Bact-O-Connect 3.0-Hybrid mode

2026

Connecting the Bacterial Cellulose Community

April 27, 2026 | IIT Hyderabad

Commemorating the Birthday of A.J. Brown

Registeration Closed

About the Conference

Recognizing the growing research interest in Bacterial Cellulose (BC) across diverse fields such as polymer science, textiles, biomaterials, cosmetics, and environmental engineering, Bact-o-Connect serves as a premier gathering for experts and enthusiasts alike.

Organized by the Cellulose and Composites Group, IIT Hyderabad.

Prof. Mudrika Khandelwal

Message from the Founder

"Welcome to Bact-O-Connect 3.0. The Cellulose and Composites Group at IIT Hyderabad is delighted to announce the third edition of Bact-O-Connect - an annual conference dedicated to fostering global dialogue and collaboration around bacterial cellulose, a remarkable and sustainable biopolymer with transformative potential across industries. This event serves as a platform for leading researchers and industry experts to share insights, discuss breakthroughs, and envision the future of bacterial cellulose in science, technology, and applications. Commemorating the birth anniversary of A.J. Brown, the discoverer of bacterial cellulose, April 27th is celebrated as a special day by our group.."

Prof. Mudrika Khandelwal

Founder, Bact-O-Connect
Cellulose and Composites Group, IIT Hyderabad

ACS Pre-Conference Webinar
Pre-Conference Event

ACS Intercations: Ideas to impact

Kickstart your Bact-O-Connect 3.0 experience by joining our exclusive pre-conference webinar, hosted in collaboration with the American Chemical Society (ACS). Dive into a discussion on lab to market journey before the main event.

Photography and Micrograph Challenge

Register for Bact-O-Connect 3.0 Photography and Micrograph challenge.

Photography and Micrograph Challenge Rules and Guidelines
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Photography Challenge

Showcase the beauty and diversity of bacterial cellulose through your lens. Capture stunning images that highlight the intricate structures and applications of BC.

🔬

Micrograph Challenge

Delve into the microscopic world of bacterial cellulose. Submit your best micrographs that reveal the fascinating details of BC's morphology and structure.

Deadline over

Supported By

Thank you to our generous partners for sponsoring Bact-O-Connect 3.0 Photography and Micrograph challenge.

Important Dates & Schedule

Bact-O-Connect 3.0: Key Milestones

Event Activity Dates
Registration for General Participation 15th Feb – 24th April, 2026
Launch of Competition 28th Feb – 19th April, 2026
Jury Decision / Final Review 27th April, 2026
Conference Day @ IIT Hyderabad 27th April, 2026

2026 Academia and Industry Speakers

Meet the visionaries leading the discourse at IIT Hyderabad

Keynote Speaker
Welcome note Speaker

Professor Mudrika

Organiser and founder Bacto-O-Connect

IIT Hyderabad

Title to be announced soon

11:00 - 11:05 AM (IST)

Ipsita Roy
Academic Talk 1

Professor Ipsita Roy

Invited Speaker

University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

Title to be announced soon

11:25 - 11:45 AM (IST)

Rangam Rajkhowa
Academic Talk 2

Dr. Rangam Rajkhowa

Invited Speaker

Deakin University, Australia

Few potential application areas bacterial cellulose as part of research at Deakin University Australia

11:45 AM - 12:05 PM (IST)

Jeroen van Rotterdam
Industry Talk 1

Jeroen van Rotterdam

Invited Speaker

CEO & Co-Founder, Foamlab, Netherlands

Title to be announced soon

12:05 - 12:25 PM (IST)

S. G. Dastager
Academic Talk 3

Professor S. G. Dastager

Invited Speaker

CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India

Bacterial Nano Cellulose (BNC) as a sustainable technological material

12:25 - 12:45 PM (IST)

Dana Kralisch
Industry Talk 2

Dr. Dana Kralisch

Invited Speaker

Pharmaceutical Scientist & co-founder JeNaCell (Evonik): Jena, Germany

JeNaCell: Revolutionizing Regenerative Medicine with Bacterial Cellulose

12:45 - 1:05 PM (IST)

Dr. Ran Zhao
Academic Talk 5

Dr. Ran Zhao

Invited Speaker

Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany

Biomanufacturing of bacterial cellulose composites from artificial symbiosis

1:05 - 1:25 PM (IST)

