Dr Lal leads the team on the research and study related to biotechnology and bioresources, which includes conceptualizing and producing an array of ready-to-use and commercially viable products that are consumer-friendly, cost-effective, and environmentally sound.
He has almost three decades of research experience in the field of microbial biotechnology and has been with TERI since 1989. Prior to this he served at the University of Rajasthan , Jaipur , India . Dr Lal's work on bioremediation of crude oil spills, treatment of oily sludge and drill cuttings (hazardous hydrocarbon waste generated by oil industries) has led to the development of Oilzapper technology for clean up. He is also working on enhanced coal bed methane production and carbon sequestration, exploitation of metagenomics for production of biodegradable plastics, biohydrogen production, detection and control of microbial induced corrosion in oil and gas pipelines, probiotics and clinical trials and development of biological production of 2, 3 butanediol from bacterial fermentation broth.
Dr Lal is a member of numerous scientific communities and has also been a member of various advisory and expert committees constituted by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
He has been a recipient of numerous awards including: All India Biotech Association award 2001 for achievement in Industrial Biotechnology; Biotech Product & Process Development for Commercialization Award 2002 by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India; Jawarharlal Nehru Memorial National Gold Medal Award 2002 for excellence in Environmental Biotechnology Research by International Greenland Society, Hyderabad, India; National Petroleum Management Programme Award 2002-2003 for Creativity and Innovation in R&D category; Burhani Foundation – NEERI Award 2002 (Innovation in Environmentally Sound Technology) for development of Oilzapper; National Bioscience Award for Career Development, 2004-05 (by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India); Finalist for World Technology Award (by the World Technology Network, USA). 2004; National Research Development Corporation Award 2005 for the invention 'Oilzapper'; Biotech Product & Process Development for Commercialization Award 2008 by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India; Tata Innovation Fellowship Award 2009-10 by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
Two Joint Venture companies namely ONGC TERI Biotech Ltd (OTBL) and Glori Oil Ltd were created for large scale application of technologies developed by Dr Lal. He is CEO and Director of OTBL and Chief Scientists in Glori Oil company based in Huston , USA .
Dr Lal has 8 patents to his credit and his work has been published in over 50 research papers in international and national journals and holds a Ph.D. in Microbial Biotechnology from the University of Rajasthan , India.
