Agri-Nanotechnology: Innovations for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Restoration

Dr.Sukhvinder Singh Purewal, Ph.D., is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the University Centre for Research and Development (UCRD), Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India. He was awarded a Major Research Project (2018–2022) by the SEED Division, Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi.His research interests include solid-state fermentation, extraction of bioactive compounds from natural sources, antioxidant research, and fruit processing. He has authored over 50 research papers in peer-reviewed international journals and has received multiple best poster awards at both national and international conferences.He is an active member of several professional organizations such as the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), Mycological Society of India (MSI), Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) (AFSTI), and the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA). In 2023, he was recognized with the prestigious "Young Scientist Award" by AMI for his notable contributions to Food Microbiology. Dr. Purewal has authored the book Millets: Properties, Processing, and Health Benefits and edited six other titles.

Dr. Vijay Gahlaut, Ph.D. is currently working as an Associate Professor at the University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India. He previously served as a DST INSPIRE Faculty at the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, India.With over 14 years of experience in research and teaching, Dr.Gahlaut specializes in crop biotechnology, bioinformatics, and genomics. His work has focused on identifying key genomic regions, epialleles, and candidate genes on wheat chromosomes associated with tolerance to water and heat stress, using diverse bioinformatic and genomic approaches.Dr.Gahlaut has authored more than 80 research articles in reputed international journals and contributed to several book chapters. In recognition of his scientific contributions, he was recently elected as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI).

Dr. Sandeep Kumar Dash has been serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of GourBanga, Malda, since 2016. He earned his Ph.D. in 2016 from the Department of Human Physiology with Community Health at Vidyasagar University, specializing in immunology and microbiology. He has published 74 research articles in internationally reputed journals, 3 articles in national journals, and 3 book chapters with prominent publishers. His work spans multiple disciplines including nanotechnology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, pharmacology, and toxicology. He has developed several nanoformulations for targeted therapy against various cancer cells and for the treatment of clinically isolated multidrug-resistant bacteria.His current research focuses on the modification of plant-derived triterpenoids and short peptide-based nanocomposites, enhancing their selectivity for cancer cells, cancer stem cells, and drug-resistant pathogens. He is also engaged in the green synthesis of metal and organic nanoparticles and evaluating their efficacy against drug-resistant superbugs. Beyond laboratory research, Dr. Dash conducts community-based surveys on socio-demographic, nutritional, and anthropometric aspects of underserved populations. He is an active life member of the Indian Science Congress Association and ChirantanRasayanSanstha and serves as a regular reviewer for numerous esteemed journals.