Suranjana Sarkar’s research while affiliated with Swami Vivekananda University and other places

The management of nuclear waste, characterized by its long-lasting radioactivity and environmental risks, calls for innovative remediation strategies. Traditional disposal methods have proven inadequate, compelling exploration into alternative approaches. Among these, microbial bioremediation has emerged as a promising, eco-friendly strategy to mitigate the extensive impact of nuclear waste. Microorganisms, spanning bacteria, archaea, and fungi, exhibit remarkable capabilities in interacting with various forms of nuclear waste, including radionuclides, heavy metals, and organic contaminants. Leveraging mechanisms like bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and biomineralization, these microorganisms effectively immobilize or detoxify hazardous elements. Certain microbial species thrive in extreme conditions, such as environments characterized by elevated radiation levels and hostile pH conditions, aligning their utility with the demands of nuclear waste repositories. Recent advances in microbial genetics and metabolic pathway elucidation have significantly enhanced the precision and efficiency of bioremediation techniques. Microbial bioremediation offers environmental and economic advantages over conventional methods, mitigating long-term risks. This chapter underscore the pivotal role of microorganisms in nuclear waste bioremediation, presenting a responsible, cost-effective solution to a pressing challenge of the nuclear age. Ongoing research in microbial bioremediation promises to further enhance the field, ultimately contributing to the development of safer, more efficient strategies for nuclear waste management.

In recent decades, the advent of genome editing has brought about profound transformations in biology, allowing for precise modifications to the genetic material of living organisms beyond traditional genetic manipulation methods. This summary explores the vast potential, diverse applications, and ethical considerations associated with genome editing. Led by CRISPR-Cas9, this technology revolutionizes genetic engineering by providing unparalleled accuracy and versatility. Scientists can now manipulate genes with unprecedented precision, impacting various fields such as agriculture and medicine. Genome editing facilitates the creation of genetically modified organisms with desirable traits, from enhancing crop disease resistance to pioneering human therapies. Moreover, it sheds light on gene function, offering crucial biological insights. Despite its transformative potential, ethical concerns accompany genome editing, especially in terms of editing the germ line and its implications for future generations. This necessitates ongoing discussions to address unintended consequences, highlighting the importance of responsible use. Ultimately, genome editing represents a revolutionary advancement with the potential to transform agriculture, medicine, and our understanding of life. Moving forward, inclusive dialogues involving scientists, ethicists, policymakers, and the public are essential to ensure the responsible application of genome editing for the benefit of humanity and the environment.

There are many small or undeveloped countries whose economy depends on agricultural production. A healthy agriculture production depends on various factors like soil quality, water, fertilizer, skilled labor, and many more. Fertilizer is the most crucial things that influence agricultural production. A fertilizer is a kind of chemical or natural substance that is helpful in crop production. However, to achieve quick agricultural yields we usually used chemical fertilizer which is very responsive to biofertilizer but the chemical fertilizer is not as eco-friendly as biofertilizer. Biofertilizer are natural fertilizes which are living microbial inoculants of bacteria, algae, fungi alone or in combination and they augment the availability of nutrients to the plants. Mycorrhizal fungi preferentially withdraw minerals from organic matter for the plant whereas cyanobacteria are characterized by the property of nitrogen fixation. The role of biofertilizer in agriculture assumes special significance, particularly in the present context of increased cost of chemical fertilizer and their hazardous effects on soil health. Agricultural fertilizers are essential for proper crop growth and yield. Chemical fertilizers have recently been used by farmers to increase yield and speed up the process. Natural biofertilizer, on the other hand, not only have a higher yield but are also safe for humans. The benefits of biofertilizer include low cost, enhanced nutrient availability, improved soil fertility, protect plants from soil-borne pathogens, sustainable agricultural production, enhanced biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, promote phytohormone production, improve soil health, causing less environmental pollution, and its continued use improves the fertility of soil considerably.

