Biotecnika Time - 8th January 2019 Edition by BioTecNika

January 8th, 2019

Vol. 03

NO 60

www.biotecnika.org

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National Entrance Screening Test – NEST 2019 Official Notification

Your Mobile Can Now Sniff Bacteria With This Biosensor & App

Biotech Breakthroughs & Big Ideas in 2019 – Podcast

Exam Alert

News

Voice of Biotecnika

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HEADLINE

Now NET

TIFR VISITING STUDENTS’ RESEARCH GRAMME (VSRP-2019)

Declared

PRO-

●● Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) conducts annual summer programmes in which talented students are introduced to research activities in the areas of Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer...

Mandatory For

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NEWS PM MODI JOINS 106TH INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS TO TALK SCIENCE

Scheduled Caste Students Also

●● 106th Indian Science Congress 2019 was inaugurated today by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. The theme of the event this year is – ‘Future India: Science and Technology.;..

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AS PER GOVERNMENTS NEW RULE, ITS MANDATORY FOR SCHEDULED CASTE CATEGORY STUDENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THE JUNIOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP THROUGH THE NET/UGC-CSIR EXAM CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR MPHIL AND PH.D. FUNDING.

SCHOLARSHIP AMGEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM 2019 – SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM IN SCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

By Preety Suman

Read more on Page 2

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DRDO/BARC HIRING DRDO-INMAS BIOTECH & LIFE SCIENCES JRF RECRUITMENT ●● Govt jobs for MSc candidates. Candidates with a background in Life Sciences/ Biotechnology/Biochemistry are eligible to apply for 03 Junior Research Fellows (JRF) Positions. Interested and eligible candidates attend the walk-in as per the details that are given...

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●● The notification for the Amgen Scholars Asia Program is out. It’s open to applicants from all of the globe. It’s a Summer Research Program. Interested individuals can check all of the details on the ...

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HEADLINE

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

Now NET Declared Mandatory For Scheduled Caste Students Also As per Governments New Rule, Its mandatory for Scheduled Caste Category students to Qualify for the Junior Research Fellowship through the NET/UGC-CSIR Exam Conducted in order to apply for MPhil and Ph.D. funding. NOW NET DECLARED MANDATORY FOR SCHEDULED CASTE STUDENTS ALSO

Initially NET was not mandatory for SC students, they just had to submit a research proposal in their desired university/institute to apply for MPhil or Ph.D. funding, as per the Telegraph. The new guideline letter was sent from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to the University Grants Commission (UGC) last year in October 2018. Nearly 2,000 SC scholars with 1,500 in the humanities and social sciences stream, and 500 in the science stream will be impacted via this decision by the government.

Till date, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment awarded the fellowships to scheduled caste students who want to pursue their MPhil or Ph.D. in the sciences and other subjects. SC category students with NET Udit Raj, Chairman of the All India qualification will not be eligible for Confederation of SC/ST Organiza- any other similar schemes offered by tions & a BJP MLA has condemned UGC. the move and said that these new rules and unfair to the Dalit students 5 Lakh candidates in total take up the and will drive them away from pursu- NET Exam which conducted twice in ing higher studies. a year. Candidates who qualify for JRF receive a fellowship of Rs 25,000

per month for the first two years which later is increased to Rs 28,000 per month. As per the latest media reports and statements from the HRDG Ministery fellowship is likely to be increased by a good amount this year.

of the UGC now to decide procedure and guidelines for implementing the scheme. Last year Govt released a circular declaring Ph.D. degree Mandatory for Candidates From 2021. Now NET is declared Mandatory for SC students In order to verify the authenticity of as well. Keeping in mind the latest SC certificates, UGC will be devel- developments from the Government oping a set of protocols for the com- the importance of NET Exam is now mittee. This step has been taken to being calibrated higher than ever. curtail the possibility of students applying for the fellowship on the basis of fake certificates. It lies in the hands

HEADLINE

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

TIFR Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2019) TIFR Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2019) notification has been released. Interested and eligible candidates are encouraged to apply online for the TIFR Visiting Students’ Research Programme 2019. Check out all of the details on the same below: TATA INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH (TIFR) CONDUCTS ANNUAL SUMMER PROGRAMMES IN WHICH TALENTED STUDENTS ARE INTRODUCED TO RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN THE AREAS OF ASTRONOMY, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, COMPUTER SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND PHYSICS. By Preety Suman

The selected students are expected to work on a research project under the supervision of a TIFR researcher. The programmes are held both at dent, submitted write-up and referee the Mumbai campus of the TIFR as reports. There is no selection test/ well as at the National Centre for interview. Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune during mid-May to early July each Stipend/Accommodation: year. Selected students are paid a monthly stipend @ Rs 7000/- per month Eligibility: and to and fro travel reimbursement Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Math- from the place of their residence. Also, free shared accommodation ematics/ on- or off- campus is provided. Computer & Systems Sciences : 1) Two years of undergraduate coursework in an academic institu- How to Apply: tion. 2) Should not have participated in Students are encouraged to apply online. VSRP before.

Sciences.

Please note that the VSRP pro- 1. Registration includes two steps: gramme is for students currently First complete basic registration enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Mas- step by clicking the “Apply Online” ter’s programme and not for PhD button given below. students or faculty members. 2. During the basic registration, “Prefered Subject” indicates TIFR Selection: subject area you are applying for Selection is purely based on the i.e., Physics / Chemistry / Biology / academic performance of the stu- Mathematics / Computer & Systems

c) A write-up of up to 400 words, describing your interest in the most NOTE: REFEREES CAN FILL preferred field of study has to be THE ONLINE REPORT FORM provided in the appropriate box. TILL ONE WEEK AFTER THE The write up should not contain LAST DATE. special characters. In particular, use of equations in write-ups is strongly View Notification discouraged. APPLY ONLINE d) Names, Affiliation, Designa-

3. After completing basic registration, you will receive an email with a link for advanced registration. Before proceeding to advanced registration, please keep the following ready :

tion, Contact address (both e-mail and physical address) and contact phone number of two referees who would be filling referee reports for you. They should be teachers or persons with whom you have interacted academically.

The link for filling up the Referee a) Scanned photo (.jpg file of size Report Form online will be sent by not exceeding 100kb ) of your pass- email to both Referees after comport size photograph. plete registration. b) Students can select two areas of research for a selected department. Please read the Information Brochure before you fill this section.

Last date for application : For Maths – February 28, 2019 For all other subjects – January 31, 2019

EXAM ALERT

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

National Entrance Screening Test – NEST 2019 Official Notification National Entrance Screening Test – NEST 2019. It’s a compulsory test that students who want to seek admission at NISER & UM-DAE CEBS. Interested applicants can check out all of the details on the same below: NATIONAL ENTRANCE SCREENING TEST (NEST) IS A COMPULSORY TEST FOR STUDENTS SEEKING ADMISSION TO NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (NISER) BHUBANESWAR AND UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI – DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN BASIC SCIENCES (UM-DAE CEBS), MUMBAI.

Both NISER and UM-DAE CEBS were set up by Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India in 2007. Their mandate is to train scientific manpower for carrying out cutting-edge scientific research and for providing input to scientific programmes of Department of Atomic Energy and other applied science institutions in the country. NEST 2019 will be conducted in around 91 cities [see list] across India. The brochure gives the detailed procedure for applying for the test, syllabus of the test and various deadlines. NISER, Bhubaneswar and UMDAE CEBS, Mumbai are in compliance with the UGC and Govt. of India guidelines on anti-ragging.

