South Africa Conference & Workshop
Protea Hotel, Wonderes, Illovo, Johannesburg 28 - 30 Janurary 2010
Presenter Biographies
DHEEPAK MAHARAJH
CURRICULUM VITAE
QUALIFICATIONS:
2008: MSc Bioprocess Engineering (Cum Laude), Stellenbosch University.
PATENTS
BOTES, Adriana Leonora, LABUSCAGNE, Michel, ROTH, Robyn, MITRA, Robin Kumar, LOTTER, Jeanette, LALLOO, Rajesh, RAMDUTH, Dheepak, ROHITLALL, Neeresh, SIMPSON, Clinton, VAN ZYL, Petrus (2007) Recombinant yeasts for synthesizing epoxide hydrolases PCT application WIPO 18990-013WO1
POSTERS
Preliminary demonstration of the efficacy of a consortium of biological agents on enhancement of water quality with potential application in the rearing of ornamental Cyprinus carpio. Dheepak Ramduth, Nodumo Zulu and Rajesh Lalloo. Presented at the 7th Annual Aquaculture Association of South Africa conference. Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 2005.
In vivo statistical evaluation of the efficacy of a biological agent on water quality in the rearing of ornamental Cyprinus carpio. Dheepak Ramduth, Nodumo Zulu and Rajesh Lalloo. Presented at the CSIR Innovation Conference, Pretoria, 2006.
Production of an enzyme cocktail for application in animal feed. D Maharajh, A. Parsoo, SL Khuzwayo and P nan Zyl. SASM conference, Bio 08, Rhodes University Grahamstown, 2008.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Beta-carotene – A long road to commercial implementation. Dusty Gardiner, Raj Lalloo, Dheepak Ramduth, Jozef Dudas, Mark Marcus (NCSA). Bio2Biz, Durban, 2008
Algal Technologies: A South African Offering. Dheepak Maharajh, Raj Lalloo and Dusty Gardiner. Algal Biofuel Summit, New Delhi, 2008
PUBLICATIONS
- R. Lalloo, S. Ramchuran, D. Ramduth, J. Gorgens and N. Gardiner (2007). Isolation and selection of Bacillus spp. as potential biological agents for enhancement of water quality in culture of ornamental fish. J.of Appl. Microbiol. 103 ( 5) 1471-1479.
- Rajesh Lalloo, Dheepak Maharajh, Dusty Gardiner and Johann Görgens. Functionality of a Bacillus cereus biological agent in response to physiological variables encountered in aquaculture. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 79 (1) 111-118
- Dheepak Maharajh, Robyn Roth, Rajesh Lalloo, Clinton Simpson, Robin Mitra, Johann Görgens and Santosh Ramchuran. Multi-copy expression and fed-batch production of Rhodotorula araucariae Epoxide Hydrolase in Yarrowia lipolytica. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 79 (2) 235-244
- Dheepak Maharajh, Rajesh Lalloo and Johann Görgens. Effect of an exponential feeding regime on the production of Rhodotorula araucariae epoxide hydrolase in Yarrowia lipolytica. Lett. Appl. Microbiol DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2008.02425.x
- Rajesh Lalloo, Dheepak Maharajh, Dusty Gardiner and Johann Görgens. Fermentation development the biological control agent, Bacillus cereus. (Submitted to AMB)
- Dheepak Maharajh, Clinton Simpson, Rajesh Lalloo and Johann Görgens. Development of downstream process for the production of Rhodotorula araucariae epoxide hydrolase as a Yarrowia lipolytica whole cell biocatalyst. (manuscript)
- PROCESS PACKAGES, TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATIONS AND PRODUCTS
- Beta Carotene production from Dunaliella salina. Process package completed and commercial plant is in operation. Complete March 2004
- Biological agents for the rearing of ornamental Cyprinus carpio. Full process package and implementation. Product, BaoBio currently sold on the International market. Complete October 2005.
- Development of a process for the production of epoxide hydrolase enzymes. A fermentation process was developed as part of a broader project funded by Innovation Fund. (CSIR Biosciences licensed to Oxyrane)
- Biological control agents for Agriculture. Full Process Package. In Completion.
