laccase enzymes. The enzymes xylanase (Patent No. IN984/DEL/2008) and laccase (Patent No.-IN2576/DEL/2011) were evaluated for bleaching of paper pulp at pilot scale. We also get success in bioconversion of wheat straw in nutritionally rich and digestible animal feed (Patent No. IN 4039DEL2012). Besides, we have also developed processes for production of (i) high level alkaline pectinase for application in bioretting of plant fibres and (ii) bioethanol from lignocellulosic waste (Patent No. IN 1348DEL2011)
The ability of producing alcohol from sugar varies with the yeast strain. Incapability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to utilize pentose sugars and the low ethanol tolerance of pentose-fermenting Pichia sp is an impediment to the commercial production of fuel-grade ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. There are two possible ways to improve the fermentation efficiency of the organism: one is to genetically engineer S. cerevisiae in such a way that it can metabolize pentose along with hexose sugars. The other is to modify Pichia or any other pentose fermenting yeast so that ethanol tolerance capability gets enhanced. Currently our lab is working on genetically engineering yeast for co-fermentation of pentose and hexose sugar.
Awards and Distinctions
|
Year |
Award / Honours |
Organisation |
|
2017 |
Prof. G.S. Rangasamy Award |
Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) |
|
2016 |
Fellow, The National Academy of Sciences |
NASI, Allahabad |
|
2014 |
Fellow, National Academy of Agriculture Sciences |
NASC, New Delhi |
|
2014 |
Dr. G.B. Manjrekar Award |
Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) |
|
2013 |
Fellow, The Biotech Research Society (BRSI) |
BRSI, Pune |
|
2013 |
Platinum Jubilee Life Time Achievement Award |
Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) |
|
2011 |
Titan Biotech Award |
Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) |
|
2002 |
Short Term Biotechnology Overseas Research Associateship Award |
DBT, Govt of India |
|
1999 |
Alembic Award |
Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) |
Select Publications:
Kumar S., Jain K.K., Bhardwaj K.N., Chakraborty S., Kuhad, R.C. (2016). Multiple genes in a single host: Cost effective production of bacterial laccase (Cot A), Xylanase and Pectate lyase by simultaneous expression and cloning in a single vector in E. coli. PloS One, 10: e0144379.
Shrivastava, B., Jain, K.K., Kalra, A., Kuhad, R.C. (2014). Bioprocessing of wheat straw into nutritionally rich and digested cattle feed. Scientific Reports. Doi:10.1038/ srep06360
Gupta R, Kumar S., Gomes J. and Kuhad, R.C. (2012). Kinetic study of batch and fed-batch enzymatic saccharification of pretreated substrate and their subsequent fermentation to ethanol. Biotechnology for Biofuels 5:16
Kuhad, R.C., Gupta R.,Khasa Y.P. and Singh A. (2011). Bioconversion of pentose sugars to ethanol: Current and Future prospects. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 15:4950-4962.
Kuhad, R.C., Gupta, R., Khasa Y.P. and Singh A. (2010). Bioethanol production from Lantana camara (red sage): Pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation. Bioresource technology 101: 8348-8354.