Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy: Concepts and Applications

Busi Siddhardha, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India. His research interests are microbiology, drug discovery, quorum sensing, microbial chemical ecology, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and nanobiotechnology. His academic back ground and research experience align with applied and medical microbiology. He has in-depth knowledge about the control of bacterial biofilms and antibiotic-resistant pathogens through natural biomolecules and biogenic/conjugated nanoparticles. His numerous publications are testiment to his expertise in food microbiology, infectious disease control, and novel antimicrobial therapies. He has published various papers on antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and its application on planktonic cells and biofilms. His studies include synthesis of dye/drug conjugated nanoparticles, photodynamic therapy and understanding the mechanism of action. He is published in more than 80 reputed journals, and has contributed several book chapters in books published internationally. He has been serving as editorial board member for various journals in the field of microbiology and published three books related to microbial pathogenesis, nanotechnology, model organisms and biofilms. Dr. Siddhardha has 11 years of teaching experience, and has mentored PhD scholars and postgraduate students, mainly in the research areas, bioactive secondary metabolites, the anti-infective potential of bioactive metabolites, attenuation of quorum sensing regulated virulence factors, and molecular mechanism of anti-quorum sensing and anti-biofilm activity.

Ram Prasad, Ph.D. is Associate Professor, Department of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India. His research interest includes applied and environmental microbiology, plant-microbe-interactions, sustainable agriculture, chemistry of biology, and nanobiotechnology. Dr. Prasad has more than 250 publications to his credit, including research papers, review articles and book chapters, and six patents issued or pending, as well as having edited or authored several books. Dr. Prasad has 12 years of teaching experience and has been awarded the Young Scientist Award & Prof. J.S. Datta Munshi Gold Medal by the International Society for Ecological Communications; FSAB fellowship by the Society for Applied Biotechnology; the American Cancer Society UICC International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators, USA; Outstanding Scientist Award in the field of Microbiology by Venus International Foundation; BRICPL Science Investigator Award and Research Excellence Award etc. He has been serving as editorial board member for: Nanotechnology Reviews; Green Processing and Synthesis; BMC Microbiology; BMC Biotechnology; Current Microbiology; Archives of Microbiology; Annals of Microbiology; BioMed Research International, IET Nanobiotechnology; Journal of Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology for Environmental Engineering; Journal of Renewable Material; Journal of Agriculture and Food Research; SN Applied Sciences; Agriculture amongst others, including Series editor of Nanotechnology in the Life Sciences, Springer Nature, USA. Previously, Dr. Prasad served as Assistant Professor at Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India; Visiting Assistant Professor, Whiting School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States and Research Associate Professor at School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.