CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, celebrated its 41st Foundation Day on 24 January 2025, by organising several events including the much-anticipated Foundation Day Lecture.

Dr Rajesh S Gokhale, Secretary Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to the Government of India, delivered this year’s Foundation Day Lecture on The BioE3 policy: Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment Driving Bio-Innovation in Bharat. The BioE3 Policy lays down the framework for the implementation of the Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry initiative. This initiative will promote green growth in the country, by transforming today’s consumptive manufacturing paradigm to the one based on regenerative principles.

Dr Gokhale highlighted that the BioE3 policy provides a framework to empower Indian institutions, universities, startups and industries to engage in transformative innovations. The policy shall enable intensifying research and innovation, boosting domestic biomanufacturing capability by promoting integrated use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, setting up the facilities (Biomanufacturing Hubs/Biofoundry/Bio-AIs) for scaling-up and pre-commercial manufacturing and the nurturing cohort of highly skilled workforce.

Welcoming the gathering, Dr Sanjeev Khosla, Director, CSIR-IMTECH, apprised the audience of the institute’s achievements in the last year.  He said, “The 41st IMTECH Foundation Day stands as a testimony to IMTECH’s continued pursuit of excellence in microbial sciences for over four decades, with a vision of propelling India into the future with Biotechnology innovation at the forefront”. He exhorted the scientific fraternity at IMTECH to focus on future & niche research areas aligning with the goals of Vikasit Bharat. 

As part of the celebrations, CSIR-IMTECH signed several MOUs’ with pharma industries for the usage of Biofoundry at CSIR-IMTECH to aid the rapid development of precision biotherapeutics and early scaling up of proof of concept of biomolecules.

The institute also observed ‘Open Day’ for the general public during which students, researchers, graduates and science enthusiasts from in and around Tricity visited the campus and interacted with scientists to get a firsthand account of the various facets of microbiology and biotechnology.