Vinod Kumar

Dr. Vinod Kumar is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Biomanufacturing at Cranfield University, UK, affiliated with the Centre for Soil, Agrifood and Biosciences. He holds a visiting faculty position at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. With a PhD in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology from IIT Delhi and postdoctoral experience in France, South Korea, and the UK, Dr. Kumar specializes in microbial biotechnology, circular biorefining, and waste valorization. He is a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellow and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). His research focuses on developing sustainable bioprocesses for biofertilizers, biofuels, and high-value chemicals using renewable biomass.

Dr. Kumar leads modules like Biofuels and Biorefining for M.Sc. Advanced Chemical Engineering students and serves as an Associate Editor for journals such as Microbial Cell Factories. His work emphasizes integrating non-edible biomass with circular biorefinery approaches to address global carbon neutrality challenges. He has authored/co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles, with recent contributions spanning techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production, microbial wastewater treatment, and AI-driven innovations in biotechnology.

Key awards include top ranks in GATE exams (All India Rank 1st in Life Sciences 2005) and joint CSIR-UGC fellowships. Dr. Kumar collaborates with organizations like BBSRC and Innovate UK, advancing projects such as the UK-India vWa initiative for sugar and paper industry waste valorization. His research teams engineer robust microbial strains and optimize bioprocesses for maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact.