Biotecnika newspaper 27 march 2018

March 27th, 2018.

Vol. 02 NO 13

NEWS - PAGE 3 SAY BYE TO INJECTION WOES, 3D-PRINTED DISSOLVABLE MICRONEEDLES ARE HERE

NEWS - PAGE 4

ADMISSIONS - PAGE 10

NEW JOBS AVAILABLE

15 TOP BIOTECH PHD ADMISSION & LIFE SCIENCE PHD ADMISSIONS 2018-19

LEVELS OF VITAMIN-D LINKED TO CANCER INCIDENCE – CANCER RESEARCH UPDATE

EXAM ALERT

PAGES 11-12

ICMR JRF 2018 Notification Check out the official notification for the ICMR’s Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) 2018. Check the eligibility, syllabus, how to to apply and more below. A total of 150 fellowships is available in Biosciences. The website will be updated in due course of time and you will be able to apply online for the same. Check Biotecnika for more updates. (https://www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/ icmr-jrf-2018-notification-exam-date-eligibility-application-details/)

By Diluxy Arya

ICMR JRF 2018 Notification – Exam Date, Eligibility & Application Details Indian Council of Medical Research V.Ramalingaswami Bhawan, Ansari Nagar, Post Box 4911, New Delhi-110029 Test for ICMR’s Junior Research Fellowship Notification- 2018 The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research(PGIMER), Chandigarh will hold a National level examination for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), for Indian national candidates at Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Srinagar (J&K) and Varanasi on Sunday, July 22,2018.

A total of 150 Fellowships would be awarded. [120 fellowships in the field of Biomedical Sciences with emphasis on Life Sciences (like microbiology, physiology,

molecular biology, genetics, human biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, biophysics, immunology, pharmacology, zoology, botany, environmental sciences and veterinary Medicine (excluding Agriculture extension/ Soil Sciences, etc) and thirty fellowships for the work with emphasis on Social Sciences like psychology, sociology, home science, statistics anthropology, social work, public health/health economics (agriculture economics will not be considered)] (I-i) Two separate merit lists, one comprising the candidates qualifying for life sciences and the second for those candidates qualifying for social sciences, will be made on the basis of their performance in the above test.

(I-ii) The candidates selected for the JRF programme of ICMR would be permitted to enroll themselves for the Ph.D. programme of any University recognised by the UGC/ MCI. However, the JRF programme would

not have any connection with the Ph.D. programme. The validity of fellowship awarded to a candidate will be six months.

Another 100 candidates would be selected for consideration for positions of JRF under various research schemes of ICMR (subject to fulfilling the conditions for appointment under the schemes) for the duration of that scheme. These JRFs would also be permitted to complete Ph.D. while working in the scheme, if enrolled. The validity of result will be two years for placement in ICMR funded projects.

SC/ST/OBC/Physically handicapped (PH) applicants will be given such special consideration as per policy guidelines. Candidates qualifying for the award of JRF will receive fellowship from ICMR. Eligibility: Educational Qualification: MSc/MA or equivalent degree with minimum 55% marks for General/OBC candidates and 50% for the SC/ST & Physically Handicapped (PH) and Visually Handicapped (VH) candidates in the subjects mentioned above. Candidates appearing in the final year examination (20172018) can also apply

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Age Limit: The upper age limit for admission to the eligibility test is 28 years as on 30-09-2018 (relaxable up to five years in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PH/ VH/ female candidates and three years in the case of OBC. All disputes relating to the conduct of the examination or any matter connected with this advertisement shall be dealt in the jurisdiction of National Capital Territory of Delhi Court.

METHOD OF SELECTION: Scheme of Test The test will consist of one paper of 2 hours duration. The paper will consist of 2 Sections. The Aptitude Section (Section A) will have 50 questions on (i) scientific phenomenon in everyday life; (ii) general knowledge in sciences; and (iii) common statistics. All these questions would be compulsory with each question carrying 1 mark. The subject Specific Section (Section B & C) would pertain to (B) Life Sciences and (C) Social Science. The candidate may attempt questions in either of the two areas. Each area of section B

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Vol. 02 NO 13

March 27th, 2018. & C would have 100 questions and the candidate may attempt any 75 questions in the predesigned area of Section B or C. Candidates are required to indicate the option for Section B or C in the application form too.

Each question carries one mark. Negative marking @ 0.25 will be made for each of the wrong answer. The questions in both the sections would appear in English only.

The final result will be based on aggregate of 55 % marks obtained in both the sections for General category and OBC and 50% for SC/ST and physically handicapped.

The test will be held in the following streams: (1) Aptitude test (common for all)

(2) Life Sciences (3) Social Sciences. Subjects covered under Life Sciences include microbiology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, human nutrition, human biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, biophysics, immunology, pharmacology, zoology, environmental sciences, botany, veterinary science and bio-informatics. Subjects covered under Social Sciences include psychology, sociology, home sciences, statistics, anthropology, social work and health economics..

How To Apply : Before applying, candidates are advised to go through the admission notice published in the advertisement in various Newspapers

and the instructions given therein carefully.

Fill in the application form according to the instructions given in this prospectus and the admission notice. Incomplete applications will not be considered and no correspondence will be entertained.

Fee: ₹ 1000/- (General/OBC) & ₹ 800/(SC/ST/PH/VH) Information bulletin/brochure, online application form and other details will be available at both PGIMER, Chandigarh website http:// pgimer.edu.in and ICMR, New Delhi website: www.icmr.nic.in. Candidates may visit the websites w.e.f.12.04.2018.

The last date for filling of online application

is 15.05.2018. Only online application will be accepted, no other mode of submission of application will be accepted.

Important Dates: DATE FOR FILLING OF ONLINE APPLICATION FORM : 12.04.2018 LAST DATE FOR FILLING OF ONLINE APPLICATION FORM : 15.05.2018

NEWS MIT Researchers Develop Body-on-Chip that Stores 10 Organs for Drug Tests The failure of pre-clinical cell culture and animal models to predict drug safety and efficacy in humans results in billions of wasted dollars each year and slows development of treatments for needy patients.

These gaps have driven an explosion of approaches to capture complex human physiology in vitro, merging several parallel threads of science and technology, including pluripotent stem cell (PSC) and organoid biology; design principles and tools for 3D tissue and organ culture; microfluidic and mesofluidic approaches to controlling perfusion flow; and quantitative systems pharmacology models.

Now, in this direction, researchers at the MIT have developed a new tech a microfluidic platform that connects engineered tissues from up to 10 organs, the researchers can accurately replicate human organ interactions for weeks at a time, allowing them to measure the effects of drugs on different parts of the body.

“Animals do not represent people in all the facets that you need to develop drugs and understand the disease. That is becoming more and more apparent as we look across all kinds of drugs.” Linda Griffith, at the School of Engineering Professor of Teaching Innovation at MIT said.

“Complications can also arise due to variability among individual patients, including their genetic background, environmental influences, lifestyles, and other drugs they may be taking. A lot of the time you don’t see problems with a drug, particularly something that might be widely prescribed until it goes on the market.”

Griffith and her co-workers chose to go after an innovation that they call a “physiome on a chip.” They think this could offer an approach to show the potential impacts

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of medication more accurately and speedily. Scientists required new equipment to do this, which would enable tissues to develop and work together with each other. They also wanted to design tissue that would reflect the elements of human organs more accurately.

As described in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers have created what’s known as a microphysiological system, or MPS, to model organ-to-organ crosstalk – the way in which a drug’s effect may be determined by how it interacts with multiple different organs. An MPS can be thought of as a sort of audio mixing board for fluids.

The top layer is made from a block of plastic with various compartments to allow fluids to move in a representation of a circulatory system. It includes a water reservoir to maintain humidity and limit evaporation, and has microfluidic channels and pumps to shift the chemistry about.

The researchers used their MPS to model ten organs – the brain, endometrium, gut, heart, kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, skeletal muscle and skin.

