Perspectives in Translational Research in Life Sciences and Biomedicine

This book is a collation of translational research outcomes in the area of life research, which was formerly used mainly for academic pursuits. The studies described focus on innovative interdisciplinary approaches to unraveling problems in life sciences and biomedicine using biodiversity exploration and green technology. The techniques and models presented offer a ready reckoner for researchers in academic institutions and industry, and also provide valuable insights into fundamental research.

The book discusses topics such as tissue engineering to create lineage-specific cells for tissue-specific regeneration; how combination cultures of commensalistic bacteria can help boost immunity; development of functional food from natural products from plant, animal, and microbial sources in the nutraceuticals domain; as well as synthesis and mechanisms in nanomedicine and nanoscaffolds in biomedicine. The studies and discourses described touch upon topics that explore biodiversity for the development of disease models, toxicity studies, developmental studies, and harvesting of bioactive compounds for alternative income generation and poverty alleviation, and as a result, bring about economic and ecologic sustainability.

This multidimensional and multidisciplinary book focuses on tissue-specific targeting by nanodrugs, development of bioengineering formats for cell- based, nutraceutical-based, functional-food-based and antibody-based green therapy designed tackle multifaceted diseases and syndromes.

Dr. Ena Ray Banerjee is an Associate Professor of Zoology at the University of Calcutta, India, where she heads the department's Immunobiology and Regenerative Research Unit. Her interests are manifold but centered around translational outcomes research in the life sciences by exploring various facets of drug discovery. She has also formed a Consortium of experts from various disciplines to explore biodiversity through bioprospecting and converting them into bioresources currency but in an economically viable and ecologically and environmentally sustainable model.

An alumnus of the premiere educational institutions Lady Brabourne College and Gokhale Memorial Girls' school, Dr. Banerjee has trained in immunobiology, immune modulation in inflammation and cytokine mediated inflammation at the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology and at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA. She led an asthma drug discovery project at Advinus Therapeutics, a TATA Enterprise. Her experience of working in academia and industry in India and the US prepared her for a unique role - that of translational research in the life sciences.  Her large team of researchers at the Dept. of Zoology, University of Calcutta works on developing technology-intensive processes and products, developing animal models of diseases for screening novel drug entities, models of developmental biology, or bioresources from local biodiversity. The group engages in drug discovery using novel drugs (small molecules), herbal extracts (functional food), probiotics (neutraceuticals), novel antibody-mediated (camelid antibody) and cells (tissue  engineering of stem cells of embryonic origin, adult tissue origin and umbilical cord-derived) in inflammatory disease models (tissue-specific inflammation in the lung and systemic inflammation) and degenerative disease models. She has published widely in premiere scientific journals and has spearheaded the rejuvenation of a world-class heritage museum because she believes that to do bioprospecting and molecular drug discovery, knowing and respecting our biodiversity is key. Through her efforts, this archived faunal repository is positioned to become a center of excellence for technology-based capacity building and an important educational interpretive center.