Ragging in any form is a punishable offence and hence is totally prohibited on these campuses. Any complaint regarding ragging can be made at the 24×7 toll-free National Anti-Ragging Help Line number 1800-180-5522 and/or at the emailID helpline@antiragging.in. Eligibility criteria for admission Candidates must qualify all four eligibility criteria listed below: • Candidates in General and OBC category should be born on or after August 01, 1999. The age limit is relaxed by 5 years for

SC/ ST/ Physically Disabled Board in India. For Scheduled (PD) candidates. Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes • Class XII qualifying examina(ST) candidates and for Pertion should be passed in either sons with Disability (PD), the 2017 or 2018. Candidates apminimum requirement is 55%. pearing in 2019 are also eligi- • Candidate should secure a poble. (Where only Letter Grade sition in the NEST merit list. is given by the Board, a certificate from the Board specifying Previous NESTs Question papers/ equivalent percentage marks Answers will be required. In the absence of such a certificate the deci- View Notification sion of the respective Admission Committees will be final.) Application process for NEST • At least 60% marks in aggre- 2019 will start on 07 January, gate (or equivalent grade) in 2019 (10:00 am). Class XII (or equivalent) examination from any recognized

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

PM Modi Joins 106th Indian Science Congress To Talk Science 106th Indian Science Congress 2019 was inaugurated today by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. The theme of the event this year is – ‘Future India: Science and Technology’ IN HIS INAUGURAL SPEECH AT LPU, JALANDHAR HE RECALLED EMINENT INDIAN SCIENTISTS WHO LEFT A MARK IN HISTORY NAMELY J.C. BOSE, C.V. RAMAN, MEGHNAD SAHA, AND S.N. BOSE, HE SAID THEY SERVED THE COUNTRY IN THEIR TIME WITH “MINIMUM RESOURCES” AND “MAXIMUM STRUGGLE.”

He further remembered all the former prime ministers of India and said that Shastri ji gave us the slogan: “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,”, Atal ji added “Jai Vigyan” to it and today its the right time to take a step further by adding “Jai Anusandhan” to the phrase in order to complete it. The PM also added that It is through our modern temples of science that India is transforming its present & working to secure its future, Its all because of the hard work of our Indian Scientists. The government recently launched the Atal Innovation Mission to promote innovation among scientists. The PM emphasized the need to boost our science ecosystem, Innovations & Startups. He claimed that under his ministry, the number of Technology Business Incubators that has boomed is way more in comparison to the previous 40 years. The Prime Minister urged Indian Scientists to commit themselves in solving problems related to pocket-friendly healthcare, increased agricultural

productivity, the better methodology of food processing and clean water & Air. He said that while Science is a universal thins, its facts & concepts are universal but the technology used should be local, in accordance with local needs & conditions. Talking about the agricultural sector he said that big data, AI, machine learning should be utilized & implemented in the agriculture field to help farmers & small agricultural holdings. He urged the scientists to work towards ease of living for the people. In this context, he mentioned issues such as drought management in low rainfall areas; early disaster warning systems; tackling malnutrition; tackling diseases among children such as encephalitis; clean energy; clean drinking water; and cybersecurity. He called for time-bound solutions through research, in these areas.

PM stated that the year 2018 was good for Indian Science and he listed out few achievements. Research is a fusion of Arts and Humanities, Social Science, Science and Technology, the Prime Minister Stated. He further added that India’s national laboratories, central universities, IITs, IISC, TIFR, and IISERs are the backbone of research & foundation of our Country. He urged the need for a similar & better research ecosystem in state universities & colleges as well. Noting that our strengths in research and development are built on the backbone of our national laboratories, central universities, IITs, IISC, TIFR and IISERs, the Prime Minister said that a strong research ecosystem must be developed in the State Universities and Colleges, as well. He announced that the Union Gov-

ernment has approved a National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems with an investment of over Rs. 3600 crores which will cover R&D, Technology Development, Human resources, Innovation, Start-up Ecosystem, and strong Industry and International Collaborations. He also expressed his happiness that research has begun to find an effective solution for sickle cell anemia. ‘Prime Minister’s Research Fellows’ was again discussed by him where he highlighted that under the scheme thousand bright minds from the best Institutions in the country will be offered direct admission in Ph.D. Programs in IITs and IISc. The scheme will catalyze quality research and address the issue fo shortage of faculty in the premier Educational Institutions, he added.

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

Your Mobile Can Now Sniff Bacteria With This Biosensor & App A Biosensor and a mobile app have been developed by Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi which together can be used for bacterial detection. IN THE FRONT CAMERA OF THE MOBILE BIOSENSOR CAN BE FIT ONCE THIS IS DONE THE IMAGE CAPTURED BY THE CAMERA ARE SENT TO THE MOBILE APP CALLED AS “COLORIMETRIC DETECTOR”, WHICH IS AN APP DEVELOPED BY THE TEAM OF IIT DELHI FOR ANALYSIS.

If the mobile app detects the bacterial presence it will change the biosensor surface color into black measuring the relative change in surface color. The mobile phone will vibrate and give a red signal once it reaches the set point. This whole process makes the detection easy and cost-effective. on the sensor cluster, one can without much of a stretch recognize live and Biosensors have been tested by dead and also anti-toxin safe and orthe Researchers with four bacteri- dinary microscopic organisms,”. The al strains namely Escherichia coli, gadget can be utilized by anybody and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus can be useful in averting the spread of subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. irresistible sicknesses, he included. Separate ampicillin antibiotic resistant culture of Escherichia coli was Ordinary procedures like standard also been prepared for testing. Existing methods have been used like fluorescence microscopy and colony forming unit in order to test and verify the results. Live and dead bacteria were distinguished by the Biosensor mobile app within six hours in comparison to the conventional methods which takes about 16 to 24 hrs as concluded by the results. The researchers said infections and diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant and non-resistant pathogens can be diagnosed easily in clinics and labs with the help of this biosensor mobile app. The biosensor depends on hydrogen sulfide gas delivered by microorganisms. It is a gaseous signaling molecule that transmits biological signals in the living system. In the core of the biosensor are silver nanorod sensors that respond with hydrogen sulfide to frame darkly shaded silver sulfide. The shading and water wetting properties of silver nanorods change when presented to microorganisms, while dead ones don’t do any such thing. Prof J P Singh who led the research Team said: “Watching noticeable change in shading and water wetting

Research Team at IIT Delhi

plate tally are tedious and require prepared individuals. Professor Singh Included “There are different systems like UV spectroscopy and stream cytometry, which are generally simple yet require modern instruments and gifted specialists. To conquer these issues, an effortless system is basic to avert antimicrobial obstruction con-

taminations and ailments,”. Prof Prashant Mishra and Dr. Neeti Kalyani Prof J P Singh, Shashank Gahlaut, Dr. C Sharan were the part of the research team from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

First Imaging Technique That Makes Organism Completely Transparent LMU researchers have developed a novel bioimaging technology that provides top-notch insights into nerve-cell interactions in Mammals & other organisms. EINSTEIN CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCES BERLIN INTERNATIONAL PHD FELLOWSHIPS FOR FALL 2019. CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE SAME BELOW:

