January 16th, 2018.
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NEWS - PAGE 2 THE WHO PRE-QUALIFIES BHARAT BIOTECH’S TYPHOID VACCINE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
NEWS - PAGE 3 NASA ASTRONAUT PERFORMS FIRST EVER SAMPLE-TO-SEQUENCE ENTIRELY ABOARD SPACE STATION
NEWS - PAGE 4
SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMES, JOBS PAGES 6-12
SOIL BACTERIUM COULD BE POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST MELANOMA
LIVING POLAR SNOW MICROBES
DOCUMENTED FOR THE FIRST TIME... Snow is a highly porous environment, exchanging and entrapping air from the surrounding environment. As more snow is deposited onto the surface of the snowpack, older snow layers compress eventually into ice, encasing small samples of the atmosphere existing over and within the snow at the time of deposition.
By Disha Padmanabha
Living Polar Snow Microbes Documented for the First Time This same logic has been used to justify the quantification of shorter-lived, more reactive trace gases in ice cores including methyl bromide and methyl chloride. However, these methods rest on the assumption that the snowpack is quasi-sterile metabolically or, at least, that microbial production/consumption of these trace gases is not significant. Typically, polar ice cores’ sterility makes them reliable snapshots of ancient climates: the absence of microorganisms means that the gas footprint trapped in ice has not been altered by any digestion process over millennia. But now, a new study by scientists at the University of York, has concluded that polar snow is not sterile after all. In fact, the sampled gases may have been shaped by bacteria that remain alive as the soft snowpack slowly turns into ice, a process that may take decades. Researchers looked at snow samples in
situ—or in its natural state—as well as samples sterilized with UV lights. The UV lights zapped traces of methyl iodide—which countered what was expected under the assumption that the system should only be influenced by chemistry rather than living bacterium. They found levels of methyl iodide, a gas produced by marine bacteria, in the natural snow. Traces of the gas were observed at tiny concentrations, but the results were enough to determine living bacteria was very much viable and active in the ice thought of as entirely sterile.
results to date have been [samples] that have been taken back to the lab.” Polar snowpacks are harsh environments for a few reasons. First of all, they are obviously pretty cold, capable of reaching -34ºC (-29.2 ºF). Paired with that they are battered with a huge amount of UV radiation and aren’t particularly rich in nutrients. Perhaps then, the researchers pose, this could broaden our understanding of where life could live in
extreme and seemingly inhospitable environments outside of our planet. “We know that bacteria have the potential to remain viable and metabolically active at low temperatures for hundreds to thousands of years,” said Redeker. “The next step is to look further down to see if we can observe active bacteria deep in the ice caps.“
“There’s lot of people that have been edging towards this for a while, but we’ve been able to show in situ that these things are happening,” Kelly Redeker, lead author and biologist at the University of York said. Taking bacteria from their environment to the lab is “great, but it’s no longer the natural conditions in which they’re found…All the other
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Vol. 02 NO 3
January 16th, 2018.
THE WHO PRE-QUALIFIES BHARAT BIOTECH’S TYPHOID VACCINE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
By Disha Padmanabha
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO VACCINES AVAILABLE AGAINST TYPHOID THAT ARE MEANT FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 2, BUT A NEW CONJUGATE VACCINE MANUFACTURED BY INDIA’S BHARAT BIOTECH AS TYPBAR-TCV COULD CHANGE THAT. The Hyderabad-based biotech has now announced that its typhoid vaccine has received pre-qualification from the World Health Organisation (WHO). International Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimates that in 2016, there were approximately 12 million cases of typhoid fever resulting in around 130,000 deaths. “Typbar TCV is the first typhoid vaccine, clinically proven to be administered to children from six months of age to adults and confers long-term protection against typhoid fever,” Said a company release.
“This [prequalification] enables the procurement and supplies of the vaccine to UNICEF, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and GAVI supported countries,” Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, has said. The product has been under development since 2001. With 5 years of follow up data for seroconversion, Typbar TCV at 25µg / dose has proven long term protection for children and adults alike, and can be administered to children from 6 months of age. Typbar TCV has been evaluated in human challenge studies at Oxford University and typhoid conju-
gate vaccines have been recommended by WHO’s strategic advisory group of experts on immunisation (WHO-SAGE). “When we started this project, Typhoid fever was a neglected tropical disease. This success is a true reflection of our team’s ability to develop novel vaccines and sustain long term product development for fighting infectious diseases. It demonstrates the power of global partnerships to achieve novel breakthroughs”, stated Dr. Ella, “For Typbar TCV to reach vulnerable populations, we are pleased to announce the price of $ 1.50/ dose for procurement for GAVI supported
countries. Recognizing the importance of sustained vaccine procurement for low income, we announce a further price reduction to around $ 1.0 or below / dose, post procurement of 100 million doses.” “The WHO pre-qualification of Typbar TCV marks an important milestone in the global effort to rid the world of typhoid fever and improve health for some of the most vulnerable populations in the world,” commented Oxford University professor Andrew Pollard.
New Diabetes Drug Reverses Memory Loss in Mice with Alzheimer’s A groundbreaking new study by UK and Chinese universities is the first to look at a new combined diabetes drug and found improvements in several characteristic symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that the incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) have anti-diabetic properties show very promising effects in animal models of AD. This could be a result of insulin not getting to the cells properly – insulin is a growth factor which is known to protect brain cells, and insulin resistance has been observed in Alzheimer’s disease brains, as well as being the biological mechanism behind type 2 diabetes.
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So researchers have been investigating whether drugs that treat type 2 diabetes might also benefit Alzheimer’s symptoms for a while now. This particular study’s “very promising outcomes” show multi-action drugs developed for type 2 diabetes “consistently show neurological protective effects”. The new drug is known as a triple receptor drug, meaning that it targets Alzheimer’s in multiple ways. People with Alzheimer’s have impaired growth factors – substances like hormones that stimulate growth – in their brains. Therefore, the treatment combines three growth factors: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. The mice in the study were specifically created to express certain genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease in humans. The researchers waited for the mice to age before
By Disha Padmanabha
giving them the drug, therefore giving their disease some time to develop and damage the animal’s brain. Once given the drug, the animals were then made to conduct a maze test designed to measure their memory. Results revealed that after being given the drug, aged mice that already had signs of a rodent version of Alzheimer’s disease showed improved learning and memory skills. The results were also seen on a biological level, and these mice displayed reduced amounts
of plaque buildup in the brain, a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, these mice also had reduced levels of chronic inflammation in their brains, overall slower rates of brain nerve cell loss and increased brain nerve cell protection. “These very promising outcomes demonstrate the efficacy of these novel multiple
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receptor drugs that originally were developed to treat type 2 diabetes but have shown consistent neuro- protective effects in several studies,” said senior author Christian Hölscher of Lancaster University in the UK.
“Further dose-response tests and direct comparisons with other drugs have to be conducted in order to evaluate if this new [drug] is superior to previous ones,” Hölscher added.
There’s still a long way to go before its clear whether or not this drug will have the same effect in humans, and whether it’s the best option to move forward with.