The researchers created several versions of the chip that consisted of clusters of 1 million to 2 million cells for each organ. They worked with “primary cells” – ones that perform much of the organ’s functions.

In a test, researchers successfully delivered a drug to gastrointestinal tissue, mimicking oral ingestion of a drug. Then they saw how it was transported to other tissues and metabolized. In this process, they could measure where the drug went, it’s effects on different tissues and how the drug was broken down.

Griffith said her lab is developing a model system for Parkinson’s disease that includes brain, liver, and gastrointestinal tissue. They want to see if bacteria found in the gut can influence the development of Parkinson’s disease.

By Disha Padmanabha

The ‘body-on-a-chip’ is also reusable and in the MIT study, organs were stable for up to four weeks. It can be ‘scaled up or down and accommodate a lot of different configurations’

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March 27th, 2018.

“Nanospears” for Targeted Delivery of Genes to Patient Cells UCLA researchers have now developed remote-controlled, needle-like nanospears capable of piercing membrane walls and delivering DNA into selected cells. These magnetically guided nanostructures could enable gene therapies that are safer, faster and more cost-effective.

Researchers, have in the past, used sharptipped nanoparticles stuck to surfaces in order to deliver molecules to cells, but removing the altered cells from the nanoparticle-coated surface has been difficult. Other techniques involved self-propelled nanoparticles, but controlling them was not easy. In addition, mobile nanoparticles can generate toxic byproducts.

The UCLA team wanted to make the process more efficient, so they developed biocompatible nanospears that can accurately transport biological material via an external magnetic field. In this way, cells are safe from damage and the use of chemical propellants is no longer necessary.

“Just as we hear about Amazon wanting to deliver packages straight to your house with drones, we’re working on a nanoscale equivalent of that to deliver important health care

packages straight to your cells,” Dr. Steven Jonas, a clinical fellow in the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center Training Program, said.

Jonas and Paul Weiss, a distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCLA, led a research team that designed nanospears that are biodegradable, and can be mass-produced inexpensively and efficiently.

The construction of nanospears was inspired by the work of their collaborators, Hsian-Rong Tseng, a professor of molecular and medical pharmacology, and Xiaobin Xu, a postdoctoral fellow in Weiss’ interdisciplinary research group. Tseng and Xu are both co-authors of the study.

“Based on Xiaobin’s nanomanufacturing work, we knew how to make nanostructures of different shapes in massive numbers using simple fabrication strategies,” said Weiss, who is also a member of the California NanoSystems Institute. “Once we had that in hand, we realized we could make precise structures that would be of value in gene therapies.”

By Disha Padmanabha

icon, nickel and gold, are about 5,000 times smaller than the diameter of a strand of human hair. Yet they include genetic information with minimal impact on cell viability and metabolism. By coating their nanospears with nickel, Weiss and Jonas eliminated the need for chemical propellants. A magnet can be held near a lab dish containing cells to manipulate the direction, position and rotation of one or many nanospears.

Then, researchers tested their invention in a lab dish, where the nanospears had to deliver DNA to brain cancer cells. The cancerous cells were altered so that they would express a green fluorescent protein.

About 80 percent of targeted cells exhibited a bright green glow, and 90 percent of those cells survived. Both numbers are a marked improvement on existing delivery strategies.

“The biggest barrier right now to getting either a gene therapy or an immunotherapy to patients is the processing time,” Jonas said.

“New methods to generate these therapies more quickly, effectively and safely are going to accelerate innovation in this research area and bring these therapies to patients sooner, and that’s the goal we all have.”

“One of the amazing things about working at UCLA is that for each of the targeted diseases, we collaborate with leading clinicians who already have gene therapies in development,” Weiss said. “They have the gene-editing cargo, model cells, animal models and patient cells in place so we are able to optimize our nanosystems on methods that are on the pathway to the clinic.”

These nanospears, which are made from sil-

Say Bye to Injection Woes, 3D-Printed Dissolvable Microneedles are Here No one like getting shots- to be honest, as an adult they’re still less fun. Even when you’re old enough to understand that they’re a necessary evil to keep you (and others around you) healthy, it doesn’t change the fact that getting a needle shoved into your skin hurts — plain and simple.

But then, given the rate at which we are advancing both medically and technologically, in a few years’ time injections could become a thing of the past, thanks to new, painless alternatives.

Now, in this direction, a team of researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas have designed painless, biodegradable microneedles that can break off in the skin and dissolve to administer drugs.

The UT Dallas team’s 3D printed microneedles are also biodegradable, and will break off underneath the skin and dissolve over time to release the drugs…a far cry from today’s conventional syringes. They are painless, because the microneedle is so thin that patients can’t even feel it when it breaks off.

The team of researchers at Dallas, led by Jeremiah Gassensmith, looked to use 3D printing techniques to make microneedles from polylactide, a non-toxic, biodegradable and renewable polymer which is approved for use in dissolvable stiches. Unfortunately, the printing techniques that are capable of producing features smaller than 100 micrometres are not compatible with the biodegradable polymer required. Gassensmith’s team instead used fused deposition modelling (FDM), a 3D printing technique that works

well with polylactide, but has lower resolution.

The team’s manufacturing method is a five step process that starts with FFF using a Lulzbot TAZ 5 3D printer. It takes 40 minutes on average to make a batch of 15 microneedle arrays. The arrays are then left to soak in a chemical solution for 9 hours which etches the surface, and carves the microneedles to a fine point between 1 and 55 μm wide. In the penulitmate step, the microneedles are washed. Then they can be loaded with a drug for application in the skin.

Usually producing microneedles would require specialized equipment in the form of a cleanroom. The issue is that this is not something that many smaller companies have access to. “We basically found a way to cut out the multimillion-dollar clean room with a $1,000 Lulzbot,” Gassensmith explained. “We print microneedles, do some post-print processing on them to make them super-sharp, and then we show we can load small molecules into them and release them into the skin over time.”

“We’d love to get plastic filaments that are loaded with specific drugs that are typically only effective when administered by IV,” Gassensmith said. “Instead of getting multiple shots, your doctor would print out a therapeutic microneedle patch and mail it to you and you could apply it yourself at home.

One of the great advantages of microneedles is you don’t need to be trained to use them.

By Disha Padmanabha (a,c) 3D printed and (b, d) chemically etched microneedle arrays. Image via ChemRxiv

They’d be great for deployment where formulating IV drugs would be a hassle, like in delivering vaccines to developing countries.

The 3D-printing technology is ready to be

commercialized right now, and we are actively working on finding candidate drugs to use for our spools.”

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March 27th, 2018.

NIH Scientists Identify Genetic Culprit Impacting our Biological Clocks Aging is the greatest risk factor for neurodegeneration, but the connection between the two processes remains opaque. This is in part for want of a rigorous way to define physiological age, as opposed to chronological age.

Now, in order to understand the link between aging and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, NIH scientists compared the genetic clocks that tick during the lives of normal and mutant flies. They found that altering the activity of a gene called Cdk5 appeared to make the clocks run faster than normal, and the flies older than their chronological age. This caused the flies to have problems walking or flying later in life, to show signs of neurodegeneration, and to die earlier.

“We tried to untangle the large role aging appears to play in some of the most devastating neurological disorders,” said Edward Giniger, Ph.D., senior investigator at the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the senior author of the study published in Disease Models &

Mechanisms. “Our results suggest that neurodegenerative disorders may accelerate the aging process.”

Preclinical studies suggest that Cdk5 is a gene that is important for the normal wiring of the brain during early development and may be involved in some neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Similarly, the team, in the course of this study, found that eliminating or increasing Cdk5 activity beyond normal levels shortened the lives of the flies to about 30 days.

After 10 days of age, the manipulations reduced the distance flies could climb up tubes and the alterations caused older flies to have signs of neurodegeneration, including higher than normal levels of brain cell death and degradation.

