A Patent’s Success Story

Published on: August 22, 2023

A Patent’s Success Story – Swami Rama Himalayan University granted valuable Patent

An apparatus for spreading microbial culture on a petri dish developed by the university has been granted patent by The Patent Office, GOI.

A new invention by the Department of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University has added another feather to its cap. This invention relates to a novel method and invention of an apparatus for spreading microbial cultures on a Petri dish.

The procedure has utility in evenly spreading the microbial culture on a soft microbiological growth medium in a Petri dish without damaging the agar surface.

Traditionally, skilled laboratory technicians using a hand tool known as spreader, made up of glass, plastic, metal, or any inert material, have performed the isolation of bacteria manually. Now this newly invented hand-tool or spreader typically includes a terminal loop to make multiple streaks.

Such microbial inoculation and streaking on Petri dishes are highly repetitious and, in many pathologies or diagnostic microbiology laboratories the process is usually conducted in very high volumes, such as in volumes as high as 1,000 to 15,000 plates per day. It is a tedious and laborious work, for which reason is prone to error and inaccuracies.

Another drawback of manual method of use of spreader by different persons can significantly affect the counting of microbes, which leads to variable results. Since different persons use diverse force and techniques to spread the microbial culture using a spreader on an agar Petri dish.

Due to the use of force and pressure, a significant reduction in microbial cell count has been reported. This reduction in microbial cell occurs during spread plating due to the physical impact of the spreader on the solid microbial media, and this causes injury to microbial cells. Even bacterial spores have been reported vulnerable to injury during spread-plating due to physical impact.

Therefore, to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention will greatly help. The procedure has utility in evenly and uniformly spreading the microbial culture on a soft microbiological growth medium in the Petri dishes without damaging the agar surface in a reproducible manner.

The apparatus is made up of a tripod stand having a central vertical rod, connected to a handle. Rotation of handle moves the central rod, which in turn rotates the horizontal smooth metallic rod. This horizontal rod moves softly on the agar medium surface in the Petri dish. This evenly and uniformly spreads the diluted microbial sample. Four to five rotations are sufficient to spread the microbial culture evenly. Spreading of microbial cultures with the help of this novel apparatus does not physically harm the microbial cells, thus leading to accurate and errorless results. The use of novel apparatus also saves tedious and laborious work of a technician.

Chancellor SHRU, Dr Vijay Dhasmana stated that, “At SRHU we nurture creative thinking to discover new vistas of inventions in the quest of knowledge. The recent patent awarded to us is a utility patent based on a novel microbiology method to isolate a single microorganism. In future we will endeavor to focus on more discoveries, which will open up new frontiers for human welfare. I congratulate the researchers for their commitment and recognize their accomplishment with pride.”

“Universities are increasingly being looked as leaders in scientific research, innovation and economic development. At SRHU working for new inventions with continue to be the driving force.” – Vice Chancellor, Dr Rajendra Dobhal

“The utility patent awarded to us is based on a novel method and an apparatus used for spreading microbial cultures on a Petri dish without damaging the agar surface and microorganisms, leading to precise and reproducible results.” Dr. Vivek Kumar, Associate Professor

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International Endowed Chair Professor

Prof Rakesh Kumar

Prof Rakesh Kumar is the Founder and President of the Breast Cancer in Young Women Foundation (USA), dedicated to vaddressing the distinct issues affecting young women with breast cancer. He also serves as the International Endowed Chair Professor at the Cancer Research Institute of the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. Additionally, he holds adjunct professorships at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dr Kumar earned his Ph.D. from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in 1984 and began his research career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in January 1986. From 1988 to 2017, he held various academic and leadership positions —including faculty member, tenured professor, distinguished professor, endowed chair, department chair, and research leader—at esteemed institutions such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. From 2017 to 2022, he served as the National Chair for Cancer Research for the Government of India and as a distinguished professor, continuing his innovative work in breast cancer research.

With nearly 40 years of research and professional experience, Dr. Kumar has made conceptual contributions to the field of cancer research (h-index 108, citations >50,000). He has authored over 325 peer-reviewed publications, edited or co-edited nine books, and delivered 290 invited lectures worldwide. His work has been featured on the covers of 18 major cancer journals and has been highlighted in institutional research reports of the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

A passionate educator and mentor, Dr. Kumar has guided 67 trainees throughout his career. He serves on the editorial boards of multiple leading cancer journals and has served on the editorial boards of 21 top cancer journals. His global reputation is further demonstrated by his participation in about 100 peer-review panels for cancer research funding in the US and internationally over the past 28 years.

Dr. Kumar's innovative research has earned him numerous prestigious honors, including the Hinkle Society Faculty Award at Penn State University (1994), the Dalla/Fort Worth Living Legend Faculty Achievement Award in Basic Sciences (2004), the Ranbaxy Research Award (2006), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (2013), among others. Dr. Kumar's pioneering research continues to have a profound influence on the fields of oncology and breast cancer, opening up new opportunities for biomedical scientists and trainees worldwide.