Biotecnika Times 21st Jan 2020 Edition Released

January 21st, 2020

Vol. 04

Toll Free Number: 18001-200-1818

NO 114

Life Span of C.elegans Extended By 500 Percent Are we near to Immortality?

WORLD’S FIRST LIVING & SELFHEALING ROBOTS: XENOBOTS

WARNING!

Oceans Warming At Rate of 5 Atom Bombs Per Second GET THIS NEWSPAPER E-COPY VIA WHATSAPP EVERY WEEK GIVE MISSED CALL TO

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HEADLINES

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Say Hello To XENOBOTS : World’s First Living & Self-Healing Robots Meet XENOBOTS – World’s First Living & Self-Healing Robots that are four-legged creatures, less than a millimeter (0.04 inches) wide and tiny enough to enter human bodies.

THESE LIVING ROBOTS HAVE BEEN NAMED XENOBOTS AFTER THE AFRICAN FROG (XENOPUS LAEVIS) FROM WHICH THE STEM CELLS WERE DERIVED.

By Preety Suman

Scientists claim these tiniest living bots can even walk, swim, survive for weeks without food, as well as form groups.

As per scientists at the University of Vermont, these are “totally new lifeforms. also plastic can not do.

The new tiny robotic living creatures were designed on a supercomputer at Typical robots deteriorate over a the University of Vermont—and were period of time and produce unsafe then assembled and tested by biolo- ecological and wellness hazards,” gists at Tufts University. researchers stated in the paper published in the Proceedings of the NaThe process of creating xenobots in- tional Academy of Sciences. Xenovolved the scratching of living stem bots are much more eco-friendly and cells from frog embryos and then in- safer for human health, the study said. cubating them. The cells were then reshaped into certain “body kinds” This research study, which was developed by a supercomputer at partially funded by the Defense AdUVM– kinds “never ever seen in vanced Research Projects Agency, a nature,” according to a press release federal firm that looks after the defrom the University of Vermont. velopment of technology for military The cells then began to survive on their own, Bonded skin cells helped in maintaining the body structure, while pulsing heart muscle mass cells permitted the robot to proceed its own.

Xenobots even have self-healing abilities; upon cutting into one robot, Scientists said that it healed by itself and also maintained movement.

usage.

Xenobots can be utilized in a lot of tasks. It can be used to tidy up radioactive waste, collect microplastics in the seas, bring medication inside bodies, and even take a trip right into our arteries to scratch out plaque. The xenobots can endure in aqueous atmospheres without extra nutrients for days or weeks– making them suitable drug delivery in the internal body.

The organisms come pre-loaded with their very own food source of lipid and also protein deposits, permitting them to live for a little over a week– however, they can not reproduce or progress. However, their lifespan can boost to numerous weeks in nutrient-rich settings.

Researchers said that this study can have a large influence on regenerative The xenobots might likewise help medicine. scientists to explore more of cell biology– opening the doors to future It may all sound like something advancement in human health, well- from a sci-fi movie, yet the researchness, and longevity. ers claim there is no requirement for alarm.

One of the lead researchers at the University of Vermont, involved in this study said, “These are novel living machines,”. He termed these Xenobots as an entirely new class of artifact – a living, programmable organism, that are neither traditional robots nor any kind of animal.

Xenobots are nothing like the traditional robotics with no shiny pieces of equipment or robot arms placed.

Instead, they look much more like a tiny ball of moving pink flesh. The scientists state this is deliberate– this “biological machine” can accomplish things normal robotics of steel and

On the left, the anatomical blueprint for a computer-designed organism, discovered on a UVM supercomputer. On the right, the living organism, built entirely from frog skin (green) and heart muscle (red) cells. The background displays traces carved by a swarm of these new-to-nature organisms as they move through a field of particulate matter. (Credit: Sam Kriegman, UVM)

HEADLINES

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

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Warning! Oceans Are Warming At Rate of 5 Atom Bombs Per Second The average temperature of the world’s oceans in 2019 was determined to be 0.075 degrees Celsius (0.135 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the 1981–2010 average by an international team of scientists who analyzed the data from the 1950s through 2019.

THIS INCREASE MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WARMING BUT ACCORDING TO THE SCIENTISTS’ STUDY, WITH THE MASSIVE VOLUME OF THE OCEANS GIVEN, A STAGGERING INFLUX OF HEAT – 228 SEXTILLION JOULES’ WORTH WOULD BE CAUSED WITH AN INCREASE EVEN THAT SMALL.

By Prathibha HC

On Monday, Advances in Atmospheric Sciences journal published this study.

As such a number is a hard number to contextualize, one of the study’s scientists did the math and put the number into an explosive frame of reference and compared it to the amount of energy released by the atomic bomb dropped in 1945 on Hiroshima, Japan by the United States military.

ing. There is a negative impact on our “It is like our weather is put on sterplanet with an increase in the amount oids due to this.” of water evaporating from the oceans into the atmosphere due to the heat.

The important thing to remember is that every moment we delay in Abraham told Vice that, ” This taking any action to reverse or slow The sea levels rise as the melting of makes the rainfalls more intense and the warming, the situation only gets ice is faster. As marine life like dol- makes typhoons and hurricanes more worse as the rate is constantly inphins and other organisms cannot powerful.” creasing.

