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Kottayam (Kerala), December 26 (IANS/101Reporters) From researcher to entrepreneur, Jikku Jose has achieved many things. Born and raised in Kanjirapalli in Kottayam district of Kerala, her eco-conscious father nurtured her interest in science.
“Although I didn’t know my future goals after Class 12, my interest in science led me to pursue a BSc in Biochemistry and an MSc in Biotechnology from Holy Cross College, Tiruchi,” says Jose.
She later worked at the same university, but her father encouraged her to study more.
“I completed my master’s degree in biochemistry from Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal and then did my PhD in biotechnology from Cochin University of Science and Technology, a project that took me four and a half years.”
She studies Jatropha curcas (also known as the biodiesel plant), inducing mutations through in vitro propagation and conducting molecular analyses.
“Surprisingly, my PhD advisor, Padma Nambisan, showed a huge interest in the environment,” she added.
Heterozygosity in Jatropha causes yield variations in agricultural settings that may impact investment. Therefore, it is necessary to consider clonal propagation of such plants. The aim of her research is to establish standardized tissue culture protocols for Jatropha and introduce controlled variation to facilitate the development of improved varieties.
In 2014, Jose became a scientific advisor to a private company in Mumbai, learning how the gap between academia and industry created obstacles for the scientific community.
“The gap between academia and industry has profound implications for knowledge transfer, skills development, research relevance and collaboration. Academia tends to emphasize theoretical knowledge and curiosity-driven research, while industry values practical skills and real-world Application, “a market-oriented approach. Academic research often favors academic publications and sometimes lacks direct industry applicability, while businesses focus on viable commercial solutions,” she said.
“Effective collaboration and communication can address challenges related to research scalability. Partnerships, joint projects and internships can help align students’ skills with industry needs,” she added.
To address this problem, she founded the NGO Education and Scientific Research Association and organized an international bioscience conference in Kerala. The 2014 conference attracted 150 participants, conducted valuable exchanges, and achieved fruitful results.
The birth of Scire Science
Jose moved to Dubai in 2015 and accepted a job offer from a private company. In 2016, she had the opportunity to participate in a plant research program at a university in the United Arab Emirates. Sadly, it was deeply frustrating that she was unable to take on the role despite enduring three months of unemployment, legal battles to resolve contract-related issues.
“Meanwhile, the people of India were unaware of the challenges in my life and urged me to organize a second session. I still remember standing on the eighth floor of the apartment where I was staying at 9 a.m. in Dubai. “The sun shone brightly. Suddenly , the word ‘Scire’ means ‘know’ in Latin. I immediately contacted an Indian friend and registered a company called ‘Scire Science’ in my name,” she shared.
After returning to India in 2016, Jose began focusing on Scire Science, conducting conferences and training workshops for scientists. In the same year, she successfully organized the second international conference in Bangalore.
“At the conference, a female researcher proposed a solution for biodegrading diapers through microorganisms, which was inspired by discussions held during the previous conference,” she smiles.
As people began to look to its services for publishing scholarly books, journals, and newsletters, Scire Science naturally found its way beyond conferences. In 2019, Scire Science began to organize seminars, training and internships specifically for graduate students.
Transform into an entrepreneur
Scire Science opened its own laboratory in 2018 at BioNest, Kochi, a biotech incubation center jointly run by the Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram and Startup Kerala. It successfully developed a prototype of an energy-saving device for thawing refrigerated reagents in the laboratory, saving 70% of energy.
“We recently made it more cost-effective,” said Jose, who would not disclose more information as the patent process proceeds.
When demand for liquid disinfectants surged in the early days of Covid-19, BioNest CEO Saji George urged Scire Science to produce hand sanitizer to meet the growing market demand. Scire Science launched Safe Touch Sanitiser in 2020 despite the challenges of obtaining the necessary licenses during lockdown.
On the other hand, lockdown has created a challenging period for research. Jose and her team were conducting experiments to develop microalgae-based cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals. She recalled how they found dead microalgae when they returned to the lab after lockdown.
Some of these cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals are now ready for commercialization, while others are still in various stages of research and development.
“Microalgae have become a focus of exploration and innovation in our current research efforts,” she said.
These small organisms hold vast untapped potential and offer a promising avenue to address pressing global food security issues. The intrinsic properties of microalgae, including superior carbon sequestration capabilities, nutrient richness, and superior photosynthetic efficiency, make microalgae a transformative force in pursuing carbon neutrality and meeting emerging industrial needs for the foreseeable future.
“We have encountered a series of daunting challenges that require serious attention. These include the significant production costs associated with culturing microalgae, cautious acceptance by various industries, and valid safety concerns about their use. Addressing these obstacles will require a coordinated effort by various disciplines made up of professionals who are all committed to unlocking the full potential of microalgae-based product development,” said Jose.
“Our primary goal is to harness the versatility of microalgae across a range of applications, particularly in areas such as skin care and nutraceuticals.
an inspiration to others
“After completing your PhD, everyone tells you to go into teaching, but my friend decided to start a business in her research field without any management background. She effortlessly led her business to grow and diversify according to market needs development. It was only possible because she had clear vision,” said her friend Hima Joy.
In 2019, Jose became a research member of the Indian Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), New Delhi. Additionally, she serves as a consultant and advisory board member for various companies. She was invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Indian Science Conference 2020 in Bangalore.
“She was a multi-talented person and one of the few biofuels PhDs in the country. She was not content with just listing her publications and tried to translate theoretical science into business… Unfortunately, very Very few scientists do this,” said IISD Director General Srikanta K. Panigrahi.
Jose is a visiting professor at St. Joseph’s College of Communication, Kottayam.
“The college introduced Environmental Studies and Human Rights as a subject in 2017. Since Jose’s work focuses on sustainability, we invited her to teach here three days a week. She is instilling a sense of social responsibility in our students, which we goal. “Looking forward to passing this course,” said University President Father Joseph Parakel.
Scire Science received national level recognition in 2018 and received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Business Excellence from the All India Achievers Forum.
Additionally, she has authored academic book chapters. She chairs scientific conferences and serves as a speaker at various academic and non-academic programs. She was a panellist at the Women in Science Conference during the Indian Science Congress 2020.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
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