**Summary:**
In August 2024, the Union Cabinet approved the BioE3 Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment policy. This policy aims to bolster innovation-driven support for Research and Development (R&D) and entrepreneurship across six thematic sectors, accelerating technology development and commercialization through the establishment of Biomanufacturing, BioAI hubs, and a Biofoundry.
The policy promotes the industrialization of biology, emphasizing sustainable and circular practices to address societal challenges like climate change, food security, and human health. It also aims to create a resilient biomanufacturing ecosystem to foster the development of bio-based products.
As part of this initiative, experiments were conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) using three indigenous microalgal species (Chlorella sorokinianaI, Parachlorella kessleriI, and Dysmorphococcus globosusHI) to study the effects of microgravity and varying CO2 and O2 levels. Additionally, two cyanobacteria strains (an Indian isolate of Spirulina and a fast-growing Synechococcus strain) were tested for their growth on nitrate and urea under microgravity. These experiments aim to assess the potential of microalgae and cyanobacteria for producing value-added products, recycling carbon and nitrogen, and supporting biological life support systems for future space missions.
A Department of Biotechnology-supported Biofoundry for microbial biomanufacturing, established at ICGEB, New Delhi, will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, research, and development in microbial synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, genetic engineering, and biomanufacturing. Operating on a Design, Build, Test, and Learn (DBTL) model, the Biofoundry integrates AI, big data, computational biology, and bioinformatics. It is equipped to handle bacteria and yeast, producing products for the food, agriculture, chemical, drug, and energy sectors, with a production capacity of up to 20L scale. The Biofoundry aims to facilitate innovation, promote startups, foster entrepreneurship, advance education and training, and encourage collaboration.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, provided this information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
BioE3 Biotechnology for Economy, Environment Employment policy: A policy approved by the Union Cabinet to augment innovation-driven support to RD and entrepreneurship in 6 thematic sectors and accelerate technology development and commercialization.
International Space Station ISS: A space station where microalgal species were experimented on to study the impact of microgravity.
Department of Biotechnology: A department that supported the Biofoundry for microbial biomanufacturing.
ICGEB Biofoundry, New Delhi: A Biofoundry located in New Delhi that will catalyse scientific breakthroughs and drive economic growth.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science Technology, Minister of State Independent Charge for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of AtomicEnergy and Department of Space, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where a written reply regarding the BioE3 policy was given.
Chlorella sorokinianaI: One of the indigenous robust microalgal species that was experimented on the International Space Station ISS to study the impact of microgravity.
Synechococcus strain: A very fast-growing cyanobacteria strain experimented for their growth on two different nitrogen sources nitrate and urea in the microgravity conditions provided by the ISS.
Ministry of Science & Technology
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: BioE3 (Biotechnology for
Economy, Environment & Employment) Policy
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 3:23PM by PIB Delhi
The Union Cabinet has approved BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment) policy
in August, 2024 to augment innovation-driven support to R&D and entrepreneurship in 6 thematic sectors and
accelerate technology development and commercialization by establishing Biomanufacturing & Bio-AI hubs
and Biofoundry. The policy is enabling industrialization of biology to promote sustainable and circular
practices to address some of the critical societal issues-such as climate change mitigation, food security and
human health. The policy is also building a resilient biomanufacturing ecosystem in our nation to accelerate
cutting-edge innovations for developing bio-based products.
Three indigenous robust microalgal species namely, Chlorella sorokiniana-I, Parachlorellakessleri-I and
Dysmorphococcus globosus-HI, were experimented on the International Space Station (ISS) to study the
impact of microgravity, CO and O levels simultaneously in space and on the Earth (indoor lab). In the
2 2
second experiment, two cyanobacteria strains i.e., an Indian isolate of Spirulina, and a very fast-growing
Synechococcus strain were also experimented for their growth on two different nitrogen sources nitrate and
urea in the microgravity conditions provided by the ISS.
These microalgae have the potential to function effectively in microgravity environments and grow fast on
Earth to produce value-added products of industrial importance, while in space, capturing excess CO from
2
the ISS cabin and making vital nutrients and food supplements to support the astronauts’ lives in space. On
the other hand, the cyanobacteria experiment is expected to demonstrate the ability of cyanobacteria to recycle
both C and N and will be an important progress towards developing cyanobacteria-based biological life
support systems for futuristic space missions.
The Department of Biotechnology-supported Biofoundry for microbial biomanufacturing will serve as a hub
for interdisciplinary collaborations, research, and development in the fields of microbial synthetic biology,
metabolic engineering, genetic engineering, and biomanufacturing. The ICGEB Biofoundry will catalyse
scientific breakthroughs, drive economic growth, and address key healthcare, agriculture, and environmental
sustainability challenges by providing access to cutting-edge technology, expertise, and resources for
microbial biomanufacturing. Biofoundry will operate on the principle of Design, Build, Test and Learn
(DBTL) model.
The Design component of Biofoundry includes the use of AI, big data, computational biology, and
bioinformatics, as well as specific domain knowledge for the DNA sequence, pathway analysis, host
selection, and experimental design. The Build component of the Biofoundry includes DNA assembly,
combinatorial assembly, and organism transformation. This would be followed by the Test component, which
would include screening of the transformants, analysis of the products and optimization of the pathways.
Finally, the Learn component of Biofoundry would analyse the outcomes of the experiment and use machine
learning for further optimization of the pathway.
The Biofoundry established at ICGEB, New Delhi, will be able to handle bacteria and yeast as microbial
platforms and produce products used in food, agriculture, chemicals, drugs and energy sectors. It has a
production capacity of up to 20 L scale to achieve higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and for
convenient transfer of technology to the industries. It will facilitate innovation, promote startups, foster
entrepreneurship, advance education and training and foster collaborations.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
& Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of AtomicEnergy and Department of Space, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, in a written reply in the
Lok Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM/AV
(Release ID: 2147239)