Research Focus
Thematic Areas
Six interconnected research themes addressing the full spectrum of food security challenges — from farm to fork.
Digital Villages & Precision Agriculture
Deploying LoRaWAN networks, IoT soil sensors, and AI-driven weed detection systems to transform traditional farming into data-driven, precision agriculture across Punjab's villages.
- LoRaWAN-based water meter monitoring in 5+ villages
- AI-powered weed detection using drone imagery
- Real-time soil moisture and nutrient monitoring
- Low-cost prototype development for rural deployment
- Farmer training and digital literacy programs
Key Technologies
Wastewater Rejuvenation — The Thapar Model
A pioneering microalga–bacterial biofilm system for decentralized rural wastewater rejuvenation, converting waste streams into agricultural resources.
- Microalga–bacterial biofilm reactor design
- Nutrient recovery for fertilizer production
- Low-cost, low-energy treatment solutions
- Field-tested at TIET campus and rural sites
- Published in top environmental science journals
Key Technologies
Post-Harvest Preservation & Food Processing
Developing innovative biosensors for food quality monitoring and novel food processing technologies to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food safety.
- Biocomposite biosensors for ethylene detection
- Electrospun nanofiber-based packaging materials
- Probiotic guava powder formulation (patented)
- Smart packaging with antimicrobial properties
- Supply chain monitoring solutions
Key Technologies
Livestock Health & Vaccine Development
Leveraging computational immunology and peptide engineering to develop next-generation vaccines and diagnostics for livestock diseases affecting food supply chains.
- Peptide-based vaccine candidates for FMD
- Computational immunology for antigen design
- Rapid diagnostic kits for field use
- Disease surveillance using data analytics
- Collaboration with veterinary institutions
Key Technologies
SONAR-Based Yield Estimation
Deploying drone-mounted sonar and multispectral imaging technologies for non-destructive, high-throughput crop yield prediction and field monitoring.
- Drone + sonar-based canopy analysis
- Multispectral vegetation index mapping
- Machine learning yield prediction models
- Field validation across multiple crop seasons
- Integration with precision agriculture platforms
Key Technologies
Circular Bioeconomy
Transforming agricultural waste into value-added products through biotechnological processes, creating sustainable revenue streams for farming communities.
- Agricultural waste-to-bioproduct conversion
- Functional food development from by-products
- Biochar production for soil amendment
- Life cycle assessment of bioeconomy models
- Community-level biorefinery pilot projects