But the fact that this multi-approach drug has shown such promising results so far is incredibly exciting, and is a great way to start 2018.
NASA Astronaut Performs First Ever Sample-to-Sequence Entirely Aboard Space Station Furthermore, the risk of contamination is a big threat to astronauts living in tight quarters. NASA is now changing how they figure out exactly what that weird fuzzy mold is. https://youtu.be/sG7qtlZNTsI Durations for Mars missions are likely to range from 1.5 to 3 years, with 12 to 24 months of that time spent in transit between the planets, based on current propulsion technologies and planetary orbital dynamics. In response to spaceflight, the human immune response becomes dysregulated, and microbial pathogenicity can increase during spaceflight. Beyond gene expression-mediated virulence changes, it is unclear how microbial populations would evolve, both in terms of population ecology and genetic mutations, over the course of a multi-year mission with increased exposure to ionizing radiation and microgravity during transit. This ongoing microbial evolution could have a profound impact on crew health, as microbiome stability and dynamics are known to have significant effects on human health on Earth. Considering the time required to reach Mars, intervention from Earth during the course of a Mars mission will be limited to electronic communication, meaning that any analyses or monitoring to be performed must be done in situ. NASA microbiologist Sarah Wallace says that contaminations of such biomaterial is pretty common aboard the International Space Station, but the exact nature of the contaminants isn’t always known. “We have had contamination in parts of the station where fungi was seen growing or biomaterial has been pulled out of a clogged waterline, but we have no idea what it is until the sample gets back down to the lab. On the ISS, we can regularly resupply disinfectants, but as we move beyond low-Earth orbit where the ability for resupply is less frequent, knowing what to disinfect or not becomes very important.” Therefore now, NASA’s Genes in Space-3 project has allowed space-bound scientists to identify microbes on the station itself. As a part of the Genes in Space-3 mission, astronauts on the space station last year touched a petri plate to surfaces on the space station and grew the bacteria found there
into colonies, which NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson used to amplify and then sequence their DNA. In July 2016, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins became the first to sequence DNA in space, but this latest experiment was both the first time cells were transferred for analysis and the first time unknown organisms were identified in space. To identify the microbes, NASA astronaut and biochemist Peggy Whitson first collected the samples and used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to amplify and copy sections of the organism’s DNA. The next step encompassed the sequencing and identifying of the DNA using the ISS’s handheld MinION device, but there was a problem: Hurricane Harvey. The storm was stopping the microbiologists at the Johnson Space Center from communicating with Whitson, but they managed to create a workaround by patching Wallace’s mobile phone directly into the ISS’ communication system. Thanks to this, Wallace was able to help guide Whitson through the sequencing.
By Disha Padmanabha Microbes have a pretty bad reputation, and rightly so- I mean these guys are so annoying. And are not exactly pleasant pals of ours. Lurking all over in addition to being the reason behind a number of serious diseases. These “bad” microbes are the reason why we diligently disinfect our hands and wipe down our kitchen and bathroom sinks, as well as any other places where germs tend to congregate.
During analysis, “Right away, we saw one microorganism pop up, and then a second one, and they were things that we find all the time on the space station,” Wallace said. “The validation of these results would be when we got the sample back to test on Earth.” Whitson and the samples traveled back to Earth in September 2017, when the next phase of the Genes in Space-3 mission began. Scientists sequenced the microbes again on Earth and verified that each had been identi-
fied correctly. This marks the first time a sample had been taken from space, and tested in space. The ability to test organic samples without having the ferry them back to Earth will greatly speed up the process of analysis. This could help with on-board disease diagnosis, as well quickening the identification of potentially alien life forms.
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson performed the Genes in Space-3 investigation aboard the space station using the miniPCR and MinION, developed for previously flown investigations. Credits: NASA
Sarah Wallace (L), NASA microbiologist and Genes in Space-3 principal investigator, and Sarah Stahl (R), microbiologist, are seen in their Johnson Space Center lab with the in-flight sample from the Genes in Space-3 investigation. Credits: Rachel Barry
Kate Rubins conducting the first DNA analysis in space
The Genes in Space-3 team worked throughout Hurricane Harvey to ensure operations continued on the space station. Pictured are Aaron Burton, Kristen John, Sarah Stahl and Sarah Wallace as they watch NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson work within the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) during part one of the investigation. Credits: Sarah Wallace
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Leveraging a Genetic Mechanism to Enhance Yield Potential in Cereals In order to solve the world’s food, feed and bioenergy challenges, a team at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has now identified a genetic mechanism that controls developmental traits related to grain production in cereals. The work was performed in Setaria viridis, an emerging model system for grasses that is closely related to economically important cereal crops and bioenergy feed stocks such as maize, sorghum, switchgrass and sugarcane. “This work is a great demonstration of how Setaria viridis can be leveraged to gain fundamental insights into the mechanisms that govern seed production in the grasses – our most important group of plants that includes corn, sorghum, rice, wheat and barley,” said Thomas Brutnell, Ph.D., Director of the Enterprise Institute for Renewable Fuels, Danforth Center. “It’s also worth noting that this project was conceived and work initiated after Dr. Eveland joined the Danforth Center
– an impressive feat for a junior faculty member that speaks to both the advantages of working on a model system and the great team that she has assembled at the Danforth Center.” In the course of the study, Andrea Eveland, Ph.D., assistant member at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and her team mapped a genetic locus in the S. viridis genome that controls growth of sterile branches called bristles, which are produced on the grain-bearing inflorescences of some grass species. It was revealed that these sterile bristles are initially programmed to be spikelets; grass-specific structures that produce flowers and grain. The study elucidated how the conversion of a spikelet to a bristle is determined early in inflorescence development and regulated by a class of plant hormones called brassinosteroids (BRs), which modulate a range of physiological processes in plant growth, de-
velopment and immunity. In addition to converting a sterile structure to a seed-bearing one, the research also showed that localized disruption of BR synthesis can lead to production of two flowers per spikelet rather than the single one that typically forms. These BR-dependent phenotypes therefore represent two potential avenues for enhancing grain production in millets, including subsistence crops in many developing countries that remain largely untapped for genetic improvement.
“The genetics and genomics tools that are emerging for Setaria enable more rapid dissection of molecular pathways such as this one, and allow us to manipulate them directly in a system that is closely related to the food crops we aim to improve,” said Eveland. “It means we are just that much closer to designing and deploying optimal architectures for cereal crops. The prospect of leveraging these findings for improvement of related grasses that are also orphan crop species, such as pearl and foxtail millets, is especially exciting.”
