Biotecnika newspaper 23 january 2018

January 23rd, 2018.

Vol. 02 NO 4

SCHOLARSHIP - PAGE 2

NEWS - PAGE 5

SHANTI SWARUP BHATNAGAR PRIZE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2018 – NOMINATIONS INVITED

NEWS - PAGE 9

FIRST FUNCTIONING HUMAN MUSCLE GROWN FROM SKIN-DERIVED STEM CELLS

INDO-U.S. FELLOWSHIP

INDO-U.S. FELLOWSHIP FOR WOMEN IN STEMM (WISTEMM)

The Program is envisaged to: • Provide opportunity to bright Indian women students and scientists to gain exposure and access to world class research facilities in U.S. academia and labs.

• Promoting research and capacity building for Indian women students and

scientists in different frontline areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).

• Pave way for the next generation Women Scientists and Technologists from India to interact with American peers, thus helping to build long-term R&D linkages and collaborations.

• Encourage, motivate and provide opportunity to outstanding women with break in research career to gain grounds again in their respective research areas.

Sciences • Medical Sciences • Physical Sciences PROGRAM HAS TWO MODULES: I : Women Overseas Student Internship program module II: Women Overseas Fellowship program module.

QUALIFICATION AND ELIGIBILITY: I. Women Overseas Student Internship: •

Proposed Area of Work: • • • • • • •

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Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Indo-U.S. Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF) jointly announce the “Indo-U.S. Fellowship for Women in STEMM”

By Pretty Suman

Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Indo-U.S. Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF) jointly announce the “Indo-U.S. Fellowship for Women in STEMM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) program with an aim to provide opportunities to Indian Women Scientists, Engineers & Technologists to undertake international collaborative research in premier institutions in U.S.A, to enhance their research capacities and capabilities.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMES, JOBS

FDA GREEN LIGHTS ASTRAZENECA’S LYNPARZA, THE FIRST INHERITED BREAST CANCER DRUG

Agricultural Sciences Atmospheric and Earth Sciences Chemical Sciences Cognitive Sciences Engineering and Technology Life Sciences Mathematical and Computational

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Eligibility: Indian women applicant currently pursuing Ph.D. degree in Basic Sciences, Engineering or Technology including Agricultural and Medical Sciences (M.D/M.S.) on a full-time basis at any recognized academic institution/R&D institute/university in India. Unemployed Women applicants who have completed Ph.D./M.D/M.S are also eligible.

Age: 21 to 35 years (as on 28.02.2018) Duration of the Internship: For a period of 3-6 months

GET THIS NEWSPAPER e-copy VIA WHATSAPP every week

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM • • • •

Nature of Support will include : Monthly stipend of $2,500 Air Fare up to $ 2,500 Health Insurance of up to $500 Contingency up to $750

II. Women Overseas Fellowship: •

Eligibility: Indian women applicant having Ph.D. degree in Basic Sciences, Engineering or Technology including Agricultural and Medical Sciences (M.D./ M.S.) and holding a regular position at any recognized academic institution/ R&D institute/ university/ college in India.

• Age: 27 to 50 years ( as on 28.02.2018) • Duration of the Fellowship: For a period of 3-6 months • Nature of Support will include : 1. Monthly stipend of $3,000 2. Air Fare up to $ 2,500 3. Health Insurance of up to $1000 4. Contingency up to $750 5. Conference Allowances of up to $1,000

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GIVE MISSED CALL TO

080-395-34707 1

Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018.

Applications should be submitted using our online application portal only. Hard copies and electronic copies of application forms will not be accepted.

Applications should be submitted using our Online Application Portal. (http://49.50.81.218/visitation-program-for-indian-applicants.aspx)

(Hard copies and electronic copies of Application forms will not be accepted). In case of any assistance, please write to us at wistemm@indousstf.org Last date of Submission : 28th February 2018

For program information contact: Dr. Chaitali Bhattacharya Indo-US Science and Technology Forum Fulbright House, 12, Hailey Road, New Delhi

Namita Gupta Director/Scientist ‘F’, KIRAN Division Department of Science and Technology, GoI

SCHOLARSHIP an 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 •

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The award is named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & 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 Indi-

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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 •

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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 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 dis-

cipline 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.

Presentation •

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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

Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018.

Level of course : (i) Master’s Course (one year) (Note: Master Degree programs which are less than 2 years in duration, are not equivalent to Master Degree in India.) (ii) Doctoral degree (up to three/four years’ duration)

2018 Commonwealth Scholarship In The UK | 65 MSc & PhD Awards

(Note: CSC would fund only few candidates for 4-year PhD programme. The candidates are advised to choose at least one 3-year PhD option also).

Scholarship would be offered under following development themes and all candidates must apply under one of the themes:

No. F. 22-1/2017-ES.4 Government of India Ministry of Human Resource Development Department of Higher Education ES.4 Section

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2018 COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

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Last date for applying online in the Ministry: 7th February, 2018 (till 3:00 PM) Online application is invited from Indian national for the ‘2018 COMMONWEALTHSCHOLARSHIP TENABLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM’ for the Master’s & Doctoral degree programme. The study will commence in September/October 2018.

The candidates are also advised to read the public notice on Commonwealth site url: •

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Master’s : http://cscuk.dfid.gov. uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ terms-conditionsmasters-scholarships-2018.pdf PhD : http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/terms-conditionsphd-scholarships-low-middle-income-countries-2018.pd

Number of nomination and award: Nomination : Maximum 65 nominations, out of which, 26 nomination would be for PhD. Online applications : Candidates are required to apply online at the following portals: •

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Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) portal by 7th February, 2018 (till 3:00 PM).Link for online application: http://proposal.sakshat.ac.in/ scholarship/ Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s Electronic Application System (EAS) by 22.02.2018.Link for EAS: https://csc.do-it-online.org.uk/csc/electronicapplicationsystem.htm

Note: It is compulsory for the applicant to apply in the above portals before the cut-off date, failing which would make his/her candidature ineligible.

Since the cut-off date for MHRD portal is prior to EAS cut-off date, it is advised that the candidates adhere to the respective cut-off date.

