Biotecnika Times - Newspaper dated 20th November 2018 by BioTecNika

November 20th, 2018.

Vol. 02

NO 53

www.biotecnika.org

Call:1800-200-3757

Revised Guidelines For Prime Minister Research Fellowship May 2019

Biozentrum PhD Fellowships Program 2018 Winter Call @ University of Basel

PhD Admissions Biological Sciences 2018-2019 @ BITS Pilani, Goa & Hyderabad

Scholarship

Admissions

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* GOVERNMENT OF INDIA * DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY * MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY * TATA INNOVATION FELLOWSHIP: 2018-19 By Diluxi Arya

Applications are invited for “Tata Innovation Fellowship”, an Extremely competitive scheme instituted by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. Of India to recognize and reward scientists with an outstanding track record in biological sciences to find innovative solutions to significant problems in health care, agriculture and other areas related to life sciences and biotechnology. OBJECTIVE: The scheme is directed at rewarding interdisciplinary work where significant emphasis is on innovation and translational research with a potential towards commercialization...

Category

Fees

General Candidates

Rs 500

Other Backward Classes (OBC)

Rs 250

SC/ST/PWD/Woman Candidates

Rs 125

•

only in CSIR-UGC (NET) examination shouldn’t apply. Admission to CDFD–Research Scholars program is based on a 2-tier system involving a written / LAN based examination followed by interview of applicants that have qualified the written / LAN based exam. Only those candidates will be permitted to appear for the CDFD RSP-II-2018 examination and interview that produce proof of having cleared the CSIR/UGC/DBT/ ICMR/INSPIRE NET/UGC-RGNF (or even equivalent)/ or JEST for JRF or possess qualified BINC examination conducted by the DBT with fellowship. For questions concerning the mode of examination, syllabus, etc. click on FAQs

No individual intimation letter would be sent. Eligible candidates will be called for Computer based LAN examination on 21.01.2019. People who qualify the LAN based exam will be interviewed on 22.01.2019. No TA/DA is going to be compensated. Director, CDFD reserves the right to accept / reject any or all applications without assigning any reasons whatsoever. NOTE: CDFD’s Research Scholars Program is a totally residential program. The chosen candidates will need to stay on campus. Deadline: 17.12.2018

SCHOLARSHIPS

November 20th, 2018 Vol. 02 NO 53

Biozentrum PhD Fellowships Program 2018 Winter Call @ University of Basel The Biozentrum encourages talented, ambitious and highly motivated young scientists from all over the world to apply for the prestigious and sought-after fellowships offered by the Biozentrum Basel International PhD Program.

EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS FROM THE WORLD OVER ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS “FELLOWSHIPS FOR EXCELLENCE” PROGRAM. INTERESTED CANDIDATES CAN CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE SAME BELOW: By Diluxi Arya

In contrast to many other PhD student programs that aim at a broad recruitment of many candidates, the “Biozentrum PhD Fellowships” are awarded on a competitive basis to a maximum of 10 successful candidates per open call. Recipients are offered a unique rotation-based selection of a research group of choice and a number of other incentives that foster the scientific excellence and the career prospects of these PhD candidates. We offer prestigious and independent fellowships that provide a unique rotation-based selection of research groups. Research and training in the Biozentrum span scales from atom to organism in the areas of: •

COMPUTATIONAL & SYSTEMS BIOLOGY • GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT • INFECTION BIOLOGY • NEUROBIOLOGY • STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY & BIOPHYSICS Application and Selection Procedure: The prestigious PhD fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis. Shortlisted candidates are invited to the Biozentrum for a week of interviews with group leaders and other opportunities to interact and get to know the Biozentrum. Conditions: You must either already hold or expect to soon receive a university degree that qualifies you for a PhD program at the University of Basel (MSc, Diploma, etc.). In exceptional cases, outstanding students with a BSc degree (eg. USA, Canada, Singapore) are also eligible to apply to the fellowships’ program; they, however, will have to pass additional courses at the Biozentrum after acceptance. If you have already enrolled at the Biozentrum or plan to start your PhD thesis before September 1, or respectively March 1, of the same year as the open call, you are no longer eligible to apply.

Application: Summer calls start on January 30, winter calls on September 1. Please submit your application online. Your application must include: • • •

electronic copies of your diploma/MSc degree with grades and transcripts as pdf files CV or scientific résumé (maximum one page, pdf format) names and contact information of 2 referees from your previous academic environment (usually faculty members) The referees will be contacted automatically and will be asked for an online evaluation as well as a reference letter.

You will get further information about the application procedure as soon as you have submitted your application. Selection procedure: After the closing date for the open call, applications will be evaluated by all group leaders of the Biozentrum. Based on the feedback from their peers, the Program Committee will shortlist 20-30 candidates who will be invited to the Biozentrum for an interview week (travel and accommodation provided by the fellowship program). To organize your individual interviews and lab visits during the interview week, you will be asked to indicate 8 to 10 group leaders. You will also present your research in a 10-minute pres-

Important Dates for the next calls

Summer Call

Winter Call

Start of online applications:

January 30

September 1

Closing date for applications:

June 20

December 15

Notification of shortlisted candidates:

beginning of July

mid January

Interview days:

mid August

February 11 – 15

Decision of acceptance:

end of August

March

Possible start of rotations/ thesis:

1.9.2018-1.3.2019

1.3.2019-1.9.2019

entation and 10-minute question and answer seminar to the Program Committee and other interested group leaders. A chaperone – a PhD from the fellowships − will be your personal guide during these days, tell you about being a PhD at the Biozentrum and be happy to answer your questions. Two dinners with group leaders and the chaperones, an informal meeting with the PhD Club and a cultural visit to Basel will give you a good insight into Basel and the Biozentrum. At the end of the interview week, you will be informed about who will receive fellowship offers. We expect your acceptance or declination of the fellowship by September, or March respectively. You can then start your PhD in the following six months.

