A Talk on Translational Research: The Distance Between an Idea and Its Realisation by Dr Gautam Banerjee

About the Talk
Translational research, by name, indicates the translations of a concept/hypothesis to a product for human application. Translational research is a combination of multiple, diverse but interdependent science streams which include bioscience, chemistry, physics, different streams of engineering science, mathematics, and economics. Similarly, in products which are biology-driven also, there are diverse areas merging to make a successful product in the market.
Within bioscience also, it is a combination of various aspects like cell biology to immunology/microbiology, etc. In industrial R&D, it is always a combination, and all play equal roles depending on the context. An excellent hypothesis or scientific discovery may not always translate to commercially successful products and there are lots of bumps and hurdles to take that to the market. In a very optimistic way, about 10% discovery can go to market, but commercial success is another journey.
Dr Gautam Banerjee will discuss different aspects of industrial R&D related mostly to biological science and the paths/approaches used to translate those concepts/hypotheses with real-life examples.

About the Speaker
Dr Gautam Banerjee obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemistry, followed by a PhD in Cell Biology/Microbiology from the prestigious CSIR institute, IICB in Kolkata. He pursued postdoctoral studies in Immunology/Molecular Biology at Yale University, USA. Upon returning to India, Dr Banerjee dedicated his entire career to Industrial R&D in the health and disease domain, focusing on various aspects of Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Microbiology, spanning from pre-clinical to human clinical trials for skin, oral, and non-communicable diseases.
Dr Banerjee has played a pivotal role in establishing numerous global collaborations with renowned DST/DBT/CSIR institutes and universities both in India and abroad. These collaborations have led to the co-development of several new technologies, resulting in publications in high-impact journals and patents. For the past decade, he has also been associated with the Government of Karnataka’s startup cells, evaluating proposals and granting approvals.
As a researcher, Dr Banerjee’s primary objective has been to solve problems in a creative, efficient, and effective manner. His problem-solving skills have facilitated the successful launch of products into the market, the filing of patents, and the publication of over 25 highly cited papers (h-index: 19).
His research expertise encompasses biomarkers for health and disease, pre-clinical and clinical trials, and the regulation of these biomarkers as indicators/modulators of disease progression or curation resulting from treatments. Dr Banerjee’s notable achievement includes the launch of the CRISPR-Cas9 diagnostic kits for COVID-19 testing, both in India and globally. He also spearheaded the establishment of molecular diagnostic labs for COVID testing in over 50 laboratories across India.
To excel as a problem solver, Dr Banerjee has consistently worked in multidisciplinary, cross-functional team environments, thereby honing his skills as a true translational researcher. Throughout his career, he has led approximately 75 global research projects involving teams from various laboratories, countries, and institutes. He has represented his organisation at numerous national and international conferences, delivering only oral presentations.