• • •

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Science and technology for development Strengthening health systems and capacity Promoting global prosperity Strengthening global peace, security and governance Strengthening resilience and response to crises Access, inclusion and opportunity.

Note: More than one application would lead to disqualification of the candidature.

Eligibility: (i) AGE: The age of the candidate must not exceed 40 years (as on 7th February, 2018). (ii) Minimum qualifications (iii) Academic merit (a) For Master’s course: One should have completed or is expected to complete the Bachelor Degree by October, 2018. The academic qualification must have direct and applied relevance to the development theme selected by the candidate.

Minimum eligibility is 60% or above marks in Social Science subjects and 65% or above marks in Science subjects. (b) For Ph.D. degree: One should have completed or is expected to complete the Master Degree/Qualifying Exam, by October, 2018. The academic qualification must have direct and applied relevance to the development theme selected by the candidate. Minimum eligibility is 60% or above marks in Social Science subjects and 65% or above marks in Science subjects.

The minimum prescribed eligibility percentage does not guarantee short listing for interview in any particular theme.

Others: i) Candidates who have already been abroad for studies/training/ specialization either on scholarships or on their own, for a period exceeding six months are eligible to apply, if they have been in India for at least two consecutive years as on 7th February, 2018 after returning from abroad.

access to sufficient funds to study in the UK.

from the list of recommended candidates.

Requirement of English language proficiency : The Ministry of Human Resource Development and CSC does not require any candidates to take an IELTS (English language) test. However, as a further condition of award, the university may ask the candidate to provide evidence of a particular level of English language proficiency.

Note: Candidates are advised to go through the CSC’s selection criteria.

Participating universities/institutions : Awards are tenable at any approved UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part-funding agreement.

A list of these institutions can be found at: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/uk-universities/part-funding/

i) Marks sheet and certificate for Secondary Examination ii) Marks sheet and certificate for Higher Secondary Examination iii) Transcript in respect of the candidate’s higher qualification(s) iv) Bachelor’s/Master’s degree

(iv) Candidates are compulsorily required to sign a declaration that they do not have

Scanned copy of the following documents are required while applying to the Ministry of Human Resource Development online portal:

Preference for universities/institutions : Candidates are expected to give preference for at least one UK institution/university in their application form. The final decision on host institution will be made by the CSC.

Note:

Application to preferred universities : Candidates are advised to submit applications directly to their preferred institutions in advance. Many courses have strict admission deadlines. Candidate must check admission requirements carefully when applying.

Where formal offer of admission has been obtained, the same should be mentioned in the application.

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Supporting statement from supervisor: All PhD candidates must provide a supporting statement from a named supervisor from at least one of the UK universities to which they are applying. If a supporting statement is not provided for their first choice university, the CSC reserves the right to place the candidate at another institution for which they have a supporting statement. The candidates are required to submit such statement to Ministry of Human Resource Development at the time of interview. No candidate, for PhD, will be interviewed without such supporting statement/letter.

Candidates are required to give a write up of their Plan of Study (for Masters) / Research Proposals (for PhD). The Plan of Study/ Research Proposal should have maximum of 300 words and 750 words respectively.

Study Plan: The students applying for Master’s are required to submit plan of study highlighting: (i) “Statement of what you want to learn (ii) Extent to which the proposed course and institution of study have been well researched (including specific options and dissertation topics, where appropriate) and presented” The above conditions are prescribed by the Commonwealth Commission.

Nomination and final selection: •

ii) Applications of candidates who are staying abroad will not be considered. iii) Candidates must not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university before September/October 2018.

Documents required:

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Only shortlisted candidates would be called for interview and the Selection Committee consisting of experts will interview the candidates. Nominations would be made purely on merit. The nominations will be sent to Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for the final selection.

Nomination of a candidate by the Government of India does not, in any way, guarantee final selection or placement.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission will make its own selection

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In case where grades are awarded, the candidates are required to furnish exact percentage of marks and its conversion formula.

Candidates who fail to upload the mark sheets and transcripts (provided by the university/institution) with their application, will not be considered.

Candidates, shortlisted for interview, are required to bring the following documents at the time of interview: i) Original Certificates along with mark sheets of Class X, XII & Transcripts and degree (if awarded) in respect of their higher qualification(s). ii) NOC/ Cadre clearance (in case of Government Servant). iii) In case applying for PhD, candidate must provide evidence of support from a prospective supervisor.

General Instructions: 1. Candidates who do not possess the essential eligibility criteria need not apply.

2. Canvassing in any form will lead to disqualification.

3. Candidate will not be allowed to appear for interview if he/she does not submit NOC from the Employer. In case of Government Servant, clearance of the Cadre Controlling Authority is mandatory.

4. Candidates are expected to have the knowledge of the donor country.

5. All announcements will be available on the Ministry of Human Resource Development website i.e. www.mhrd.gov.in/scholarships .

6. The shortlisted candidates will be informed through the mail and public notice on the MHRD website. THE DECISION OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE SHALL BE FINAL. No correspondence will be entertained in this regard.

7. No TA/DA would be provided for attending the interview.

Mere fulfillment of above eligibility conditions does not qualify a candidate for interview. Only shortlisted candidates would be called for interview.

Important links: For applying online to the Ministry of Human Resource Development: http://proposal.sakshat.ac.in/scholarship/ (link would be opened from 28.12.2017)

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LINKS FOR COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSION (CSC)

established fields of research Prerequisites :

2018 Commonwealth Scholarship terms and conditions:

PhD degree no longer than four years prior to submission; linked to research institution in Germany; completed change of academic environment and research sojourn abroad

Master’s: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2017/12/terms-conditionsmasters-scholarships-2018.pdf PhD: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/terms-conditions-phdscholarships-low-middle-income-countries-2018. pdf The list of UK universities: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/uk-universities/part-funding/ Details of the CSC’s selection criteria: Master’s: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2017/12/selection-criteriamasters-scholarships-2018.pdf Ph.D.: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/selection-criteria-phdscholarships-low-middle-income-countries-2018. pdf Guidelines for applying in the Electronic Application System (EAS application) on Commonwealth Scholarship Commission(CSC) site: Master’s: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/eas-guidemasters-scholarships.pdf Ph.D.: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2017/12/eas-guide-phdscholarships-low-middle-income-countries.pdf For applying to Electronic Application System(EAS) on CSC : https://csc.do-it-online.org.uk/csc/electronicapplicationsystem.htm Important dates: •