Committee: The committee is made up of one representative from each Focal Area. Prof. Christoph Handschin (Head of Program) Growth & Development Prof. Marek Basler, Infection Biology Prof. Fiona Doetsch, Neurobiology Prof. Timm Maier, Structural Biology & Biophysics Prof. Erik van Nimwegen, Computational & Systems Biology The application is open until December 15th, 2018.

CAREER ADVICE

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Top 10 Survival Strategies for Freshers in Biotech Sector Biotechnology is one of the booming sectors today, however, we find a lot of qualified students facing difficulty in establishing their careers in this field. In order to curb the situation, we need to understand what the industry desires and what sustains a human resource in their career. your mind might be brimming with ideas and inspirations. Set aside 6 months or a year in planning the same, gather the capital and begin your own venture. It may be as simple as cultivating edible mushrooms in your backyard and selling them for a living !! Being an entrepreneur is satisfying as you are able to pursue your passion as well as are able to generate employment for other freshers along with you. In case you are unable to do the task alone, try to go in for partnerships among your friend circle. Your friend circles will have definitely have like-minded people and they will help you gather more ideas from various inputs suggested by them. The trick in entrepreneurship is to BEGIN !! Build a strong network

FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS PURSUING SCIENCE, THE GOAL USUALLY IS TO BECOME A DOCTOR OR AN ENGINEER BUT VERY FEW MINDS ARE FOCUSSED RIGHT FROM THE START TOWARDS PARASCIENCE OR TECHNOLOGY. By Rashmi Sanyal

Biotechnology is a field that allows human intervention in creating novel technologies and products to aid humankind. To sustain in any field, one requires to have patience. As soon as you take up a career, you will find a lot of rejections, hard choices to make or below satisfactory response. The trick is to be patient and observant. As soon as the right opportunity creeps in, one must jump at it with full effort. One must remain vigilant at all times and continuously analyze the market trends, so as to reap maximum benefit at the right time. Here are some tips that will help you survive the first few difficult years in the field of Biotechnology. Make the right decision As a fresher in the Biotech sector, the initial struggle remains confined to the decision of Top 10 Survival Strategies for Freshers in Biotech Sectorpursuing research, education or industrial exposure. Once this phase is crossed one must search for the right opportunity by doing a lot of background research into their field of interest. For example, a lot of freshers lose out on time, energy and interest amidst changing fields and careers. If one is focussed from the start, it is easier to chalk out a career and struggle towards achieving their passion, their dream. For instance, if one decides to pursue the industrial field, one must chase the multinational companies like Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oreal, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche etc or indigenous companies like Reliance, Tata Research, Biocon etc. This will help build a stable and strong profile. If they wish to stay in the educa-

tion line, best to start preparing early and complete a Ph.D degree while at it. Look for opportunities in reputed institutes and universities and start preparing for the interviews straight away. Constant skill development The second important task is to continuously upgrade your knowledge and skills. For example, if you wish to remain in research, it is expected that you must learn novel methods that can help hasten your project completion. It is also important to read a lot of scientific work and keep yourself updated with the latest ongoings and current findings. Scientists would prefer associating with those students who can bring novel ideas to the forum and suggest efficient, accurate and faster methods of experiments. Techniques like CRISPR, NGS, DNA Fingerprinting, HPLC are in great demands in various institutes and companies. There are a lot of courses available in our country that can train a student on using these techniques efficiently. When caught in a race with multiple candidates, the one knowing the most relevant skills will definitely be preferred over the others. A lot of companies also prefer linguistic abilities, since our industry may require a lot of article writing to be done or multinational companies may require to send their employees across the globe. In these scenarios being fluent in multiple languages or having a good hold over certain desired languages will prove to be an asset. You must also train yourself in scientific writing, since publishing your research in renowned journals indicates that both the technique used and the language must be novel and of a high standard. Defend your work in an interview Third, you must be completely confident and aware of whatever task, project or skill you claim to know. Since given an opportunity you must be able to defend your work in an interview or group discussion. This proves your integrity and confidence along

with your skill. Nobody is a better judge of your work other than yourself. If you are able to prove this to the interview panel (in a polite manner), you will surely be worthy of their praise. When a student falters in answering questions pertaining to his/her own claimed work, it raises suspicion on their credibility. Hence, be very thorough about everything you claim to know. However, it is wise to remember that not everyone may know everything and it is not wrong to accept if you are unable to answer any question. The trick is to show your eagerness to learn. One important point to note in this regard is that you must never misrepresent your qualifications. A lot of companies may select you by your claims in the CV, but in the long run, you may get caught in the background check or interview, and that will be a huge setback for your career. One must be true to their own self and their workplace. Follow your passion for selecting the field of interest Fourth, never undermine any career choice. For example, if you wish to teach but feel that the education field does not supplement well monetarily, you will be at loss. Find a way that helps you stay associated with the field and earn well at the same time. It requires research into the avenue. A lot of government colleges offer entrance examination linked permanent appointments with a regular pay increase that has a respectable amount to offer. Try choosing them. It is often said that you may be paid better in a job that you are not satisfied in doing and may be paid less in a job of your choice. But the effort that you will have to put in the former will be much higher than the one where you will work out of your will and interest.