Soil Bacterium Could Be Potentially Effective Against Melanoma In the U.S. alone, more than 80,000 new melanoma cases are diagnosed each year, and about 9000 melanoma patients die. Men are more likely than women to develop melanoma; the death rate varies by race and ethnicity and is highest among Caucasians. Now, a team from the Oregon State University has upon investigation come across a type of soil-dwelling bacterium that produces molecules that are capable of inducing death in melanoma cells. The molecule the OSU team recently identified—called mensacarcin—is a natural product and secondary metabolite from the soil bacteria Streptomyces bottropensis. Mensacarcin is a highly oxidized and stereogenic complex molecule that can be obtained in large amounts from these bacteria. The properties of this compound are important as there are few therapies that effectively manage melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. “Mensacarcin has potent anticancer activity, with selectivity against melanoma cells,” explained senior study investigator Sandra Loesgen, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry at OSU. “It shows powerful antiproliferative effects in all tested cancer cell lines in the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s cell line panel, but inhibition of cell growth is accompanied by fast progression into cell death in only a small number of cell lines, such as melanoma cells.” The team synthesized a fluorescent mensacarcin probe to test this molecule at a subcellular level. The probe was localized to mitochondria within 20 minutes of treatment. The researchers found that the localization together with mensacarcin’s unusual meta-
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bolic effects in melanoma cells provide evidence that mensacarcin targets mitochondria. Live-cell bioenergetic flux analysis showed mensacarcin disturbed energy production and mitochondrial function rapidly. “Its unique mode of action suggests it may be a useful probe for examining energy metabolism,” Dr. Loesgen noted. “Subsequent experiments revealed that mensacarcin rapidly alters mitochondrial pathways, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction.” After careful analysis, the researchers found that mensacarcin’s action within mitochondria leads to the activation of apoptotic pathways in melanoma cells. “Flow cytometry identified a large population of apoptotic melanoma cells, and single-cell electrophoresis indicated that mensacarcin causes genetic instability, a hallmark of early apoptosis,” Dr. Loesgen concluded. “Mensacarcin’s unique mode of action indicates it might represent a promising lead for the development of new anticancer drugs.“
By Disha Padmanabha
Vol. 02 NO 3
January 16th, 2018.
Novel Tool to Test Likelihood of Drugs Going Rogue on Entering the Body Racemisation has a large impact upon the biological properties of molecules but the chemical scope of compounds with known rate constants for racemisation in aqueous conditions was hitherto limited. To address this remarkable blind spot, a team of researchers at the Cardiff University in collaboration with their counterparts at Liverpool John Moores University and AstraZeneca, have now developed a simple test to elucidate the likelihood of a drug turning into a potentially harmful version of itself when it enters the body. Unfortunately, despite attempts by pharma companies to make only the active and desired enantiomer for a drug it is possible for racemisation to occur once the drug enters the body and thus form the inactive or potentially dangerous enantiomer form. This is not only impactful on the health of the patient but also carries a financial implication to the drug developer. The most famous example of this is thalidomide, which was withdrawn from the market when it was found to cause birth defects. One enantiomer caused the desirable sedative effects, while the other enantiomer caused the birth defects. Since the thalidomide crisis,
drug developers have strived to create drugs containing only one enantiomer. “Following the thalidomide disaster, researchers worldwide have focussed on making compounds enantioselectively — that is containing just one enantiomer,” explained Dr Niklaas Buurma, from Cardiff University’s School of Chemistry, lead author of the study. “However, while compounds are routinely tested to ensure they are inherently stable under physiological conditions, not much thought has been given as to how to prevent configurational instability at the design stage, using suitable predictive models.” The researchers have developed a simple approach to trawl through large databases of pharmaceutical drugs and assess the likely risk of a drug undergoing racemisation – a process in which a drug flips into a mirror image of itself and becomes either inert or potentially dangerous. The collaborative work, the team set up experiments to simulate the chemical conditions of the human body and then introduced a number of drugs to the system, monitoring the rate at which the different drugs under-
By Disha Padmanabha
went racemisation. From their results, the team were able to generate a simple mathematical model that could quickly predict the rate of racemisation in any drug compound, subsequently indicating how safe and productive that drug would be if administered. This is the first time an assessment tool for this purpose has been developed.
“We believe that this risk-assessment will make it possible to manufacture safer medication by helping the pharmaceutical industry to quickly spot medication that will fail during development and focus their efforts on compounds that are more likely to work,” added Buurma.
Cure for Baldness? Mouse Stem Cells Aid Researchers in Production of Hairy Skin When you aren’t watching men like Jason Statham or Jude Law, the only airtime bald men to come by is via the many, many ads on how to cure baldness. The whole thing agreeably sucks. But there’s more to the bummer of hair loss than just a loss confidence. In fact, the negative societal connotations of baldness have been around for hundreds of years. But now, looks like researchers are a step closer to curing baldness. Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have cultured the first lab-grown skin tissue complete with hair follicles. This skin model, developed using stem cells from mice, more closely resembles natural hair than existing models and may prove useful for testing drugs, understanding hair growth, and reducing the practice of animal testing. Karl Koehler, author of the paper and a researcher at the University, described the tissue like “a little ball of pocket lint that floats around in the culture medium.” Stem cell therapy has been suggested as a possible future treatment for hair loss for years. Although various methods of generating skin tissue have already been developed, their ability to imitate the real thing has consistently fallen short. Skin consists of 20 or more cell types and these models often con-
tain only five or six, and none are capable of hair growth. Dr. Koehler’s team had previously developed a mouse stem cell 3D culture system to create organoids that model the inner ear and found that the process also generated skin cells. In their latest studies, the team has shown how mPSCs grown in 3D culture generate skin organoids that comprise both the epidermal and dermal skin layers, and spontaneously produce HFs, in a way that mimics how HFs would normally develop in the mouse embryo skin. The team’s recent research demonstrates that a single skin organoid unit developed in culture can give rise to both the epidermis (upper) and dermis (lower) layers of skin, which grow together in a process that allows hair follicles to form the same way as they would in a mouse’s body. Professor Koehler said: “It looks like a little ball of pocket lint that floats around in the culture medium. The skin develops as a spherical cyst and then the hair follicles grow outward in all directions – like dandelion seeds.” The researchers say the skin they developed grew a variety of hair follicle types similar to
By Disha Padmanabha
those present naturally on the coat of a mouse. The skin organoid itself consisted of three or four different types of dermal cells and four types of epidermal cells. This diverse combination more closely mimics mouse skin than previously developed skin models. By observing the development of this more lifelike skin organoid, the researchers learned that the two layers of skin cells must grow together in a specific way in order for hair follicles to develop. As the epidermis grew in the culture medium, it began to take the rounded shape of a cyst. The dermal cells then wrapped themselves around these cysts. When this process was disrupted, hair follicles never appeared.
“One thing we explored in the paper is that if we destroy the organoids and try to put them back together, they don’t always generate hair follicles,” Koehler says. “So, we think that it’s very important that the cells develop together at an early stage to properly form skin and hair follicles.” “It could be potentially a superior model for testing drugs, or looking at things like the development of skin cancers, within an environment that’s more representative of the in vivo microenvironment,” Dr. Koehler said. “And it would allow us to limit the number of animals we use for research.”
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SCHOLARSHIP How to Apply: Students are encouraged to apply online.
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1. Registration includes two steps : First complete basic registration step by clicking the “Apply Online” button given below.