Funding for a competitive 4-year neuroscience program The Einstein Center for Neuroscience in Berlin (ECN) offers fellowships for a competitive 4-year neuroscience program, to start in October 2019. The Berlin School of Mind and Brain is an ECN partner program. After 6 months of lab rotations, students can join the programs Medical Neurosciences (Cluster NeuroCure), the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, or the Computational Neuroscience program of the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin. The call for application for the third cohort of the Einstein Center for Neurosciences (ECN) PhD Fellowship Program will start on 3 December 2018. The application phase ends on 7 January 2019, 23:59:59 CET. International post-graduate students as well as excellent undergraduate students with a background in the natural sciences, psychology, linguistics, mathematics, among others, are welcome to apply. How to Apply: To start your application during the next application phase (December 3rd, 2018 until January 7th, 2019; 11:59 p.m.) please use our

online application platform. Follow the instructions on the platform. If you have questions, please go to our FAQ page. Please note that there are several public holidays in Germany between December 22nd, 2018 and January 2nd, 2019. Therefore, answering your questions via email might be delayed. To apply for the ECN fast-track PhD fellowship you need to prepare the following documents as PDFs: • A detailed CV • A structured letter of interest starting with a description of your academic background followed by answering the following questions: 1. Why are you interested in neurosciences? 2. Why do you think that Berlin is

a suitable environment for your development? 3. Why do fit to the ECN program? Authenticated copy of your Bachelor´s certificate and/or the latest transcript 4. If possible: Two letters of recommendation by former supervisors Proof of proficiency of the English language

Bachelor´s thesis and your (planned) Master´s project. 4. Authenticated copies of your Bachelor´s and/or Master´s certificates and the latest transcript 5. Two letters of recommendation by former supervisors 6. Proof of proficiency of the English language

To apply for the ECN regular PhD fellowship you need to prepare the following documents as PDFs:

Important Links:

1. A detailed CV 2. A letter of interest including a description of your academic background and your research interests. Please highlight why do specifically apply for our program and why do you want to come to Berlin. 3. Describe your research experience. Please include your

• Link to ECN website: https:// www.ecn-berlin.de/home.html • Link to ECN application page: https://www.ecn-berlin.de/education/phd-fellowships/howto-apply.html ONLINE APLICATION

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

FiRE Algorithm To Detect Rare Cells Developed By Indian Researchers Identification of a rare cell form dataset comprising millions of cells is a tedious procedure. To make it easy Delhi researchers have developed a new algorithm which can identify the rare cells from a large pool of cells within a second. EINSTEIN CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCES BERLIN INTERNATIONAL PHD FELLOWSHIPS FOR FALL 2019. CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE SAME BELOW:

Finder of Rare Entities (FiRE) is an algorithm designed that allocates a rareness score to each cell based on the gene expression profile of about twenty thousand genes. Cells with a score above a certain threshold are declared are rare cells.FiRE, apart from being fast and accurate, it also depicts superior sensitivity and specificity in comparison to existing methods. cells. By the use of FiRe searching for rare cells in large-scale single-cell Few Examples of rare cells are cir- messenger RNA datasets tractable. culating tumor cells, cancer stem Gene expression was used as a base cells, antigen-specific T cells. Identi- to develop the algorithm. Drop-Seq fication of these rare cells may open further allows effective reading of the doors to understanding the complex gene expression profiles of thousands mechanism of these cells which cause of cells in a shorter duration. lethal diseases. It would lead to early detection and diagnosis of disease Five different data sets were used to such as Cancer. test the feasibility of the algorithm. Gene expression of about 68,000 A research team led by Prof. Jayade- different cells was compared in peva from Indian Institute of Technolo- ripheral blood containing 0.3% meggy (IIT) Delhi and Prof. Debarka Sen- akaryocytes, rare cell populations gupta from Indraprastha Institute of with different grades of rarity showed Information Technology (IIIT-Delhi) up. As a result, the rarest cell culture developed this algorithm by testing its effectiveness using mouse brain cells taken from a specific region. The team discovered a discovered a new sub-type of pars tuberalis cell lineage which is linked to the development of pituitary gland.

comprised only of megakaryocytes, thus validating the algorithm. In a simulation experiment to evaluate the performance of FiRE algorithm, the gene expression profiles of two types of cells were mixed in vitro. And by increasing the percentage (from 0.5 to 5%) of one cell type, the team tested the precision and sensitivity of FiRE and other existing algorithms to correctly identify the rare cells. The sensitivity of the FiRE algorithm was higher than the rest even when rare cells comprised 0.5% of the population. “When they constituted 2.5%, FiRE could identify rare

cells with 85% accuracy, far higher than the other algorithms,” says Aashi Jindal from IIT Delhi and the other first author of the paper. “We are now validating the new cell type [pars tuberalis] discovered using FiRE. Most malignant cancers shed circulating tumour cells. So we are also trying to use FiRE for early cancer detection by identifying the circulating tumour cells, which are rare in peripheral blood,” says Prof. Sengupta, whose lab pioneered single-cell genomics research in India.

Prashant Gupta one of the first authors of the paper from IIT Delhi stated that Existing algorithms use clustering or other statistical techniques that involve rigorous parameter estimations, thus making computational cost very high. He further added that to asses the level of rarity of each cell, FiRE uses sketching method which is a variant of locality-sensitive hashing. The hashing technique tends to put cells with similar properties together. Prof. Jayadeva with a background in machine learning stated that the existing tools for detecting rare cells are highly complex & tedious when it comes to analyzing large count of

The FiRE algorithm makes searching for rare cells in large-scale single cell messenger RNA datasets tractable, says Jayadeva (second from left).

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

New Weapon To Fight Antibiotic Resistant Superbugs As per reports by 2050, more than 1.3 million people can be dead due to Antibiotic-resistant superbugs. WHO has declared Antibiotic-resistant superbugs as the largest threat to Human global health worldwide. A NEW STRAIN OF BACTERIA HAS BEEN DISCOVERED BY SWANSEA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL RESEARCH TEAM FROM THE SOIL OF IRELAND.

Ireland soil has been long known for its medicinal properties, but this new bacteria type named Streptomyces sp. myrophorea has been found which is effective against 4 out of top 6 antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The soil for analysis was extracted from an alkaline grassland area whose soil has medicinal properties and is located in are called as Boho Highlands. History depicts the usage of the soil to heal ailments including a toothache, pain in body parts. The soil was traditionally wrapped in cotton and was applied to the affected area. Traditionally a little bit of dirt was wrapped up in a cotton cloth and used to heal many

ailments including a toothache, throat and neck infections.

nowned antibiotic manufacturers like Streptomyces is found.

The hunt for antibiotics replacement to fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs has pushed the research community to explore new sources, including folk medicines: a field of study known as ethnopharmacology. They’re also focusing on environments where re-

Dr. Gerry Quinn from the research team said that The discovery of antimicrobial substances from this new bacterial strain will aid their research for the formulation of new drugs to treat superbugs that cause lethal diseases.

The team will now focus on the identification and purification of these antibiotics. Additional antibacterial organisms have also been extracted from the same soil sample, which might cover a broader spectrum of multi-resistant pathogens.

Solution to Handle Non-Recyclable Plastic Waste By IIT Madras Students Team Enviro consisting of 5 members from IIT Madras and a student from SSN College of Engineering together have found out a solution to handle non- recyclable plastic waste. A MOBILE SOLAR-POWERED PYROLYSIS UNIT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE TEAM FOR CONVERTING PLASTIC INTO OIL. THE TEAM SAID 500 TO 700 ML OF OIL CAN BE PRODUCED FROM 1KG OF PLASTIC DEPENDING UPON THE QUALITY OF PLASTIC.

Plastic waste was acquired from the Chennai corporation garbage storing center located in Velachery by the Team in order to conduct the experiment. One of the Team members said 800 ml of fuel can be produced by using good quality of virgin plastics.

plastic waste fed in it into oil. generators, motorboats, and irrigation pump set can use the obtained fuel. 5 kg of plastic at a time can be processed by the pyrolysis unit at a time using 3-4 units of power/kg/hour. Transporting plastic waste are the major problem for large-scale pyrolysis units. A Team member and a research scholar named G.Divya Priya said a mobile transportable unit has been designed which can be installed in sorting centers at the garbage segregation center. In the burning process, the residue is compressed into light charcoal briquettes which can be reused to run the unit.