Sixth, to survive in the industry, networking is very essential. Employers and Institutes rely on credibility. Your skills and abilities can be proved when there are people to refer you. An experienced individual will have a reference from his past employers, however, for a fresher, the reference begins from his educational institutes itself. It is important for you to at least have 3 referees while preparing your curriculum vitae. Your behavior and skills must make people remember you wherever you go. Hence, always try to do your best in any institute that you associate yourself with. In the future, they will help you in building your career. A lot of times maintaining contact with your peers may help you get exposed to new opportunities in your fields. You will be able to see the career changes that your colleagues are making and the impact that it is having. This will help you analyze your prospects first hand. In certain cases, you may also collaborate with your friends and complete short courses or projects which can help both of you grow. You can also have publications in collaboration with your contact. The key is to be of help, to get help in return. Upgrade your CV to fit the right career Seventh most important thing is to highlight the right kind of details in your profile. For example, while approaching an educational institute do not focus on your management skills, try to focus more on your knowledgeability, example a paper publication written byyou, or classes that you may have conducted during your education, or any teaching ability related degree etc. Even some institutes prefer the educator to be strong in extra-curricular activities as well !! Showcase the certificates that you may have for dance, drama or art. If there is a specific field or institute that you would want to associate with, begin

Innovate and be an entrepreneur Fifth, never be afraid to try establishing an idea of your own. Fresh out of college,

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CAREER ADVICE

November 20th, 2018 Vol. 02 NO 53

designing your CV accordingly by getting trained in their required skills. Complete certifications as early as possible. Highlight them in a positive manner. However, do remember, a good CV is quite informative in the least amount of words used. Try not to write pages altogether, the content might not even be read !! Hands-on skills and Internships Eighth, it is always good to begin with internships in organizations. In the Biotech sector, a lot of preference is given to people with hands-on skills and abilities. To gather the same, begin internship programs during your college days itself. You may also participate in summer internship programs during your session break. This allows you to build network and skills. Some internships are offered along with a stipend. Remember to collect the certificates to prove your association !! For example, Biotech Consortium India Limited offers a Biotech Industrial Training Programme (BITP) which has an inter-

view through which the selected candidates are offered a paid training program to train the students with industry based skills. The stipend is Rs 10,000/- offered for 6 months. Once the students qualify through this period, they become ready to acquire permanent positions in the company if selected. Increase awareness Usually, freshers have very little guidance, to begin with. As and when they begin their struggle period, they get acquainted with various companies, profiles, institutes, programs etc. One usually skims through the most sought-after jobs/companies, but very few broaden their horizons. The more names you learn, the more avenues you have open for yourself. Example there are over 900 pharma companies in India, however, we can name hardly 20. That is how people miss out on opportunities. A company grows with the right kind of talent that can be fulfilled by a lot of individuals who get disheartened by their first few rejections. The trick is to remain aware

and keep eyes open and fixed onto each and every website/avenues possible. This will allow you to keep track of multiple interviews happening across the country. Choose the correct City If you would have been in the finance industry, cities like Mumbai, Gurgaon etc would have been perfect to settle in. One must choose their career location in the region where it has the highest demand and is able to generate maximum employment. For example, R&Ds dominate the South and Western India, pharmaceuticals dominate the Eastern India etc. Choose cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and you will find it easy to grow your career as there are a wide range of opportunities in the Biotech field offered by the cities. You must select the work profile that you wish to serve in and then keep a track of the companies that offer such positions. For example, if you wish to be working on small molecule development, try to approach companies like Biocon, Dr. Reddy’s Lab,

Wockhardt, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited. In case you are willing, you may also look for opportunities abroad. United States, Germany, Australia offer a lot of research opportunities in the fields of Pharmaceutical, Bio-IT etc. Biotechnology is of great demand in any country and state, since every human depends on it for their development. Career choice is an individual’s own decision. In every path that we choose, there will be rises and rejections. The key is to remain patient and vigilant. As a fresher, do not restrict yourself to opportunities. Try approaching as many companies and institutes as possible, sit for as many interviews as you can. They will help groom you and make you a stronger candidate for your future attempts. There are a lot of opportunities in Biotech, the only trouble is we do not know where and how to look for them !!

Frequently Asked Technical Questions During Biotech PhD Interviews Cleared the Biotech PhD Entrance Exam? Hold On it’s not over yet! Once you clear the PhD Interview you are through the finish line. PhD Interviews are very crucial. may sediment on cooling. Other biochemical tests can differentiate the three along with electrophoretic techniques. !! Question 4: Name one GPCR ligand which is neither a protein nor a lipid nor a sugar? Answer: Light is a GPCR ligand and is neither of the above. The receptor is Rhodopsin and is the reason we can visualize an image in dim light. Rhodopsin, a visual pigment found in the rod photoreceptor cells of the retina, is responsible for converting photons into chemical signals that stimulate biological processes in the nervous systems of humans and other vertebrate animals, allowing them to sense light !! Question 5: If DNA is the key source of everything, why do we need to spend time and energy in preparing RNA?

