Dr Mudrika Khandelwal - Alumni Impact Award

Vote for your winner of the Alumni Impact Award here: www.lucy.cam.ac.uk/news/alumn...
Current Role: Associate Professor Dept of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad
Mudrika's research group, the Cellulose and Composites Group at IIT Hyderabad, has made significant contributions to addressing societal problems in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some of their notable achievements include the development of antimicrobial materials and sustainable nanofibrous cellulosic materials for various applications:
1. Sustainable Antimicrobial Materials for Healthcare:
- The group has developed modern drug delivery formulations using microcapsules of herbal antimicrobials like Tulsi, Oregano, and Clove. These microcapsules are embedded in nanofibrous cellulosic matrices, resulting in a double-barrier drug delivery system with controlled release in acidic conditions.
- These antimicrobial materials have been designed to address specific health issues, such as vaginal infections in women and fungal infections in soldiers' feet.
- The research has already received an Indian patent, and a US patent application has been filed, indicating the potential for commercialization.
- This contribution aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) due to its positive impact on women's health.
2. Sustainable Biodegradable Active Food Packaging:
- Leveraging the antimicrobial functionality of nanofibrous cellulose, the group has developed a biodegradable active food packaging material that prevents microbial decay in fruits and vegetables.
- The material contains less than 2wt% silver and has demonstrated successful preservation of tomatoes on the shelf at room temperature for over 30 days.
- The collaboration with a company in Chennai for lab-to-market development has resulted in a significant reduction in post-harvest losses of fresh produce in the country.
- This contribution aligns with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) as it helps reduce food waste and increases the shelf life of fresh produce.
3. Sustainable microfluidic AST devices
- The choice of antimicrobial materials in the group's research, such as essential oils and nanoparticles, incorporates multiple modes of action, preventing microbes from developing resistance.
- Developing innovative devices like a microfluidic platform based on bacterial nanocellulose for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing helps in the timely and accurate detection of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics. Such devices eliminated the need for sophisticated equipment, skilled technicians and reduces the time of testing significantly.
- This contribution aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) due to its focus on developing sustainable and effective solutions to tackle AMR.
Presently, Mudrika's research endeavours are focused on the creation of biodegradable nanosystem surface coatings derived from sustainable resources, possessing antimicrobial attributes. These coatings exhibit significant promise in the realm of antimicrobial surfaces and find applications in medical equipments deployed within healthcare facilities.
Overall, Mudrika and her research group's work is making a significant impact in the area of antimicrobial materials, contributing to various SDGs and addressing crucial societal challenges. Their sustainable and innovative approaches hold great promise for the future.

[@sunilmewada8873]

Please mam launching this of fungal product