More analysis showed that altering Cdk5 activity changed the level of several groups of genes that were also affected by aging, including those that control immunity, energy, and antioxidant activity.

By Disha Padmanabha

“Our results suggest that aging may not just predispose an individual to degeneration, as we thought. Acceleration of aging may actually be part of the mechanism by which degenerative disease disrupts the structure and

function of the brain,” said Dr. Giniger. “We hope that our approach will help researchers untangle the mysteries behind several neurodegenerative disorders.”

Levels of Vitamin-D Linked to Cancer Incidence – Cancer Research Update Vitamin D status differs by latitude and race, normally with individuals with more skin pigmentation being at increased risk of deficiency. Although Vitamin D deficiency is known mainly for its association with fractures and bone disease, its newly recognized association with risk of several types of cancer is receiving considerable attention.

In this direction, Japanese researchers have now found that higher concentration of vitamin D correlated significantly with a lower risk for overall cancer and liver cancer.

“Although the beneficial effects of vitamin D in the prevention of skeletal disorders have long been recognized, accumulating evidence suggests that the benefits may extend beyond bone health to include several chronic diseases, including cancer,” Sanjeev Budhathoki, MD, from the National Cancer Center, Tokyo, and colleagues wrote. “We observed that a higher circulating concentration of vitamin D was associated with a lower risk of subsequent cancer in a large Japanese population.”

“We believe vitamin D has a maybe weak, but beneficial effect across many cancers,” said Taiki Yamaji, coauthor of the study from the Center for Public Health Sciences at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo.

The team looked at levels of the biologically active form of vitamin D in blood samples taken from more than 30,000 middle-aged individuals at health centres across Japan dur-

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ing the early 1990s.

The participants were divided into four groups based on their vitamin D levels, ranging from the lowest to highest. Information was also gathered on the subjects’ medical history, as well as on their dietary and lifestyle factors.

The study included two cohorts of participants from the Japan Public Health Centerbased Prospective Study. Patients completed questionnaires on demographic characteristics, past medical history and lifestyle-related factors. Budhathoki and colleagues also collected blood samples from all participants to determine circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. One cohort comprised 3,301 patients with cancer. The researchers also randomly selected 4,044 participants for a subcohort, of whom 405 had cancer.

Taking the group with the lowest concentration of the vitamin as a base, researchers found that the cancer risk for those in the second-lowest quartile was 19 percent lower than those in the bottom group. For the group with the second-highest concentration, the risk fell 25 percent, while for those with the highest concentration the risk of developing cancer was 22 percent lower.

By type, liver cancer saw the biggest drop.

Because liver cancer progresses from hepatitis, there is said to be a possibility that the property of vitamin D of restraining inflammation lowers the risk.

“Our findings support the hypothesis that vitamin D may confer protection against the

By Disha Padmanabha

risk of cancer,” Budhathoki and colleagues wrote. “Nevertheless, the lower risk associated with higher circulating vitamin D concentration seemed to show a ceiling effect, which may suggest that although maintaining an

optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration is important for prevention of cancer, having a concentration beyond this optimal level may provide no further benefit.”

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March 27th, 2018.

Proteins Stabilized Outside Body, in Synthetic Environment for First Time Natural proteins combine a range of useful features, including chemical diversity, the ability to rapidly switch between preprogrammed shapes, and a hierarchy of structures. But the catch is, they’re too sensitive to be useful in the outside world.

Now, a team from UC Berkeley has figured out a way to keep them alive and functioning in a synthetic environment, and used them to make mats that can break down toxic chemicals.

The new study shows a path toward exploiting the power of proteins outside of the cell by demonstrating a unique way to keep proteins active in synthetic environments. The materials presented in the study could enable on-demand biochemical reactions, such as in war zones or contaminated sites, where they were once not feasible.

“We think we’ve cracked the code for interfacing natural and synthetic systems,” said study author Ting Xu, a Berkeley professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Chemistry,

whose lab led the work. “Proteins have very well-defined statistical pattern, so if you can mimic that pattern, then you can marry the synthetic and natural systems, which allows us to make these materials.”

The end result of these analyses was the creation of random heteropolymers (RHPs).

They contain four connected types of monomers; their chemical properties were designed to interact with proteins of interest.

They mimic an unstructured natural protein and enable protein membrane folding and activity. Many molecular simulations were run to make sure that these structures would act the way that they were intended.

The team further combined RHP with a protein called organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH), which degrades the toxic organophosphates found in insecticides and chemical warfare agents. The resultant was used to make mats that was capable of degrading an amount of insecticide weighing approximately one-tenth of the total fiber mat in just a few minutes. This opens the door to the creation

By Disha Padmanabha

of larger mats that could soak up toxic chemicals in places like war zones.

Their approach should be applicable to other enzymes and other materials, Xu said,

opening the door to the creation of portable chemistry labs for solving different environmental problems.

Scientists Tweak Small Molecule Drug to Develop Antiviral against H3N2 Imperceptible to the human eye, the flu virus is one of the most pervasive and persistent on the planet. It mates and spreads in the air. One strain is capable of circumventing the globe in a matter of months.

Annual flu epidemics kill 250,000-500,000 people each year and cause severe illness in 3 million to 5 million. But new strains that jump from animals to humans can be even more devastating if the global population has no immunity to the virus.

This year’s flu rates have yet to reach the levels seen three years ago, but flu season is currently at its peak and current trends suggest they could get worse. This year’s unfolding flu season can be explained threefold, thanks to the most dominant flu strain infecting people—H3N2.

A research team led by the University of California at San Diego has developed a small molecule that they believe could weaken or even stop H3N2 in its tracks. It works by exploiting a flaw in the mechanism the virus uses to replicate, according to the team, which presented their research at the 255th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in New Orleans.

In order to develop an antiviral drug for influenza, scientists had to find an area within its structure that would prove vulnerable. The influenza virus is a lipid-enveloped, negative-sense, single-strand RNA virus, meaning the genetic information it uses for replication is contained in RNA strands held inside a protein shell that is coated by a fatty layer.

Instead of relying on a host’s straightforward DNA replication process as some other viruses do, influenza depends on its own enzyme called RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. So, scientists have consistently focused research efforts on developing a drug that would affect this viral process.

Seth Cohen, who is at the University of California, San Diego and co-founder of Forge Therapeutics, notes that the RNA polymerase complex remains constant across many different versions and mutations of the influenza virus.

Which is why any therapy that target it are not likely to suffer from the issue the vaccine faces; namely, the H3 flaw. The RNA polymerase itself is divided into three subunits.

Cohen has homed in on a metal-centered domain within one of the subunits.

Cohen has spent the past two years uncovering how manganese ions bind within the RNA polymerase subunit in order to develop a better drug that would serve as a wrench in the virus’ replication works. “We modified our small-molecule drug so that it would bind to both manganese ions simultaneously,” he says. He then tested the molecule on the RNA polymerase protein. “The modification dramatically improved the potency of the compound over previous drugs we created,” he says. The team is hopeful that in the coming months, it will be just as effective when they challenge the whole influenza virus with the molecule.

By Disha Padmanabha A new antiviral drug inhibits replication of influenza’s genome by binding to manganese ions (purple spheres). Image by Christine Morrison

“This is a medicinal intervention that will slow down the virus if not completely stop it,” Cohen says. “The drug could potentially eliminate the virus on its own or just suffi-

ciently slow its reproduction so that the body can ultimately clear it. It’s like taking an antibiotic for a viral infection.“

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March 27th, 2018.

Nanofiber Wound Dressings that Promote Regeneration Wounds in the fetus can heal without scarring. Consequently, biomaterials that attempt to recapitulate the biophysical and biochemical properties of fetal skin have emerged as promising pro-regenerative strategies. Now, researchers at Harvard University and the Wyss Institute have come up with two new wound dressings that promote healing without relying on growth factors, cells, or even artificial scaffolds.