- Fermentation Manufacture of Indigenous beverages. In Completion
CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INNOVATION
- Reviewer for NRF
- Advisor on DST’s national R&D strategy for Biofuels
- Lecture a module on Bioprocess development to BTech students at University of Johannesburg
- Vice Chairperson of Mapfura - Makhura Incubator ( A biodiesel incubator set up by the DTI)
PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS
- Interviewed by SABC 1 TV science program: Science Forum on Algal Biodiesel
- Interviewed by SAFM on Algal Biodiesel
NON-PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
- Dheepak Ramduth and Raj Lallo. Algae – fuel for thought. Engineering News: 27 (42): 2-8 November 2007).
- Dheepak Ramduth and Raj Lalloo. Algal biodiesel - a worthy successor of fossil fuels? Science in Africa: December 2008 edition
- Dheepak Ramduth and Raj Lalloo. Algal Biodiesel. Science Scope: 2(1): April 2007
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
2006: Awarded the CSIR Biosciences excellence award for “Outstanding achievement by a team”.
2008: Awarded the CSIR Biosciences award for “Promising Young Researcher”
2009: Awarded CSIR Biosciences award for “Graduate of the Year”
2009: Awarded the Stellenbosch University, Deprtment of Process Engineering award for the Best Masters Student for 2009. Award sponsored by CSENSE.
DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTATION
Topic
Indigenous Algae: Potential factories for biodiesel production
Brief Description
The environmental effects of burning fossil fuels and the increased crude oil prices have triggered increased interest in biofuels. Biodiesel is traditionally produced from oil seed crops, which have low yields per land area and threaten food security. Algae have been identified as an alternate feedstock for biodiesel due to high oil yields; ~ 90 times more oil per area of land in comparison to the best oil seed crop. The CSIR Biosciences Unit has commenced research in this area with the aim of implementing an algal biodiesel production technology. Lipid producing algal isolates from the United States Department of Energy - Aquatic Species Program (ASP) were obtained to benchmark technology performance. The best strains obtainable were assessed in laboratory studies, the results of which formed the basis of a techno-economic evaluation to identify key variables and parameters influencing the implementation of algal biodiesel production. The model demonstrated a feasible business case at a basic fuel selling price of ~ R7.20, with an IRR and NPV of ~ 40% and ~ R500m respectively. The model scaled a facility to supply 10% of the mandatory biodiesel inclusion as stipulated by the Department of Minerals and energy’s biofuels strategy. The model is being applied to drive key research decisions to ensure optimal deployment of resources towards a commercially relevant outcome. The model highlighted the performance of algal strains with high lipid yield and growth rate as a key parameter. This led to the commencement of a screening program to isolate indigenous algal strains capable of high levels of lipid production which would furthermore be suitable to exploit indigenous climatic advantages. Approximately 30% of South African environments favourable for isolating algae have been sampled. Samples were enriched, purified, and assessed for lipid content, resulting in a database of indigenous algae. Positive isolates were grown under laboratory conditions to assess growth rates, lipid productivity and yield against Cyclotella cryptica, which was the best strain available from ASP. The sampling to date has yielded 50 algal isolates of which 7 show favourable lipid production. The first positive isolate was presumptively characterised as Characium spp. Initial comparisons showed that Characium spp. achieved ~70% and ~110% of the lipid concentration and productivity respectively of C. cryptica, albeit in a non-production recipe. The current research indicates strong potential for development and implementation of biodiesel production using indigenous algal isolates and has attracted significant interest from government and commercial partners.
RELATED PROJECTS AND SUCCESS STORIES
Involvement in Similar Projects
The CSIR has been involved in various projects, and its too many to list here. However the projects that I have been involved in are listed in my CV
Success stories you or your company have been involved with.
I have been involved in various project of which the following have been developed and commercialized:
Beta Carotene from microalgae
Epoxide hydrolases
BaoBio (Aquaculutre biological agent)
Indigenous alcholoci beverages
The following are complete and ready for commercialization:
Feed Enzymes
Depress (Biological agent for agriculture)
Any other related endeavours particularly in South Africa in the renewable energy sector.