IT IS ONE OF THE VITAL STEPS AFTER CLEARING COMPETITIVE PHD ENTRANCE EXAMS IS THE SELECTION OF A PROPER GUIDE AND PROJECT. By Rashmi Sanyal

The selection process is usually bi-directional, where first a panelist would select a candidate and then the candidate would select their guide/project based on interest. During the interview, the panelist would generally look for logical reasoning ability of the candidate along with their subject knowledge. The candidate may face questions that seem very difficult but are very simple when thought upon. The trick is to stay calm. Few examples of Frequently Asked Technical Questions During Biotech

PhD Interviews have been listed below; Question 1: How can you differentiate between a cancer cell line and a normal cell line by just looking at it? Answer: A transformed cell can be differentiated from a non-transformed cell by looking at a cell culture. If the cells form colonies, piling up on one another, it indicates loss of contact inhibition. This is a characteristic of transformed tumor producing cells. If the growth appears normal, they are mostly normal cell cultures. Now, tumor-forming ability can be seen by this method but whether they are benign or malignant needs to be checked by various cytological or genetic tests. Question 2: If you have a drawer full of black and white socks, in how many chances will you be able to select a correct pair, by pulling out one sock at a time?

Answer: This is a probability type question, however, has a very simple and logical solution to it. This shows the interviewer your ability to think quickly and analyze logically. It will take a maximum on 3 chances. You will pull either a black/white sock at the first chance. You may pull out the same color in the next chance. Even if you do not, by the third chance you will have a pair of either black or white socks at hand !! Question 3: If you have three samples with DNA, RNA, and protein, what is the easiest way to differentiate between them and identify? Answer: The easiest way to differentiate the solution is to do a spectrometry test. The three have different absorption properties. Another way is to look at the solution tubes. Protein solution will give froth on shaking. DNA solution appears whitish with strands and spools. RNA solution is transparent and

Answer: At a high-stress period like an interview, a candidate may easily forget simple questions like this. This allows the interviewer to judge your basic knowledge and confidence level. RNA allows the formation of proteins only transiently. It balances the requirement. If RNA was not produced DNA would always produce proteins and keep all cellular processes on. RNA also allows different types of splice variant proteins to form from one DNA (gene). In some cases, RNA may also work as inhibitors of production processes !! Ideally the DNA in a neuron and the DNA in a macrophage is identical, however, their structure and function differ. This is attributed to the fact that we have RNA.

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Question 6: Do bacteria survive in blood? Answer: This is a very basic question which we may fail to ponder upon and hence can be asked in the interview. Bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the blood. Bacteria may spread through the bloodstream, however, blood is normally sterile. Presence of bacteria in the blood can only be caused by severe infection or tissue harm. They are quickly removed by the body’s immune system. It can be treated with antibiotics. Question 7: When an antibiotic medicine that dissolves in the mouth is consumed, how does it remove infection? Answer: There are four basic stages of a medicine’s life in the body: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. This process may be abbreviated as ADME. Usually, an antibiotic releases the drug either on dilution in the mouth or stomach. Once the drug component is released it gets absorbed in the tissues and enters the organ system through which they enter the bloodstream.

November 20th, 2018 Vol. 02 NO 53

Usually the medicine is carried through the bloodstream throughout the body. Side effects usually occur when a drug has effect on an organ other than the target organ. Antibiotics may combat the bacterial infection by either inhibiting their DNA replication, cell wall formation etc. This slows down the infection and eventually kills the bacteria.

These questions judge both the subject knowledge and the analytical capability of a student. They are merely examples to help you understand the level or type of questions that one may face. However, questions from one’s project/work may be asked as well. It is important to convey your interest to the panelists for them to judge better.

berry, raspberry and many wild and cultivated rosaceous ornamentals. In animals: Vibrio cholerae– Cholera—is a waterborne pathogen. Yersinia pestis – Plague

Question 8: If there is a linear DNA that has 3 RE sites, 2 bp, 100 bp, 4500 bp apart from the start site, how many bands will you get on digesting this fragment.

Question 9: Name some plant and animal disease-causing gram-negative pathogens?

Answer: Standard deviation(SD)- measures the amount of variability or dispersion for each data in the sample from the mean. It gives us an information about how much is the distance between each data in the sample from the mean. The standard error of the mean(SEM)Measures how far the sample mean of the data is likely to be from the true population mean. The difference between sample mean and that of a population mean. More the sample error it is more likely that the sample is not a good representation of the population. The SEM will be smaller than the SD.

Answer: This is a practical based question, and the answer proves that you have worked with blotting techniques. Assuming that there is no overlapping fragment size (since the last length till endpoint has not been mentioned) there should ideally be 4 fragments in this linear DNA. But if we look at the western blot markers we will find ladders usually up to 100 bp or maximum till 50 bp. This is because fragments below this length are usually not obtained in the blot – it runs outside the gel.

Answer: In Plants, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae a Gram‐negative bacterium is of rod shape and produces a yellow soluble pigment, called xanthomonadin which is an extracellular polysaccharide (EPS). EPS sheaths the bacteria from desiccating and for the attenuation of wind‐ and rain‐borne dispersal. This bacteria infects rice at multiple locations like a leaf through hydathodes at the leaf tip, broken trichomes, leaf margins and wounds in the leaves or roots, multiplies in the intercellular spaces and enters into xylem vessels. Erwinia amylovora causes fire blight disease of apple, pear, quince, black-

Question 10: What is standard error and how is it different from standard deviation?