TIFR – Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2018) The Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2018) will be held at TIFR, Mumbai during the period May 7 to July 4, 2018. 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. The selected students are expected to work on a research project under the supervision of a TIFR researcher. The programmes are held both at the Mumbai campus of the TIFR as well as at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune during mid May to early July each year. TIFR pursues basic research primarily in Astronomical, Biological, Chemical and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Theoretical Computer Science and Systems Science (including Communications & Applied Probability) and runs a graduate program leading to a Ph.D. in all these areas. Eligibility: Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Mathematics/ Computer & Systems Sciences : 1) Two years of undergraduate course work in an academic institution. 2) Should not have particpated in VSRP before. Please note that the VSRP programme is for students currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme and not for PhD students or faculty members. Selection: Selection is purely based on the academic performance of the student, submitted writeup and referee reports. There is no selection test/interview. Stipend/Accommodation: Selected students are paid a monthly stipend @ Rs 7000/- per month and to and fro travel re-imbursement from the place of their residence. Also, free shared accomodation on- or off- campus is provided.
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2. During the basic registration, “Prefered Subject” indicates TIFR subject area you are applying for (Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Mathematics / Computer & Systems Sciences). 3. After completing basic registration, an email will be sent to you with a link for advanced registration. Before proceeding to advanced registration, please keep the following ready : a) Scanned photo (.jpg file of size not exceeding 100kb ) of your passport size photograph. b) Students can select upto 2 departments, and for each department, they can fill in two areas of interest from the options available in the menu. Please read the Information Brochure before you fill this section. c) A write-up of up to 400 words, describing your interest in the most preferred field of study has to be provided in the appropriate box. The write up should not contain special characters. In particular, use of equations in write-ups is strongly discouraged. d) Names, Affiliation, Designation, 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.
IUSSTF & DBT India : Khorana Program for Scholars | Biotech Candidates Eligible The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India, Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and WINStep Forward are partnering to support the prestigious Khorana Program for Scholars named in honor of Dr. Har Gobind Khorana, who won the Nobel Prize in 1968 for his work at the interface of Chemistry and Biology while a member of the UW faculty. The Khorana Program will provide opportunities to Indian students to undertake research at University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and partner universities in Summer 2018 for a period of 10 weeks. A list of UW partner universities is available http:// www.winstepforward.org The Khorana Program is envisaged to: • •
Provide encouragement to young scholars to undertake R&D Enable students to carry out research at a premier University in the United States Transform research into societal benefits Build a seamless scientific community between India and the United States
The link for filling up the Referee Report Form online will be sent by email to both Referees after complete registration.
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Students from remote areas who do not have access to internet can send a request for application form along with a self-addressed stamped envelope of Rs 20/- to :
Scholarship includes:
Superscribed (VSRP-2018) The Assistant Registrar (Academic) Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba Mumbai 400005. Last date for application : For Maths – February 28, 2018 For all other subjects – January 31, 2018 NOTE : REFEREES CAN FILL THE ONLINE REPORT FORM TILL ONE WEEK AFTER THE LAST DATE.
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Stipend Airfare Health Insurance
Eligibility Details: B.Tech, M.Tech and B.Sc./M.Sc. students currently enrolled in recognized institutions of higher education in India in Biotechnology and allied areas are eligible to apply. Students pursuing Ph.D/Final year students are not eligible to apply. Application Guideline: •
Pre-final year candidates enrolled in B.Tech, M.Tech, B.Sc, M.Sc., MBBS in Biotechnology and allied areas (including agricultural, food, health and biomedical sciences) are eligible to apply. Final Year students and Ph.D. students are NOT eligible to apply The applicant should have: - Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 8.0 or higher OR - Percentage: 80% and higher. • Only those candidates (preferably
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pre-final year) who shall be completing their degree program on or after May 2019 are eligible to apply. Candidates are encouraged to fill out the online application and upload scanned copies of latest marksheet/transcript, No-Objection Certificate & 2 Letters of Recommendation. Supporting documents should be provided strictly according to the check-list mentioned in the application form. Please DO NOT attach Class X/Class XII marksheets. Recommendation letters can be sent along with the application form or if referees wish to give a sealed one, they may send it directly to scholar@indousstf.org with Applicant’s full name in the subject line. Hard copies of the application form/ supporting documents are not required. If you do not have a passport and have applied for it, choose “Applied for” in the passport details section of the Application form. Applications in subject-fields other than those specified in the advertisement will not be considered.
Program dates : May – July 2018 Submission Deadline : 31 January 2018 Application Guidelines: Applications should be submitted using our Online Application Portal for Visitation Programs. Hard copies and electronic copies of the application forms will not be accepted. Contact Us: Dr. Nishritha Bopana Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) 12 Hailey Road, Fulbright House, New Delhi- 110 001 Phone: 91-11- 42691713, 42691700, 42691708 Fax: 91-11-23321552 Email : scholar@indousstf.org Application Deadline – 31 January 2018
Vol. 02 NO 3
January 16th, 2018. Application process:
Financial Support:
It is the responsibility of the applicants to identify a suitable Doctoral programme and supervisor at the University of Cambridge, apply for a place for September/October 2018 and secure admission.
Duration: 3 years PhD course with the possibility of 1-year extension. Monthly stipend:
Arturo Falaschi ICGEB PhD Fellowship Programmes (Life Sciences) ICGEB offers competitive Pre-doctoral Fellowships in Life Sciences to highly motivated scientists wishing to pursue PhD research studies in a world-class scientific environment. Fellowships include participation in a competitive research programme, access to state-of-the-art facilities, participation in ICGEB Meetings, Seminars and Journal Clubs and a competitive stipend, plus full coverage of tuition fees and health insurance. The Arturo Falaschi ICGEB Fellowship Programmes: The Arturo Falaschi ICGEB Fellowships programme offers long and short-term fellowships for scientists who are nationals of ICGEB Member States to perform research in Trieste, New Delhi or Cape Town. PhD Fellowships: ICGEB offers postgraduate studies with the aim of obtaining the “Doctor Philosophiae” (PhD) degree in the life sciences. Thanks to specific agreements, the title can be awarded through a number of academic institutions of international standing, which include The Open University (UK) and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste, Italy, the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The structure of the three-year PhD course includes intensive laboratory research activities, participation in seminars and communication training during Journal Club sessions, symposia and international meetings. Eligibility: Applicants must be nationals of an ICGEB Member State. Nationals of India and South Africa, ICGEB Host Countries, are not eligible to apply for ICGEB Fellowships in their home country. Degree requirements: •
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applicants for ICGEB Trieste should hold a BSc (Honours) degree; applicants for ICGEB Cape Town and New Delhi should hold an MSc degree. Candidates must have a good working knowledge of the English language, supported by a proficiency certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate, or equivalent). Not required when scholastic education has been undertaken in English. Candidates for Trieste, Italy must be below the age of 32 years at the time of application (i.e. date of birth after 31/03/1986). There is no age limit for applications for ICGEB New Delhi and Cape Town.