Parteek Mahalwar
Industry Talk 3

Dr.Parteek Mahalwar

Invited Speaker

BIOWEG, Germany

Title to be announced soon

1:25 - 1:45 PM (IST)

Hernane Da Silva Barud
Academic Talk 6

Hernane Da Silva Barud

Invited Speaker

University of Araraquara Araraquara, Brazil

Research and Innovation in Bacterial Nanocellulose-Based Materials

1:45 - 2:05 PM (IST)

closing remarks
Closing Remarks

Professor Mudrika

Organiser and founder Bacto-O-Connect

IIT Hyderabad

Title to be announced soon

2:05 - 2:10 PM (IST)

Our Legacy: Previous Speakers

Bactoconnect 2.0

Dr. Ahu Gümrah Parry

Dr. Ahu Gümrah Parry

University of Manchester

Dame Kathleen Lonsdale Research Fellow

Expert in "animate materials" and self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals to create photonic structures and sustainable bioplastics.

Dr. Valentina Guccini

Dr. Valentina Guccini

Uppsala University, Sweden

Assistant Professor

Focuses on bio-based materials for fossil-free energy applications, including lithium-ion battery separators and fuel cells.

Dr. Maribel Hernandez Guerrero

Dr. Maribel Hernandez Guerrero

UAM, Mexico

Faculty Member, Processes & Technology

Specializes in culture systems for bacterial cellulose using Kombucha consortia and sustainable food packaging solutions.

Bactoconnect 1.0

Parteek Mahalwar

Dr.Parteek Mahalwar

Founder and CEO

Bioweg, CA

Prateek founded BIOWEG (formerly Cellulosic Technologies) in 2019 with a mission to eliminate intentionally added microplastics from consumer products. Under his leadership, BIOWEG has developed a proprietary platform that uses precision fermentation to convert agricultural and food industry side-streams (like potato peels and sugar by-products) into high-purity bacterial cellulose..

Zuzana Gombosova

Zuzana Gombosova

Malai Biomaterials

Co-founder & Material Researcher

Pioneer in transforming coconut industry waste into vegan bacterial cellulose leather alternatives for the fashion industry.

Dr. Vivek Verma

Dr. Vivek Verma

IIT Kanpur

Associate Professor, MSE

Researches biodegradable composites for packaging, flexible electronics, and advanced wound care.

Deepika Gupta

Dr. Deepika Gupta

Finance Professional

FP&A Professional, CA

Expert in financial planning and unit economics, bringing a perspective on business efficiencies to the cellulose industry.

Mudrika Khandelwaal

Prof. Mudrika Khandelwal

IIT Hyderabad

Professor

Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. She is a prominent researcher s pecializing in biopolymers and sustainable materials, with a particular focus on the hierarchical organization of cellulose.

Industry Presence

Bact-O-Connect proudly hosts innovators and professionals from leading global organizations.

Represented Sectors:

Biomaterials Sustainable Textiles Advanced Packaging Healthcare & Cosmetics Polymer Science

Join Us

Secure your spot at the conference to engage with leading researchers in the field of BC.

Access Registration Form

Competition Uploads

Participating in the research competition? Please upload your posters or abstracts here.

Submission closed

Get In Touch

Have questions about Bact-O-Connect 3.0? We are here to help.

📍 Location

Cellulose and Composites Group
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad
Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana 502284

📧 Email

bactoconnect@gmail.com

× Speaker Abstract

Dr. Ran Zhao

Biomanufacturing of bacterial cellulose composites from artificial symbiosis

Bacterial cellulose (BC), produced via the fermentation of cellulose-producing bacteria, offers a sustainable and efficient route to obtain nanocellulose with high purity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility compared to wood-derived processes. However, efficiently producing BC for functional cellulose materials remains challenging, as biosynthesized cellulose forms only 2D pellicles at the air-liquid interface. 3D construction of cellulose composites formed from these pellicles require additional extraction steps and limited geometry control. To overcome these challenges, we create an artificial symbiotic relationship between cellulose-producing bacterium and green microalgae for the bulk production of BC. In this case, bacterial biosynthesis generates the nanocellulose scaffold, while the photosynthesis of microalgae enhances BC production efficiency via generating oxygen within the culture medium. Our method provides a universal platform for the biological production of sustainable cellulose-based functional materials, enabling applications in the development of engineered living materials, photobioreactors, and tissue engineering.