PhD Admissions at IISC Bangalore – Frequently Asked Questions The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is located in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state of India and was established in 1909. (No Objection Certificate)? Those who are registering under PhD External Registration programme (ERP)- have to submit the NOC from the institution where they have committed academically. The PhD ERP on the Institute affords possibilities to (a) individuals employed in Research & Development Sector (Institutions and or Industries) (b) Young teachers of all Engineering colleges/Universities including Agricultural, Pharmaceutical, Veterinary, Medical schools,/Universities recognized by suitable authorities organizations to pursue studies ranges in technology / Engineering. What subjects will I be tested in the PhD Entrance Exam and what will be the difficulty level?

THE INSTITUTE WHICH BEGAN WITH ONLY TWO DEPARTMENTS – CHEMISTRY AND ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY By Preety Suman

Today has more than 40 offices spread across over six primary divisions: (i) Biological Sciences, (ii) Chemical Sciences, (iii) Electrical Sciences, (iv) Interdisciplinary Research, (v) Mechanical Sciences, and (vi) Physical and Mathematical Sciences. It additionally has a brand new campus at Challekere in Chitradurga district in Karnataka. The institution has an undergraduate program, masters and PhD programs. Final Year students of graduation will carry out their own research-oriented projects for a period of six months that add credits to

the grade point. In connection with PhD programs, research scholars make up more than 70% for the whole student body at IIS. IISc Biological Sciences Research wing is comprised of : • • • • • • • •

Biochemistry (BC) Central Animal Facility (CAF) Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR) Centre for Neuroscience (CNS) Microbiology and Cell Biology (MCB) Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU) Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics (MRDG)

There are also individual centers for brain research, genomics; scientific and industrial consultancy, and sponsored schemes and projects. The research programmes further divided into

(i) Research programme – Doctoral (PhD) and Master’s (M Tech) (ii) Integrated Ph D programme in Biological, Chemical, Mathematical and Physical Sciences disciplines. (iii) PhD External Registration programme (ERP) The program comprises of adaptable coursework, a temporary job composed of lab preparing (helps in unravelling the possibility to secure fundamental trials and recognition with cutting-edge systems for research), an exploration task to show the fulfillment of a high level of logical capacity pursued by innovative look into prompting a Ph D theory on a particular point. Candidates seeking admission to the Ph.D. Program in the Indian Institute of Sciences shall have to satisfy certain eligibility criteria as discussed below: Who all are expected to submit a NOC

IISc is conducting an entrance test for Integrated PhD Programme-called Joint Admission Test (JAM) -for Lifesciences either Biotechnology (BT) or Biological Sciences (BL) have to be selected. The difficulty level of the entrance test is actually based on the syllabi: • •

Biological Science – BL Syllabus Biotech – BT Syllabus

Importance of IIT JAM For B.sc Biotech, B.tech Biotech Candidates Questions are as similar GATE pattern and fundamental concept understanding is the basic requirement in terms of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biochemistry, Microbiology, cell biology, and Immunology. For each test paper in JAM, an All India Rank (AIR) will be allocated to all the appeared students dependent on the score.

CAREER ADVICE

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For each test paper, an All India Merit candidates list will be prepared and published. This is based on two criteria (i) no of seats (ii) Score to prepare the merit candidate list in each community class. These competitors (from this time forward called Qualified Candidates) are qualified to apply for admission to any of the comparing scholarly projects accessible at IISc. For Regular research programmes candidates will be shortlisted based on their academic performance including the qualifying examinations like GATE/ CSIR-UGC NET for JRF/UGC NET for JRF/ DBT JRF/ICMR JRF/ JEST/ NBHM or any other National Entrance Test (if qualified). The shortlisted eligible candidates will be called for an interview and the final selection is based on the performance of the candidate in the interview. I have completed M. Phil. Will I be exempted from the Entrance Test? No Only those who are qualified in exams like GATE/ CSIR-UGC NET for JRF/UGC NET for JRF/ DBT JRF/ICMR JRF/ JAM/ JEST/ NBHM or any other National Entrance Test will be eligible to apply for PhD programme in IISc. How is a research topic decided? Applicants have to choose their preliminary research area based on the research interest or final year dissertation work according to the departments and centers in IISc and that options vary according to the research programme selected. (i) Research programmes are allowed to indicate preferences for a maximum of 3 departments/ centers/units in one application. For example, if your research interest lies on Heat Shock proteins you can choose departments Microbiology and Cell Biology (MCB) and Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics (MRDG) and Genomics center. (ii) PhD (Integrated) programmes are allowed to indicate preferences for a maximum of 2 disciplines. (iii) External Registration programmes have only one option. Hostel facility is Provided? Yes, Hostel facility is available, once you submit the application for PhD programme, have to apply separately for hostel accommodation as mentioned below. You should remember the Hostel application number or academic application number in order to continue or to make payment for previously filled application data. Remember to keep the following items handy before starting to fill the application: a. Academic application number (to continue application and make payment) b. Hostel application number (to continue application and make payment) c. An electronic copy of your photograph in .jpg format d. Challan number and payment detail. Online application for HOSTEL ACCOM-

