Web – Page 4 – Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM)

Dr.Sabu Thomas

Dr.Sabu Thomas Director director.coem@kerala.gov.in Dr. Sabu Thomas has 28 years of research experience in environmental/clinical bacteriology and molecular microbiology as Faculty Scientist and Principal Investigator in Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology under the Dept. of Biotechnology, Government of India. The major research focuses are molecular biology of bacterial pathogens of gastrointestinal tract & chronic wound infections, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), biofilm and human microbiome. He has to his credit 95 research publications in national/international journals of repute, 15 book chapters, edited 3 academic books (Human Microbiome, Antimicrobial Resistance, Bacterial Biofilm) published by Springer Nature and Cambridge Scholars Publishing group, UK. Research includes strategies to control bacterial infections and AMR including biofilm inhibition, probiotic development, drug repurposing and combinatorial therapy. Another major focus is on human gut microbiome for the development of probiotics to control multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections and gut metagenome mining for human wellbeing. Dr.Thomas was a member in the Second Indian Arctic Expedition team to study Polar microbiome and bioprospecting potential of microbes in the Arctic at 79o North and contributed substantially to the Polar Science research in India. As a Member of Global Task Force of World Health Organization (WHO), was instrumental in preparing a road map to control cholera by 2030. Currently, he is a Task Force Member in Indian Council of Medical Research, Govt. of India, Kerala State Nodal Officer in intersectoral AMR research, Expert Member in Kerala Biotechnology Commission and Member of several scientific committees of the prestigious institutes and Subject Expert in selection committees, Syllabus modification of Universities/R&D Institutes. He has received the Fellow Award in Medical Biotechnology of Society for Applied Biotechnology, Fellow Award (FAS) of the Kerala Academy of Sciences and Royal Society of Biology, London. He was honoured with the Best Scientist Catholicate award in 2022. Currently Dr. Thomas is the Director of the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM), a new initiative of the Govt. of Kerala.

Research

Startup Support

Research / Web

Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM), a premier institution working in the field of microbiome, is initiated by the Govt. of Kerala under the aegis of KSCSTE. The major focus of CoEM is to create a strong knowledge base in the area of microbiome and to disseminate the knowledge for the development of products, technologies and measurable outcomes for the benefit of society.Alongside its scientific mandate, CoEM plays a catalytic role in fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem in the microbiome sector.Our vision is to support innovators, student teams, and early-stage companies in developing impactful, market-ready microbiome-based solutions. To foster the vision, Centre of Excellence in Microbiome has envisaged multiple programs that ultimately handhold aspiring innovators to accomplish their goals. MICROBIOME STARTUP SUPPORTING PROGRAM PURPOSE AND PROCESS CoEM extends structured incubation support to selected microbiome-based startups, with a focus on transforming innovative concepts into market-ready products. Startups at the Proof-of-Concept stage may apply by submitting an application as per format, outlining their profile, required support, and a basic workplan with achievable milestones in a 11-month period. To safeguard intellectual property, applicants are advised to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Applications will undergo committee evaluation, following which selected firms will be invited for a discussion. Inducted teams may start with a three-month pre-incubation program upon payment of a nominal bench fee (see payment options below). Performance during this phase will be closely monitored and evaluated by CoEM. Subsequent extension of support will be contingent on evaluation report. Startups inducted to CoEM will also benefit from industry-connect initiatives, enabling direct interaction with leading industrial partners. This provides them with valuable exposure to current industrial challenges, emerging opportunities, and sector-specific requirements in the microbiome domain, thereby aligning their product development with market relevance. WHAT WE OFFER FULL FLEDGED LAB FACILITIES IN PLUG AND PLAY MODE ADVANCED EQUIPMENT FACILITY AMBIENT CO-WORKING SPACE EXPERT SCIENTIFIC MENTORING, IF REQUIRED AUDIO-VISUALLY EQUIPPED MINI SEMINAR HALL WIFI CONNECTIVITY CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR MICROBOIME BASED STARTUPS PAYMENT PACKAGES MONTHLY RENT FOR SITTING SPACE: Rs. 2000/- PACKAGE FOR BASIC LAB FACILITY: Rs. 8000/- pm Basic lab package includes the usage* of: Microbial culture facility Basic lab equipments Minimum storage space in -20 and -80 deep freezers Seminar hall of 25 pax capacity (3 meetings per month) Scientific mentoring support** (one meeting per month) Entry cards Wifi access THREE-MONTHS PRE-INCUBATION PACKAGE: Rs. 6000/- per month. This include Rs. 2000 as sitting space rent and Rs. 4000 as basic lab package. *Shared facility; Pre-booking is mandatory ** If required and subjected to NDA ACCESS TO ADVANCED EQUIPMENTS* This includes the usage of: PCR Animal cell culture facility Phase Contrast microscope Gel documentation unit Inverted microscope Lyophiliser Multi-mode reader Anaerobic Culture Facility Support firms to utilise facilities such as Genomics, Metagenomics and advanced analysis, Proteomics, Metabolomics and advanced imaging services through outsourcing. The Microbiome Commercialisation Programme by the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome is a PhD-led translational initiative designed to support researchers in transforming microbiome-based doctoral research into commercially viable products and technologies. The programme focuses on bridging academia and entrepreneurship by providing structured mentorship, startup incubation support, networking opportunities, and exposure to intellectual property and market readiness pathways. It encourages innovative, application-driven projects across human, agricultural, environmental, aquatic, and veterinary microbiome domains with strong translational potential. Through this initiative, researchers are empowered to take their work beyond publications toward scalable, industry-relevant microbiome solutions. For more details, contact us *On payment basis; Pre-booking is mandatory; Use of advanced equipments will be supported/supervised by staff of CoEM Connect us at Ph. 8138999099 Email: coemkscste@gmail.com

