Rajesh Sani
Rajesh Sani
He/Him
BioWRAP Team
Meet Rajesh Sani
Professor
As a distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines, I have taught 15 different courses to undergraduate and graduate students and tried to integrate Engineering Sciences with Biological Sciences. My research expertise includes Rules of Life in Biofilms grown on 2D materials, Extremophilic Bioprocessing of Solid Wastes to Biofuels and Value-added Products, Space Biology, Genome Editing, Biocatalysis, and Biomaterials/Biopolymers, Over the past 16 years, I have acted as the PI or co-PI on over $54.8 million in funded research. I have two patents, and thirteen invention disclosures, published over 112 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact factor journals, and have contributed to 34 book chapters. I have edited 11 books for Springer International Publishing AG, Wiley, and ACS publications. I am most passionate about Extremophiles – the small – but mighty microorganisms that thrive in the planet’s harshest environments. My lab has been investing in finding, growing, and applying other extremophiles for more innovative applications such as –Psychrophiles (cold-loving) for the stabilization of civil construction buildings and Alkalohalophiles (salt/high pH-loving) and Barophiles (high pressure-loving) bugs for carbon dioxide mineralization, and Thermophiles (hot-loving) for biomaterials for agriculture and drug delivery applications.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand there are many questions you may have in regards to BioWRAP. Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions that we receive.
The long-term goal is to create a locally-sourced, customizable, spray-on biopolymer-based films to serve as soil cover that can be synchronized to crop growth cycles under differing climatic conditions and applied using precision agricultural equipment. The system would also support socioeconomic resiliency, positive bioeconomic cycles, biotechnology adoption, sustainable crop production, and soil health in EPSCoR states.
Transforming biopolymers into a local material will equitably distribute the costs and benefits of biotechnology adoption by crop producers and support rural workforce development. Creating a protective, but permeable spray-on biopolymer cover will provide physical weed suppression, enable crop producers to reduce herbicide use, protect soil ecosystem diversity, effectively manage field edges, help conserve natural resources, buffer waterways from agrochemical runoff, enhance land productivity, and increase crop production resiliency.
We hypothesize that adoption of BioWRAP technology will vary by region and producer characteristics, climate conditions, soil type, and underlying preferences will lead to differential adoption across regions and cropping systems. Our team plans to assess the potential market for BioWRAP using structured group discussions in locations where producers and purchasers/retailers to gain the most accurate assessment of the market potential of biodegradable biofilm technology.
Initial testing will include corn and soybeans. Application of the product may include autonomous spray platforms as well as field scale commercial sprayers.