MODATION at IISc may be an easy method. Confirmation of acceptance of the appliance is informed on-line when receiving payment acknowledgment from the bank. What is the procedure of deciding a Guide or a Co-Guide? Following criteria is pertinent for Full Time /Integrated PhD and IISc research supervisor for ERP research programmes. The allocation of each student is based on the following conditions : a) The research inclination and the preferred topic in IISC b) The requirement of the department to maintain the equal dispersion of students among Research Supervisors c) Students choose the topic of research based on the guidance of the research supervisor. Research Supervisors for ERP Research Program: The selected students work under the supervision of no less than one research director from the Institute and one from the supporting association. How many Guides One can work with if Selected? A student can work with only one guide during his tenure. I need to approach the potential supervisor myself? Yes, you can approach the supervisor before submitting the official application for IISc. According to the research interests, you can find your own guide and approach them through the mail by requesting the availability of PhD positions there. Once you get approval from the respective Professor you can select the Department or center mentioned by the Professor in an ONLINE application form. This will help you in choosing your own guide based on your research interest. Any criteria for Exemption from the Coursework? There won’t be an exemption from coursework for Full time or Regular PhD. A student should enlist for a set of courses which will comprise the Research Training Program (RTP), as exhorted by the Research Supervisor(s), with the endorsement of the Departmental Curriculum Committee (DCC). These are named RTP courses. A student can drop courses with the endorsement of the Research Supervisor(s). However, even in such cases, the time mentioned ( PhD candidates need to finish their RTP in one year and a half year., i.e., the individuals who join the PhD program specifically after a BE/B Tech degree, can take at most two years to finish their RTP.) Any postponement must be affirmed by SCC (Senate Curriculum Committee). Integrated PhD Students can get an exemption from Core course rather coursework. Within 15 days of registering for a core

course, a student may apply to the coordinator of the Integrated PhD Program seeking exemption from it on the basis of his/her prior background. This option is available to all students except for those in the Division of Chemical Sciences. The student will be given a written examination, in accordance with the schedule indicated below, based on the approval of the coordinator. An exemption is granted if the student secures a ‘B’ or a higher grade in this examination. The student will be given the same grade in the course like the one obtained in the written examination, the credits will count towards the degree requirements, and they will be used for the computation of the TGPA/CGPA. If an exemption is not granted, the student should continue to attend classes as a regular student. An exemption is permitted for up to a maximum of 6 credits during the entire period of studentship. Is a transfer to/ from another University possible during the course of PhD program? Full Time/Integrated PhD– Not applicable. ERP Research Programme – Applicable, If the candidate changes the place of work or leaves the organization, the registration will be canceled, irrespective of the stage of research work (except in cases where the thesis has already been submitted). If the research supervisor from the organization leaves the organization or changes the place of work, the candidate should apply to the SCRC for a change of guide along with a CV of the proposed organization guide and permission letter from the Organization. Publishing a research paper before submitting the thesis for award of PhD degree is mandatory? • • • • • • • •

Not mandatory according to the norms for PhD, the thesis can be published or copyrighted. For the award of PhD degree, with the prior approval of the Council, the Senate shall lay down from time to time: the requirements before submission of the thesis, the procedure for assessment and evaluation of the thesis by thesis examiners, the procedures for the conduct of the oral examination, the guidelines for consolidating the reports for consideration of the Senate conditions and procedures of evaluation for revised and resubmitted thesis, including the guidelines for consolidating the reports on the re-submitted thesis.

Am I expected to teach while pursuing PhD at this Institute/University? Regular PhDs – Not mandatory Registration by Full-Time Staff Members of the Institute -would be engaged in teaching.

M.Tech (Research students) have to teach for 8 to 10 hours (per week) as assigned by the Institute. Will I be selected for the written test/interview if I meet the eligibility criteria? Yes, that would be decided by the number of students applied and the overall rank you gained out of the pool for initial selection of interview. Based on the interview performance you have the opportunity to grab the admission. How many seats are there for PhD admission this year? Integrated PhD: Each year, the Institute admits 50 to 60 students (15-18 students in each branch of Sciences ( Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences and 12 to 15 in the Mathematical Sciences) under this program. The Institute awards about 250 PhD and M Tech (Research) degrees, consistently. What do I need to do other than filling up the online form? Once the online form is submitted you will be getting the PDF of your application, that you have to save and keep for your own records to check the status of your application. Do I need to post a print out of the application form? Do I need to post a copy of my certificates, mark sheets, etc.? Not required since the required documents (Mark sheets of 10th Std, 12th Std/Diploma, UG Degree and/or PG Degree, qualifying exams, photograph, signature copy, and community certificate) are already been submitted ONLINE. I have done my M.Sc in botany, but I have a research project proposal in Microbiology, will I be eligible? Yes, you can because interdisciplinary research areas are admissible, for example, if the project is on plant-microbe interaction, Microbiology of nodule formation or even plant pathogens that better complements your research as well as core coursework. Moreover, any interdisciplinary work is eligible to apply if you meet other eligibility criteria for PhD admission. Indian Institute of Sciences is one of the cultures of excellence in terms of research quality, in terms of output and in terms of commitment in the perspective of doing real science for the betterment of society with environmental sensitivity. The institution provides opportunities for the research students to explore, discuss and develop their hypothesis, ideas into research discoveries and IISc is awarding 250 young scientists every year. Students who get admission would be externally competitive and excel in academics and career.