Trieste (Italy): Euro 1,300, New Delhi (India): US$ 1,020, Cape Town (South Africa): ZAR 12,500. Travel: •
the fellowship includes provision for travel expenses from the student’s home country to the ICGEB lab at the beginning of the fellowship and a return travel provision upon completion of the fellowship. • Medical health insurance coverage is provided for the duration of the fellowship. • University tuition fee is covered for the entire PhD registration period. • Visa/permit of stay application and renewal costs are reimbursed. • Support for participation in Meetings and Courses is generally provided by the Group Leader / PI. ICGEB makes no financial provision, nor can it provide administrative support for family members of participants in the programme. To Apply: Applicants should contact the ICGEB Group Leader/PI of their choice with a motivation letter, to determine availability of laboratory space and to define the research project proposal that will form an integral part of the application.
Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarship – 2018 | Applications Invited The Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarships aim to support students from India to pursue doctoral studies at St John’s College, Cambridge. Under this initiative, a number of scholarships will be made available for September/October 2018. It is expected that the students will go on to become leading achievers and opinion-formers within Indian Society, and applicants should be able to demonstrate leadership potential accordingly. All candidates must first apply for doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge, selecting St John’s College as their first choice. Eligibility: Applicants should be able to meet the following criteria: • • •
Submission: Please complete this application on line. In addition, please upload a single pdf document containing all requested attachments (see application form below). Selection: All submitted applications will be transmitted to the respective ICGEB Liaison Officer in the country of which you are a national for endorsement. Endorsement is a fundamental requirement for the Fellowship to be awarded. The ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee will evaluate complete and endorsed applications received by the closing date. The main criteria for selection include scientific excellence of the project, the qualities of the candidate’s CV and potential benefit for the home country. The candidates will be notified of the outcome by e-mail as soon as possible following the closing date for applications.
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Value of Award :
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Notes: • Only those applicants who get an offer of admission at St John’s College will be eligible for the award of the Scholarship. • Candidates should NOT approach St John’s College directly at this stage. Online Application Form Selection: Candidates for these scholarships are selected through a process of short listing from the applications received, followed by personal interviews, which will be conducted by Skype. Subsequent to the interviews the selection committee identifies the required number of candidates for the awards. The decision of the selection committee will be final. Selection results will be communicated within a month following the interview. Post selection: Pre-departure briefings, UK visa and travel arrangements for the selected candidates will be co-ordinated by St John’s College. General Notes: •
The scholarships cover: • • •
ICGEB Trieste: A Housing Service is run through the Welcome Office – Friuli Venezia Giulia. For further information please see: http://www.icgeb.org/ trieste-housing.html ICGEB New Delhi: A Guest House is run on campus, on a twin-share basis, for a nominal rate. ICGEB Cape Town: Accomodation support is provided to fellows. Arrangements are agreed prior arrival.
An Indian national with a valid Indian passport, currently based in India Below 35 years of age on 31 December, 2017 No previous significant exposure to a UK education, or receipt of UK government funding Hold a Master’s (postgraduate) degree from a reputed Indian university/institution with a First Class award in the relevant subject or field by October 2018 Intend to pursue a full-time Doctoral research degree from the University of Cambridge, commencing by September/October 2018, which they have already identified Able to display evidence of leadership qualities – for example, from extracurricular activities, contribution to the country or society in their chosen field Fluent in spoken and written English Able to fulfil any other admission criteria laid down by the University
1. Identify a suitable doctoral programme and supervisor at the University of Cambridge 2. Applicants to visit the University of Cambridge Graduate Admissons Office web site: www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk and make formal application to the University. 3. Applicants to select St John’s College as their first choice College on their application form. 4. Applicants to indicate on their Graduate Application Form via the Applicant Portal that they are applying for the Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarships if asked (this is not mandatory), but also to complete the section applying for funding from the University. 5. Applicants to complete the online College Application form for the Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarships Competition via the College website to notify St John’s that they have applied to the University and wish to be considered for the Scholarship. This form must be returned to St John’s by 15 January 2018.
Academic fees International airfare Monthly stipend to cover living expenses UK Visa
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Applying: Applicants must apply for their chosen Doctoral programme at the University of Cambridge, to commence by September/ October 2018. Candidates should consult the full application guidelines below, and apply for the scholarship via the online application form below by 15 January 2018.
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St John’s College will acknowledge receipt of applications through the emails provided on the College application form. For this purpose, applicants are requested to provide their latest email ids. However, the College will not be responsible for failure of on-line delivery. St John’s College will further contact only applicants who have reached the later stages of the University’s selection procedure. These candidates will be asked to provide further information to support their application. This information and that provided on the Graduate Application Form will be used to draw up the short-list. St John’s will contact the short-listed
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January 16th, 2018. candidates inviting them for interviews. Applicants are requested not to contact St John’s College directly. • Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by Skype during April or May 2018. Candidates will be expected to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements, if necessary. Further Information: For further information and clarification please contact: drmanmohansinghscholarships@joh.cam.ac.uk The deadline for submission is 15 January 2018.
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Industrial Research (CSIR), the late Dr (Sir) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and is known as the ‘Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology’. The Prize is given each year for outstanding contributions to science and technology.
