Alok Kumar Patel

Cources (as teacher):

• B0007K, Organic chemistry and biochemistry
• K0024K, Sustainable process and Chemical engineering
• B7003K, Bioprocess Engineering
• B7008K, Neurochemistry

Funded & Applied Research Projects

Principal Investigator (PI)

1. Green and Sustainable Approach to Valorise High-Saline and Oily Fish Processing Effluents for Nutraceutical Production (INVENTION)
Funder: Swedish Research Council (FORMAS) | Period: 2021–2024 | Budget: 4,000,000 SEK
Development of sustainable microbial bioprocesses to convert saline and oily fish-processing effluents into high-value nutraceuticals within a circular bioeconomy framework.

2. Boosting Squalene Content in Thraustochytrids Using CRISPR–Cas9 to Replace Shark-Based Squalene
Funder: Kempe Foundations (Sweden) | Period: 2021–2024 | Budget: 630,000 SEK
Genetic and metabolic engineering of marine thraustochytrids to develop a sustainable, animal-free source of vaccine-grade squalene.

3. Plastic Waste to BioTreasure: Empowering Microbial Cell Factories with iOmics
Funder: Kempe Foundations (Sweden) | Period: 2024–2025 | Budget: 700,000 SEK
Application of iOmics-driven microbial cell factories to convert plastic waste into biofuels and value-added biochemicals.

4. Revitalizing Forest Waste into Microalgal and Bacterial Cellulose Membranes for Sustainable Food Packaging
Programme: BIO4Energy (Green Tech, Umeå) | Period: 2024–2025 | Budget: 940,068 SEK
Development of bio-based cellulose membranes from forest residues using microalgae and bacteria for sustainable packaging applications.

5. UNlocking Scandinavian Agrifood By-Products for Sustainable Tailored Multifunctional Lipids (UNIQUE)
Funder: Kempe Foundations (Sweden) | Period: 2026–2028 | Budget: 630,000 SEK
Conversion of agrifood by-products into multifunctional lipids using synthetic biology and precision fermentation.

6. Bioprecipitation of Lithium (“White Gold”) from Swedish Mining Waste Using Marine Microalgae (BRILiANT)
Funder: Luleå University of Technology (LTU) | Period: 2025 | Budget: 250,000 SEK
Biotechnological recovery of lithium from mining waste using salt-tolerant marine microalgae, linking biotechnology with critical raw-material recovery.

7. Thriving in Uncertain Times: Sustainable and Resilient Microalgae-Based Feed for SMEs (NutriFarm)
Funder: Norrlands Navet | Period: 2024–2025 | Budget: 750,000 SEK
Development of resilient microalgae-based feed solutions to support sustainability and competitiveness of SMEs in Northern Sweden.

Co-Principal Investigator / Shared Leadership (Co-PI)

8. From Air to Fuel: Transforming CO₂ into Hydrogen with Advanced Microalgae Systems (ART)
Funder: LTU Jubilee Fund | Period: 2024–2027 | Budget: 2,000,000 SEK (shared)
Advanced microalgal systems for CO₂ capture and conversion into hydrogen for climate-positive energy applications.

9. Upgrading Microbiological Biorefinery Infrastructure
Funder: LTU Labbfond | Budget: 750,000 SEK
Shared-leadership infrastructure project supporting the acquisition of bioreactors and process equipment to strengthen biorefinery capabilities at LTU.

10. Bioholistic: Integrated Bioprocesses for Holistic Chemical Recycling of Plastics
Funder: Swedish Research Council (FORMAS) | Period: 2023–2026 | Budget: 3,000,000 SEK

11. Microalgae Protein Factory: Turning Organic Waste into Bio-Functional Proteins
Funder: Kempe Foundations | Period: 2019–2021 | Budget: 630,000 SEK

12. FLEXI-GREEN FUELS: Flexible and Resilient Integrated Biofuel Processes for Renewable Jet and Shipping Fuels
Funder: EU Horizon 2020 | Period: 2021–2023 | Total Budget: 3.99 M€ (LTU share: 483 k€)

13. ECO-FORCE FUELS: Efficient Biorefinery for Competitive Production of Renewable Shipping Fuels
Funder: Swedish Energy Agency | Period: 2023–2026 | Budget: 10.9 MSEK

14. REFORM: Repurposing Forest and Mining Wastes into Functional Textiles
Funder: LTU (SUN Programme) | Budget: 250,000 SEK

15. ValorAMD: Microbial Valorisation of Acid Mine Drainage Sludge
Funder: CAMM2 | Budget: 500,000 SEK

16. BIOLIFT: Indo-Swedish Circular Solutions for Recycling of Multilayer Plastics
Funder: FORMAS | Period: 2023–2026 | Budget: 6,000,000 SEK

17. 2ndUpChance: A Second Chance for Upcycling of Microplastics
Funder: Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council) | Period: 2024–2026 | Budget: 4,000,000 SEK

18. ReSEAlience: Unlocking the Potential of Seaweeds and Halophytes through Biorefinery for Aquaculture and Agri-Food Industries
Funder: EU Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership | Period: 2025–2028 | Budget: 500,000 €

19. Towards a Blue (Forest) Economy in Norrbotten: Aquatic Biomass for Materials, Feed, and Energy
Funder: Kempe Foundations (Application) | Period: 2025–2027
Role: Co-Applicant / Senior Co-Supervisor

20. Blue Forest for Norrbotten: Valorization of Aquatic Biomass and Governance Frameworks for Sustainable Deployment (PhD Project)
Programme: LTU Research School / SUN | Period: 2025–2028
Role: Co-Applicant & Co-Supervisor

Books Published

• Nutraceutical Fatty Acids from Oleaginous Microalgae: A Human Health Perspective
  Wiley-Scrivener Publications, Scrivener Publishing LLC, USA
  ISBN: 978-1-119-63172-9 | June 2020 | 368 pages
• Renewable Energy Innovations: Biofuels, Solar, and Other Technologies
  Wiley-Scrivener Publications, Scrivener Publishing LLC, USA
  ISBN: 978-1-119-78567-5 | June 2023 | 431 pages
• Sustainable Production Innovations: Bioremediation and Other Biotechnologies
  Wiley-Scrivener Publications, Scrivener Publishing LLC, USA
  ISBN: 978-1-119-79190-4 | August 2023 | 464 pages