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November 20th, 2018 Vol. 02 NO 53

AIIMS Rishikesh PhD Admission 2019 January Session

ll India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh invites applications for admission in PhD Program January 2019 Session in all Clinical/ Non- Clinical Subjects and in Nursing. DURATION OF THE COURSE: The minimum period of registration in respect of all candidates who are registered for PhD shall be three years and a maximum period of registration shall not exceed five years. General Eligibility: Eligibility criteria for admission to PhD Course: A Candidate seeking admission to course of study leading to the award of a Degree of Doctor of Philosophy must possess at least one of following qualifications of a recognized University/Institute:

least 55% marks or equivalent in last eligibility examination qualified. Non-medical candidates should have preferably qualified in any one of following national entrance tests in last 2 years: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Joint CSIR-UGC NET for JRF ICMR – JRF ICMR- SRF DBT – JRF DBT – SRF NBHM screening test Graduate aptitude test (GATE) INSPIRE fellowship UGC – JRF UGC – SRF CSIR – JRF CSIR – SRF DST – JRF DST – SRF

• • • • •

•

The candidate who has qualified SRF/JRF or internal candidates would not require to appear in Theory Exam. SRF/JRF/Internal candidates with fa und for Project will be given preference.

is welcome from other University as per UGC guidelines Full credit transfer of time spent in the previous enrolment in a PhD program will be permitted. Previous approved research experience can be counted toward total duration. Female Candidates are encouraged. Any previous break in research experience will be condoned. Candidates of foreign nationality are welcome to apply All External Candidates will have to report to Lecture Theatre-2, 2nd Floor, Medical College Building, AIIMS Rishikesh on 12 December 2018 by 09:00 AM with Self Attested documents and payment slip for document verification and Entrance Examination. Entrance Examination would be conducted for eligible candidates on 12 December 2018 at AIIMS Rishikesh.

Interaction with Interview Board is scheduled on 13 and 14 December 2018 for qualifying candidates. Each External candidate selected for admission will have to pay Course Fees at the time of admission of Rs. 6500/-. For further information/ clarification, Contact- Dr Shalinee Rao, Convener/ Dr. Rajesh Kathrotia, Co-ordinator PhD Course AIIMS Rishikesh – 249203. Email: phd@aiimsrishikesh.edu.in. The application form is be filled online only at http://ewebapp.in/aiims/phd_18/ login.php with a scanned copy of supporting documents by 10 December 2018 The last date of receiving online filled in application form is 10 December 2018.

Relaxation in Qualification for all Candidates.

Non-Medical For non-medical Candidate, eligibility shall be Master degree (02-year course) awarded by Indian University or equivalent in a subject as per requirement of the project. Candidates holding MSc (Other than MSc Nursing), M Biotech/ M Tech degree / M Com / MBA or equivalent will be eligible for non-medical qualification category. Candidates possessing Masters Degree through distant learning course shall not be eligible. Candidates having eligibility under nonmedical category should have at

A relaxation of 5% of marks from 55% or an equivalent relaxation of percentile/grade, may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled and female Candidates. General Conditions: • Before applying candidates must contact Department / Guide in which he /she wish to pursue PhD course and get consent from Guide/ Department AIIMS Rishikesh. • Transfer of PhD Candidates (Females)

PhD Admissions @ ILS – Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar

nstitute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar, an autonomous Institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India engaged in advanced research invites applications from Indian nationals for PhD program in the following research areas: 1) Cancer Biology 2) Infectious Disease Biology 3) Interdisciplinary Areas (Human Genetics, Bioinformatics and Clinical Proteomics) The name of the faculties who are interested in taking students through regular PhD program of ILS or through their extramural projects is listed below under the respective research areas. The applicants are strongly encouraged to visit ILS webpage for detailed information regarding the research activities of the respective faculties. 1.

Cancer

Biology:

Dr.

Soumen

Chakraborty, Dr. Santosh Chauhan, Dr. Rajeeb Swain and Dr. Mamoni Dash 2. Infectious Disease Biology: Dr. D.V. Singh, Dr. Satish Devadas, Dr. Soma Chattopadhyay, Dr. Dileep Vasudevan, Dr. T.K. Beuria 3. Interdisciplinary Areas: Dr. P.V. Ramchander (Human Genetics), Dr. Anshuman Dixit (Bioinformatics), Dr. Amol Suryawanshi (Clinical Proteomics)

•

Essential Qualification: •

Candidates must have passed their M.Sc./ M.Tech. / M.Pharm. / M.V.Sc. Or equivalent qualification in life sciences and allied subjects (Biochemistry/ Biotechnology/ Bioinformatics/ Biophysics/ Chemistry/ Microbiology, etc.) with a minimum of 60% marks (or equivalent grade point). Programming/scripting experience is a plus for applicants interested in Bioinformatics. Candidates awaiting final outcome might also apply, but if shortlisted, they need to produce their

•

final mark sheet on the date of their interview, failing which they won’t be interviewed. Candidates must Also Have qualified in CSIR/UGC-JRF or DBT-JRF or DBT-BINC-JRF or UGCRGNF or ICMR-JRF or DST-INSPIRE or GATE or even GPAT. If the original certification isn’t available, the candidate must provide a photocopy of their original admit card and also the particular result page emphasizing their roll number, in addition to the application. The candidate must be below 28 years in age, according to 24th December 2018. An age relaxation of five years in the event of SC/ST/women/PH candidates and 3 years in the case of OBC candidates will be given (according to Govt. Of India principles ).