The team has produced a globular fibronectin using Rotary Jet-Spinning (RJS). Globular fibronectin is a protein found in blood that is common in foetal skin, and was found to aid in recovery in the 1970s. The RJS technique involves a solution containing globular fibronectin being pushed through a device as it spins, causing the solvent to evaporate and the polymers to solidify, producing globular fibronectin in fibres less than one micrometre

in diameter, which can be collected into wound dressings or bandages.

“The dressing integrates into the wound and acts like an instructive scaffold, recruiting different stem cells that are relevant for regeneration and assisting in the healing process before being absorbed into the body,” said Christophe Chantre, first author of the paper and graduate student in the Disease Biophysics Group, which developed the RJS technique.

When tested in a wound mouse model, the application of fibronectin nanofiber dressings to wounds did two things; 1) they accelerated wound closure and 2) significantly improved tissue restoration. They not only helped the recovery of dermal and epidermal tissues but also helped recover adipose (fat) tissue.

By Disha Padmanabha A tissue section 14 days post-wounding shows hair follicles regenerating at center of the wound. Regrowing hair follicles is one of the biggest challenges in the field of wound healing. Image courtesy of the Disease Biophysics Group/Harvard University

The second dressing involves a soy-based nanofiber that has estrogen-like molecules and other bioactive molecules that help to generate and promote cellular growth. Estrogen has been noted as helping pregnant women heal wounds faster. The soy nanofiber is spun in the same machine that fibrous fibronectin was produced and it had similar results.

According to the researchers, both kind dressings have advantages in the wound-healing space. The soy-based nanofibres – consisting of cellulose acetate and soy protein hydrolysate – are inexpensive, making them

Re-Engineering Cellular Electricity Allows Scientists to Dictate Embryo Development Endogenous bioelectrical signaling coordinates cell behaviors toward correct anatomical outcomes. Lack of a model explaining spatialized dynamics of bioelectric states has hindered the understanding of the etiology of some birth defects and the development of predictive interventions.

Improper neural patterning during development leads to highly debilitating disorders, such as open neural tube defects [spina bifida, and anencephaly (small brain)], brain malformations, and susceptibility to autism and degenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Nicotine, a known neuroteratogen, induces serious defects in brain patterning and learning. And biologists at the Tuft’s Univeristy have now been able to explain nicotine’s effects via the disruption of endogenous bioelectrical gradients using the brains of day-old frog embryos, thereby demonstrating how HCN2 ion channels could restore the endogenous bioelectric prepatterns necessary for brain patterning.

The research, published today in Nature Communications, suggests that targeting bioelectric states may be a new treatment modality for regenerative repair in brain development and disease, and that computational methods can be used to find effective repair strategies.

“Studies focusing on gene expression, growth factors, and molecular pathways have provided us with a better but still incomplete understanding of how cells arrange themselves into complex organ systems in a growing embryo,” said Professor Michael Levin, Ph.D., corresponding author of the study and director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University. “We are now beginning to see how electrical patterns in the embryo are guiding large scale patterns of tissues, organs, and limbs. If we can decode this electrical communication between cells, then we might be able to use it to normalize development or support regeneration in the treatment of disease or injury.”

To study bioelectrical signaling, Levin and his team used an open-source 2D computational simulation platform, called the BioElectric Tissue Simulation Engine (BETSE) to create a dynamic map of voltage signatures in a developing frog embryo.

To study bioelectrical signaling, Levin and his team used an open-source 2D computational simulation platform, called the BioElectric Tissue Simulation Engine (BETSE) to create a dynamic map of voltage signatures in a developing frog embryo.

By Disha Padmanabha

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a good option for large-scale usage, such as on burns. The fibronectin dressings could be used for smaller wounds where the prevention of scarring is important.

“Both the soy and fibronectin fibre technologies owe their success to keen observations in reproductive medicine,” said Kit Parker, Tarr family professor of bioengineering at SEAS and senior author of the research.

“During a woman’s cycle, when her oestrogen levels go high, a cut will heal faster. If you do a surgery on a baby still in the womb, they have scar-less wound healing.”

By Disha Padmanabha

PLATYPUS MILK : TO COMBAT THE GLOBAL CRISIS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE The platypus is arguably one of the most distinct animals on the planet- so it would make sense for it to possess distinct qualities as well. The platypus has some of the strangest attributes, habits, and anatomy of any animal. Perhaps why this part-reptile, part-mammal, part-bird- when first found by British researchers in the 18th century was perceived to be a hoax.

A specimen so outlandish that it was deemed fake, has now come to our rescue against superbugs.

Back in 2010, scientists realized that platypus moms produce very special milk. They found that it has unique bacteria-fighting properties that could be used to kill superbugs. Unlike most other mammals, including us, these weird creatures don’t have specialised mammary glands such as breasts- so their milk is expressed onto their stomachs where their babies lap it up. This exposes it to the bacteria-filled world so bug-fighting properties are pretty useful.

Now, scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, have discovered why the milk is so powerful. This new evidence, researchers hope, will one day improve antibacterial dressings and creams.

“The protein that was replicated was a protein called “Monotreme Lactation Protein” and it is found only in the milk of monotremes, whereas most of the other compo-

nents of monotreme milk have counterparts in placental mammalian (cow or human) milk,” lead researcher Janet Newman from the CSIRO told Xinhua News.

“This protein displays activity against only a subset of bacteria – Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus for example, but not against the normal gut flora found in (platypus) pups. Trials as a therapeutic are a long way away, but we believe that this protein might be the basis for topical antibiotic treatments; wound dressings, for example.”

Using x-ray crystallography at the state-ofthe-art Collaborative Crystallisation Centre, and the synchrotron in Melbourne Victoria, the team discovered a unique structure in the protein which, when solved, formed a three dimensional fold, similar to a ringlet.

The researchers named this never-before-seen protein the Shirley Temple, in tribute to the former child-actor’s distinctive curly hair. Most intriguingly, the protein has a novel fold in its structure that has not been identified in any of the more than 100,000 known protein structures, Dr Newman said.

The World Health Organisation, in 2014 release a report that spotlighted the global threat posed by antibiotic resistance, pleading for immediate action. Platypus milk and the potentially lifesaving protein fold found within it is now being taken to the next phase, to hopefully put a stop to antibiotic resistance.

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March 27th, 2018.

Artificial Cells Embedded with Biological Counterparts Work as a Team The brave new world of synthetic biology has taken a major step forward as the scientists at the Imperial College London fuse living and non-living cells for the first time to explore mechanisms of biological compartmentalisation and how these principles can be harnessed to develop smart technologies.

Due to their reduced complexity and lack of evolved biochemical pathways, the capabilities of artificial cells are limited in comparison to their biological counterparts.

The study demonstrates how encapsulating living cells in vesicles provide a means for artificial cells to leverage cellular biochemistry, with the encapsulated cells serving organelle-like functions as living modules inside a larger synthetic cell assembly. It shows how they work in concert paving way for similar exciting hybrid cellular bionicsystems.

The new cellular system encapsulates biological cells within an artificial cell/ a mechanical shell. A shell it may be, but it’s far from being just a shell: the artificial component also contains enzymes that work together with those inside the cell to produce new

compounds. In the proof-of-concept experiment, the artificial shell produced a fluorescent chemical that allowed the researchers to confirm all was working as expected.

“Biological cells can perform extremely complex functions, but can be difficult to control when trying to harness one aspect,” says lead researcher Professor Oscar Ces, from the Department of Chemistry at ICL. “Artificial cells can be programmed more easily but we cannot yet build in much complexity.”

“Our new system bridges the gap between these two approaches by fusing whole biological cells with artificial ones, so that the machinery of both works in concert to produce what we need. This is a paradigm shift in thinking about the way we design artificial cells, which will help accelerate research on applications in healthcare and beyond.”

The team called on microfluidics to put the two together. They used water and oil (which don’t mix) to make droplets of a defined size

By Disha Padmanabha

that contained both the cells and enzymes.

Then, they applied a protective coating on the droplets, creating the artificial shell.