Nature of the Prize SSB Prizes, each of the value of Rs 5,00,000 (Rupees five lakh only)*, are awarded annually for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in the following disciplines: (1) Biological, (2) Chemical, (3) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary, (4) Engineering, (5) Mathematical, (6) Medical, and (7) Physical Sciences. Purpose : Recognition of outstanding Indian work in science and technology. Eligibility : •
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology 2018 – Nominations Invited The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) invites nominations for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prizes in Science and Technology for the year 2018. The SSB Prizes are to be given for research contributions made primarily in India during the past five years. The age of the nominee for the SSB Prize 2018 should not be more than 45 years as on 31 December 2017. The SSB Prizes are awarded for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in the following disciplines: (1) Biological Sciences, (2) Chemical Sciences, (3) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, (4) Engineering Sciences, (5) Mathematical Sciences, (6) Medical Sciences and (7) Physical Sciences. The SSB Prize carries with it a citation, cash award and a plaque for each scientist selected for the award. Regulations Governing the Award of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize For Science and Technology Preamble •
The award is named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific &
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Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years as reckoned on 31st December of the year preceding the year of the Prize.Overseas citizen of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) working in India are also eligible. The Prize is bestowed on a person who, in the opinion of CSIR, has made conspicuously important and outstanding contributions to human knowledge and progress – fundamental and applied – in the particular field of endeavour, which is his/her specialization. The Prize is awarded on the basis of contributions made through work done primarily in India during the five years preceding the year of the Prize. (For this purpose ‘primarily’ will mean ‘for the most part’)
Award of the Prize : In awarding the Prize, the Governing Body of CSIR is guided by the recommendations of the Advisory Committees constituted under clause 10. Nominations Names of candidates may be proposed by a member of the Governing Body of CSIR; Presidents of academies of all-India character; Vice Chancellors of Indian Universities; deemed Universities and Institutions of national importance; Deans of Science, Engineering, Medical, Agriculture, and Technology Faculties; Directors of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT); Directors General of the major R&D Organizations, such as the Defence Research & Development Organization, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Indian Council of Medical
Research, India Meteorological Department; Chairmen of Atomic Energy Commission, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, etc.; Directors of CSIR Laboratories/ Institutes, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Physical Research Laboratory, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, etc.; Secretaries of the Government Science Departments like the Department of Atomic Energy, the Department of Biotechnology, the Department of Environment, the Department of Information Technology, the Department of Ocean Development, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Department of Space; etc., Member in-charge (Science) in the Planning Commission; and the former Bhatnagar Prize Awardees. University Faculties should recommend scientists working in their institutions only and route nominations through their respective Vice Chancellors, while the Faculties in IITs are required to send their nominations through their Directors. The Directors General of the R&D Organizations and the Chairmen of Commissions may sponsor names of scientists working in their respective organizations. The Directors of CSIR laboratories/ institutes can nominate candidates in disciplines of their interest irrespective of the fact whether they are working in CSIR laboratories/ institutes or outside. The recipient of a Bhatnagar Prize can send nomination of one person only for each year’s award. Nominations from other individuals sponsoring their own names or of others are not acceptable. Each nomination, as per the prescribed pro-forma, should be accompanied by a detailed statement of work and attainments of the nominee and a critical assessment report (not more than 500 words) bringing out the importance of significant research and development contributions of the nominee made during the five years preceding the year of the Prize. Nominations not made as per prescribed format are unacceptable. A candidate once nominated would be considered for a total period of three years, if age-wise eligible. Once such a nomination has been received, CSIR may correspond directly with the nominator for supplementary information, if necessary. In case a nominee has resigned from his present position in India and has gone abroad, his nomination would become invalid immediately. Advisory Committees •
The Advisory Committees for each year’s award are constituted with the approval of the Chairman of the Governing body of CSIR. The Committees consist of at least six experts including at least one former Bhatnagar Awardee in the respective discipline. On receipt of nominations for a particular
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year, CSIR circulates the list of nominees along with the detailed statement of work and attainments of each candidate to all members of the Advisory Committee related to the concerned discipline. CSIR convenes meetings of the various Advisory Committees in consultation with the Chairmen, for selecting the recipients of the SSB Prizes. The compositions of various Committees, the information submitted for their scrutiny, the proceedings of the meetings and the procedure for consideration of the nominations, other than as detailed herein, are kept confidential. Where the recommendation for the Prize is unanimous or not less than 2/3rd of the members of the Advisory Committee have agreed to one name (or maximum of two names in case they are judged to be of equivalent merit), the recommendations are submitted to CSIR for approval. The award of the Prize in a specific discipline may be withheld by CSIR in any year, if, in the opinion of the Advisory Committee, no sufficiently meritorious candidate is found suitable in that year.
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The names of the recipients are made public on 26 September, the CSIR Foundation Day by the Director General, CSIR. The Prizes are awarded at a formal presentation ceremony arranged by CSIR. At the ceremony, a suitable citation on work of the recipient of the Prize is read out. The SSB Awardee should give a lecture in the area of the award, especially in a small college or a CSIR laboratory preferably away from the Awardee’s city for dissemination of science. HRDG can help by providing TA/DA for this. In all matters of award of SSB Prizes, the decision of CSIR shall be final.
How to Apply : Nominations addressed to Scientist Incharge – SSB YSA Unit, Human Resource Development Group, CSIR Complex, Library Avenue, Pusa, New Delhi – 110 012 should be sent as per the prescribed proforma (original + 2 copies) along with reprints of significant publications of the last 5 year’s period on or before 31 March 2018. Softcopy (in PDF format) of duly filled proforma and significant publications of the nominee is also required in a USB/Pen drive.
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INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME In addition, you will be asked to provide a letter of support from your university supervisor/advisor. Should you be shortlisted for the second round of review, you will have the chance to select from a list of summer research projects. Application Deadline for the DKFZ Summer Internship 2018: - 1st March 2018
DKFZ Summer Internship in Cancer Research, Germany | Applications Open for 2018
Application is possible via our Online Application System
During their internship, students take part in the Internship Core Course which includes professional skills courses about topics related to scientific presenting and communication, and scientific seminars about recent research at the DKFZ. In addition, students are connected with scientists at the DKFZ and are invited to join outings and events in and around Heidelberg. Who is eligible to apply? To be eligible to apply for the DKFZ Summer Internship you must be working towards a master’s degree and be able to provide proof that you are enrolled in a university for the full duration of the internship (i.e. until the end of September). If you already hold a master’s degree, unfortunately you are not eligible to apply for the Internship. You should be ambitious, hardworking and have a desire to gain more experience working in the lab. You must be able to take part in the full internship, which takes place from 1st August – 30th September. How to Apply? We particularly encourage applications from international students. Applications for the DKFZ Summer Internship should be submitted in English through our Summer Internship Online Application System. The system opens in December of each year. The application deadline is 1st March of each year. As part of your application, you will be asked to provide electronic copies (PDF format) of the following documents (in English): • • •
university registration certificate that confirms your status as a student for the full duration of the internship university transcript of records high school certificate(s)
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Eligibility & Requirements: Applicants for UTRIP must: •
The DKFZ Summer Internship is an 8-week program for outstanding and ambitious master’s students who are interested in gaining laboratory research experience. Students of the Summer Internship spend two months working in a laboratory at the DKFZ where they participate in cutting-edge, cancer-related research and interact with leading scientists in the field as well as with fellow students from around the world.
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Award will receive the GSS-UTRIP Scholarship, which includes air fare support, free housing, and a stipend. For details check the Financial Support page. Students will visit a historical or natural site of interest in Japan. Specially-arranged Japanese language course will be available. Participants who successfully complete the program will be awarded a certificate from the school.
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The University of Tokyo Research Internship Program – 2018 The University of Tokyo Research Internship Program (UTRIP) is a summer internship program for students majoring in natural science and other relevant fields. The program will provide students with an opportunity to gain the experience of “real graduate-school life” or “research-centered life.” UTRIP is a gateway to pursuing an advanced degree and experiencing academic life at UTokyo. The program will be a good trial for students to test their aptitude for rigorous graduate study in the natural sciences. Participating students will closely work with leading researchers of the Graduate School of Science (GSS) at UTokyo. In addition to an opportunity for an outstanding scientific research work experience, the program includes off-campus activities such as a field-trip to a historical or natural site in Japan, and social and cultural events to promote a better understanding of Japanese culture and build a good relationship with current students at UTokyo. Lectures on cross-disciplinary scientific areas are also part of the program.
