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Herbalife, a premier health and wellness company, community and platform signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras to establish the Herbalife-IITM Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab at the campus under Herbalife’s CSR initiative. The agreement signing ceremony took place at IIT Madras in the presence of Mr. Ajay Khanna, Managing Director, Herbalife India, and Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean - Alumni & Corporate Relations, IIT Madras and other IITM representing members.
This partnership aligns with the Indian government's Bio-E3 policy, aimed at establishing India as a global hub for bio-manufacturing and advancing Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The lab will serve as a catalyst for innovation, capacity building, and industry collaboration in the wellness sector while also fostering entrepreneurship.
The Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab predominantly has 5 key focus areas, Innovative Research to handle R&D, translational research, and blue-sky projects; Sustainable Biomanufacturing to handle the scalable plant cell fermentation for herbal extracts; Technology-Driven Solutions in the silico screening for phytochemical discovery and repurposing; Conservation Efforts in the production of somatic embryos and plant materials for field cultivation of endangered medicinal species; and Ecosystem Engagement to support hackathons as well as accelerator programs to drive innovation.
Mr. Ajay Khanna, Managing Director, Herbalife India, said, “Herbalife is committed to drive innovation that contributes to sustainability. Our partnership with IIT Madras, yet again this year is an effort towards transforming the nutraceutical and wellness sectors."