New Special Cover from Pune

 7^th Indian Chitin and Chitosan Society (ICCS) meeting held at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune from October 11-13, 2018

L-R- Dr. MVBadiger, Dr. A.Vartak,Dr. MVDeshpande (Convener), Dr. AK Nangia (Director CSIR-NCL), Dr. Rajendra Prasad (Director, Amity University, Gurgaon), Col. SFH Rizvi (PMG, Pune), Mr. V. Suthakar (President, ICCS), Dr. R. Jayakumar (Secretary, ICCS), Dr. AP Giri

Cellulose, a biopolymer useful for paper production is produced from plants. While marine organisms (crabs, shrimps, etc.) as well as fungi (mushrooms) have chitin as a main structural polymer. In fact chitin is a second largest biopolymer which has lot of applications. Indian Chitin and Chitosan Society (ICCS) was founded in 2010 for the development and promotion of technologies based on chitin/chitosan  in agriculture, healthcare, environment, food science, so on and so forth. The chitosan can be used in bandages, to reduce obesity, for arthritis treatment and for drug delivery too. In agriculture it has application in crop protection while it’s use can be one of the environment-friendly approaches in pollution control (bioremediation).

The Society organizes meeting of researchers and entrepreneurs working on chitin/ chitosan and on different biopolymers, in general, every year. The 7^th ICCS meeting was held in Pune which was attended by 150 plus students, researchers and entrepreneurs. Dr. M.V.Deshpande was the Convener.  

 The Special Cover  commemorating 7^thIndian Chitin and Chitosan Society (ICCS) meeting was released at the hands of the Post Master General Pune Col SFH Rizvi at CSIR-NCL on October 11, 2018. The Director, CSIR-NCL, Professor A.K. Nangia,   Professor Rajendra Prasad, Amity University, Gurgaon, Mr. V.Suthakar, President of ICCS and Secretary, Professor R. Jayakumar  also graced the occasion.  

The cancellation features the sporulating aerial mycelium of a fungus Benjaminiella poitrasii. The organism has uniqueness for its chitosan contents which are useful for applications in health care.

:  Drs. M.V.Deshpande, Vandana Ghormade and E.K.Pathan

email : mvdeshpande1952@gmail.com