ISRO-DBT JWG Convenes to Advance Space Biotech and Biomanufacturing Plans

In a major step toward integrating India’s biotechnology expertise with its rapidly evolving space exploration programs, the first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) was successfully convened via virtual mode. This pivotal meeting marks a significant follow-up to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two institutions on October 25, 2024, aimed at fostering cooperation in the futuristic and interdisciplinary domain of space biotechnology and biomanufacturing.

The meeting was co-chaired by Shri M. Ganesh Pillai, Scientific Secretary, ISRO, and Dr. Alka Sharma, Senior Adviser (Sci-H), DBT. It brought together leading minds from both scientific spheres to chart out collaborative initiatives with long-term strategic importance for both national development and India’s ambitions in space exploration.

Pioneering National Initiatives in Space and Biotech

The meeting comes on the heels of two landmark national policy announcements:

1. The establishment of a Bharatiya Antariksh Station (Indian Space Station) as part of India’s ambitious human spaceflight program.

2. The unveiling of the BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment), which seeks to catalyze high-performance biomanufacturing in the country, with a dedicated focus on space-related applications as one of its thematic priorities.

These initiatives were approved by the Union Cabinet, highlighting the government’s recognition of biotechnology and space science as twin engines of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and employment generation.

ISRO-DBT JWG: A Mission-Mode Partnership

The formation of the ISRO-DBT Joint Working Group is a mission-critical step to realize the full potential of this interdisciplinary partnership. During its first meeting, the JWG explored pathways to:

• Enable scientific research in space biotechnology

• Promote space-based biomanufacturing capabilities

• Develop innovations in life support systems for long-duration missions

• Pursue extraterrestrial bioproduction platforms, essential for sustainable human presence in space

Representatives from DBT's leading institutions—International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi and Bioresource Research Institute of India (BRIC)-inStem, Bangalore—shared updates on their early-stage exploration into experiment design for spaceflight environments.

Announcement of Opportunity in Space Biotech

A key highlight of the meeting was the discussion around the upcoming Joint “Announcement of Opportunity” (AO), which will invite collaborative research proposals from institutions and innovators across the country. This AO will focus on:

• Biomanufacturing under microgravity

• Biomolecular stability and adaptation in space

• Development of bioreactors and lab-on-chip models for space use

• Space-based diagnostics and therapeutics

The JWG reviewed feasibility assessments, proposed scientific payloads, and experimental platforms where DBT researchers could partner with ISRO’s future space missions—particularly the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, expected to serve as a long-duration orbital platform post-2035.

Unlocking Opportunities in Extra-Terrestrial Biomanufacturing

The discussions also ventured into the emerging domain of extraterrestrial biomanufacturing, vital for ensuring sustainable life support systems in deep-space missions such as lunar habitats, Mars exploration, and interplanetary travel.

Topics included:

• Production of nutraceuticals and biosynthetic compounds in microgravity

• Use of microbes and genetically engineered organisms for recycling and bioprocessing

• Building bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS)

• Leveraging biotechnology for closed-loop resource utilization

Such innovations are essential to reduce Earth-dependence and enable self-sufficiency in space environments.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Strategic Goals

Both Co-Chairs expressed confidence in the synergistic strengths of ISRO and DBT, with ISRO bringing space infrastructure and engineering capabilities, and DBT offering cutting-edge biological research and translational innovation.

Dr. Alka Sharma emphasized that India’s unique strengths in biotechnology, particularly in synthetic biology, genomics, and microbial systems, position the country as a global leader in space-life sciences.

Shri M. Ganesh Pillai noted that as India prepares to launch long-term crewed missions and planetary exploration programs, biological systems will play an increasingly vital role in mission sustainability, crew health, and autonomous manufacturing in space.

Path Forward: Towards a Biotech-Enabled Space Future

The ISRO-DBT JWG plans to:

• Finalize the framework for collaborative project proposals

• Identify priority technology areas for in-space testing

• Develop protocols for payload integration with ISRO missions

• Promote capacity-building and training programs for researchers in space biology

The collaboration is also expected to nurture startups, academia, and research institutions by creating new funding and testing opportunities under joint S&T schemes.

Charting India’s Next Frontier

The ISRO-DBT JWG meeting marks a milestone in India’s scientific diplomacy and innovation ecosystem, uniting the terrestrial and extraterrestrial aspirations of a Viksit Bharat. With biotechnology poised to support long-term human spaceflight, resource sustainability, and orbital manufacturing, this collaboration lays the foundation for India’s leadership in space-age biological science.

As India expands its space horizons, partnerships like ISRO-DBT will be crucial to ensure that the future of space exploration is not just mechanical but also biological, resilient, and regenerative.