The Tata Transformation Prize winners this year highlight advancements in science that aim to be both precise and accessible, as demonstrated by a rice plant that ‘remembers’ its past, a microbe that synthesizes chemicals, and tiny robotic technology.
Resilient Rice Varieties
Padubidri V Shivaprasad at the National Centre for Biological Sciences has dedicated over a decade to exploring the traits of Oryza sativa (subsp indica) altered during the Green Revolution. He aims to reintroduce some of the plant’s original characteristics.
The Green Revolution led to many plants losing their natural defenses as agriculture focused on maximizing grain yield. “Plants’ secondary metabolites, which provided natural defenses, are essential nutrients such as anthocyanins and flavanols,” stated Shivaprasad. These defenses are now supplemented with pesticides, while fertilizers enhance yields.
Shivaprasad’s team is investigating how rice withstands stress, the potential nutrients it can generate, and the regulatory mechanisms that influence yield. By manipulating the plant’s epigenetic memory—changes in gene expression without altering the underlying genome—the researchers are enhancing the plant’s ability to cope with environmental challenges. “We’re teaching plants to memorize favorable attributes to enhance their genetic resistance without sacrificing yield,” he explained. The ₹2 crore prize grant will facilitate collaboration with agricultural universities for further trials.
Engineering E. coli for Chemical Production
Meanwhile, Balasubramanian Gopal at the Indian Institute of Science approaches precision from a different perspective, focusing on engineering E. coli for biomanufacturing chemicals that are often imported into India. “Interestingly, in many cases, the cost of import is lower than local production,” he noted.
Gopal’s solution involves using AI-designed enzymes within engineered microbes for consistent, cost-effective local production. His team has identified optimal stress levels for the bacterium that trigger the desired enzymatic production. Using Google DeepMind to create 3D enzyme models has allowed them to significantly reduce development time for stable enzymes at scalable levels.
Gopal emphasized the environmental benefits of microbial chemical manufacturing, stating, “Traditional chemical reactions generate large volumes of effluent, requiring extensive recycling or disposal. By using biological organisms, we can cut effluent output by at least a hundredfold.” Currently, his team is building on proof-of-concept results, moving from one to five liters in production and aiming for 100 liters in a pre-commercial phase. He indicated that cost competitiveness with synthetic solutions is crucial for industry adoption.
Nanobot Technology for Targeted Drug Delivery
While Shivaprasad focuses on plant memory and Gopal on microbial engineering, Ambarish Ghosh is pioneering the next level of technology with tiny helical nanorobots designed for precise drug delivery. Operating from the Indian Institute of Science, Ghosh’s startup, Theranautilus, is rapidly producing these nanobots.
Ghosh asserts that these robots can enhance the effectiveness of cancer drugs compared to conventional methods. These ‘therapeutic submarines’ aim to deliver medication precisely to tumor sites, potentially transforming cancer treatment protocols. He argues that this targeted approach may reduce the number of necessary treatments and significantly lower costs associated with cancer care.
“Our scalability is a significant advantage. We can produce a billion nanobots in under three hours; even using one-tenth of them in therapy would be economically beneficial,” Ghosh said, describing how this accessibility could differentiate their approach and drive affordability. The technology may also be applicable to treat other diseases in the future, simplifying drug delivery processes.
Published on November 30, 2025