Further, the team tested these artificial cells in a solution high in copper, which is usually highly toxic to biological cells. The team was still able to detect fluorescent chemicals in most of the artificial cells, meaning the biological cells were still alive and functioning inside. This ability would be useful in the human body, where the artificial cell casing would protect the foreign biological cells from attack by the body’s immune system.

First author of the study Dr Yuval Elani, an

A Native Brown Fat Protein Key to How the Fat Cells Function Brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) differ in their gene expression signatures, morphologies, and physiological functions. In contrast to WAT, BAT expresses high levels of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis, is rich in mitochondria, and has numerous small lipid droplets compared with the unilocular droplets of WAT. Because the major function of WAT is to store and release lipid, it is well equipped to adapt to fluctuations in nutrient availability.

BAT, on the other hand, is specialized to burn lipids and glucose in response to the need for extra heat, such as reduced ambient temperature or arousal from hibernation. Indeed, with so much focus on WAT and the obesity epidemic, it has only recently been appreciated that adult humans can display cold-activated browning and that relative BAT mass inversely correlates with obesity.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) adaptively transfers energy from glucose and fat into heat by inducing a gene network that uncouples mitochondrial electron transport. However, the innate transcription factors that en-

able the rapid adaptive response of BAT are unclear.

Now, Salk researchers have discovered how the molecule ERRγ gives this “healthier” brown fat its energy-expending identity, making those cells ready to warm you up when you step into the cold, and potentially offering a new therapeutic target for diseases related to obesity.

“This not only advances our understanding of how the body responds to cold, but could lead to new ways to control the amount of brown fat in the body, which has links to obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease,” says senior author Ronald Evans, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and holder of Salk’s March of Dimes Chair in Molecular and Developmental Biology.

“We were interested in what maintains brown fat, even when we’re not exposed to cold all the time,” says Maryam Ahmadian, a Salk research associate and first author of the new paper.

The team found that brown fat cells express

EPSRC Research Fellow from the Department of Chemistry, said: “The system we designed is controllable and customisable. You can create different sizes of artificial cells in a reproducible manner, and there is the potential to add in all kinds of cell machinery, such as chloroplasts for performing photosynthesis or engineered microbes that act as sensors.”

To improve the functionality of these artificial cell systems, the next step is to engineer the artificial coating to act more like a biological membrane, but with special functions.

By Disha Padmanabha

Infrared images indicate the much warmer temperatures of a normal mouse (left) compared to a mouse unable to make ERR gamma (right). Credit: Salk Institute

the ERRγ gene all the time (not just in response to cold) and that white fat cells do not express the gene at all. And by studying mice lacking the gene for ERRγ (and therefore unable to make the ERRy molecule), the team observed that all brown fat cells resembled white cells in these mice.

Additionally, the animals were unable to maintain their body temperature when ex-

posed to cold temperatures.

The team concluded in a news release that ERRg is “involved in protection against the cold and underpins brown fat identity.” In future studies, the researchers plan to activate ERRg in white fat cells to see if this will shift their identity to be more similar to brown fat cells.

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Vol. 02 NO 13

March 27th, 2018.

SCHOLARSHIP & AWARDS

100 Govt of Sri Lanka Presidential Scholarships 2018 – Application Open GRANTING SCHOLARSHIPS UNDER GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN SUDNETS ACADEMIC YEAR 2017/2018 Government of Sri Lanka Presidential Scholarships programme for Foreign Students implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways has been in operation for seven years. That provides scholarships annually to foreign students from identified countries.

Applications are invited from eligible students for the award of undergraduate scholarships offered by the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways (MoHEH), Sri Lanka for the academic year 2017/2018 and the courses are to commence in September 2018.

Since this is a government to government scholarship program, candidates shall apply for this scholarship with the recommendation of the government nominating agency (i.e.

Ministry or the government Institution of his/ her country).

• Scholarships are open for courses of study other than Medical, Dental Sciences & • Engineering.

• Medium of instructions is English.

• Candidates can request for more than one course of study for securing chances to win • a scholarship, identifying their preferences as places are limited in some fields.

• There may be instances where requested courses of study are not possible to offer due • to unforeseen circumstances or limited places available in the particular field.

• If the given qualifications by the applicant are not compatible with the entry • requirements of the university, those applications may not be successful.

• When completing the form, please ensure that you provide your full name as appeared • in your passport.

• Please provide all the supporting documents in English, we require officially • translated versions as well as copies in the original language.

• Please provide certified copies of all the supporting documents including the certified • copies of the relevant pages of your

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passport, duly authenticated by relevant authorities.

• The copy of the certificate and the statement of results should be certified by the • relevant Board of Examinations which conducted the examination concerned.

• Photocopies of the educational certificates will not be considered for evaluation and • result in rejection of the application.

• Do not leave any section of this application unanswered. Please write “N/A” in all irrelevant sections.

• All the applications should be forwarded to Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education • & Highways, No 18, Ward Place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka on or before the closing • date • Closing date for applications for the academic year 2017/2018 will be 16th April 2018.

• If you have any questions about filling out your application form please do not • hesitate to contact the Additional Secretary (Development) office Tel: +9411• 2697721 or +94-11-2688621 Fax: +9411-2697239 E-mail: addsec-dev@ mohe.gov.lk Application form can be downloaded from the web site of the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways: www.mohe.gov.lk GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: •

Be a citizen of a country covered by this scholarship. A citizen of another country having Sri Lankan dual citizenship is not eligible to apply.

• Candidates with results at a foreign examination held outside Sri Lanka, deemed equivalent to G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination of Sri Lanka are eligible to applyfor admission to Universities in Sri Lanka. a) Applicants are advised to attach to their applications the original letter obtained from the Examinations Board concerned, to prove that their educational qualifications are equivalent to the G.C.E.(A/L) Examination of Sri Lanka or their educational qualifications are considered for admission to a university in their own country to follow an undergraduate course of study leading to a Bachelor’s Degree. b) Applicants should ensure that all required passes should be obtained in one and the same sitting under a recognized Board of Examinations subject to the rules set out by the Education Authority of the country concerned. c) Applicants should attach to their applications the certified copies of the educational certificate and the statement of results of their qualifying examination. The copy of the educational certificate and the statement of results should be certified by the relevant Examinations Board which conducted the examination concerned.

• Age : Be less than 25 years on 16.04.2018

SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS: I. Free of charge tuition and registration.

II. Free Visa for studies III. One-off settlement allowance of LKR 10,000/-.

IV. A monthly living allowance of LKR 30, 000/- during the study period. a. It is expected that the scholarship recipient will meet the expenditure for food and accommodation with the monthly allowance of LKR 30,000/- The relevant university/higher educational institute will assist in finding suitable accommodation.

V. Reimbursement of cost of air fare (economy class) to come to Sri Lanka and return his/her country after successful completion of studies [Payment is made for original bills only].

Note: Kindly note that all above payments are made in LKR VI. Free of charge medical facilities at government hospitals other than dental related diseases.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: •

Applicants except native English speakers must provide evidence of proficiency in English. Minimum score for TOEFL is 525 and minimum band score is 6.5 for IELTS. • To cover the immediate expenses you are advised to bring approximately US$ 350. Living allowance is paid during the 3rd week of each month.

• Once admitted to a course of study the requests for change of the course of study/ university will not be accepted.

• Scholarship holder should submit a health certificate issued by a government hospital of his/her country as per the attached format.

• Every student is required to undergo HIV/AIDS test and reports should be submitted to the MoHEH within a month after arrival.

• In case the scholarship holder cannot complete the course during the prescribed period due to reasons of ill health or other unavoidable circumstances, considerations will be given to extend the scholarship by a maximum of one year on the recommendation of the university.

• The rules and regulations imposed by each university for the local students will also apply to the scholarship holders.