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At the conclusion of the program, students are required to make an oral presentation and submit a report on the research project. Features of UTRIP: • • •
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A research project program with fulltime commitment. Participants will have an opportunity to get involved in research at the frontier of natural science. As part of the program, students will read published research articles pertaining to their projects, and participate in laboratory meetings with their faculty advisors. Financial support: All participants except for those receiving the FUTI
Have completed at least one full year in a Bachelor’s degree program at the time of application. Be enrolled in and, after the UTRIP program ends, be expected to return to, at least another semester, quarter, or another equivalent academic term, in a Bachelor’s degree program (or a Bachelor’s-equivalent year of an integrated Bachelor’s-Master’s degree program) at a university outside of Japan. At selection, the priority for nomination is given to applicants expected to be in their third year of a four-year Bachelor’s degree program and to applicants expected to be in their second year of a three-year Bachelor’s degree program. Second-year students in four-year Bachelor’s degree programs are also encouraged to apply. Be enrolled in a natural science or related field. Be thinking of pursuing long-term career goals in a scientific area. Be able to commit to the entire six consecutive weeks of the UTRIP program (June 13 to July 24 for 1st Crew students, and June 27 to August 7 for 2nd Crew students) on a full-time basis. Be able to present coverage of a health insurance plan that is effective during the internship program before arriving in Japan. English proficiency: test scores of TOEFL or an equivalent English proficiency test (such as IELTS) are required if English is not your first language. Test scores that have already expired are accepted, as long as the applicant is still able to produce proof of the test scores upon request by the UTRIP office. Students who have received an English-medium education continuously for the past 8 years are exempted from submitting English proficiency test scores.
Requirements: Upon enrolling in the UTRIP program, students must agree to fulfill the following requirements: • • • •
To devote their full efforts to conducting the UTRIP project To participate in the project for the full six-week period To attend all academic and social events scheduled over the course of the UTRIP program To submit a written research final re-
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port approved by the UTRIP supervisor within one month of finishing the UTRIP program To give an oral presentation on the scheduled day To complete all required procedures by the designated deadlines.
Application Procedure: All required documents are required to be submitted online. Please note that original official transcripts will be required for enrollment purposes if applicants are successfully selected for UTRIP. Please contact us if you have any technical difficulties. • Application information Prior to submitting your application, make sure to review the list of Hosting Labs & Project Topics / Faculty Members & Topics to identify a hosting lab and project of your interest. The applicant selects up to two hosting labs and indicates the order of preference in the online application. See project reports of the past programs, which demonstrate the depth and level of achievement made by former participants, in our archives for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011. • Personal information You are required to state general information in your profile. As we rely mainly on email to communicate with all applicants, please include a current email address on your application and be sure to promptly respond to all correspondence. Please also note that the Corresponding Address will be used for important and time-sensitive matters such as sending visa application documents, so you should enter an address where you can be sure to receive shipments throughout April and May, 2018. • Personal statement Address the following topics in 700 – 1000 words in total: - Your reasons for selecting the particular research project(s) in the UTRIP program, and what you hope to gain from this experience - What makes you qualified for the particular research project(s), briefly highlighting your skills and experience when they are specifically required by the faculty member(s) of your choice, or when they appear to be helpful to conduct research in the laboratory(ies) that you have selected - Whether you are thinking of applying to the Graduate School of Science at the University of Tokyo after you graduate from your current university, citing your reasons Educational background and qualifications: Resume / CV This should include in-depth descriptions of any work experience, responsibilities or projects relevant to the research topic on which you wish to work during the program. It should also briefly explain courses you have taken or will take as well as prizes and awards, which are relevant to the research topic, if you have any GPA. Applicants whose universities provide official GPA scores must write
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January 16th, 2018. those scores. If your university does not provide an official GPA score, you are required to calculate your own GPA and then describe the calculation in the “Notes” section. English language qualifications Applicants who speak English as their first language OR those that have received an English-medium education continuously for the past 8 years are exempted from submitting the test scores. All other applicants must fill in their test scores of TOEFL or an equivalent English proficiency test (such as IELTS). Test scores that have already expired are accepted, as long as the applicant is still able to produce proof of the test scores upon request by the UTRIP office. Supporting documents: Scanned copy of academic transcript Submit a scanned copy of the official university transcript(s). A transcript must include: • Your name • University name • Year of admission • List of courses completed (Course titles, grades and credits should be included) When applying, please submit a scanned or electronic copy of your academic transcript. We will request an official academic record in its original copy (with an official stamp affixed and authorized signature) after your
acceptance into the UTRIP program. Recommender information: You are required to submit one recommendation letter issued by a professor who knows your educational background and academic performance and can make an informed judgment on your suitability for the research project with which you wish to work. Talk to your recommender BEFORE you submit your application and ask them to write a recommendation letter for you. When you send in your online application, a notification email will be automatically sent to your recommender, asking them to send us their recommendation letter through another online submission page. Make sure to check in with your recommender to confirm that they have received this link, as an automated email can often be mistakenly sorted by a spam filter. For your application to become valid, your recommender also needs to complete the online recommendation form by the recommendation deadline of 17:00 on 2 February, 2018, Japan Standard Time (GMT+0900). Recommendation letters sent by email will not be accepted. In case of technical difficulties, recommenders must contact us in time for us to send them an alternative method of recommendation form submission. Online Application Form: Make sure that you have all the above information and materials ready at hand when you submit your online application. There are no
“save” functions on this application system. Note that each applicant is responsible for the completeness of his or her own application. We cannot respond to any inquiries asking whether any specific applications submitted on our system have been judged to be valid. The system closes at 17:00 on 26 January 2018, Japan Standard Time (GMT+0900). Selection: Selection will be made based on all of your submitted documents. Selected students will receive a notification from the UTRIP office around mid-March to early April, asking them to confirm their willingness to participate in the UTRIP program by a specified date. Make sure that you check your emails regularly, and that emails from utrip.s@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp are not treated as spam by your spam filter. Contact: All matters related to UTRIP application should be addressed to: utrip.s@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp Before asking questions, please first read through our Frequently Asked Questions page, which may give you your answers right away. *Note that, due to the large number of emails we receive and our limited capacity,
we will only reply to inquiries relating to application that arrive before noon, Wednesday January 24th, 2018, Japan Standard Time (GMT+0900), and to inquiries relating to recommendations that arrive before noon, Wednesday January 31st, 2018, Japan Standard Time (GMT+0900). Program Schedule: Possible dates for stay at UTokyo in 2018: First Crew: 13 June 2018 – 24 July 2018 Second Crew: 27 June 2018 – 7 August 2018 Deadline: The application period is from 5 January 2018 to 17:00 on 26 January 2018, Japan Standard Time (GMT+0900). The recommendation form must be completed online by the recommendation deadline of 17:00 on 2 February, 2018, Japan Standard Time (GMT+0900). Note that all application and recommendation materials must arrive through our online systems by the respective deadlines. No late submissions of applications or recommendation letters will be considered. Selection Result: Selection notification will be announced on the UTRIP website on 10 April 2018. Selected students will be notified directly by email as well, between mid-March and early April.