Indumathi M. Nambi Mentor of the It takes approximately 90 min for Team and professor at environmenthe pyrolysis unit to convert the

tal and Water Resources Engineering Division said briquettes can be used in powering medium and small-scale industrial units. Earlier this year at UN World environment day the unit was demonstrated. Innovation excellence award was won by the team along with funding to come up with a startup at the institute’s research park.

NGO ’S, Chennai and Thoothukudi corporation have shown interest in this product already. One of the team members said the proposal for the development of a pilot-scale plant for a municipality or corporation with a daily generation capacity of 250 kg of non-recyclable plastic waste has been submitted.

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

Machine Learning For Deeper Understanding Of Biological Metabolisms For a better in-depth understanding of enzyme kinetics & other complex metabolic processes, Machine Learning is being used by researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and the University of California. THE STUDY WAS PUBLISHED IN CURRENT ISSUE OF NATURE COMMUNICATIONS JOURNAL.

Synthetic biology has been a trending topic of discussion last year. In order to explore further in this field, to understand complex systems in biological cells a detailed knowledge is required. Researchers understand Biological metabolisms, their process of function, that there are thousands of enzymes involved but key details such as the role of each enzyme in the process are very little understood. Dr. David Heckmann, a former doctoral researcher under Professor Martin Lercher at HHU’s Institute for Computational Cell Biology along with his fellow researchers have turned towards bioinformat-

Machine learning of catalytic turnover numbers for genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) parameterization. A feature set from diverse classes is curated and mapped to independently build machine learning (ML) models of both kcat in vitro (f(x)) and kapp,max in vivo (g(x)). The inferred ML models are used to predict kcat in vitro or kapp,max at the genome-scale to parameterize GEMs

ics to reach the bottom level of how each enzyme’s function, their composition & properties. Machine learning, a sub-field of artificial intelligence (AI) is being employed by the team to understand each component of biological metabolism.

Via machine learning the team was able to report enzyme properties that are deciding factors for their activity. They could further analyze and describe the kinetics of a large number of enzymes, which was never possible to date.

Machine Learning has been implemented in several fields like Traffic management, Railway management, Gaming and many more. Its utilization in cell biology will definitely broaden the horizons of research.

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

E-Bandages To Aid Effective & Faster Wound Healing The self-healing capability of skin varies with the individual. In some, the process is very swift but in some cases wound healing takes a longer duration leaving the individual prone to chronic pain and severe infection. IN THE LATEST RESEARCH BY A TEAM OF SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SELF-POWERED BANDAGES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED THAT AIDS IN REDUCING HEALING TIME FOR SKIN WOUNDS BY TRIGGERING AN ELECTRIC FILED OVER THE INJURY AREA. Detailed research findings were published in ACS Nano. Venous ulcers, non-healing surgical wounds & diabetic foot ulcers are few Chronic skins wounds. Various methods like growth-factor therapy, oxygen exposure, bandaging etc have been used by doctors to treat chronic wound healing but the results show and to come up with a more promislimited effectiveness in maximum ing accessible solution this self-powcases. ered e- bandages were developed that could convert skin movements into a In the early 1960s, the importance therapeutic electric field. of electrical stimulation for skin healA wearable nanogenerator was creating was discovered. For applying this ed with overlapping sheets of polytetprinciple massive instruments were rafluoroethylene (PTFE), copper foil required which needed patient hospiand polyethylene terephthalate (PET) talization. To curb this long procedure to power the E-bandages. The power

source converted skin movements, which occur during normal activity or even breathing, into small electrical pulses. The experiment was conducted on rats wherein this current flowed to two working electrodes that were placed on either side of the skin wound in rats to produce a weak electric field. Wounds covered by e-bandages healed within 3 days,

compared with 12 days for a control bandage with no electric field. The faster wound healing was due to enhanced fibroblast migration, proliferation, and differentiation induced by the electric field. This revolutionizes the future of personalized healthcare.

Figure 2. Wound healing under the stimulation of activated/inactivated electric field (EF). (a) Digital image of the experimental group (with an electrode connected to NG) and control group (no connection between electrode and NG) attached on the wound of rat. (b) Front and (c) lateral view of electric field distribution (simulated by COMSOL). (d) Digital image of wound recovery after 2 days in both experimental (dashed red rectangle) and control (dashed blue rectangle) groups. (e, f) Enlarged images of the wound areas from (d). Credit: ACS Nano

NEWS

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

Genetic Biomarkers For Biological Aging Discovered The aging process in humans has deteriorated over a period. Most people today appear substantially older or younger than their chronological age. SCIENTISTS AT THE SALT LAKE HAVE IDENTIFIED GENETIC SIGNATURES WHILE ANALYZING SKIN CELLS FROM A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT AGE, THAT MAY HELP CLARIFY THIS DIFFERENCE.

The results from the study were then applied to discover genetic signs of accelerated aging in people with progeria, a disease which causes patients to appear way older than they should be. Saket Navlakha, a senior author of the study said that with the machine learning procedure possibilities of discovering when people are aging ciated in long term. faster than their chronological age will be higher. This newer approach The research study was funded by will help diagnose individuals who the National Institutes of Health; the are at risk for long-term conditions. Keck Foundation; the NOMIS Foundation; and the Pew Charitable Trusts. The team analyzed skin cells called fibroblasts extracted from approx Source: genome biology 133 people and in an age group between 1 to 94. The RNA molecule in the cells was examined with a known fact that DNA transcribes in RNA and genes that are inactive do Fig. 1 not form RNA. Further on examining the data via a machine learning Predicting age from gene expression data. Rows top to bottom show age prediction results for algorithm, patterns of gene activity from LDA Ensemble with 20-year age bins, elastic net, linwere extracted that lined up with in- ear regression, and support vector regression. Model creasing age. Using these specific parameters are shown in Table 1. Column (A): Leaveone-out cross-validation predictions for 133 healthy age biomarkers, the team was able individuals. Dots are plotted for each individual showto predict an individual’s age with a ing predicted age (y-axis) vs. true age (x-axis), with a line of best fit overlaid, and a shadow showing the 95% median error of four years. To ensure that the molecular signature obtained was real, the team processed the same machine learning algorithm into genomes of 10 people with progeria, from ages 2 to 8. Result – their age was predicted to be 10 years older than their chronological age. To proceed further, Researchers next plan to identify the age-related genetic activity of different cells. They also want to analyze the working mechanism of the machine learning algorithm to ascertain the way the age-related changes line up with biological processes. T This discovery of Aging Biomarkers will be a boon for advanced identification & assessment of an individuals health & diseases – risk factors asso-

confidence interval of that line determined through bootstrap resampling of the dots.