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Closing date of online application in the Ministry of Human Resource Development portal: 07.02.2018 (till 3PM) Closing date of online application through CSC’s Electronic Allpication System (EAS): 22.02.2018 Names of the shortlisted candidates (development theme wise) called for the interview: 15.02.2018(tentative) Tentative dates for the Interview(development theme wise): First week of March onwards

Additional Benefits :

Volkswagen Fellowship With Funding Of Upto 1 million Euro The Volkswagen Foundation is dedicated to the support of the humanities and social sciences as well as science and technology in higher education and research. It funds research projects in path-breaking areas and provides assistance to academic institutions for the improvement of the structural conditions for their work. In particular, the Foundation perceives its mission in supporting aspiring young academics and in promoting interdisciplinary and international collaboration.

Objective: A ‘Freigeist’ fellow: for the Volkswagen Foundation this means a young researcher with a strong personality, a creative mind, an ability to identify and use freedom, dedicated to overcoming resistance. If necessary, he or she will be a free spirit, enjoying the unexpected, even unexpected difficulties. A ‘Freigeist’ fellow opens up new horizons and combines critical analysis with imagination and innovative solutions. By thinking ahead the ‘Freigeist’ fellow will act as a catalyst in overcoming existing disciplinary, institutional and even national boundaries.

Background: The ‘Freigeist’ initiative builds upon the previous funding scheme for junior research groups and the Dilthey- and Schumpeter Fellowships which were terminated recently.

These will be integrated into the ‘Freigeist’ initiative, providing continuous support for scholars from the humanities and social sciences but at the same time offering new chances for the sciences as well. The ‘Freigeist’ Fellowships and the Lichtenberg Professorships complement each other using a different approach and structure.

‘FREIGEIST’ FELLOWSHIPS Area of Research : all disciplines Type of Funding : own position (head of junior research group) Funding : up to 1 million Euro Duration : up to 5 (+3) years Eligibility : outstanding junior researchers who wish to carry out research at the boundaries between

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funding for communication of science and research; special family related benefits; additional funding for refugee scholars and scientists; training programs SCOPE OF FUNDING The ‘Freigeist’ scheme is deliberately left open to all disciplines and topics. The main focus is on junior researchers (up to 4 years of postdoctoral experience) working at the borders of neighbouring fields or disciplines.

The ‘Freigeist’ initiative offers freedom for creative thinking, whilst at the same time providing security for at least 5 years and in the long run the opportunity to establish a career within a scientific research organization

or university in Germany. The initiative even incorporates the possibility to apply for additional components during the funding period (e.g. funding of staff positions, travel expenses etc.).

Details of conditions and the application procedure can be found under Information for Applicants. Applications must be filed electronically via the application portal.

Advice: First carefully read the ‘Information for Applicants’ and the FAQs. Then, before completing your application, consult the Foundation’s program director responsible for your discipline. Do this by email, being sure to include a detailed CV with a list of publications and a brief statement “Why Freigeist?”.

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Humanities and Social Sciences: brumberg@volkswagenstiftung.de Natural, life, and engineering sciences: grewe@volkswagenstiftung.de

Deadline : October 11, 2018

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January 23rd, 2018.

Microsoft’s AI Tool to Tune up Gene Editing Accuracy The CRISPR//Cas9 gene editing tool has quickly earned a reputation as a revolutionary technology, and its merits support the clout.

There are multiple gene-editing “tools,” but CRISPR is by far the most cost-effective and precise. It works by injecting a DNA construct with three major components into a living organism. The components are the Cas9 enzyme that cuts or deletes a segment of DNA, a sequence of RNA that guides the Cas9 to the correct location to cut, and a new DNA template to repair the cut with.

But there’s the catch- despite targeting specific regions of DNA, the technique can sometimes affect other parts of the genome and cause off-target mutations.

Sometimes CRISPR accidentally edits DNA it isn’t supposed to, which can have devastating consequences for the patient involved.

While many scientists have looked at how this process can be improved, none have been successful so far. Microsoft thinks that artificial intelligence might be one way to do it. Working with computer scientists and biologists from research institutions across the U.S., the company has developed a new tool called Elevation that predicts off-target effects when editing genes with the CRISPR. Elevation and a complementary tool for predicting on-target effects called Azimuth

NEWS

are publicly available for free as a cloudbased end-to-end guide-design service running on Microsoft Azure as well as via opensource code. Using the computational tools, researchers can input the name of the gene they want to modify and the cloud-based search engine will return a list of guides that researchers can sort by predicted on-target or off-target effects.

It also provides general feedback on how likely off-target effects are for the gene being targeted. The platform bases its learning both on Microsoft research and publicly available data about how different genetic targets and guides interact.

Nicolo Fusi, a researcher at Microsoft’s research lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and former Microsoft colleague Jennifer Listgarten, together with collaborators at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, University of California Los Angeles, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, describe Elevation in a paper published Jan. 10 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

By Disha Padmanabha

“Our job,” said Fusi, “is to get people who work in molecular biology the best tools that we can.”

First Functioning Human Muscle Grown From Skin-Derived Stem Cells Skeletal muscle is the most abundant and regenerative tissue in the human body, but can be functionally compromised due to genetic, metabolic, and neuromuscular diseases, including various dystrophies, diabetes, or Huntington’s disease.

The ability to generate in vitro physiological equivalents of human skeletal muscle could offer a versatile platform for fundamental biological studies and development of new gene and drug therapies for muscle disorders.

Therefore, bioengineers at Duke University have now demonstrated that it is indeed possible to achieve such a feat- by growing human muscles essentially starting from scratch, all by coaxing skin cells to generate stem cells, which ultimately turned into muscle tissue.

The advance builds on work published in 2015 when researchers at Duke University grew the first functioning human muscle tissue from cells obtained from muscle biopsies.

“Starting with pluripotent stem cells that are not muscle cells, but can become all existing cells in our body, allows us to grow an unlimited number of myogenic progenitor cells,” said Nenad Bursac, professor of biomedical engineering at Duke University.

