Building India’s Biopharma Future: Prof. Anurag Rathore on the Vision Behind CBT Course Series 2025
Pre-event Interview Series for the 10th Annual CBT Course Series 2025
Host: Virender Singh, Founder of BioPatrika
Guest: Prof. Anurag Rathore, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi; Coordinator, Center of Excellence for Biopharmaceutical Technology (COE-CBT)
YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/SRNa9fOmS7c
About the CBT Course Series 2025
The Center of Excellence for Biopharmaceutical Technology (COE-CBT) is organizing its annual training event — the 10th Annual CBT Course Series 2025, taking place from 8th–10th December 2025 at IIT Delhi.
This flagship program brings together experts from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies, creating a platform to explore the latest advances in bioprocessing, biologics manufacturing, and regulatory science.
✨ Secure your spot now — 10% off till 15th Nov 2025!
📄 Brochure: CBT Brochure 2025
Attendees from industry and academia are welcome to participate.
Interview with Prof. Anurag Rathore, IIT Delhi
About the Guest:
Prof. Anurag Rathore is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Delhi and Coordinator of the Center of Excellence for Biopharmaceutical Technology (COE-CBT).
A chemical engineer by training, he completed his undergraduate studies at IIT Delhi and his Master’s and Ph.D. at Yale University (USA). Before joining IIT Delhi, he worked at Pfizer and Amgen in the U.S. His research and leadership at COE-CBT have played a pivotal role in advancing India’s capabilities in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, regulatory science, and technology innovation.
YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/SRNa9fOmS7c
Virender Singh: What inspired you to start the CBT Course Series, and what aspects of this year’s event are you most looking forward to?
Prof. Anurag Rathore: After I came to IIT Delhi from industry, I noticed there weren’t many courses in the areas we wanted to address through this series. While India has excellent colleges and bright students, most education focuses on fundamentals. Students might be great biochemists, chemical engineers, or microbiologists, but they often lack exposure to topics like data analytics, process validation, scale-up, or GMP manufacturing.
The idea was to create something relevant to both students and industry — a platform where people could learn about current best practices in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, which is a constantly evolving field. Practices and technologies change rapidly, and there was a clear need to bridge that gap.
Virender Singh: The CBT Course brings together academia, industry, and regulators. What unique perspective are you contributing this year?
Prof. Anurag Rathore: Each year, we carefully decide which modules to include based on relevance. Over time, most participants have come from industry, so I try to think from their perspective — what skills their teams would want to learn.
We also train about 50 people from the CDSCO each year, which is a significant part of our audience. For 2025, we’ve introduced courses on data analytics, as AI/ML is increasingly influencing biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Another important addition is TechOps, focusing on operations and challenges faced in large-scale commercial manufacturing. Many Indian companies now have their own manufacturing facilities and aspire to become global players, so this is timely.
We’ve also introduced a course on new modalities such as ADCs, VLPs, and CAR-T therapies, which are rapidly growing areas of interest.
Virender Singh: How does the CBT Course help bridge scientific research with industrial biopharma applications?
Prof. Anurag Rathore: If you look at our speakers, about half come from academia. However, we don’t focus on basic sciences — instead, we highlight new technologies from academia that are mature enough for real-world implementation.
The focus is on presenting innovations that are ready to be adopted by industry today, not those that are still a decade away from application. This approach ensures the program remains relevant and directly supports academia–industry collaboration.
Virender Singh: This year’s theme includes Biopharma 4.0, Advanced Manufacturing, and Regulatory Frameworks. Why are these topics particularly relevant for India’s biopharma sector?
Prof. Anurag Rathore: One of the key regulatory updates is the revised guidelines for similar biologics, which include major changes. We plan to have experts from CDSCO present these updates.
On the manufacturing front, India has many companies with manufacturing facilities, but traditionally, our advantage has been low-cost labor. That model is not sustainable forever — salaries rise, and other countries eventually offer cheaper labor.
To stay competitive, Indian companies must invest in technology and efficiency. Leveraging low-cost labor is fine, but combining it with technological advancement is the key to long-term success. That’s why we chose this year’s focus on Biopharma 4.0 — it’s about using technology to make manufacturing smarter and more efficient.
Virender Singh: What message would you like to share with young professionals and researchers attending CBT 2025?
Prof. Anurag Rathore: As a host, my goal is that participants not only learn but also enjoy their time at IIT Delhi.
My advice to young professionals is simple — keep investing in yourself. You may be bright and talented, but that alone isn’t enough for a long career. The industry evolves quickly, so continuous learning and upskilling are essential.
Whether you do it at CBT or elsewhere doesn’t matter — what matters is that you stay curious, keep improving, and remain open to learning new things.”
Closing Note
Thank you, Prof. Anurag Rathore, for sharing your insights and for leading this transformative initiative that continues to bridge India’s academic, industrial, and regulatory ecosystems. The CBT Course Series 2025 promises to be an inspiring and impactful event for all participants.
📅 Event Dates: December 8–10, 2025
📍 Venue: IIT Delhi
✨ Register now and get 10% off till 15th November 2025!
🔗 CBT Brochure 2025
Also check: CBT Course 2025 – Expert Insights: Dr. Narendra Chirmule