• Scholarship and studentship will be cancelled if; i. the student is failed to maintain a satisfactory academic performance according to the grading system of the university ii. the student left Sri Lanka without getting approval from the university iii. the student is reported any non- compliance of the rules and regulations of the university.

• If a student leaves the course prior to completion of his/her study programme he/she is liable to pay all the expenses incurred by the Government of Sri Lanka.

How to Apply: •

Each applicant should submit duly per-

fected 3 sets (one original) of applications along with all required documents to his/her government nominating agency.

• Each application should be recommended by the government nominating agency by filling out the section 06 B of the application.

• The government nominating agency of the applicant shall submit the applications with their recommendation to the Sri Lankan mission in his/her country for forwarding the same to the MoHEH, Sri Lanka. In case a Sri Lankan mission is not present in his /her country, the government nominating agency can forward the applications directly to the MoHEH, Sri Lanka.

• Required documents: i. Certified copy of Birth Certificate ii. Certified copies (certified by the relevant examinations board) of the certificates and the academic transcripts of the Advanced Level and Ordinary Level Examinations or their equivalents. iii. Original letter obtained from the Board of Examinations iv. Certified copy of IELTS/TOEFL certificate v. Certified copy of the data page of applicant’s passport. The validity of the passport shall remain at least for 1 year after arrival to Sri Lanka vi. Certified copies of the Birth certificates of parents vii. Medical Certificate viii. Police Report Note: Certified English translation must be provided for all the documents that are not in English.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS: Applications with the recommendation of the government nominating agency should be received to the address given below by on or before 16.04.2018.

Secretary Ministry of Higher Education and Highways No: 18, Ward Place Colombo 07 Sri Lanka.

Applications received from other means and the late applications will not be considered.

Vol. 02 NO 13

March 27th, 2018.

Type of Support:

ICGEB Research Grants – 2018, Eligibility, Deadline & Application Details ICGEB Research Grants 2018 official notification is out. Collaborative Research Programme (CRP) – ICGEB Research Grants 2018 for Indian nationals is available. A special CRP-ICGEB Early Career Return Grants is also available for young researchers. ICGEB Research Grants – 2018, Eligibility, Deadline & Application Details.

Research Grants: Funding opportunities are made available through the Collaborative Research Programme (CRP) – ICGEB Research Grants, which is a dedicated source of funding aimed at financing projects addressing original scientific problems of particular relevance for the host country and of regional interest.

Established in 1988, the programme aims to stimulate collaborative research in Member States and with the ICGEB Component laboratories, to promote training of young scientists and to facilitate the creation of appropriate research facilities.

The programme provides support for research projects in basic science, human healthcare, industrial and agricultural biotechnology and bioenergy.

A call for applications is launched yearly

Grants are awarded to contribute to the implementation of outstanding scientific research projects. An important element of successful applications is the feasibility of the proposed project within the designated timeframe (maximum 36 months). The maximum annual contribution from ICGEB is Euro 25,000.

Funds can only be used to cover expenditures that are directly relevant to the project.

This may include purchasing consumable items, scientific literature and basic standard laboratory equipment. Travel and training costs can also be covered.

Salaries of the Principal Investigators and infrastructural support (e.g., normal administrative and overhead expenses of the Institution, maintenance and rental of capital equipment, building, etc.) are not admissible and cannot be funded.

To read about the kind of ground-breaking research on HIV infection, dynamic changes in replication, autophagy, adaptive immunity and more that is being supported by ICGEB, download the information on the ICGEB Research Grants awarded under the 2016 call for Applications.

Submission and Closing Dates: In adherence with the ICGEB mandate to equally support its Member States, each ICGEB Member State can endorse up to 3 standard Research Grant applications, plus up to 2 Early Career Return Grants for each call. Therefore, PIs should submit their complete applications in electronic format (pdf) to his/her Country representative (Liaison Officer – see form A), who is in charge of endorsing the application at the national level.

A copy of the application should also be sent directly to the ICGEB (crp@icgeb.org) The deadline for submission by e-mail of the completed application form (as a pdf file) to the ICGEB Liaison Officer for endorsement, with a copy also sent to ICGEB, is 30 April 2018.

Eligibility: Applicants for research grant proposals (identified as “CRPs”) should hold positions at Universities or Research Institutes in any of the ICGEB Member States.

Active collaboration with ICGEB Research Groups is welcome but is not mandatory.

Particular attention will be given to projects addressing issues of interest for specific geographic regions and presented by groups collaborating across more than one country.

Investigating groups do not qualify for submission of applications: – if previously awarded projects have not been evaluated and satisfactorily concluded; – if the University or Research Institute of the Principal Investigator is based in Italy.

A special category of CRP-ICGEB Early Career Return Grants is intended to fund young researchers with an outstanding track record, who have spent a minimum of 2 years abroad and have recently returned to an ICGEB Member State to establish their own independent laboratories.

Applicants for Early Career Return Grants should be no more than 40 years of age at the time of application.

Applicants should have returned to an ICGEB Member State (except Italy) no more than 2 years prior to submitting the application.

training and research at the interface of multiple disciplines for the benefit of mankind.

RCB has a strong commitment to exploring new frontiers, furthering science and connecting revolutionary areas of Biotechnology through cutting – edge research. The Centre boasts of the state – of – the – art research laboratories at par with the global standards.

Its Advanced Technology Platform Centre (ATPC) is a highly sophisticated instrumentation facility comprising of high throughput technology platforms such as Genomics, Proteomics, Mass Spectrometry, Microscopy platforms including Electron Microscopy and Super Resolution Confocal Microscopy, Molecular Interaction, and the Animal Experimentation Platforms. It is also establishing a Bio-incubator in association with BIRAC that links promising research outcomes to commercialization by nurturing technology development in the broad area of biopharmaceuticals.

The Award : The prestigious and unique Young Investigator Awards are designed to encourage young scientists below 35 years of age, desirous of pursuing high-end research in frontier areas of Biotechnology with an ultimate aim of finding solutions for challenges of the society. The applicants should have received a doctorate in the last 3 years in a relevant discipline with excellent publication record.

Age relaxation of 5 years is made for candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC, Women and Physically Handicapped category.

The Duration : The duration of the Award is initially for a period of three years, with a rigorous annual review for continuation. Only in exceptional cases, based on outstanding performance, an extension of additional two years may be given The Emoluments : The Award carries a consolidated stipend of Rs.75,000/- per month. During this tenure, the awardee shall not be entitled to draw any other fellowship or salary in any form.

The Research Areas :

RCB Young Investigator Awards 2018 With Stipend of Rs.75,000/- p.m.

RCB Young Investigator Awards 2018 Official Notification is out. Young Investigator Awards 2018 with a stipend of Rs.75,000/- p.m.

Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) is an institution of national importance, created by an Act of Parliament, established by Government of India through the Department of Biotechnology under the auspices of UNESCO. RCB has emerged as a pioneering institute for research in Biotechnology and is defining new horizons in providing worldclass education,

The Awards for the current round are tenable in the following areas: a. Molecular Virology and Viral Pathogenesis b. Molecular Biology, Immunology and Human Diseases c. Proteostasis and Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration d. Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration How to Apply: Online applications are invited as per details on RCB website www.rcb.res.in along with the research proposal in any one of the above given research areas. The last date of submission of application is 15.04.2018 by 5.30 pm.

For any query, kindly contact the Registrar office, Regional Centre for Biotechnology at registrar@rcb.res.in or 0129-2848800.

Only shortlisted candidates will be called for interview.

Application Deadline – 15.04.2018 by 5.30 pm.

DST Center for Healthcare Fellowship With Stipend of Rs. 50,000/- p.m.

Are you looking for Life Science Fellowships? Then DST in association with IIT Hyderabad has announced the Applications are Invited for Fellowship Program – Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship 2018. Biotech, Biosciences, Natural and Life Sciences candidates are encouraged to apply. DST Center for Healthcare Fellowship With Stipend of Rs. 50,000/- p.m.

