Dr. Sonali Mohapatra recently joined the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) as part of a new grant program – Accelerate Biotechnological Innovations in Dairy (ABID) – to develop and scale up innovative technologies utilizing dairy byproducts.
In 2023, CDR was awarded a $1.2M EDA Build to Scale grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to support inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses that are developing methods to utilize dairy co-products, like permeate and acid whey, and convert them into higher value products like bioplastics, organic acids, and food ingredients. CDR is utilizing this EDA Build to Scale grant to launch the ABID grant program.
As part of the ABID grant program, CDR will provide access to its recently opened pilot plant for the development of the technologies upcycling dairy byproduct by the selected applicants. In addition to CDR’s pilot plant, the Center has installed a 400L bioreactor, which will play a key role in helping to develop and scale up the bio-fermentation technology necessary to convert dairy co-products into higher value green chemicals.
Dr. Mohapatra will play a vital role in the ABID grant program as the lead in conducting bench-, pilot-, and industrial-scale fermentation trials utilizing the new 400L bioreactor to optimize probiotic growth, metabolite production, and process reproducibility. Her work will include working with dairy and food industry clients to design and execute customized R&D projects in dairy waste stream management, yogurt, cheese, and functional dairy ingredient innovation.
Dr. Mohapatra has a Ph.D. from Biju Patnaik University of Technology (India) in biotechnology (fermentation technology-specialization). Previously, she was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she researched dairy waste utilization for production of functional food ingredients.
“I am inspired by CDR’s client-focused model, which enables me to engage directly with industry partners, understand their challenges, and co-develop innovative solutions, whether in yogurt product development, functional ingredient innovation, or dairy waste valorization,” Dr. Mohapatra said. “Above all, being a part of CDR aligns perfectly with my passion for advancing the future of dairy innovation and building sustainable processes.”
Other ABID staff members include Emily Slatter, grant administration manager; Michael Gay, development specialist; and Tom Guerin, CDR assistant director.
Learn more about Dr. Mohapatra and the new ABID grant program at https://abid.wisc.edu/.
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