Nilesh Kumar is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India, where his research focuses on chemo-microbial upgradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into platform chemicals with industrial scalability. His work integrates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis to develop data-driven models for optimizing PET recycling processes. The central goal of his research is to enhance PET recycling strategies by minimizing energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and production costs, while improving end-product quality to promote a sustainable circular economy. Through this approach, he aims to bridge the gap between lab-scale microbial PET upcycling and its commercialization, enabling environmentally and economically viable large-scale implementation..

He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biochemical Engineering from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, India, where he developed strong technical fundamentals and designed a continuous reactor system for industrial wastewater treatment using algae. He later obtained his Master’s degree in Bioprocess Technology from the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), India, working on the genetic engineering of a xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain for enhanced C5/C6 sugar fermentation and in silico modeling of regulatory networks for bioethanol production. In addition, Nilesh undertook a research internship at IIT Kharagpur, where he worked on “Enhanced lipid production by genetically engineered algal strains: scale-up cultivation and engineering for co-production of value-added isoprenoids.” During this project, he focused on bioprocess optimization and scale-up studies in a photobioreactor, followed by validation in a raceway pond system to improve volumetric lipid productivity and isoprenoid yield. His multidisciplinary experience has provided him with strong expertise in metabolic engineering, bioprocess optimization, and sustainable biomanufacturing.

With several publications in reputed journals, Nilesh aspires to combine advanced bioprocessing techniques with machine learning models to design efficient, scalable, and eco-friendly PET recycling systems. His long-term vision includes establishing his own research-driven enterprise, “Environmentally Rewired,” to contribute to India’s growing bioeconomy through innovative and sustainable technological solutions.