About: “Centre for Healthcare Entrepreneurship”, promoted by two IIT Bombay alum, will be an interdisciplinary center focused on making universal healthcare a reality. The center’s objective is to catalyze healthcare innovation with a focus on affordable solutions to address healthcare needs of India, particularly its underserved population. The Center hopes to jump-start on and eventually self-sustain effort that trains entrepreneurs to deliver a pipeline of cost-efficient solutions, which are increasingly ‘commercialized’.

A world-class program for healthcare entrepreneurs hosted by IIT Hyderabad.

Administered and mentored by an international team, comprising entrepreneurs, top academics from the United States, Indian universities and Biomedical industry.

1. Institutionalize creativity and entrepreneurship to produce a pipeline of healthcare products and entrepreneurs.

2. Solve the healthcare needs of our communities.

3. Make healthcare products and services become more accessible and affordable.

• • • •

One year fellowship training followed by opportunity to incubate and start up Active mentorship from successful entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals Opportunity to form cross disciplinary teams of medicos, engineers and designers Ongoing exposure to local and global VC partners

Minimum Qualifications: Degree in Engineering/ Medicine/Design/Business/ Quantitative Life Sciences.

How to Apply: URL- http://bit.do/ApplicationCfHE2018 1. No fee for application.

2. All fellows are paid a stipend of Rs.50,000 pm/-during training period.

3. At the end of training, qualified team’s will get an incubation grant.

Next Page>>>> 9

Vol. 02 NO 13

March 27th, 2018.

Important Dates: Fill Online applications : Before 15th April 2018 Notification to Shortlisted candidates : Before 10th May 2018 Skype interview : 12th May 2018- 15th May 2018 Final Interview at IITH Campus : Last week of May

ADMISSIONS missions 2018, PhD Admissions 2019, Eligibility, Application details and deadline to apply. Top 15 List of Biotech PhD Admissions.

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15 Top Biotech PhD Admission & Life Science PhD Admissions 2018-19 15 Biotech PhD Notification for the year 2018-2019 are listed below. Msc Biotech & Msc Life Science Candidates can apply for PhD admissions at premier institutes all over India. Get PhD Admission with Fellowship via these PhD Notifications. Integrated PhD Biotech Admissions for B.sc and B.tech candidates has also been enlisted. Candidates looking for Biotech PhD Admissions Abroad, Out of India can also apply before the notification expires. The below table contains details on Biotech & Life science PhD Ad-

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PhD Admissions 2018 @ CSIRCCMB – Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology - Deadline: April 10th, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/phd-admissions-2018-csir-ccmb-centre-cellular-molecular-biology/) JNCASR Research & Integrated PhD Programme Admissions 2018 - Deadline: April 15th, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/ jncasr-research-integrated-phd-programme-admissions-2018/) IARI PhD Admissions 2018 – Official Notification - Deadline: April 16th, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika. org/2018/03/phd-programmes-admission-2018-iari/) PhD Admission Notification For 2018 @ IISER Kolkata - Deadline: April 15th, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/phd-admission-notification-2018-iiser-kolkata/) International PhD Programme – 2018 @ Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Germany - Deadline: May 22ns, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika. org/2018/03/international-phd-pro-

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gramme-2018-institute-molecular-biology-imb-germany/) PhD Admissions 2018 @ Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics - Deadline: May 7th, 2018 (https://www. biotecnika.org/2018/03/phd-admissions-2018-saha-institute-nuclear-physics/) IIT Delhi PhD Admissions 2018 – Official Notification - Deadline: April 2nd, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/iit-delhi-phd-admissions-2018/) PhD Admissions August 2018 @ IISER Thiruvananthapuram - Deadline: April 30th, 2018 (https://www. biotecnika.org/2018/03/phd-admissions-august-2018-iiser-thiruvananthapuram/) IISER Bhopal PhD Admissions 2018 – Official Notification - Deadline: April 15th, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/iiser-bhopal-phd-admissions-2018-official-notification/) IISER Berhampur PhD Admission 2018 – Official Notification - Deadline: April 30th, 2018 (https://www. biotecnika.org/2018/03/iiser-berhampur-phd-admission-2018/) PhD & Integrated PhD Admissions 2018 @ Tezpur University - Deadline: April 6th, 2018 (https://www.

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biotecnika.org/2018/03/phd-integrated-phd-admissions-2018-tezpur-university/) PhD Admissions 2018-2019 (Biosciences) @ IIT Bhubaneswar Deadline: April 10th, 2018 (https:// www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/phd-admissions-2018-2019-biosciences-iit-bhubaneswar/) PhD Research Admissions 2018 @ IIT Kanpur - Deadline: April 4th, 2018 (https://www.biotecnika. org/2018/03/phd-research-admissions2018-iit-kanpur/) Integrated PhD Admissions August 2018 @ IISER Thiruvananthapuram - Deadline: April 2nd, 2018 (https:// www.biotecnika.org/2018/03/15-topbiotech-phd-admission-life-sciencephd-admissions-2018-19/)

Majority of the premier PhD institutes requires candidates with CSIR NET Qualification , GATE Qualification. CSIR NET Exam is conducted twice a year through which you can enroll for PhD at leading institutes. GATE Exam is conducted once in a year for admissions at IIsc & IIT’s.

Vol. 02 NO 13

March 27th, 2018.

JOBS INDIAN AIR FORCE BIOCHEMISTRY JOB – SCIENTIFIC ASSISTANT POST VACANT Indian Air Force has an exclusive vacancy for Biochemistry candidates. M.sc Biochemistry, Biochemistry Postgraduates looking for Biochemistry Govt Job can apply via the above application form.

Relevant Biochem Job, Biochemistry Job, Msc Biochem Job, Bsc Biochem Job will be regularly updated here at Biotecnika – Biochemistry Jobs Portal.

Rewarding research careers at Ministry of Defence, Indian Air Force – Bengaluru. BSc & MSc candidates with Biochemistry and Toxicology backgrounds can apply for the Senior Scientific Assistant positions that are available at Indian Air Force, Bangalore.

Applications are invited from eligible departmental candidates for filling up of Senior Scientific Assistant post on deputation basis at IAM, Bangalore. The details of the post and eligibility conditions are as follows:Name of the Position: Senior Scientific Assistant

No.of.Vacancy : 04 (Physiology- 02, Psychology- 01, Toxicology Bio­Chemistry- 01) Classification: General Central Service, Gp ‘B’, Non-Ministerial. Non-Gazetted.

Ministry/ Department: Ministry of Defence/Indian Air Force Tenure of Deputation: 03 years extendable to 5 years.

Scale of Pay (Pre-revised) : PB-2 (930034800 with Grade Pay Rs. 4600/-) QUALIFICATION: (a) (i) Holding analogous post on regular basis in the parent cadre/department; OR (ii) With 05 years service in the grade ren-

dered after appointment thereto on a regular basis In PB-2 (Rs. 9300-34800) with Grade Pay of Rs. 4200/· or In the parent cadre/department: AND (b) Possessing the following educational qualifications and experience: (i) 03 years Diploma in Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering or Rubber Technology or B.Sc (with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) or B.Sc (Honours) in Chemistry/Mathematics/Bio-Chemistry/ Statistics/Physiology or B.A/B.Sc in Psychology; (ii) 02 years experience In the field of Metallography/Oil Testing/Rubber Technology/ Bio Chemical Lab/Statistics/Physiology/Psychiatric Lab. (iii) 02 Years experience in the field of Metallography/Oil Testing/Rubber Technology/ Bio Chemical Lab/Statistics/ Physiology/ Psychiatric Lab.

The brief description of duty: Teaching; To conduct and assist in research; To handle laboratory and allied equipment; To do all other jobs associated with research and teaching allotted by the officer.

How to Apply: Applications are to be forwarded to Commandant IAM, Vimanapura Post, Bangalore.

560017. Applications are to be forwarded through proper channel in the prescribed format.

Last Date: The last date for receipt of application form is 60 Days from the date of publication of this advertisement.