Text on the bottom of each panel shows performance metrics of mean absolute error (MAE), median absolute error (MED), and R2 goodness-of-fit for the line of best fit. The dotted line is the ideal line, where true age equals predicted age. Column (B): The effect of training set size (x-axis) on the mean absolute error of the ensemble (y-axis). The slope of the best fit line indicates the rate at which age prediction error would decrease with additional samples. Dots indicate mean absolute error from each fold of 2 × 10 cross-validation (y-axis) for varying sizes of random subset of the data (x-axis). A line of best fit and 95% confidence interval is shown. Column (C): Box plots of age predictions of progeria patients (red) and leave-one-out cross-validation predictions of age-matched healthy controls (blue). Box limits denote 25th and 75th percentiles, line is median, whiskers are 1.5× interquartile range, and dots are predictions outside the whisker’s range. The ensemble method is the only method that predicts significantly higher ages for progeria patients. Progeria patients: n = 10, mean ± std. of true age 5.5 ± 2.4; age-matched controls: n = 12, mean ± std. of true age 5.0 ± 2.9

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

VOICE OF BIOTECNIKA

Biotech Breakthroughs & Big Ideas in 2019 – Podcast

Episode 12 A Very Happy New Year 2019 to All. With the aim of evoking interest, imparting knowledge and motivating students of life science, so far, many episodes of the podcast have been weekly presented. Today’s podcast we will be focusing on the topic – Biotech Breakthroughs and Big Ideas in 2019. Trending topics like Space Farming, DNA based computers, 3D printing of organs and much more. Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast channel to listen to the most happening Biotech podcast in the country anytime, anywhere. Voice of Biotecnika by Dr. Sunita Adak

SCHOLARSHIP

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

Amgen Scholars Program 2019 – Summer Research Program in Science and Biotechnology The notification for the Amgen Scholars Asia Program is out. It’s open to applicants from all of the globe. It’s a Summer Research Program. Interested individuals can check all of the details on the Undergraduate Summer Research Program in Science and Biotechnology given below: EACH YEAR, THE AMGEN SCHOLARS ASIA PROGRAM PROVIDES SIXTY SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN A HANDS-ON RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AT A NUMBER OF ASIA’S PREMIER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. Presently, four institutions in Asia host the summer research program. The Amgen Foundation has dedicated $74 million over sixteen years to this worldwide initiative to make the opportunity possible for thousands of students. Inspiring the Scientists of Tomorrow: As Amgen Scholars, students will have the chance to: • participate in significant institution research projects, develop hands-on laboratory experience and contribute to the progress of science; • Interact with and get guidance from faculty mentors, including some of Asia’s top academic scientists; and • Participate in engaging scientific seminars, workshops and other networking events. The Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium: A signature part of the summer program is a symposium hosted in the National University of Singapore where students hear firsthand from major scientists working in industry and academia. The Asia symposium provides students with a valuable opportunity to talk about their research, learn about drug discovery and development, and network with other Amgen Scholars from around Asia and the world. Academic Research Areas Any disciplines linked to the discovery, development, manufacture and delivery of human therapeutics, in addition to the general biomedical and biotechnology enterprise.

study in the time the summer program starts, and • aren’t graduating before the Financial support is a critical comsummer program begins, and ponent of this Amgen Scholars Proafter the summer program fingram. Please be aware that details ishes will restart undergraduate change by the host institution. See research for a minimum of one each institution’s summer research semester or a quarter. program site to learn more. Financial Support:

Eligibility:

Asia Program applicants should also possess:

Amgen Scholars Asia Program applicants must be undergraduate stu- • A solid record of academic performance; and dents who are: • A fantastic working knowledge of English, shown with a mini• Enrolled in colleges or universimum TOEFL (iBT) rating of 72, ties worldwide which awards a IELTS overall band score of 5.5, bachelor’s degree (or its equivCambridge English FCE, TOEalent); and IC score of 1095, TOEIC L&R • At a minimum, have finished score of 785, or TOEIC S&W their first year of undergraduate

score of 310, if not a native English speaker or English isn’t your first language, and • An interest in pursuing a PhD Each of the four host institutions in Asia has its own application procedure, however, the application deadline for everybody is in early February. For queries associated with the Asia Program, check out amgenscholars. com or contact the Amgen Scholars Global Program Office at amgenscholarsglobal@harvard.edu or +1 617-384-6758. View Notification

SCHOLARSHIP

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

The Gen Foundation Grant 2019 – Applications Open The applications for the 2019 round of the Gen Foundation Grant 2019 is now open. Applicants who are students or researchers with a background in natural sciences are encouraged to apply for the same. Check out all of the details on the same given below: THE GEN FOUNDATION IS A CHARITABLE TRUST WHICH PRINCIPALLY PROVIDES GRANTS TO STUDENTS/ RESEARCHERS IN NATURAL SCIENCES, IN PARTICULAR FOOD SCIENCES/TECHNOLOGY.

About the Foundation: The Gen Foundation was registered with the Charity Commission on 14th August 1998. The goal of this Foundation is to enhance the significance of cross-cultures involving Japan and the rest of the planet in today’s global society. The Foundation is encouraging individuals who excel in the regions of natural sciences, particularly food sciences/technology. Since 1998, awards are granted to over 100 individuals researching or studying within these fields. Successful applicants are requested to submit a report to the Trustees in the conclusion of the studies. All possible candidates must take note that the Gen Foundation grants are one-off, non-renewable awards. Diversity Policy: The Foundation is committed to providing equal opportunities to all candidates. It is the policy of the Foundation not to discriminate against any candidate, whether it be on the grounds of: • colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin; • religion or belief; • sex, marital status or gender reassignment; • sexual orientation; • disability; or • age. Eligibility: To Qualify for a Gen Foundation grant, an applicant: • Must research or study within the area of natural sciences, particularly food sciences/technology and

• have to hold a Bachelor’s degree • Attached to the application form • Portraits Won’t be accepted or equivalent.

London W1S 4DN United Kingdom

The Foundation doesn’t support un- An up-to-date curriculum vitae dergraduates, short-term training, (resume) conferences, seminars, or thesis writing. Such applications won’t be • English only considered. TWO original and signed letters of reference How to Apply:

Please try to send each one the aforementioned documents together with your application. But if you’re not able to provide evidence of acceptance in time, it is possible to arrange for it to be sent directly to us by the relevant organisation. Please inform us in your application that these documents are to follow. Please be aware we can’t return any of the documentation once they’ve been submitted.

Prior to applying for the Gen Foundation grant, you’re strongly suggested to assess whether you are eligible to apply.

• • • •

English or Japanese Not photocopied Not scanned Not emailed

The application form has to be com- Evidence of acceptance via an orpleted in English and submitted ganisation/institution with all the supporting documents listed below no later than 28th Feb- • Evidence of a conditional letter is acceptable ruary 2019. • Photocopied or Original Please be aware that incomplete apPost the application form and supplications won’t be considered. porting documents to the following Download a copy of the application address. Applications should arrive no later than 28th of February form here: 2019: The Administrator 2019 Application Form The Gen Foundation 2. Prepare the following documen- 45 Old Bond Street tation: complete application form • Refer to page 5 of this application form before completion • Typed applications only; handwritten applications Won’t be considered • English only 1 recent passport-sized picture

Selection Procedure: The Trustees of the Foundation will Pick a shortlist of applicants on the basis of their submitted applications. The Trustees will then conduct interviews of these shortlisted candidates prior to making a final decision. Application Deadline – 28th February 2019 View Notification

SCHOLARSHIP

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

ICMR Medical Innovation Fund Scheme Indian Council of Medical Research scheme – Medical Innovation Fund Scheme. Interested and eligible candidates can check out all of the details on the scheme, tenure, who can apply, selection procedure, application procedure, how to apply, timeline and contact details all given below: FROM 2005 ONWARDS COUNCILS INITIATED AN IN-HOUSE SCHEME REFERRED TO AS”MEDICAL INNOVATION FUND” TO ACCELERATE MEDICAL INNOVATION. THE STRATEGY HAD BEEN INITIATED UNDER NEW HEAD SCHEDULES 17- (R) THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR 2005-06.