“These progenitor cells resemble adult muscle stem cells called ‘satellite cells’ that can theoretically grow an entire muscle starting from a single cell.”

Previously, the team had generated muscle tissue using existing muscle cells, called myoblasts, taken from patients. Unfortunately, this type of parent cell can’t reproduce in great numbers before they begin to break down, limiting the size of the culture. In the current study, starting with IPSCs the process was significantly more fruitful. After exposing the cells to a molecule called Pax7, the IPSCs began the process of developing into muscle tissue.

Several studies have shown that hPSC-de-

By Disha Padmanabha A cross-section of a muscle fiber grown from induced pluripotent stem cells. The green indicates muscle cells, the blue is cell nuclei, and the red is the surrounding support matrix for the cells. Duke University

rived myogenic cells can fuse with host myofibers and improve muscle function following in vivo transplantation, but it’s not yet known if these these cells alone can generate 3D functional skeletal muscle, according to the authors. Studies also suggest that hPSC-derived myotube structures are relatively immature.

As an alternative approach, the team cultured induced hPSCs derived from adult nonmuscle tissues in the presence of Pax7.

They found that the cultured cells proliferated and developed into expandable myogenic progenitors, or induced myogenic progenitor cells (iMPSCs), which resemble native adult muscle stem cells. Grown in 2D culture, the

hPSC-derived iMPSC differentiated into functional myotubes and cells that expressed Pax7, which are “the two main constituents of native skeletal muscle.”

Encouragingly, cultured muscle tissue transplanted into immunocompromised mice survived and continued to function. The transplanted tissue became vascularized, and integrated into the animals’ own muscle.

“Overall, these results showed that human iSKM bundles can successfully engraft and retain functionality following implantation

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Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018. into skin and muscle environments in mice,” the team writes.

“It’s taken years of trial and error, making educated guesses and taking baby steps to finally produce functioning human muscle from pluripotent stem cells,” says Lingjun Rao, first author of the study. “What made the difference are our unique cell culture conditions and 3-D matrix, which allowed cells

to grow and develop much faster and longer than the 2-D culture approaches that are more typically used.”

The findings offer the possibility of more advances cell therapies, drug discoveries and the ability to grow larger amounts of muscles.

This is a potential new method for regenerative therapies and for creating models of rare

diseases for future studies and individualized health care.

“The prospect of studying rare diseases is especially exciting for us,” said Bursac.

“When a child’s muscles are already withering way from something like Duchenne muscular dystrophy, it would not be ethical to take muscle samples from them and do fur-

ther damage. But with this technique, we can just take a small sample of non-muscle tissue, like skin or blood, revert the obtained cells to a pluripotent state, and eventually grow an endless amount of functioning muscle fibers to test,” Bursac said.

NanoLens: Dissolving Contact Lenses with Therapeutic Benefit for Glaucoma Patients Students at the Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) have now designed contact lenses that contain the medication used by glaucoma patients, which will ensure that more of the medicine gets to where it needs to go to provide therapeutic benefit.

One of the students, Viktorija Pacharevaitė, explained: “I am wearing contact lenses myself, so I am familiar with the problems this causes. However, after some research into technology it became clear that similar ideas have already been developed. Therefore, we looked at the broader problem and decided to offer dissolving lenses for treatment of glaucoma.”

Besides Viktorija, NanoLens team com-

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prises of chemical technology student Tomas Čaplinskas, and two mechanical engineering students Paulius Kirkus and Darius Kairys. In the Silicon Valley competition KTU students were joined by two students from San José State University, California.

The team has now won the second place at the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge in Best Global Innovation category for their idea of NanoLens.

Their teacher Rita Jucevičienė, Associate Professor at KTU School of Economics and Business explains, “At the moment, glaucoma patients have to put in highly concentrated eye drops three times a day as the rate of the medicine absorption is only 5 percent. It is being calculated that the absorption rate

By Disha Padmanabha The KTU team’s NanoLens idea of dissolving lens for glaucoma treatment has won the second place at the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge in Best Global Innovation category.

of dissolving lenses can be 30 percent higher; the medicine would be less concentrated, therefore, less harmful to the eyes,” says Jucevičienė.

The idea introduced at the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge competition has received a lot of positive reviews. According to Jucevičienė, although the recognition by the experts is very important, further development

of the project depends on the students.

“It is indeed a very strong idea, however, for its further development funding is needed.

We are thinking about the collaboration with KTU Startup Space, to look for other funding possibilities. In Lithuania, we have a growing and active startup ecosystem, therefore I see a perfect chance for success,” says Jucevičienė.

Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018.

2019: The International Year of the Periodic Table The United Nations (UN) General Assembly’s 72nd Session has now proclaimed the year 2019 as the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements.

An International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in 2019 will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements by the Russian scientist Dmitri I. Mendeleev, who is regarded as one of the fathers of modern chemistry. The defining 1869 breakthrough of Mendeleev was the prediction of properties of five elements and their compounds. He also left space in the periodic table for elements to be discovered in the future.

An International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in 2019 will offer to UNESCO’s International Basic Sciences Programme an important opportunity to fulfil its mission of promoting international cooperation in the basic sciences for sustainable development, as well as in science education and capacity-building, namely through a Mi-

croscience Programme dedicated to the periodic table of chemical elements.

Chemical Elements play a vital role in our daily lives and are crucial for humankind and our planet, and for industry. The International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements will give an opportunity to show how they are central to linking cultural, economic and political aspects of the global society through a common language, whilst also celebrating the genesis and development of the periodic table over the last 150 years.

It is critical that the brightest young minds continue to be attracted to chemistry and physics in order to ensure the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators in this field. Particular areas where the Periodic Table and its understanding have had a revolutionary impact are in nuclear medicine, the study of chemical elements and compounds in space and the prediction of novel materials.

This International Year will also trigger a wide range of cooperative undertakings with-

By Disha Padmanabha

in the context of the follow-up of the 2011 International Year of Chemistry and the 2014 International Year of Crystallography.