JOBS GOVT R&D JOB VACANCIES @ DEFENCE FOOD RESEARCH LABORATORY (DFRL) DEFENCE FOOD RESEARCH LABORATORY, DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION, MIN OF DEFENCE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. SIDDARTHANAGAR, MYSORE – 570 011 Applications are invited from the candidates who fulfill the qualification for the post of Junior Research Fellowship as per the details given below: Position 1 Name of the Position : Junior Research Fellow No.of.Positions : 01
No.of.Positions : 01 Stipend : Rs. 25,000/- per month. Qualifications : First Class – M.Sc., in Biotechnology Position 3 Name of the Position : Junior Research Fellow No.of.Positions : 01 Stipend : Rs. 25,000/- per month.
Stipend :
Qualifications :
Rs. 25,000/- per month.
M.Sc., in Food Science / Food Science & Nutrition / Food Technology
Qualifications : First Class – M.Sc., in Bio-chemistry Position 2 Name of the Position : Junior Research Fellow
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The fellowship is offered for a period of two years and is extendable by 01 more year subject to satisfactory progress. A monthly stipend with HRA and Medical Facilities are admissible as per Rules.
The age limit is 28 years on the closing date for receipt of application for the said ost, which is relaxable up to 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC Candidates . Candidates working in the Government / Public Sector Undertaking / Autonomous Bodies should apply through proper channel. Those having qualified NET/CSIR/GATE/ UGC Examination will be preferred. How to Apply: Eligible Candidates may apply on Typewritten / computerised application as. per specimen given here under with Indian Postal Order ( IPO ) for Rs. 50/- for the said post, drawn in favour of Director, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Siddartha Nagar, Mysore – 570 011 ( Candidates belonging to SC,ST and OBC are exempted from the payment). The Candidates are required to produce the Caste Certificate issued by Competent Authority on the prescribed proforma in case of SC/ST/OBC. Certificate in proof cf Qualification etc., should be brought IN ORIGINAL at the time of Written Test / Interview. The offer of fellowship/ Associate- ship does not confer any right for absorption in DRDO. No. TA / DA will be given for attending the Written Test / Interview.
Incomplete application and the application in other than the prescribed· format will be liable for rejection. The envelope containing the application· should be super scribed as ‘” APPLICATION FOR JUNIOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP”. Application should be sent under ordinary post I SPEED POST within 21 days from the date of publication of advertisement and application received after the due date will not be considered. Application Deadline – 21st January 2018
biotecnika.org
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January 16th, 2018.
GOVT LIFE SCIENCES RECRUITMENT – TECHNICAL ASSISTANT (PROTEOMICS) POST @ C-CAMP Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), is a Dept. of Biotechnology (Govt. of India) initiative and a not for profit organization based in Bangalore. We act as an enabler of Bioscience Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship by providing Research, Development, Training and Services in State Of The Art Technology Platforms. As a part C-CAMP’s mandate of promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, C-CAMP has created and fostered an entrepreneur-friendly culture in and around academic/research environment through its involvement in seed funding schemes for Startups, Entrepreneur Mentorship program and Bio-incubation facility. Name of the Position : Technical Assistant (Proteomics)
No.of.Positions : One (1) Age : No bar Job Profile: The job responsibilities for the position include : •
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To support facility in-charge for maintaining the lab updates such as: procurements, critical laboratory duties as assigned and safety. Prepare/process samples for protein analysis Use LC/MS/MS equipment and software tools to acquire data on extracted samples Perform standard QA/QC procedures Aid in biological interpretation of pro-
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teomic data Support in management of scheduler, log books for the machines. Support for student training and their experiments. Support in maintenance of all the supporting instruments. Complete understanding of the high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) including its operations, calibration and maintenance. Ensure routine maintenance on analytical instrumentation specially Mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography.
Qualifications and Experience: The candidate should have MSc in life sciences with minimum 2 years of experience
in HRMS applications in proteomics and / or peptide mapping. How to Apply: Application must include description of previous experience (maximum 1 page) along with CV and be forwarded to hr@ccamp.res. in by 25th January, 2018 This is a contractual position. Remuneration shall be based on qualification & experience. Please refer to this advertisement in your subject liner. Candidates whose profile matches our requirement will be contacted directly; there shall be no communication otherwise. Application Deadline – by 25th January, 2018
GOVT JOB : MOEF RECRUITING PROJECT ASSOCIATE WITH SALARY OF RS. 50,000/- P.M. SOCIETY OF INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT (SICOM) MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Advertisement No. 1 HR/2017 – SICOM Ministry of Environment and Forests is implementing the World Bank assisted Integrated Coastal Management (ICZM) project through the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM). SICOM is the National Project Management Unit of the ICZM project. SICOM is located in Delhi and operating in all the coastal states and Union Territories of Government of India. SICOM is inviting applications for the contractual positions on project mode given in the table below. Name of the Position : Project Associate
No.of.Positions : 01 Maximum age as on 01st September 2017 : 35 years Remuneration (consolidated) : Rs. 50,000/- per month Tenure : One year and tenure may be extended further on the basis of requirement and review of performance.
field of environment How to Apply: • •
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Qualification : First class master Degree in Natural Sciences/Marine Science/ Life Sciences/ Environment/Marine Biology. Experience : 2 yrs. Post qualification experience in the
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Candidates applying for more than one post should submit separate applications Candidates will have to produce the proof of details furnished in their applications, in original at the time of interview. Applications received after the due date, unsigned applications, applications wherethe post number is not filled in / not filled correctly and applications incomplete in any respect, will not be considered Only Indian Nationals need apply It may be noted that if at any stage, it is found that an attempt has been made by the applicant to willfully conceal or misrepresent the facts, his candidature will besummarily rejected or his em-
ployment terminated Interested qualified persons may send their applications as per Performa provided below by Speed Post only, to the following address so as to reach on or before 18.01.2018. Additional Project Director, Society of Integrated Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, 111, First Floor, Pandit Deen Dayal Antyodaya Bhavan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 Application Deadline – on or before 18.01.2018.
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RESEARCH FELLOW POST @ NIMHANS | MSC HUMAN GENETICS & BIOTECH CANDIDATES APPLY Applications are invited from the eligible candidates for filling up the post of “Junior Research Fellow” on contract basis for DST-SERB funded project titled “Development of next generation sequencing based assay for mutationdetection in duchenne and becker muscular dystrophy” under Dr. Nalini A, Professor of Neurology & Principal Investigator, NIMHANS.
Maximum Age Limit : 35 years
Name of the Post : Junior Research Fellow
Educational Qualification :
No. of Posts : 01 (One)
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Emoluments : Rs.16,000/- per month plus 20% HRA Duration of the Post : 6 months
MSc in Human Genetics or MTech in Biotechnology with six months experience in
Molecular Genetics lab. Experience : Preferred experience with Cycle Sequencing, fragment analysis, MLAP &bioinformatic analysis. How to Apply: Eligible candidates fulfilling the criteria may apply by email to atchayaramnalini@ yahoo.co.in. The candidates, who apply, should invariably mention the Notification
no, Date, Email ID, Contact no. and Postal address without fail, otherwise the applications will not be considered. The last date for receipt of filled in application together with the relevant documents is Upto 17.01.2018 upto 4.00 P.M. Applications received later will not be entertained. Application Deadline – 17.01.2018 upto 4.00 P.M.