Services

Training

Services / Web

As part of its commitment to human resource development, the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM) offers structured mentoring and training opportunities for students at the MSc, BSc, B.Tech, M.Phil, and M.Tech levels across diverse life science disciplines. Our Skill Development Training Programmes include dissertation work, short- and long-term project assignments, and guided initiations into lab-scale microbiome-based product development. These programmes span areas such as Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Microbiome Analysis, and allied domains. While these trainings meet the academic requirements of many postgraduate students, CoEM’s broader objective is to provide participants with meaningful exposure to scalable microbiome-based solutions for real-world challenges. Trainees benefit from hands-on sessions, expert interactions, access to research facilities, and visits to relevant industries. Programme Duration: Projects and dissertation work may range from 1 to 6 months, depending on the nature of the assignment and availability. Fee Structure: A service fee is collected from trainees to cover training and facility usage costs. The fee may be paid in full or in two instalments. Sl. No Duration of Project Fee (INR) 1 1 Month 10 000/- 2 3 Months 20 000/- 3 4 Months 25 000/- 4 5 Months 30 000/- 5 6 Months 35 000/- Application Window: Applications are accepted throughout the year. However, admission to the programme is subject to the availability of slots in the respective laboratories. Important Note: Short-term trainees typically contribute to ongoing research activities in the host laboratory. They will not be eligible for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), authorship in publications, or participation in conferences/seminars/presentations arising from the laboratory’s research outputs. Any violation of these guidelines will be dealt with strictly. For further information, please contact the Academic Affairs Department at:coemkscste@gmail.com

Services

Analytics

Services / Web

Services

Consultancy

Services / Web

As part of its industrial connectivity and translational research initiatives, the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM) has established industry-linked consultancy programmes to support microbiome-based product and process development. Interested industries can submit an Expression of Interest (EoI), which is evaluated by internal and external expert committees. Following the necessary documentation and approvals, a detailed project report and budget are prepared for mutual agreement. This initiative has generated significant interest among industries within and outside the state, with several collaborative projects currently in the pipeline.