The advent of 3D bioprinting marks a pivotal moment in biomedical research and healthcare, unlocking a realm of possibilities. This abstract explores the transformative potential of 3D bioprinting technology, its diverse applications in medical domains, and the inherent challenges it faces. 3D bioprinting represents a revolutionary fusion of three-dimensional printing precision with the intricacies of biological materials. This groundbreaking technology revolutionizes the fabrication of intricate, customized structures by layering bioinks containing living cells, biomaterials, and growth factors. These engineered constructs faithfully replicate the complex architecture of native tissues and organs, presenting unprecedented opportunities for progress in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and disease modeling. The versatility of 3D bioprinting extends across various medical fields. In regenerative medicine, the ability to craft tissue grafts and organ substitutes tailored to individual patients has the potential to transform transplantation procedures, overcoming challenges like donor shortages and organ rejection. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies are employing 3D bioprinting to generate functional tissue models for drug testing, reducing reliance on animal testing and speeding up drug development processes. 3D bioprinting represents a transformative technology with the potential to advance healthcare through personalized regenerative solutions, ethical drug testing practices, and an improved understanding of diseases.However, the adoption of 3D bioprinting is not without its challenges. The intricacy of the bioprinting process necessitates a profound understanding of cellular biology, materials science, and engineering. Overcoming hurdles related to ensuring cell viability and functionality within printed structures is paramount, along with the imperative to scale up production for clinical applications. Ethical and regulatory considerations also emerge, particularly in the context of printing human tissues and organs.

Human health and survival have always been seriously threatened by cancer. Although surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy could improve the survival rate of cancer patients, most patients with chronic cancer have a poor survival rate or cannot afford the high cost of treatment. The development of oncolytic viruses provides us with a new technique for treating or even curing malignant cancers. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) have gained interest as a potential approach in cancer therapy because of their potential to selectively infect and destroy tumor cells, without affecting healthy cells . They also work against cancer by releasing immunostimulatory chemicals from dead cancer cells. Oncolytic virotherapy, like other anticancer therapies, has various limitations, including viral transport to the target, tumor mass penetration, and antiviral immune responses. Nanoparticles (NPs) have gained a lot of interest in clinical studies because of their distinctive appearance characteristics. However they have encountered challenges due to the inefficiency of drug delivery to the tissue of interest and their dispersion in bloodstream. In this scenario, various chemical alterations can be employed to the nanoparticle surfaces to boost their efficacy in drug delivery. To improve the functioning of these two therapeutic methods, the sophisticated technique of OVs encapsulated with nanoparticles can be employed, which has shown significant therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of various malignancies. This review focuses on the clinical advancements of oncolytic viruses and nanoparticles in cancer therapy and their combinational effects on tumor cells. This review also provides insight into the future prospects by assessing both the advantages and disadvantages of nano-based oncolytic virotherapy.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the Herpesviridae family, is frequently seen in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT) patients and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in absence of antiviral prophylaxis in the transplant patients. CMV infection can cause serious problems in organ transplant patients following transplantation, in which the virus could reactivate or could contract a new infection, both result in signs of an active CMV infection consequently leading to organ rejection. CMV generates a robust and diverse innate and adaptive immune response and infects epithelial cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes. During a three tier infective reaction cycle, it establishes lifetime latency within its host. Ganciclovir , Valganciclovir and Foscarnet though remain successful as treatment strategies against CMV infection, they suffer from some major side effects like leukopenia, drug toxicity and some resistance development. So more recent medicines like letermovir and maribavir have provided new insights as therapy of drug resistant CMV infection. The demand for efficient and well-tolerated medicines still remains a challenge. Early clinical trials have shown potential for adoptive immunotherapy, which involves the virus specific T-cells (VSTs) as drug regime for highly resistant viral infections. With a focus on the clinical strategy for the challenge of CMV infection, this review encompasses positive findings and problems of the widespread use of VSTs to treat immunocompromised patients.

Efflux pumps play a crucial role in antimicrobial resistance, enabling bacteria to extrude a wide range of antibiotics and other antimicrobial compounds, thereby reducing their intracellular concentration and rendering them ineffective. Understanding the mechanisms underlying efflux pump-mediated resistance is essential for the development of effective strategies to combat this growing threat. This review paper provides an overview of the various efflux pump systems, their regulation mechanisms, and their impact on antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, we discuss the potential therapeutic interventions that target efflux pumps to restore the efficacy of antimicrobial agents.