K.J. Sreeram

Kalarical Janardhanan Sreeram (K.J.Sreeram) (Malayalam: കളരികല്‍ ജനാര്‍ദ്ദനന്‍ ശ്രീരാം; Tamil: களரிகள் ஜனார்தனன் ஸ்ரீராம்; Hindi: कलारिकल जाणारधनन श्रीराम), is a scientist at the Central Leather Research Institute^[1]

He had his initial schooling at the Holy Family Convent and subsequently at the Government Model High School for Boys, Thrissur, Kerala. He obtained his Pre-degree from the University of Calicut through the St. Thomas College, Thrissur, Kerala. He went on to do his bachelors (1990–94), masters (94–96) and doctoral studies (96–2000) at the AC College of Technology, Chennai Anna University. For his doctoral research he worked under the supervision of Thirumalachari Ramasami, then Director of Central Leather Research Institute and currently Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. A detailed biodata of Dr Sreeram can be found at the website of Central Leather Research Institute , where he serves as a Scientist since 2002.

Research interests

Sreeram's areas of research interest are chromium management, rare earth pigments, and nanotechnology. He has several papers and patents to his credit. One of the patents on a process for the preparation of synthetic tanning agent for improved leather characteristics^[2] has been well received by the industry. Another work relating to the development of a semi-continuous chromium recovery from industrial wastewaters was highlighted in "Some Items of Interest to Process R&D Chemists and Engineers as Selected by Trevor Laird and Stephen A. Hermitage" in the ACS publication Organic Process Research and Development.^[3] He has been instrumental in developing a green process for utilisation of chromium bearing shavings from leather industry as well. He is credited with the development of a process for the complete recovery and utilisation of chromium from chromite ore processing residues.

Sreeram currently works on the development of rare earth based pigments^[4] and preparation of nanoparticles of iron oxide in the presence of polysaccharide templates^[5] Under the BOYSCAST fellowship of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, Sreeram pursued advanced research in the area of bionanotechnology. He employed engineered bacteriophages to deliver liposomes carrying active principles to target cells. This work was published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Sep 2010 issue as a cover story.

Awards

He is the first leather technologist to win the CSIR Young Scientist Award^[6] in 2004 for the contributions made towards developing innovative green chemistry suitable for controlling chromium levels in the effluents of mining, ore dressing and tanning industries.^[7] He has also been selected by the British Council in India for Indo-UK networking of young scientists and the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India for the BOYSCAST fellowship. He recently chaired two sessions of the IULTCS Congress at China^[8] Sreeram is the recipient of the CSIR EMPOWER project on stabilisation of collagen using nanoparticles.

Invited lectures

a. DST Green Chemistry Task Force

• Workshop on green chemistry, 3–4 September 2007, NIPER Mohali
• Green chemistry applications in Inorganic Chemistry: SERC School on Green Chemistry-Applications, Research Activities and Recent Trends, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, 14–27 Dec 2009.
• Metal ion based industries: Green chemistry challenges and opportunities: Lecture delivered at National Workshop on Green Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, 17–18 Mar 2010
• Green chemistry in the context of inorganic chemical industries: Lecture delivered at the National Workshop on Green Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, 17–22 Aug. 2011

b. Universities and Colleges

• Nanotechnology for health and disease management: Lecture delivered at Department of Biotechnology, SRM College of Arts and Science, Katankalathur, Chennai on 7 September 2010
• Taking nanotechnology more closer to reality: a case of targeted drug delivery, Symposium on bionanotechnology, Chettinad hospital and research institute, Kelambakkam, Chennai, 16 July 2010
• Refresher Course in Nanoscience for the University and College Teachers, University of Madras from 18 November 2010 to 8 December 2010
• Nanotechnology in Health and Medicine: How close are we to real life applications?: Lecture delivered at National symposium on Recent trends in nanoscience and nanobiotechnology, 20–21 January 2011, Queen Marys College, Chennai
• Challenges in nanoparticle synthesis: Ways and Means of Addressing Them: Lecture delivered at the National Conference in Material Chemistry, Guru Nanak College, Chennai during 9–11 February 2011
• Green synthesis of nanoparticle at the Current trends in Chemistry (UGC, ASC. Chennai) at Queen Mary’s College on 11 August 2011
• Green Nanotech: Advantages and Challenges, Refresher course at the University of Madras, Chennai on 16 November 2011
• Green Chemistry in Industrial Context: The Case of Chromium Chemicals at the UGC sponsored National Seminar on The Promise of Green Chemistry, Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada on 16–17 November 2011
• Merging two advancing chemistry – Green and nano for the benefit of society, Nano Science & Technology – Recent advancements (Nanofiesta 2K12), Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Virudhanagar on 8 March 2012

c. International Conferences

• Designed synthesis of nanoparticles for therapeutic applications (Invited talk) International conference on nanomaterials, synthesis, characterisation and applications (ICN 2010)
• Collagen stabilisation using functionalised nanoparticles – An oral presentation at the XXXII IULTCS congress, 27–30 September, Valencia, Spain
• Collagen stabilisation using functionalised nanoparticles (Invited talk) at Second International conference on nanomaterials, synthesis, characterisation and applications (ICN 2012) on 14 January 2012

References