The strategy is aimed to encourage creativity and innovation in biomedical research among the scientists of Council. The proposals are invited from ICMR labs either individually or jointly with other ICMR institutes. The proposals are chosen for the support provided it includes any hitherto unreported novel idea having far-reaching medical and scientific implications. The call for proposals is made yearly. Medical Innovation Fund: ICMR is initiating a new scheme to accelerate medical innovation through which support shall be awarded to test and validate novel and thoroughly creative ideas even when they have a high probability of failure. This strategy will be open to only council’s scientists for support. The experiments if proved rewarding based on initial experience the scope of the scheme will be enlarged by inviting joint proposals between ICMR labs on a single hand along with other scientific institutions or universities on the other. The scheme: Council invites proposals from ICMR labs either independently or together with other ICMR institutes under the Medical Innovation Fund for support from ICMR. These proposals are intended for pursuing hitherto unreported, novel ideas having far-reaching medical and scientific implications. The scheme is for individuals or a group of collaborating scientists and is non-transferable. The scheme is intended to be carried out by ICMR institutes where basic infrastructure already exists. This scheme isn’t meant for institutional strengthening but also for encouraging insti-

tutional notions. The scientist, that has proposed the idea for pursuing will be the principal investigator of this research proposal. A collaborator may be involved from the exact same or some other ICMR institute. The consent of the head of these institutes has to be furnished together with the proposal. Tenure: The tenure of this project will be generally two years. But, it may be terminated earlier in the event of slow progress. On the other hand, promising leads could be further supported. Who Can Apply: Any permanent employee from the scientific cadre/faculty members from ICMR can submit an idea in the form of a proposal either independently or in partnership with another ICMR lab. Such joint proposals shall be forwarded via the primary collaborating ICMR lab.

the core facilities are available and will be provided to the investigator. (s) to work on the project and the (ii) The institute will discharge all of its obligations particularly in regard to the management of grants obtained as applicable for extramural projects. Monitoring: Sanctioned projects are monitored on six monthly basis The progress report will be submitted by the investigators by 1st March and 1st September each year. The PI’s will also be needed to present the progress of research work prior to the Medical Innovation Committee for midterm correction. Guidelines: Idea based funding in the following areas: • • • • • •

New targets New diagnostics New diagnostic tools Non-invasive measuring device New separation Techniques Process for applying: Development of new evaluation protocols Ten copies of the research proposal in the prescribed format (Form A1 • New in vitro-in vivo methods and Form A2) ought to be submitted to DG, ICMR, The application Procedure to be adopted: forms can be obtained from Chief BMS, ICMR, Ansari Nagar Post • Proposal for concept proof to be prepared for a duration of Box 4911, New Delhi or download2-3years ed from ICMR site www.icmr.nic. • it ought to be commercialable in. The application needs to be forwithin 4-6 years warded through concerned Head of • It ought to have relevance to the the Institution duly certified that (I)

industry in comparatively short time. • Once the concept has been proven a complete project could be submitted to some of the financing agency. • Projects are typically for testing these ideas within the fund of Rs 10,00,000/- each. • If the idea is successful and results in international patent and protected, a personal award of Rs 20,000 / to 1 lakh can be given. How to Apply: Soft copy of the proposal along with ten copies of the research proposal in the prescribed format ( Form A1 and Form A2) ought to be submitted to DG, ICMR on following email id kaulr.hq@icmr.gov.in. The application forms may be downloaded from ICMR site, www.icmr.nic.in The application to be forwarded through concerned Head of the Institution duly certified that (I) the core facilities are available and will be provided to the investigator. (s) to work on the project and the (ii) The institute will discharge all of its obligations particularly in respect of the management of grants received as applicable for extramural projects.

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SCHOLARSHIP

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Evaluation: • The rating of this project will be accorded by subject experts to the score of 10. • The decision will be taken in the

Timeline: Expert Group meeting specifi- Contact Person: cally constituted for the purpose. Dr Rajni Kaul, Scientist G, Phone Deadline for submission of proNo. 011-26589452, email identifi- posal is: 31st January 2019. cation kaulr.hq@icmr.gov.in Download Form

DBT India – iBEC-2019 (Indian Biological Engineering Competition) The notification for the iBEC-2019 (Indian Biological Engineering Competition) by the Department of Biotechnology India has been released. Interested applicants can check out all of the details on the eligibility criteria, inclusion, exclusion criteria, application procedure and selection procedure below: Indian Biological Engineering Competition (iBEC) Purpose: For supporting best Indian Students team to participate in iGEM Competition-2019 Eligibility Criteria: Who can apply? The concepts may be received from undergraduate and postgraduate students with a mentor from the exact same Institution. The team of students applying from a specific institute would be encouraged, although not compulsory. BROAD PARAMETERS THAT DEFINE A CERTAIN WORK AS ‘SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY’ INCLUSION CRITERIA Rational design of biological components which include construction of standard parts (DNA, RNA, Protein), devices (modules e.g. operon, transcription factor complex) and circuits (pathways/networks). EXCLUSION CRITERIA Standard molecular biology studies which don’t map to the rational design approach Application Criteria: – Maximum of 5-member staff, such as a mentor with credible experience. Total Budget shouldn’t transcend’ 10.00 lakhs containing Consumables, Registration Fees and Travel head. Additional funds, if needed have to be arranged from additional sources/institute —– Proposal predicated on preexisting iGEM parts. Shortlisting Process:

Teams will be invited to submit full proposals. Due consideration will Last date for proposal submisbe given to the extent of non-obvi- sion: February 28th, 2019 ousness and potential applications emerging in the proposed work. For further information and enquiries, please contact: How to Apply: Soft copy of the proposal could be sent into the undersigned E-mail address followed by the hard copy of the exact same to the undersigned office address.

Dr. Sangita M. Kasture Scientist Room No. 717, Block -2 ,C.G.O. Complex Department of Biotechnology

Ministry of Science & Technology Government of India Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003, INDIA Email: sangita.kasture@nic.in Application Deadline – February 28th, 2019 Registration Form

DRDO / BARC HIRING

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

DRDO-INMAS Biotech & Life Sciences JRF Recruitment

ovt jobs for MSc candidates. Candidates with a background in Life Sciences/ Biotechnology/Biochemistry are eligible to apply for 03 Junior Research Fellows (JRF) Positions. Interested and eligible candidates attend the walk-in as per the details that are given below: Name of the Position: JRF with own fellowship

M.E./M.Pharm. In relevant subject discipline and having Qualified the NET/LS or with own JRF fellowship of UGC-CSIR or any accepted National agency or GATE. (*M.Tech/ M.E./M.Pharm. exempted from NET/ GATE According to guidelines). Only those candidates that have been awarded Degree/provisional certification are eligible to apply. Number of vacancies may Change according to organizational necessity.