× Speaker Abstract

Hernane Da Silva Barud

Research and Innovation in Bacterial Nanocellulose-Based Materials

This presentation highlights the research trajectory and major contributions of the last 20 years regarding the development of Bacterial Nanocellulose (BNC)-based materials. BNC is a high-purity exopolysaccharide synthesized by specific bacterial strains and is characterized by a complex 3D network of ribbon-like nanofibers. The fundamental structure-property-application relationship is defined by its high crystallinity, substantial mechanical tensile strength, and remarkable water-holding capacity, all of which arise from dense hydrogen bonding. While its biocompatibility facilitates advanced biomedical solutions—such as tissue engineering scaffolds, wound dressings, and cell culture platforms—recent efforts have expanded its utility into new frontiers. These include photonics for flexible electronics (FOLEDs), the food industry as a functional stabilizer, and agriculture for controlled-release systems. Finally, I will discuss my experience in the translation of these BNC materials from the laboratory to the industrial market. Through the strategic creation of biotech startups, I will explore how academic prototypes are transformed into scalable products.

× Speaker Abstract

Dr. Dana Kralisch

JeNaCell: Revolutionizing Regenerative Medicine with Bacterial Cellulose

JeNaCell, a pioneering biotech company, is at the forefront of regenerative medicine, leveraging the unique properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) to develop innovative solutions for tissue engineering and wound care. BC's exceptional biocompatibility, high tensile strength, and ability to retain moisture make it an ideal material for creating scaffolds that support cell growth and tissue regeneration. JeNaCell's cutting-edge research focuses on harnessing BC's potential to create advanced wound dressings that promote faster healing and reduce scarring, as well as developing bioengineered tissues for transplantation. By combining BC with bioactive compounds and growth factors, JeNaCell aims to enhance the therapeutic outcomes of regenerative treatments, ultimately improving patient care and quality of life.

× Speaker Abstract

Professor S. G. Dastager

Bacterial Nano Cellulose (BNC) as a sustainable technological material

With increasing environmental and ecological concerns due to the use of petroleum based chemicals and products, the synthesis of fine chemicals and functional materials from natural resources are of great importance. Bacterial nanocellulose may prove to be one of the most promising green materials of modern times due to its advantages over plant cellulose, including high purity, good water absorption, strong water retention, high tensile strength, good biocompatibility and biodegradability. Based on these characteristics, BNC has been widely used in many areas such as electronics, biomedicine, food industry and energy storage. In the biomedical field, BNC is widely studied as a highly biocompatible raw material for wound healing, artificial blood vessels, and tissue engineering. We have demonstrated by using indigenously isolated bacterium different than model organisms. Further an efficient BNC synthesizing strain-using glycerol as a low- cost carbon source confirming the economic feasibility of BNC production. The structural characteristics of the BC membrane produced by glycerol were found to be more suitable for various applications and same has been demonstrated.

× Speaker Abstract

Dr. Rangam Rajkhowa

Few potential application areas bacterial cellulose as part of research at Deakin University Australia

This presentation discusses some recent work on bacterial cellulose (BC) received from Australian Biotech company Nanollose Ltd. It begins with our studies on disaggregation of dry BC in an aqueous medium, with particular emphasis on understanding the resulting fibre width and aspect ratio. The talk then covers the potential for BC across three applications. First, an overview is provided of regenerated cellulose fibres from bacterial cellulose using solution spinning systems, highlighting fibres produced using wet spinning in our lab and in industrial scale systems. It highlights relevance of BC for the fashion industry considering the challenges with the plant-based cellulose and petroleum derived fibres. The presentation then focuses on the use of BC as a stabilising agent for both oil in water and water in oil emulsions. To enable this functionality, BC was chemically modified using short chain (C6) and long chain (C12) acyl chlorides, with dried BC employed as the starting material. The degree of surface modification was systematically controlled by varying the reaction time. The impact of these modifications on emulsion performance was assessed through measurements of droplet size, stability, and rheological behaviour. Finally, the presentation highlights the potential application of these modified BC materials in aerogel fabrication discussing the advantages and challenges associated with BC.