FOOD SAFETY OFFICER / FOOD INSPECTOR JOB AT KOLKATA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION Exclusive Govt Research Job Vacancy for Food Technology/ Dairy Technology/ Bio-Technology / Bio-Chemistry or Microbiology at The Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Recruitment Examination will be held for the post of Food Safety Officer (Food Inspector) under Health Department of The Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

On-line application are invited through website www.mscwb.org from the Citizens of lndia from 15/03/2018 to 16/04/2018 for recruitment to the post of Food Safety Officer (Food Inspector) under Health Department of The Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Name of the Post : Food Safety Officer (Food Inspector) The Commission will prepare a panel and a Reserve List of Successful Candidates and the Reserve List will contain 50% of reserve against the exact number of Vacancies Category-wise.

Scale of Pay / Salary : PB -3 (Rs. 7,100 to 37,600/- ) Plus Grade pay Rs. 4,100/No of Vacancy : 03(Three) : S.C. -02, S.T. -01.

Essential Qualifications for Direct Re-

cruitment:­ i) A degree in Food Technology or Dairy Technology or Bio-Technology or Oil Technology or Agricultural Science or Veterinary Services or Bio-Chemistry or Micro-Biology or Master’s Degree in Chemistry or a Degree in Medicine from a Recognized university. ii) Qualification required under F.S.S. Rules 2011 as will be amended time to time, (as amended by the Government of West Bengal, Health & Family Welfare Department and following guidelines have been intimate by the Commissioner of Food Safety, West Bengal vide no. 124/HF/CFS/1A-11/2013DT. 29.09.2016):• As per Rule -2.1.3 ( 1) (iii) of Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 Training has to be completed successfully before issuance of the appointment letter by the Commission of Food safety.

• As per guideline of FSSAI, duration of training of Food Safety Officer is 40 (forty) days and Food Safety Officer newly notified

by State can smoothly perform their duties and implement the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Rules and Regulation, there under, a course of 5 (five) days is proposed to be conducted by the Food Authority on interim basis. iii) Has successfully completed training as specified by the Food Authority in a recognized Institution or Institution approved for

the purpose.

B. Age not more than 37 years as on 1 st January, 2018 ( Upper age relaxation is admissible for only to S.C., S.T. candidates of West Bengal as per Rule ).

Method of Recruitment & Syllabus: The method of recruitment and Syllabus will be notified later on in our website www.mscwb. org.

Application Fee: (Non refundable) I. Application Fee For S.C., S.T. candidates only processing charges of Rs. 50/- (Rupees fifty) plus Rs. 20/ – (Rupees Twenty) towards Bank Charges for Challan deposit.

II. The application fees plus processing charges as mentioned in Para (1 ) above shall be collected by all the branches of the United Bank of India and the same to be deposited to Account No. 0088010367936 through Challan generated after submission of On-line Application at our website www.mscwb.org.

III. Besides above, a candidate may opt. for On-line payment of aforesaid fees and charges through lndiaideas.com Limited (Bill Desk).

of the municipal Service Commission within 7 (Seven) days preceding the date of Personality Test I Interview. Otherwise be/ she will be considered not eligible for the Personality Test/ Interview.

Last Date: Last date for Registration for on-line application and generation of challan is 16/04/2018 and application fee along with processing charges must be deposited to the Bank by 17/04/2018 and the process of submission of Application must be completed by 18/04/2018 .

NOTE: The Municipal Service Commission reserves the right to rectify errors and omissions, if any, in the process of holding the Examination and final declaration of result.

Miscellaneous: A candidate now in service under Central or the State Government, Semi Government, local/ Statutory Body shall have to ensure that No-Objection Certificate (N.O.C.) from his /her present Employer reaches the Office

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Vol. 02 NO 13

March 27th, 2018.

GOVT RESEARCH SCIENTIST POSITION @ CDSCO WITH SALARY OF RS. 50,000/- P.M. If you are an msc candidate and are looking for high paying government jobs, then look for the research scientist vacancy at CDSCO. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization is hiring for research scientist with high salary of Rs. 50,000/- p.m..

Central Drugs Standard Control Organization – CDSCO is hiring biotech candidates as Per the details below: F. No.A.12016/02/2015-D(Pt-II) Directorate General of Health Services Central Drugs Standard Control Organization Vacancy of Research Scientist (Medical Device & Diagnostics), CDSCO Drugs Controller General (India), MoH&FW intends recruiting a suitable person against the position of Research Scientist (Medical Devices & Diagnostics) on purely contractual basis. The details are as under:Name of the Position : Research Scientist

(Medical Device & Diagnostics) No.of.Posts : 01 Location : New Delhi with requirement of travel to States.

Age Limit : No Age Limit.

Remuneration : Rs. 50,000/- consolidated (per month).

Tenure of Position : Initially for a period up to 31.07.2018 which may be extended from time to time as per requirement of work.

Educational Qualification and Experience: • B. Tech/8.E m Electrical/Instrumentation/Clinical/Biomedical Engineering/ PG in Biotechnology from recognized

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Institute/University; Post Graduate Diploma in similar discipline would be desirable.

Computer proficiency with high level of familiarity with commonly used package like MS Word, Excel Power Point & Web Surfing to search relevant data & documents.

Excellent communication and presentation skills, analytical and interpersonal abilities, excellent oral and written communication skill in English.

Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Experience of working in Medical Devices manufacturing/medical devices research/medical devices testing Laboratory for a minimum period of 2 years will be desirable.

Rules & Responsibilities: •

Undertaking technical assessment for

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devices & diagnostics.

Providing technical assistance towards identification and regulation medical devices & diagnostics Analysis of data/market research on quality assessments.

Undertaking other assignments, which may be assigned from time to time.

How to Apply: Application must reach the undersigned at CDSCO(HQ), FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi up to 2nd April, 2018 by mail (admn.drugs@cdsco.nic.in) in the prescribed proforma of application enclosed and no extra documents like certificates/degree etc. are required to be sent with the application.

These will be checked at the time of interaction.

Last date for receipt of application : up to 2nd April, 2018

EUREKA FORBES RESEARCH CAREERS : WATER LAB INCHARGE POST FOR MICROBIOLOGY CANDIDATES There is an exciting research opportunity for msc and phd microbiology candidates at Eureka Forbes. Eureka Forbes research job opportunity is available for msc and phd candidates with a microbiology background, biochemistry candidates can also check out all of the details on the same below:

Functional Area : Production, Manufacturing, Maintenance

Name of the Position : Water Lab Incharge

Location : Indore

No.of.Openings : 02 Industry Type : Consumer Electronics / Appliances / Durables Role : Product Development Executive

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Employment Type : Full Time , Permanent Job Compensation : 3,00,000 – 4,50,000 P.A.

Job Description: • Ensure that Regional Water Quality Research Centers are technology center for the Region by ensuring they are properly equipped and proper documentation maintained • Keep updated with latest training material regarding products and new technology • Support the Sales and Service team in

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the region by conducting regular training programs to upgrade their skills and evaluation of the training Resolve water quality complaints received, along with service team Participate in the free service camps Visit customers explain the purification process, take water sample for chemical & bacteria test and issue customer confidence certificates Conduct field trials, new product performance certifications, and get external certifications for existing products Generate maximum revenue through water testing Generate reference sales and AMCs Conduct water mapping surveys and give the feedback to marketing for the position of the products as per the market requirements Participate in key business prospect-

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ing surveys and communicate to the concerned & document the same (i.e.

Apartment campaigns) Participate in exhibitions along with marketing team Monitoring of air and water via Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment Conduct society programs on environment ( 2 programs) in a month

Experience : 2 – 5 Years Education: • • •

UG – B.Sc – Bio-Chemistry, Microbiology PG – MS/M.Sc(Science) – Any Specialization, Chemistry, Microbiology Doctorate – Ph.D – Advertising/Mass Communication, Microbiology