JU School of Biotechnology, JKSTIC organize Workshop on “Startups and Skill Development: Translational Research from Lab to Market”
JAMMU: The School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, in collaboration with the JK Science, Technology & Innovation Council (JKSTIC), successfully organized a one-day workshop on “Startups and Skill Development: Translational Research from Lab to Market” at the University Campus.
The workshop aimed to inspire scientists, academicians, entrepreneurs, and students to transform their scientific ideas and research into viable startups and market-ready innovations. The event was convened by Prof. Sanjana Kaul, Director, School of Biotechnology, and Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, Additional Director, JKSTIC. Assistant Director JKSTIC, Shruti Khanna, and Dr. Ritu Mahajan, Associate Professor, School of Biotechnology, served as Organizing Secretaries.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. J.P. Singh Joorel, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his address, Prof. Joorel emphasized the importance of integrating research with entrepreneurship to promote innovation-led growth. He stated that the three pillars of academic and scientific advancement—teaching, research, and application—must work in harmony, adding that the true value of research lies in its translation into real-world impact.
Prof. Yash Pal Sharma, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Jammu, was the Guest of Honour. In his address, he encouraged young researchers to look beyond publications and patents, focusing on societal applications of their work. He highlighted India’s growing strength in diverse research areas like agriculture and medical sciences, noting that with sustained collaboration, the country is poised to soon become the world’s third-largest economy. Prof. Sharma also underlined the government’s continued support for startups and bioeconomy growth through translational research, stressing the importance of strong leadership and discipline for success.
Earlier, Prof. Sanjana Kaul welcomed the dignitaries and participants and acknowledged the guidance of Vice Chancellor Prof. Umesh Rai for promoting such academic initiatives at the University.
The technical sessions featured two eminent speakers.
In the first session, Dr. Saurabh Saran, Senior Principal Scientist, Fermentation and Microbial Biotechnology Division, and Head, IIIM-Technology Business Incubator, delivered a lecture on “Development of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem to Support Agri-based Startups in J&K.” He discussed success stories of lab-to-market transitions, the role of incubators like BioNEST in fostering biotech startups, and key challenges such as limited innovation, investment gaps, and ease-of-business issues. He also highlighted the government initiatives and facilities at CSIR-IIIM Jammu that support startup growth. The session was chaired by Prof. B.K. Bajaj, School of Biotechnology.
The second session featured Dr. Khalid Masoodi, Associate Professor/Senior Scientist, Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-Kashmir, and Director, Cashmir BioTech Pvt. Ltd., who shared his entrepreneurial journey. He spoke about his startup, Cashmir BioTech Pvt. Ltd., established in 2022 under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. His company’s flagship product, Magic Food Taxo, is a patented functional food supplement containing an anticancer molecule derived from a native Kashmiri plant, clinically shown to aid in prostate health and cancer management. He also discussed other innovations like Iron Revive Herb, ZincMag Natural, and Isabgol Psyllium Husk Powder.
The workshop concluded with an interactive session where participants explored challenges and opportunities in translational research and entrepreneurship. The wrap-up session was conducted by Dr. Nisha Kapoor, Senior Assistant Professor, School of Biotechnology. Rapporteurs—Dr. Yashpal Khajuria, Dr. Ankit Mahajan, and Dr. Sheetal Ambardar—presented the session summaries.
The workshop witnessed enthusiastic participation from faculty across Life Science departments, including Prof. Seema Langer, Prof. Namrata Sharma, Prof. Pankaj Kumar, and others, along with representatives from JKSTIC. The event reflected growing interest among students and researchers in innovation and startup culture. Dr. Mehak Gupta conducted the proceedings of the event.
