:: Anujeeva Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. (ABPL)

The vision of ABPL is to become a full-fledged drug discovery company. Microgold project is a stepping stone towards this goal. Being able to cultivate previously unculturable bacteria is the core technology of Microgold, and the business model consists of raising a library of novel cultures rich in secondary metabolites and launch HTS programmes in house or in collaboration with global players including biotech and drug discovery companies as well as Universities and research organizations. The library is expected to yield a series of IPRs in antibiotics, anti cancer compounds and other drugs.

Anujeeva would extend its activities to natural-products and ecology based drug discovery. Natural products and their derivatives have been more successful as drugs as compared to synthetic compounds throughout the history of medicine. The current trend in drug discovery is a converging approach in which people have targets and screen for compounds active against the target. We want to take an open-ended ecology based approach in which the ecology of organisms suggests its potential application. The application areas would include antibiotics, antibiotic supplements, anticancer compounds, antioxidants, cosmetics, pest control in agriculture and other serendipitous outcomes. Already some concepts are under various stages of development. The serendipitous outcomes can be new molecules or new equipment or devices of a variety of applications ranging from surgery to kitchen. So far I have given products in microbiology, diagnostics, gynecology and kitchenware and I feel there is no limit to how much can be developed.

:: Softwares

I do not have adequate expertise in software development but have some insights into important areas relevant for today's science and/or industry. It is possible to develop good commercializable software based on these concepts. Some of the ideas developed at a proof of concept stage are - a new approach to bacterial taxonomy, musical creativity using advanced genetic algorithms and process optimization.

:: Syndrome X reversal and science of living

Working with a diabetes research group I have developed some new and exciting concepts about the fundamental biology of insulin metabolism. This can lead to new concepts in the treatment/management of the insulin resistance syndrome or syndrome X, which includes type 2 diabetes, hypertension and coronary diseases. The concept is that of behavioral therapy. The visualized implementation is through “syndrome X reversal camps” and consultations. This is on the borderline of health and physiology on the one hand and psychology and philosophy on the other. I would like to label this as “Science of living”.

:: Commercialization platform company

In India there are scattered research workers in a variety of places including Institutes, Universities and even colleges who have some exciting commercializable research, such as some novel molecules or processes. In the last decade patenting culture has taken roots in the Indian academic culture. However, most of the patents lie unutilized. Marketing efforts are needed to sell these patents to appropriate industry. Marketing a single one or a handful of them is not feasible since the overheads of marketing are large and chance plays a significant role in a successful deal.

An attractive solution is to raise a company which evaluates these technologies and does marketing for these technologies with due commission on successful deals. This can be a viable knowledge intensive business.

:: Bioscience-Biotechnology education

Although the word “biotechnology” has created a hype and a large number of students are attracted to biotech careers, good centers for biotech education are exceptionally few in India . The large number of centers that have mushroomed are either not based on sound concepts or suffer from inadequate infrastructure and expertise. Moreover, the technology part often overwhelms leaving the foundation of basic science weak. One of my biggest ambitions is to have a school of Biocsience-Biotechnology with adequate facilities and substantial freedom to talented and creative faculty. I know very well how to do it. There are two major hurdles in this. One is that our education systems still work on the licenses and permit raj. Universities and bodies like the UGC work almost like rationing offices and it is difficult to implement novel educational experiments under this system. The other is of course funding for establishment.

There are talks of autonomy and the education system opening up. Private and oversees universities are being permitted. With academic and perhaps financial autonomy it is possible to run good programmes in Bioscience-Biotechnology which are not only self sustaining but also moderately profit making. It's time to run educational institutes like companies rather than like “charitable” institutes.

:: Research on fundamental questions in life sciences

This is what I live for and made up for. The questions span over a wide range with genomics on the one hand to human behavior on the other. I like to pursue any question that interests me without any inhibitions of disciplines and tools. Modeling and simulations has been my favorite tool, but I like field work and lab work equally and will learn, collaborate or develop new tools to pursue a problem that interests me.

:: Field research station

I always wanted to have a field research station of my own in the heart of a tiger-land. This is already on the way, in that now I own a piece of land approximately 6.5 acre adjacent to Tadoba National Park , and I am currently looking for funding to raise the necessary infrastructure. On the agenda is a basic facility where researchers can stay in field and work with the necessary lab facilities right there. The major areas of work envisioned include ecology, wild-life and some aspects of anthropology.

:: Vanavasi Biologist programme

As a field worker in the Indian forests, like many others I have experienced that some individuals among the tribal and forest dwelling people are gifted naturalists. Some of the youth are sharp and bright. Today school education (of whatever quality) has penetrated in most of the interiors but University education is beyond the reach of these people. If we want to utilize this talent we need to take the mountain to Mohammad. I had proposed a detailed plan of a University degree course in forest biology for forest dwelling youth. It was discussed in UGC as well as open-University but nothing materialized. To implement this we need a University recognition for the course on the one hand and adequate funding on the other.

:: Literature

Something that was somehow always sidetracked. I have just too much to write, covering science, science fiction, stories, poems and philosophy. I am keen to take retirement so that I can do this. But the major problem here is not the time to write, but the necessary piece of mind on the one hand and marketing to publish on the other. Run of the mill writings have ready markets. If I write something off-beat, the normal channels such as news papers and popular magazines many not find it attractive. I have faced rejections and almost stopped writing currently. But I know I have much interesting stuff to offer.

Perhaps that's all. It's a small list and still I am sure I won't be able to do all. Hoping for some luck and some support. One of my strong points is having good people with me. The limiting factor so far had been infrastructure and money to go on. If I feel assured about these, a series of outcomes will simply flood out in large numbers.