Bio Saga Blog - A Chronicle of Life Sciences & Informatics

Courtesy SCIENCE IN INDIA Richard Stone At the Indian Science Congress last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to hike R&D expenditures from around $3 billion last year to $8 billion in 2017. The windfall is meant to turbocharge initiatives to create elite research institutions, bring expatriate Indian scientists home, enrich science education, and equip smart new laboratories. Included in this push is South Asia's first biosafety level–4 lab for handling the most dangerous pathogens, slated to be up and running this spring. Over the next 5 years, an estimated $1.2 billion in public funds will be funneled to a new National Science and Engineering Research Board. Modeled after the U.S. National Science Foundation, the board is expected to fund its first competitive grants this year. Researchers will have to clear some daunting hurdles, though. In an exclusive interview with  Science , Singh explained how his government plans to “increase gradually the proportion...

DBT-Research Associateship 2011 Biotechnology & Life Sciences Applications are invited from Indian nationals for the award of "DBT-Research Associateship" 2011 for pursuing research in frontier areas of Biotechnology and applied biology.  The Associateship is tenable in Research Institution/Universities including non-profit R & D Institutions within India.  The Associateships are awarded under a program sponsored by the Department of' Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Eligibility-: The applicants should hold a Ph.D. degree in Science, Engineering or M.D. or M.S. degree in any area of medicine with research interests in Biotechnology and Life Sciences and a good academic record.  The Associateship can be availed within 3 years of the award of Ph.D./M.D./M.S. degree; however, may be relaxable in case of women (by 2 years) and in-service candidates.  Those who have already submitted the Ph.D./M.D./M.S. thesis are also e...

An account of  bioinformatics  education in India is presented   along with future prospects. Establishment of BTIS network by   Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India in the   1980s had been a systematic effort in the development of  bioinformatics   infrastructure in India to provide services to scientific community.   Advances in the field of  bioinformatics  underpinned the need   for well-trained professionals with skills in information technology   and biotechnology. As a result, programmes for capacity building   in terms of human resource development were initiated. Educational   programmes gradually evolved from the organisation of short-term   workshops to the institution of formal diploma/degree programmes.   A case study of the Master’s degree course offered at   the  Bioinformatics  Centre, University of Pune is discussed.   Currently, many universities and in...