“As the global organization that provides objective scientific expertise and develops the essential tools for the application and communication of chemical knowledge for

the benefit of humankind, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry is pleased and honored to make this announcement concerning the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements” said IUPAC President, Professor Natalia Tarasova.

3D Imaging of Fat Cells Unveils Potential Targets to Fight Obesity A team at The Rockefeller University’s Laboratory of Molecular Metabolism has now adapted a revolutionary 3-D tissue imaging system called iDISCO that was originally designed to study the brain and used it to study “beige fat” in mice.

While the cell-intrinsic pathways governing beige adipocyte development and phenotype have been increasingly delineated, comparatively little is known about how beige adipocytes interact with other cell types in fat. This particular research builds on what is understood about the differences between the three kinds of animal fat: white, brown and beige fat.

White fat stores energy and hence has long been known to cause problems, but the brown and beige fat in contrast is believed to promote good health by burning energy. Beige fat in particular can be triggered to quickly switch from a dormant state to a highly active, energy-burning state.

“These findings highlight the value of 3D imaging as a discovery tool,” says graduate fellow Jingyi Chi, co-first author of the paper.

Chi and her colleagues, among them her co-first author Zhuhao Wu, wanted to know more about how beige fat cells interact with the sympathetic nervous system, which plays an important role in letting the cells know how much energy to store and how much to burn. However, conventional laboratory methods for looking at fat tissue (also known as adipose tissue) were insufficient—the images they produced lacked the necessary detail.

Therefore, through this adoption of the three-dimensional tissue imaging system known as iDISCO originally developed by another Rockefeller lab study, the team was able to look into mice that were exposed to the cold- which usually causes beige fat to

develop and burn energy, they used the modified technology to visualize the internal architecture of the tissue.

Captured images were anything but blandthey provide a striking and unprecedented look at the functional features of beige fat, including blood vessels and projections from nerve cells that appear as filamentous networks. The presence and density of those nerve projections—both large nerve bundles and fine structures called neurites—predicted the activity level of the beige fat. The most active fat tissue had the most nerve projections. The 3D images also revealed important differences between visceral and subcutaneous fat.

Led by Paul Cohen, the team had previously demonstrated the importance of a protein known as PRDM16 in the creation and energy-burning activity of beige fat. Mice without the protein are unable to activate their beige fat and end up with many of the same complications that afflict obese humans, such as insulin resistance.

In order to determine the cause of nerve growth in the beige fat tissue and the role of PRDM16, the researchers studied subcutaneous fat tissue from mice that lack the protein in fat cells while exposing some of these animals to cold. The resulting images showed a “striking reduction” in neurite projections when compared to images from mice with the protein.

“This suggests that the two cell types engage in dialogue,” says Cohen, “where, if you have PRDM16 in a fat cell, it somehow guides the neurites to the site. And if you take it away, you don’t have those neurites.” It also suggests that the signaling molecules that mediate this dialogue could represent novel therapeutic targets in the ongoing battle against obesity and associated diseases.

By Disha Padmanabha

Kidney-on-a-Chip Excellently Mimics Real Organ Functions to the Cellular Level In the last 60 years, most scientific and technological contributions to drug research and development (R&D) have brought about major advances; however, the pharmaceutical industry has been facing increasing production costs and a decrease in efficacy of R&D process.

Kidney injuries from exposure to too many drugs are common among certain groups of patients, particularly those spending time in the ICU. Kidney injuries can also happen during drug testing, wounding subjects while eliminating candidate drugs far along their development pipeline.

In addressing this challenge, Draper engineers have developed a kidney-on-a-chip—a tiny 3-D structure that mimics features of a full-sized kidney—from human cells. By reproducing a kidney in a microfluidic device, and creating 96 of those kidneys in a device called PREDICT-96, Draper hopes to give scientists a better model to study the effects of disease and to discover new therapeutics for the kidney and other organs.

“Given that the kidneys play a major role in how drugs interact with the body, these organs take on a particular relevance for drug R&D,” said Joseph Charest, a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering who helps customers build artificial organ systems to test and refine new drug therapies. “Nephrotoxity is a major cause of attrition during pre-clinical, clinical and post-approval states in pharmaceutical drug development. Even after drug approval, nephrotoxicity resulting from exposure has been estimated to contribute to 19 percent of all cases of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients. That’s a number we would like to lower.”

Charest and his colleagues demonstrated that Draper’s microfluidic device can be used to reconstruct human kidney physiology and function at the cellular and tissue level and quantify dynamic drug-interaction with kidney tissue in real time.

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January 23rd, 2018.

The microfluidics platform addresses another common challenge for researchers “and that’s identifying ineffective drugs early in the discovery process,” said David O’Dowd, assistant director of Biomedical Solutions at Draper. “Used early in the drug discovery process, PREDICT-96 should allow developers to refocus resources on the strong candi-

dates earlier and end unproductive research earlier, minimizing losses. What researchers want in a platform is to recreate human physiology in an accurate, reproducible, scalable, high-throughput, cost-effective and predictive format for testing candidate therapies for safety and efficacy. Draper does that with PREDICT-96.”

Biomaterials Using Fungi Developed for Mars Colonization Scientists Map Druggable Targets in Malaria Parasite

By Disha Padmanabha

As far as home planets go, the Earth ticks most of the boxes- oxygen, food, water, cute doggos, and lovely views. But there are risks to be considered too. What if a nuclear war (very likely since you apparently need just one push of a button), an asteroid collision or a rogue AI sent it all up n smoke, blotting out our own fragile existence?

Which is why we know have dozens of scientists/futurists lobbying for the colonization of mars. But once we get there, we will need to adapt our lives to the harsh conditions of the planet.

This is where “Mars Boots” wedges into picture. A team of biodesigners is getting us ready to live on Mars by creating the clothes that future Martians will use using fungi to create the materials.

The team has built a prototype of boots that were thoroughly researched and designed for life on Mars. The boots are adapted to an environment with reduced gravity, a rocky terrain and strong UV and gamma-ray radiation.

And the most exciting part of this venture is the fact that these biomaterials are developed using fungi!

The Mars Boot is now on exhibition at the MoMA, in New York, until the 28th of January, as part the exhibition Items: Is Fashion Modern? The show displays a collection of hundreds of types of garments and explores their use and cultural implications around the world.

Astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) already filter their sweat and urine to make drinking water, so it’s not a foreign concept. When travelling to a planet without water, it becomes a precious resource that

8

cannot be wasted. Therefore, the concept of a circular economy that many are promoting on Earth, might become essential to life on Mars.

Maurizio Montalti, one of the designers behind the Mars Boot, founded Officina Corpuscoli to research fungal materials that could offer a sustainable alternative to build furniture and homeware. He has now extended the possible usage of these materials to almost any product through his collaborations with various designers. To create the Mars Boot, he worked with footwear designer Liz Ciokajlo, who has a consultancy firm focused on new material alternatives for shoes.

Malaria is a deadly disease with no effective vaccine. Physicians thus depend on antimalarial drugs to save lives, but such compounds are often rendered ineffective when parasites evolve resistance.

Approximately 75 percent of malaria cases stem from Plasmodium falciparum, a single-celled, microscopic parasite that confers one of deadliest forms of this infection to victims who fall ill, in part because it is turning out be resistant to most anti-malarial drugs we prescribe to fight infection. Characterizing why exactly this parasite is so impervious to modern medicine would go a long way to helping public health officials save the thousands who die from malaria every year.

In this direction, scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, have used whole genome analyses and chemogenetics to identify new drug targets and resistance genes in 262 parasite cell lines of Plasmodium falciparum — protozoan pathogens that cause malaria — that are resistant to 37 diverse antimalarial compounds.

“Our findings showed and underscored the challenging complexity of evolved drug resistance in P. falciparum, but they also identified new drug targets or resistance genes for every compound for which resistant parasites were generated,” senior author Elizabeth Winzeler, a pharmacology and drug discovery researcher at UCSD, said in a statement.

“A single human infection can result in a person containing upwards of a trillion asexual blood stage parasites,” said Winzeler.

“Even with a relatively slow random mutation rate, these numbers confer extraordinary adaptability. In just a few cycles of replication, the P. falciparum genome can acquire a random genetic change that may render at least one parasite resistant to the activity of a drug or human-encoded antibody.”

Such rapid evolution poses significant challenges to controlling the disease, said researchers, but it can also be exploited in laboratory studies to document precisely how the parasite evolves in the presence of known antimalarials to create drug resistance. It also can be used to reveal new drug targets.

The team analyzed the parasite genomes alongside 58 published sequences, representing parasites resistant to a dozen drugs, to narrow in on more than 1,900 SNPs and

small insertions or deletions in the core P. falciparum genome and beyond. In the core genome, resistance appeared to stem from 148 non-synonymous mutations and 159 copy number variants — including several gene amplifications — affecting 83 parasite genes.

By taking a closer looks at the genome, the researchers were able to identify new as well as previously known resistance mechanisms.

By bringing in protein structure data, metabolomic profiles, and other information, the group used the mutation information from the resistant clones to search for new drug target candidates.

“This exploration of the P. falciparum resistome — the collection of antibiotic resistance genes — and its druggable genome will help guide new drug discovery efforts and advance our understanding of how the malaria parasite evolves to fight back,” Winzeler said.

“These results provide a key link to understanding how malaria parasites respond metabolically to drug pressure in the short term,” said Manuel Llinás, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State, “and they also allow us to connect how this pressure is relieved through genomic mutations that lead to resistance in the parasites. This knowledge could aid in the design of future antimalarial drugs that may slow the development of resistance.”

By Disha Padmanabha Colorized mircrograph of Plasmodium falciparum.

Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018.

Genes that Promote Nerve Healing in Lampreys Discovered in Humans The depths of the sea are riddled with mystifying wonders and bizarre ocean creatures.

An invasive species, the prehistoric sea lamprey is one such creature. It has an eel-like body and corrosive suction sup mouth. It is a parasitic nuisance to the various aquatic regions it inhabits.

Some interesting facts about sea lampreys not only concern their hemotophagous feeding behaviours but also their overall biology.

These species can be fully cured from the severed spinal-cord without medication or any other treatment. They are able to move from paralysis to full swimming behaviours in ten to twelve weeks. It is long known that lampreys undergo spontaneous recovery from spinal cord injury but the molecular recipe which accompanies and supports this remarkable capacity is not known.

Now, a study by researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory and other institutions has found that many of the genes involved in natural repair of the injured spinal cord of the lamprey are also active in the repair of the peripheral nervous system in mammals.

“We found a large overlap with the hub of transcription factors that are driving regeneration in the mammalian peripheral nervous system,” Jennifer Morgan, the director of the MBL’s Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative

Biology and Tissue Engineering, said in a statement.

In order to locate the precise genetic changes that allow lamprey to make this amazing recovery, the researchers had to start by first paralyzing the animals, which they achieved by making an incision in their spinal cords.

The researchers then took samples from their brains and spinal cords, beginning hours after the injury and continuing over three months following. Those samples helped them identify what genes and signaling pathways — the proteins and other chemicals produced by cells to control their function — were activated in the injured animals. They found that many of the genes associated with spinal cord healing are part of the Wnt signaling pathway, which plays a role in tissue development. Future research will explore why the Wnt pathway seems particularly important in the healing process.

“This reinforces the idea that the brain changes a lot after a spinal cord injury,” said Jennifer Morgan. “Most people are thinking, ‘What can you do to treat the spinal cord itself?’ but our data really support the idea that there’s also a lot going on in the brain.”

One of the key findings of the study was

By Disha Padmanabha

that spinal cord injury in lampreys induces the expression of many transcripts that are associated with regeneration in the mammalian peripheral nervous system, and this highlights what the team calls “the power

of this organism as a model for identifying and studying highly conserved, fundamental, pro-regenerative molecular pathways.”

FDA Green Lights AstraZeneca’s Lynparza, the First Inherited Breast Cancer Drug The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now expanded the approved use of Lynparza to include the treatment of patients with certain types of breast cancer that have spread and whose tumors have a specific inherited genetic mutation, making it the first drug in its class (PARP inhibitor) approved to treat breast cancer.