Post Code: JRF-03

Common Guidelines:

No.of Posts: 03

• JRF: Tenure: Maximum Five Years: Candidate will operate initially for first two years As JRF and will then be elevated as SRF for the remaining three years, Subject to satisfactory performance to be assessed according to DRDO and National agency Rules providing research fellowship. • The upper age limitation shall be relaxable to the candidates belonging for SC/ST Applicants (5 years relaxation) and OBC candidates (3 years). Number of vacancies May vary according to organizational necessity. • Reporting time is 0800h-0900h on the date of Interview, at Main Gate Reception, INMAS, Timarpur, Delhi. Latecomers will not be allowed at any cost. • Written Test could be conducted for JRFs from 0930-1030 hrs. (Depending on the Number of candidates appearing on the date of interview) and only qualified Candidates will be interviewed on precisely the exact same day. • Application form may be down-

Essential Qualifications: First class M.Sc./ B.Tech./ M.Tech. in Life Sciences/ Biomedical Sciences/ Biochemistry/Physiology/ Biotechnology with own JRF fellowship from any approved National agency. Area of Research: Combat Casualty Management/ Molecular Biology/ Radiation Protection/ Biotechnology/ Biochemistry Date of Interview: 01 February 2019 How to Apply: A. Stipend (Monthly): Junior Research Fellow (JRF): Rs.25,000/+HRA & medical Facilities admissible according to DRDO & National agency’s research fellowship rules. B. Upper age limit: 28 years according to the date of interview. C. Essential Educational Qualification: First Division in Postgraduate degree M.Sc. /B.Tech/M.Tech/

•

• •

•

loaded from the Web Site www. drdo.gov.in and should Be brought duly filled together with complete bio-data on the date of interview. (Candidates willing to participate may send prior information by email on hrdinmasrf@ gmail.com, however, application forms must be submitted at the time of walk-in-interview). The chosen candidate(s) could be Permitted to enroll for PhD with any recognized University/ Institution throughout the tenure of the fellowship. Candidate will cite that the Ranking, Post Code & Subject where he looks. Candidates will be basically needed to produce certifications / Testimonials w.r.t. experience & qualifications, for confirmation at the time of interview. Candidates currently employed in Government Departments/ PSU’s/Autonomous Bodies will be required to produce NOC at the time of interview.

• The Way to reach the venue of Interview: INMAS is situated 1 km from Vishwa Vidyalaya Metro channel Delhi towards Timarpur/Opposite into University of Delhi North Campus & Nearest Landmark is SBI ATM SSPL Branch, Timarpur, Delhi-110054. • Please note: Electronic things such as smart/mobile phones/ pendrive/laptop/CD-ROM Etc. are not permitted to carry inside INMAS Delhi Campus. • Incomplete applications will be rejected through the screening for eligibility. • Antecedents of candidate will be verified again at the time of joining, if selected. • Offer of award of Fellowship/ Associateship Doesn’t confer on the candidates, any Right for absorption in DRDO. • No TA/DA is going to be compensated for attending an interview or for joining, if chosen.

DRDO / BARC HIRING

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

GoI DAE – BARC Training Schools Scientific Officers Recruitment 2019

overnment of India, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training Schools Invite Engineering Graduates and Science Postgraduates to apply for recruitment as Scientific Officers (Group-A post of Government of India) through its academic programs OCES-2019 and DGFS2019 as per the details below: Government of India DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY (DAE) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training Schools Invite Engineering Graduates and Science Postgraduates • Who would relish challenges in frontier areas of Science and Technology, • Who would like to be part of an expanding program of Nuclear Reactors, Accelerators and Fuel Cycle Technologies, • Who would enjoy pursuing innovative research in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biosciences, Geology or Geophysics to apply for recruitment as Scientific Officers (Group-A post of Government of India) through its academic programs OCES-2019 and DGFS-2019 TRAINING SCHEMES AND EMPLOYMENT DESCRIPTION: 1. One-Year Orientation Course for Engineering Graduates and Science Postgraduates for the year 2019-2020 (OCES-2019) conducted at the BARC Training Schools. Table-1 lists Eligible Disciplines. Table-2 lists the Eligible Disciplines and orientation of the Training Program at each of the Training Schools. A Trainee Scientific Officer (TSO), who scores a minimum of 50% aggregate marks on completion of the Training Program, is declared to have completed the course successfully. Successful TSOs will be posted as Scientific Officers in one of the following DAE units: a) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai*, b) Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, c) Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore, d) Variable Energy

Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata, e) Heavy Water Board (HWB), Mumbai*, f) Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Hyderabad*, g) Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Mumbai*, h) Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), Mumbai*, i) Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), Kalpakkam*, j) Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research (AMD), Hyderabad*, k) Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL), Jaduguda*. l) Directorate of Construction, Services and Estate Management (DCS&EM), Mumbai* *These units have their Head Office at the indicated locations. Placement can be at the Head Office or at other facilities of these units located in different parts of India. Allocation of a successful OCES TSO to a DAE unit is carried out based on the needs of DAE’s programs and the TSO’s performance in the OCES program. DAE reserves the right to place TSOs in any of its other units also or the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

guide. On successful completion of M.Tech. / M.Chem.Engg., they are posted as Scientific Officers in DAE. On joining, they are required to first undertake a four-month Orientation Course for DGFS Fellows (OCDF) at the BARC Training School, Mumbai. The DGFS Fellows are enrolled and posted in one of the following units of DAE: a) BARC, Mumbai**, b) IGCAR, Kalpakkam. Allocation of a DGFS Fellow to a DAE unit is done at the beginning of the M.Tech. / M.Chem.Engg. program. **Placement can be at any of the BARC facilities located in different parts of India.

Performance above a specified threshold in course work at the Training School will entitle TSOs to Selected candidates are required to a Post-Graduate Diploma or could execute an agreement and a personal earn them credits towards M.Tech Indemnity Bond to serve DAE for at ./M.Phil./Ph.D. programs of Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), a Deemed to be University. 2. Two-Year DAE Graduate Fellowship Scheme for Engineering Graduates and Physics Postgraduates for the years 2019 – 2021 (DGFS – 2019). Under this scheme, Engineering Graduates and Physics Postgraduates who have excelled in the Selection Interviews for the BARC Training Schools’ program and who have independently secured admission for M.Tech. /M.Chem.Engg. in select Institutes and specializations as listed in Table-3, are paid stipend and tuition fee to pursue a M.Tech. / M.Chem.Engg. degree while retaining their employment in DAE. After successful completion of one-year course work at the Institute, Fellows undertake project work, which is assigned by DAE and supervised jointly by a DAE guide and an Institute

least three years after completion of Training. Indemnity Bond is for Rs. 4,30,000 for OCES TSOs and Rs. 8,70,000 for DGFS Fellows# No third party surety is required. #The Bond Amount for DGFS Fellows pursuing M.Tech./M.Chem. Engg. at certain DGFS Institutes may be different, depending on the tuition fee at the concerned Institute. During Training: (i) Stipend and Allowances: OCES TSOs and DGFS Fellows are paid a stipend of Rs. 35,000 per month during the period of their Training. Additionally, they are paid a one-time book allowance of Rs. 10,000. (ii) DGFS Fellows are reimbursed the tuNext Page>>>>

DRDO / BARC HIRING

ition fee for M.Tech./M.Chem.Engg. and are additionally paid a one-time Contingency Grant of Rs. 25,000 to meet M.Tech./M.Chem.Engg. project related expenses. (iii) Boarding and Lodging in DAE or DGFS Institute Hostel respectively, during Training, is mandatory. Selection Process:

to 7.5 on a scale of 10 will directly be screened into the Selection Interview stage, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements of the OCES/ DGFS-2019 program. It is to be noted that this option of being screened in based on CGPA can be exercised only once. Such candidates should first submit their application for the OCES/DGFS-2019 program on the Online Application Portal and subsequently forward their details through the Directors of their institutes.

