THEMTIC AREAS FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH

Considering the research areas at the University Departments and the spoke centers and also looking at the regional problems and societal needs, we envisage developing three main thematic areas dedicated to nurture innovative ideas.

1. Innovative Solar Energy Applications
   Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Aided Product design
   Design and Development of Signal conditioning and Sensor Technology

2. Innovations in Agricultural Biotechnology
   Advanced and innovative techniques for Environment and Watershed Management
   Advanced Techniques For Improvement Of Plant Growth And Health Using Soil Microorganisms

3. Human Healthcare Solutions
   Innovative Approaches to Drug Design
   Chromatographic Techniques for Designing Forensic and Industrial Applications

The research ideas involving interdisciplinary components will be developed under these focus areas.

The DIC will prove to be instrumental in developing innovative ideas into prototypes. Initially the DIC will focus on the above thematic areas, but in future university will make it a sustainable efforts to nurture innovative proposals received from students, teachers and also from industries in collaboration.

The University hopes that DIC will be a continuing effort and will try to achieve the objectives of promoting a culture of Innovation.

Prototypes/ongoing projects under at DIC-SPPU HUB centre

Thematic area A : Innovative Solar Energy Applications:

1. Solar Chulha: Primary design is sketched and ready. 3D model in virtual and real mode is ready. 1st prototype is under fabrication.

2. Window Cleaner: Successful ready to use model was fabricated and tested on different window panels. The prototype is completed and ready for commercialization.

3. Smart stick for Blind people: The Smart stick is sensor technology based aid providing a hazard-free and obstacle-free indoor as well as outdoor mobility to the blind people.10 smart stick prototypes under fabrication for use at the Ved Wasudeo Pratishthan Hostel for Blind Girls, Sinhagad Road, Pune.

4. Solar shuttle: The objective of this project is to design a pollution-free solar energy operated vehicle for daily commutation inside Savitribai Phule Pune University campus. This project aims at providing pollution free shuttle service to everyone traveling inside the University campus. The field trials of the solar shuttle are under progress in SPPU, Pune campus. The Prototype is ready and in working state.

5. Stationary solar charging station: The main objective of the stationary solar charging station is charging of batteries with the help of solar energy. Here, we will be using Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries. The product is completed and ready for commercialization.

Thematic Area B : Innovations in Agricultural Biotechnology

1. Stress fighter- bacterial bio fertilizer: Stress fighter is a Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacterial (PGPR) bio fertilizer developed from indigenous salt and other abiotic stress tolerant bacteria.Field trials of product are under process with collaboration of Green Sparks Industry Pvt. Ltd, Solapur.Stress fighter is successfully tested for Onion and pomegranate crop at MalsirasSolapur

2. BasciMix- BasciMix is a biological fertilizer based on selected strains of naturally occurring beneficial Bacillus species. The product is ready for commercialization & technology transfer.

3. Green Gold- Mycorrhizal bio fertilizer: Green gold is a bio fertilizer consisting of indigenous mycorrhizal of species Glomusmosseae. It helps plant to sustain abiotic stress and increases plant yield and productivity.Successful pot trial at moderate growth conditions in the greenhouse as well as under drought stress has been done. Also at drought-prone region field trial with leguminous crops has been successfully done. The product will be ready for technology transfer and further commercialization.

4. Tricho – cure: TRICHO- CURE is a very effective biological formulation for soil-borne plant disease management. The product was successfully completed with field trials.

Thematic Area C : Human Healthcare Solutions

1. Development of multivalent vaccine encapsulated micro particles for Oral Vaccination: It is a formulation of biocompatible water soluble chitosan polymer encapsulated DTP oral vaccine.The encapsulated vaccine is under the preclinical and clinical trials with Serum Institute of India, Pvt. Ltd., Pune.

2. Synthesis of Polysaccharide-Protein Conjugate Vaccine against Typhoid/Enteric Fever: To overcome the problems of quality control during extraction and purification of Salmonella typhi, the focus is on the synthesis of complete antigens of Salmonella typhi and its conjugation with the suitable toxoids.The product is in last stage of synthesis of key antigen of Salmonella serovars i.e. Vi antigen which will be used for conjugation purpose to develop complete vaccine against Enteric fever. This work is collaborated with Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. Pune.

3. Formulation of encapsulated pegaspargase used for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia : The purpose of these studies is to formulate such a formulation which is easy to scale up for large scale production and reduce the steps of in process quality control check and reduce the quality control documentation.

4. Development of phyto-pharmaceuticals for management of sickle cell disorder: SCDM is the herbal formulation of Indian medicinal plants for the management of sickle cell disorder. Its development is at formulation stage and the further drug will be processed for its clinical efficacy to manage the Sickle cell Disease and provided to the sickle cell patients in syrup/capsule/tablet form.