Lynparza also happens to be the first drug that has been approved to treat certain patients with metastatic breast cancer who have a “BRCA” gene mutation.

Previously, the agency approved Lynparza for the treatment of patients with BRCA-mutated, advanced ovarian cancer who have received three or more treatments of chemotherapy, and for the maintenance treatment of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who have responded to chemo. BRACAnalysis CDx is an FDA-approved test for identifying best responders to Lynparza when used in the fourth-line ovarian cancer setting, but in the maintenance setting, the drug is approved regardless of BRCA mutation status.

Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Head of the Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said: “This new approval for Lynparza makes it the first and only PARP

inhibitor approved in metastatic breast cancer, and the only PARP inhibitor approved beyond ovarian cancer. This is significant for breast cancer patients, as the identification of BRCA status, in addition to hormone receptor and HER2 status, becomes a potentially critical step in the management of their disease.”

Roy Baynes, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Clinical Development, Chief Medical Officer, MSD Research Laboratories said: “This additional approval for Lynparza represents an important advance for women with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer with a germline BRCA mutation, which is a difficult-to-treat cancer. Moreover, this approval adds further impetus to our important collaboration with AstraZeneca in developing cancer therapies.”

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health estimates approximately 252,710 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and 40,610 will die of the disease.

Approximately 20-25 percent of patients with hereditary breast cancers and 5-10 percent of patients with any type of breast cancer have

By Disha Padmanabha

a BRCA mutation. BRCA genes are involved with repairing damaged DNA and normally work to prevent tumor development. However, mutations of these genes may lead to certain cancers, including breast cancers.

The FDA made its decision based on positive results from the Phase 3 trial, which showed about 60% of patients treated with Lynparza experienced tumor shrinkage. OlympiAD enrolled 302 patients with HER2-negative, BRCA-mutated metastatic breast cancer.

“This class of drugs has been used to treat

advanced, BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer and has now shown efficacy in treating certain types of BRCA-mutated breast cancer,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence and acting director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This approval demonstrates the current paradigm of developing drugs that target the underlying genetic causes of a cancer, often across cancer types.”

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Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME Participating Departments (Science Departments) : • • •

Physics Chemistry Mathematics

Participating Departments (Humanities & Social Sciences) : •

IITM Summer Fellowship Programme – 2018 The IITM – Summer Fellowship Programme of two months with stipend is designed to enhance awareness and interest in high quality academic research among young Engineering, Management, Sciences and Humanities students through a goal oriented summer mini-project undertaken at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

Eligibility:

Participating Departments ment Studies) : •

(Manage-

Management Studies

Website opens : 14th January 2018

How to Apply: • •

• •

Application should be submitted through online only using this site biotecnika.org Physical printout of the application need not be sent Generate a pdf file and keep it for your reference Please ensure that all the relevant data and enclosures are uploaded.

Incomplete applications will be rejected.

For any clarification, please register complaint through portal.

Features of UTRIP: • • •

•

• • •

Eligibility & Requirements:

• •

Duration of the programme may commence from 16th May 2018 to 15th July 2018. (Schedule may be flexible to suit student’s convenience.)

Stipend: A sum of Rs.6000/- per month will be given as a stipend for a maximum period of 2 months.

The University of Tokyo Research Internship Program – 2018

Bonafide Certificate: Letter issued by the Head of the Institution certifying that you are a bonafide student. .

Participating Departments (Engineering Departments) : • • • • • • • • • • •

Aerospace Engg, Applied Mechanics Bio Technology Chemical Engg.

Civil Engg, Computer Science & Engg, Engineering Design Electrical Engg.

Mechanical Engg.

Metallurgical & Materials Engg.

Ocean Engg.

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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 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.

Applicants for UTRIP must:

Period of the Project:

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

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.

At the conclusion of the program, students are required to make an oral presentation and submit a report on the research project.

Last date for submitting application : 28th February 2018 at 5.00pm

•

Candidates pursuing Third Year of B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Sc. (Engg) / Integrated M.E. / M.Tech. programme, First Year of ME / M.Tech. / M.Sc. / M.A, MBA with outstanding academic background in terms of high ranks in university examinations are encouraged to apply, highlighting their academic performance and achievement including papers presented at seminars, projects executed, design contests participated, score/rank in Mathematics Olympiad and any other awards/distinctions obtained. [IIT students are not eligible to apply].

Humanities & Social Sciences

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.

• • •

•

•

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.

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 report 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 particu-

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Vol. 02 NO 4 lar 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 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.

January 23rd, 2018.

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 JOB RECRUITMENT : ASSISTANT DRUGS CONTROLLER POSTS @ MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE Government of India Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (Department of Health & Family Welfare) Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi-110011 Applications are invited from eligible candidates for appointment on Deputation (including short-term-contract) to 03 posts of Assistant Drugs Controller (I) (Medical Devices), Group ‘A’, Level 11 (Rs. 67,7002,08,700), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.. The details of the posts, eligibility criteria, job requirement, age limit etc. required for the post are indicated in Annexure I. The pay and other terms and conditions of deputation (including short-term-contract) will be regulated in accordance with DOPT’s O.M. No. 6/8/2009-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 17.06.2010 as amended from time to time.

Name of the Position : Assistant Drugs Controller (I) (Medical Devices)

No.of.Positions : 03 Group & Pay Level : Group ‘A’, Level 11 (Rs. 67,700-2,08,700)

basis in level 8 in the pay matrix or equivalent in the parent cadre/ department.; and b) possessing the following educational qualifications and experience:Essential:

Eligibility Criteria: Officers under the Central Government/ State Governments/Union Territories/Recognised Research Institutions/ Universities/ Public Sector Undertakings/ SemiGovernment/Statutory or Autonomous Organizations (a) (i) holding analogous posts on regular basis in the parent cadre/department; or (ii) with five years’ service in the grade rendered after appointment thereto on a regular basis in level 9 or level 10 in the pay matrix or equivalent in the parent cadre/department.; or (iii) with six years’ service in the grade rendered after appointment thereto on a regular

Master’s Degree in Technology/ Engineering in Bio Medical Engineering or Chemical Engineering or Bio-Technology or Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or Electronics or Instrumentation Engineering or Polymer Engineering with two years’ experience in manufacturing or testing or regulation of medical devices or in research or designing OR Bachelor’s degree in Technology/ Engineering in Bio Medical Engineering or Chemical Engineering or Bio-Technology or Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or Electronics or Instrumentation Engineering or Polymer Engineering with four years’ experience in manufacturing or testing or regulation of medical devices or in research or designing.

