Environmental Biotechnology for Soil and Wastewater Implications on Ecosystems

Dr. Rita Kundu, Professor of Calcutta University, Department of Botany. Her specialization is on Cell Biology and Genetics. She did pioneering research in Cancer genetics. As part of her work in cancer biology she worked on inducing cell death either through apoptosis /autophagy /any other way, in the cervical cancer cell lines using traditional medicinal plants and other organic sources ( marine/ fresh water algal compounds, microbial compounds, synthetic organic compounds)to regulate cell proliferation. She has also worked on phytoremediation. Presently her prime interest is to identify the metal resistant crop (rice) verities of south West Bengal and study their stress responses. She is the author of numerous papers.

Dr. Rajiv Narula received his Bachelor's Degree with an Honors in Botany from the esteemed Presidency College (now Presidency University), Calcutta in 2001. He went on to get a Masters in Biotechnology from GGD University, Chhattisgarh which he graduated winning top honors (First Class - Gold Medal as University Topper) in 2003. He came to US in Fall 2005 from India to pursue a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY. After completing his doctoral thesis on Pathogen Reduction and Recycling of Bedding Materials on Dairy Farms (May 2011), he joined State University of New York in Canton in Fall 2011, first as an instructor and finally being hired as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Science and Chemistry in Fall 2012.

Mrs. Rajashree Paul has obtained her B. tech in Computer Science and Engineering from Kalyani University, West Bengal, India, and MS degree in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University, Canada. She has over 10 years of experience in software industry and is currently Assistant Professor in Computer Science Department in University of Engineering and Management, Kolkata. Her present research interest is the study of electronic, optical and mechanical properties of Quantized Structures. Mrs. Paul is affiliated with the conferences and workshops both in India and abroad, organizes different technical presentations and various industry-University interactions.

Prof. Susmita Mukherjee, Head of Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering & Management, Kolkata. She did her Graduation and Post graduation in Zoology. Having ten years of teaching experience, she has participated in different national and international conferences and has authored many papers. Her research interest is in Environmental Biotechnology, as part of it, she has worked on the implications of different ecological factors on the sewage fed fish with special reference to East Kolkata Wetlands- the Ramsar site. She has worked on the environmental aspect of solar photovoltaic cells, which is apparently green energy. Presently, she is working towards the phytoremediation of Arsenic and other heavy metals by microalgae to use it on Sewage Treatment Plants. Also to see the extent of bioaccumulation of As within the crop and bio-magnification among the local community in an Arsenic prone area of West Bengal.