Application Fees: Applicants except SC/ST candidates are required to send a non-refundable D.D. for Rs.500/- in favour of “Director, Institute

of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar” payable at Bhubaneswar. The fellowship, as well as other emoluments, will be according to the guidelines of the funding agencies – SERB/DST/DBT/ CSIR/ICMR as revised from time to time. To and fro bus/rail fare by the shortest path restricted to a second class sleeper is going to be paid to all candidates appearing for the interview. How to Apply: Interested and eligible applicants may fillup the prescribed application form as available in ILS site (www.ils.res.in). Duly filled-up application together with self-attested copies of relevant certificates and demand draft ought to be sent to the “Director, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar-751023”. The application should reach

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November 20th, 2018 Vol. 02 NO 53

the Institute on or before the final date. Applications received after the final date won’t be accepted. The envelope ought to be superscribed with “Application for PhD Program in 1) Cancer Biology 2) Infectious Disease Biology or 3) Interdisciplinary Areas”. Candidates should mention clearly ONE of the research areas for which they are applying. Candidates interested to apply for more than

1 research area must send individual applications for each research area, with separate fees. List of candidates chosen for the interview will be published in the Institute site (www.ils.res.in). Application to ILS-Ph. D. program doesn’t necessarily ensure that a candidate will be

shortlisted for interview. Director, ILS reserves the right to withdraw the procedure without assigning any reasons thereof.

•

Important Dates: • •

Last date of receiving applications: 24th December 2018. Date of display of short-listed candi-

dates and instructions in the Institute site: 4th January 2019. Tentative date of interview: 4th – 6th February 2019. (The last date of interview will be confirmed when the list of short-listed candidates gets displayed in ILS site.)

PhD Admissions Biological Sciences 2018-2019 @ BITS Pilani, Goa & Hyderabad

hD Admissions (2nd Semester 2018 – 2019)

Applications are invited for 2nd Semester admissions to the PhD programme (Full time and Part time) starting January 2019 in Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad campuses of BITS Pilani in the following Departments: Science: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics Department openings with regard to Full and Part time student admission are tabulated below:

related research activities is available on the Department website of respective campuses. Candidates are requested to visit the relevant website and if needed, further contact the concerned Head of Department (HOD) for details.

Important Dates: Activity

Date

Full-time Students: Preferably individuals who would like to pursue PhD in-house, residing on campus.

Last Date for filling application form online

8th December 2018(5:00 PM)

Declaration of shortlisted candidates (on BITS admission website)

20th December 2018

Part-time Students: Preferably individuals working in organizations providing basic facilities and environment for research.

Test/Interview

4th January 2019

Announcement of admission offers to PhD Programmes(on BITS admission website)

7th January 2019

Reporting of selected students in respective campus

12th January 2019

Registration

14th January 2019

missions:

Information on specific Departments and

•

Minimum eligibility criteria for ad-

• M.E./M.Tech./M.Pharm./MBA/M. Phil. with a minimum of 60% aggregate in the qualifying examination • M.Sc./B.E./B.Pharm. or an equivalent degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate in the qualifying examination • For admissions to Humanities and Social Sciences, candidates with an M.A. degree and a minimum of 55% aggregate may apply. In addition, Departments may set specific admission criteria for shortlisting. Shortlisted candidates will have to appear for an admission test, which may comprise of a written exam and/or interview.

Financial assistance: Full-time PhD students admitted into the PhD programme are eligible to be considered for an Institute fellowship of Rs. 25,000/- per month in the first year. The higher assistantship will be made available in subsequent years. Consideration for the fellowship will be as per Institute norms. It will be obligatory on the part of every admitted Full-time student to undertake 8 to 10 hours (per week) of work as assigned to him/ her by the institute.

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November 20th, 2018 Vol. 02 NO 53

PhD Programme Admissions 2018-2019 @ Kuvempu University

pplications are invited in the prescribed proforma from the eligible candidates for enrolment to PhD (Full time and Part time) programs in a variety of disciplines of the University. The candidates must apply with the supporting documents. The registration will be made according to the PhD Regulations governing the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) of the University. The provisional registration process is through an Entrance Test followed by

statutory procedures prescribed in the PhD 2017 Regulations. Mere qualifying in the Entrance Test Doesn’t guarantee the Provisional Registration. The prescribed Application Form may be downloaded from the university site www.kuvempu.ac.in. The filled-up application form ought to be sent to the Chairperson of the concerned Department. The application fee Rs. 1000/(in respect of SC/ST/Cat-1 Rs.750/only – caste certificate ought to be enclosed), shall be remitted to the S.B. account of “Finance Officer, Kuvempu University” (A/c No. 54023036291) at SBI Jnanasahyadri, (IFSC code SBIN0040759) via RTGS /NEFT

with a replica of proper proof of the payment enclosed to the filled application OR a Demand Draft for the said amount can be drawn in favour of the”Finance Officer, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta” payable at SBI, Jnanasahyadri Shankaraghatta — 577451. The application can be downloaded from 29-10-2018. The final date for submission of the filled in application is 24-11-2018. Incomplete application and application without the necessary documents will be rejected. For any additional details or clarifications, the Department concerned may be contacted.

Conditions of Eligibility: A. Candidates must have secured at least 55 percent of aggregate marks (50 percent for SC/ST/ OBC(non-creamy layer), differentially abled categories of applicants ) or equal grade under grading system, in their Master’s Degree or equivalent Evaluation from the recognized Universities/Institutions B. Foreign nationals are exempted from the entrance test. C. Late applications and applications received after the final date Won’t be considered And fee once paid won’t be refunded.