Selection to OCES/DGFS-2018 is a two-step process: Screening to shortlist candidates followed by Selection Interviews of the short-listed candi- Selection Interviews of short-listed dates. candidates in all disciplines except Geology and Geophysics will be conScreening for Selection Interview ducted at the BARC Training School, is through two alternative chan- Mumbai. Interviews in Geology and nels: Geophysics will be held in Hyderabad. Outstation applicants travelling (a) Online Screening Test: It will for Interview will be paid to-and-fro be conducted in all of the nine Engi- AC-III tier normal train fare by shortneering disciplines (codes 21-29) and est route or actual fare, whichever is in the five Science disciplines (codes less. Selection Interviews are tenta41-43 and 45-46) at more than forty tively scheduled to be held in Maycities spread across India. The Online June, 2019. The list of candidates Screening Test for OCES/DGFS-2019 short-listed for Selection Interview will be held in March, 2019. Travel will be posted on the Online AppliAllowance is not paid for appearing cation Portal in the second week of in it. Candidates taking the Online April, 2019. Short-listed candidates Test in one of the nine engineering will be able to choose an Interview disciplines or one of the five science slot, based on availability, on the Ondisciplines will be able to choose their line Application Portal, in the third centre as well as the date and time of week of April, 2019. Final selection is the session in which they wish to ap- solely on the basis of performance in pear for the Online Test, subject to Selection interview, subject to mediavailability. Allocation of Online Test cal fitness. slot to candidates will be done on a first come first served basis. Candi- Other Opportunities: Candidates dates may refer to Instructions on the applying for OCES/DGFS-2019 may Online Application Portal for details also be considered for direct recruitin this regard. ment in Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL). Such candidates will (b) GATE Score: Candidates will be governed by stipendiary norms of be screened in for Selection Interview ECIL and terms and service condion the basis of a valid GATE-2018 or tions of ECIL on absorption. A merit GATE-2019 Score. Cut-off GATE list created out of the Selection Interscores for screening into Selection view Marks may also be used to offer Interviews will be decided only af- admission to M.Sc. (Engg.) / Ph.D. ter the Online Test has concluded or Diploma in Radiological Physics and candidates are therefore ad- programs of BARC under the aegis vised to maximize their chances of of HBNI in the academic year 2019being screened into the Selection 20. Students admitted to the M.Sc. Interview stage by availing both (Engg.) / Ph.D. program will be paid of the screening avenues detailed a Fellowship / Stipend for the duraabove. Screening in of applicants in tion of their academic program. No Nuclear Engineering (code 29) will permanent employment with DAE is be only through the Online Test. assured to such Research Fellows. Students graduated/graduating with a Masters Degree from the University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CBS) and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar in the academic year 2017-2018/2018-2019, and whose Cumulative Grade Performance Average (CGPA) is greater than or equal

Eligibility Criteria: A. Qualifying Degrees and Other Academic Requirements for OCES/ DGFS-2019 d) For Biosciences Discipline (code 43): M.Sc. in Agriculture, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Botany, Zoology, Plant Science, Plant Breed-

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

ing, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Food Technology, Animal Science, Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences and Biosciences with a minimum of 60%* aggregate marks in M.Sc. as well as in B.Sc.; or B.E./B.Tech./B. Sc.(Tech.) only in Food Technology with minimum of 60%* aggregate marks. M.Sc. applicants should have at least one out of Physics or Chemistry or Biochemistry or Agriculture Chemistry as a subject at the B.Sc. stage or at subsidiary and/or ancillary level in case of 5-year integrated M.Sc. Applicants opting to be considered on the basis of a GATE Score should have a valid GATE-2018 or GATE-2019 Score in ‘Life Sciences’ or in ‘Biotechnology’. Those having M.Sc. with specialization in subjects like Fisheries, Horticulture, Forestry, Agronomy, Animal Husbandry, Marine Biology, Bio-analytical Sciences, Bioinformatics, and Home Science etc. and B.E./B.Tech./M.Tech. in Biotechnology/Genetic Engineering / Biomedical Engineering are not eligible.

Interview. Candidates awaiting final results and/or due to appear for GATE-2019, may also apply. If selected, candidates who are eligible in all other respects but are awaiting final results will be allowed to commence course work. However, retention of these candidates in the OCES or DGFS programs is subject to the mark-sheet of their final result, which meets the eligibility requirements of the OCES / DGFS programs, being submitted by Nov 30, 2019 in case of OCES TSOs and as per the requirement of the concerned DGFS Institutes in the case of DGFS Fellows. How to Apply: Only Online Applications will be accepted. Only Online Applications will be accepted. Candidates are required to visit the website ‘http://www.barconlineexam.in‘ in the period December 26, 2018 to January 31, 2019 and submit an Online Application by following the instructions therein. Candidates are advised to read the ‘Information Brochure’ before applying.

Application Fee: A non-refundable Application Fee of Rs. 500 is charge- Table-1: Eligible Disciplines at the able from the male applicants belong- BARC Training Schools ing to General and OBC categories. Women candidates, candidates be- • Eligible Discipline : Biological longing to SC/ST, Dependents of Sciences Defence Personnel Killed in Action • Code : 43 (DODPKIA) and Physically Challenged candidates are exempted from Those desiring to apply for the payment of Application Fee. All can- OCES/DGFS-2019 programs may didates who have paid visit the website http://www.barconlineexam.in before February 1, 2019 Application Fee at a branch of State and follow the instructions therein. Bank of India must produce original challan at the time of Selection

Important Dates:

DRDO / BARC HIRING

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

DRDO – DEBEL Biotechnology Research Fellows Recruitment 2019

ovt jobs for Biotechnology candidates. Candidates with a background in Life Sciences/ Biotechnology are eligible to apply for 02 Junior Research Fellows (JRF) Positions at DRDO-DEBEL. Interested and eligible candidates attend the walk-in as per the details that are given below: Name of the Position: Junior Research Fellow (JRF) No.of Posts: 02 Duration of Post: 02 years (may be extended further & upgraded to SRF as per rules) Age Limit: 28 years (relaxation for 03 years for OBC and 05 years for SC/ST) Stipend: As per rules of funding agencies, Rs 25,000/- + HRA Essential Qualifications: Graduate degree in a professional course (BE/B.Tech) in Nano-technology/Biotechnology/ Chemical Engineering in 1st Division with NET/

GATE qualification OR Postgraduate (ME/M Tech) degree in Nanotechnology/Biotechnology/ Chemical Engg in 1st Division both at graduate & postgraduate level Date of Interview: 05 February 2019 How to Apply: Age relaxation is granted up to 5 years for SC/ST/PH and 3 years for OBC candidates. People who belong to SC/ST/OBC are expected to produce the original caste certificate issued by the Competent Authority. Physically handicapped applicants should produce the Medical certificate issued from the Govt. Hospital/ Medical Board as the case may be in support of her/his claim. No TA is going to be compensated. Procedure of Attending Interview: The eligible/Qualified candidates may ‘Walk-In-Interview at the venue, on the time and date as stated under’. While appearing for interview, the candidates are expected to submit an application together with complete Bio-data with a current passport size

photograph affixed on the upper right corner of the first page and duly attested one set of copies of all Degree/ academic qualification certificates, marks sheets etc.. The original certificates of the same must be produced for verification. Candidates working in Govt. /Public Sector Undertakings/ Autonomous body ought to produce a NOC issued by the present employer. It may be noted that offer of Fellowship doesn’t confer on Fellows any right for absorption in DRDO Date & Time of Walk –In Inter-

view: 5th Feb 2019 (Tuesday) at 10.30 Hrs Venue: DEBEL COMPOUND, DRDO, ADE CAMPUS, CV RAMAN NAGAR, SURANJAN DAS ROAD BANGALORE – 560093. (Land Mark 1.5 Km from Aeronautical Society of India NGEF Signal ) (Please report 30 minutes before the commencement of Interview to Reception, ADE, CV Raman Nagar, Bangalore – 560093) Application Format

BIOTECNIKA TIMES

January 8th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 60

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