Note: 1 Period deputation (including short term contract) including period of deputation in another ex-cadre post held immediately preceding this appointment in the same or some other organisation/department of the Central Government shall ordinarily not to exceed four years. The maximum age limit for appointment by deputation (including short term contract) shall be not exceeding 56 years as on the closing date of receipt of applications.

How to Apply: Cadre authorities/Heads of Department are requested to forward applications of eligible and willing candidates whose services can be spared for appointment to the post on Deputation (Including Short term contract) so as to reach Shri D N Sahoo, Deputy Secretary (Drugs), Ministry of Health & Family Wel-

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Vol. 02 NO 4

January 23rd, 2018. fare within 45 days from the date of publication of this advertisement in the Employment News. The Application Form/ Curriculum Vitae proforma is at Annexure-II. List of Documents to be sent along with application:

1. Application in prescribed format – Annexure II duly filled in and signed by the candidate and countersigned with seal by the Cadre/Appointing authority.

2. Attested copies of APAR/ACRs for the last 5 (five) years duly attested on each page by an officer not below the rank of Under Secretary to the Government of India.

3. Integrity Certificate 4. Vigilance Clearance Certificate 5. Statement of major or minor penalties, if any, imposed on the officer during the last 10 years of service.

6. A certificate to the effect that the particulars furnished by the candidate have been verified and found correct as per service records.

7. Cadre Clearance Certificate NOTE: Incomplete application or application not accompanied by the above documents will be summarily rejected.

Tentative Deadline : 21st February 2018

CONSULTANTS (LIFE SCIENCES) POSTS @ CSIR-IHBT | RS. 80,000/- MONTHLY SALARY CSIR-INSTITUTE OF HIMALAYAN BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY, A Constituent Laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research POST BOX NO. 06, PALAMPUR – 176061 (H.P.) INDIA MISSION : Committed to develop technologies to boost bioeconomy through sustainable utilization of Himalayan bioresources Applications are invited for the post of Consultants : 3 Nos. a) For development of high value products using Medicinal and/ or Aromatic Plants: 2 Nos. b) Promotion of cultivation and processing of aromatic crops: 1 No. Name of the Position : Consultants No.of.Positions : 03 Qualification: a) Ph.D. / M.Tech in any branch of Life sciences / Pharmaceuticals / Chemical sciences / relevant area of product formula-

tion development of medicinal and aromatic plants with minimum of 6 years experience in product formulation using essential oils / botanicals / medicinal / aromatic plants.

Preference will be given to the person having working experience in reputed industry/ organization in developing commercially available products. b) Ph.D in any branch of Agriculture / Forestry / Horticulture / Plant sciences with 6 year experience in large scale cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants. Preference will be given to the person having working experience in extension of medicinal and aromatic plants.

Job Requirement: a) Formulation of high value products from essential oils/botanicals/ medicinal/ aromatic plants for perfumery, flavour, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. b) Promotion of cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants.

Emoluments: Rs 50,000-80,000 per month, negotiable as

per qualification and experience observed at the time of personnel discussion.

mal rules as applicable to any serving Officer of an equivalent rank in CSIR.

Duration:

Mode of application:

Initially for a period of one year and likely to be extended by another year.

The application form duly filled in, with all necessary documents (certificates, experience related documents, details of products developed etc.) should be sent to the office of Director, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, PO Box 6, Palampur-176061(HP).

Selection Procedure: Shortlisted candidates will have to appear for personal discussion, before a duly constituted selection committee.

Leave: The Consultant would not be entitled to any kind of regular leave. However, they would be entitled to Casual Leave of 8 days in a calendar year, to be calculated on pro-rata basis.

TA/DA: No TA/DA is admissible for joining the assignment or on its completion. Should they be required to travel outside Palampur in connection with the work of the CSIR-IHBT during the period of their engagement they will be entitled to draw TA/DA, as per nor-

Guidelines for the submission of the application: The duly completed applications in prescribed proforma should reach Director CSIR-IHBT The application should be submitted with the following documents: – a) Copy of retirement notification (for Ex-Governmentservants) b) Copy of PPO (for Ex-Governmentservants) c) Certificates in support of educational qualification and products developed.

Last date : 29th January, 2018 (5:00 pm)

GOVT JOB @ ZSI | MSC LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH FELLOW POSITION VACANT Walk-in-interview for the Recruitment of Junior Research Fellow (01 post) in a project entitled “Ant diversity as indicator of different habitats in West Bengal” funded by West Bengal Biodiversity Board for a period of three years.

Age Limit :

Desirable :

Not more than 28 years as on the date of interview. Upper age limit is relaxed as per Govt. of India rules.

1. Knowledge in the field of collection & identification of insects.

2. Computer proficiency.

Fellowship :

How to Apply:

Interested and eligible candidates may appear for a walk-in-interview before the selection committee on 29th January 2018 in Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata – 700053, West Bengal, India.

(14000 + 15% HRA for First two years and 16000 + 15% HRA for third year)

Candidates appearing for the walk-in-interview are required to register from 10.00 – 11.00 AM on the day of interview at Zoological Survey of India, ‘M’ Block, New Alipore, Kolkata – 700053. Candidates should bring the duly filled-in application along with self-attested copies of relevant documents. All original documents should be produced at the time of registration. No TA/ DA will be provided to the candidates for ap-

Name of the Post : Junior Research Fellow

12

Essential Qualification : M.Sc. in Zoology/Life Science / Environmental Science (with zoology as one subject in B.Sc.)

pearing for the interview.

The application form can be downloaded from the Zoological Survey of India website http://zsi.gov.in.

Walk-In Details: Date of Interview – 29th January2018 Registration Time – 10.00 – 11.00 AM Time of Interview – 11.30 AM Venue of Interview – Zoological Survey of India, ‘M’ Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053.