In a press release Lijing Cheng, an adapt quickly enough, they are dyauthor from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said, “The atom bomb exploded in Hiroshima exploded with an energy of about 63,000,000,000,000 Joules. In the past 25 years, the amount of heat generated from around 3.6 billion Hiroshima atom-bomb explosions equals to the amount of heat we have put in the world’s oceans.”

This means that for every second in the past 25 years, an average of four Hiroshima bombs’ worth of energy has been entering the oceans. At such an alarming figure, it is even more troubling to see the rate continuing to increase and not holding steady.

From the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, John Abraham, author of the study told Vice that, ” The ocean warming rate in 2019 was equivalent to “about five Hiroshima bombs of heat, every second, day and night, 365 days a year.”

He gave another comparable rate in case the atomic bombs are still too abstract of a comparison unit. He explained that the ocean warming rate in 2019 is equivalent to every person on Earth constantly pointing 100 hairdryers at the oceans.

He said that it is already having a massive impact on the environment and to make it simple in less technical terms, he said, “It’s a huge ton of energy.”

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HEADLINES

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Scientists Extend Life Span Of These Animals By 500 Percent The new research by scientists extended the lifespan of roundworms by five hundred percent—equivalent to a human living for four or five centuries.

AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF SCIENTISTS GENETICALLY ALTERED TWO CELLULAR PATHWAYS TO INCREASE THE LIFE SPAN OF A PARTICULAR NEMATODE WORM CALLED C.ELEGANS.

By Namitha Thampi

Cellular pathways are the biological signaling systems used by cells to communicate with each other.

C.elegans share many genes with humans, and its normal lifespan is three to four weeks. Because of this, scientists can easily study various genetic and environmental factors that paving the way for much needed anaffect lifespan, thus making the C.eleAlthough the cellular pathways that ti-aging therapies by helping to chargans one of the best model organisms govern aging in C.elegans are discov- acterize these interactions. to study aging. ered, how the two pathways interact The two cellular pathways scientists is still a mystery. The scientists are Nature had published a paper earlimanipulated to extend C.elegans’ life span are the insulin signaling (IIS), and TOR pathways, and both are found in humans. This implies that the latest discoveries in C.elegans could lead to the development of new anti-aging therapies.

The new research was published in Cell Reports, and according to the paper, manipulating the TOR pathway led to a 30% increase in the C.elegans‘ life span while altering the IIS pathway led to a 100% increase.

Surprisingly, manipulating both pathways led to a 500% increase in C.elegans‘ lifespan.

Jared Rollins from the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Maine, who is the co-lead author of the study, said, “The synergistic extension is really wild.” The results showed that the effect of the cellular pathways is not like one plus one equals two, instead it is like one plus one is five. According to Rollins, researchers have to look at the longevity networks rather than the individual networks to develop the most effective anti-aging treatments.

The new study that extended C.elegans’ life span could help scientists to develop anti-aging therapies for humans that target combined cell pathways. In fact, several drugs of this kind are already being developed.

Jarod Rollins of the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. MDI BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

er this year that shows how scientists extended the lifespan of mice along with better health and low rates of cancer and obesity.

NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

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For The First Time – Human Immune Cells Produced In A Dish A team of scientists from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute has reproduced & visualized the earliest developmental steps in human immune cell production in the laboratory and are now set to advance our understanding of childhood diseases like leukemia and autoimmune conditions.

ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS, THIS ADVANCED RESEARCH COULD LEAD TO A PATIENT’S SKIN CELLS BEING USED TO PRODUCE NEW CELLS FOR CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY OR TO TEST AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE INTERVENTIONS.

By Rahul Mishra

The research was led by Professor Ed Stanley and Andrew Elefanty, from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. The research group believes that this study will have definitive evidence about how the body’s earliest powerful laboratory techniques. First being genetic engineering and second immune cells are formed. a novel way of growing stem cells.

Immune Cells Produced In Dish- The has been published in the prestigious journal Nature Cell Biology.

First-of-its-kind-Research These lymphocytes are produced by cells that form the embryo’s first organs rather than the blood-producing stem cells that sit inside the body’s bone marrow.

The study by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute combined two

Next, the team isolated the RAG1-positive cells- the ones which were glowing green. They demonstrated that they could also form multiple immune cell types, including cells required for shaping the develFirst, the research team engineered opment of the whole immune system. pluripotent stem cells to glow green when a specific protein marker of ear- Immune Cells Produced In Dishly immune cells, RAG1, was switched The Clinical Application on. RAG1 is responsible for developing the immune response to infections Professor Stanley said that his team and vaccines. believes that early cells are critical for the correct maturation of the thymus.

The thymus is the organ that acts as a nursery for T-cells. He added that these RAG1 cells are like the painters and decorators who set up that nursery, making it a safe and cozy environment for later-born immune cells.

Professor Elefanty highlighted that the clinical application of this study would take several years. He added that this technique could be used to explore the development of several diseases like childhood leukemia and type 1 diabetes.

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NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Scientists Create Genetically Modified Trees To Fight Climate Change Scientists at the University of Arizona and Oregon State University have genetically modified trees, so they do not release a gas that has shown to contribute to climate change.

A TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS USED A TECHNIQUE TO SILENCE GENE EXPRESSION IN POPLAR TREES SO THEY WOULD STOP GIVING OFF ISOPRENE.

By Rahul Mishra

Isoprene is a common organic compound that reacts with other substances in the atmosphere to form types of aerosol and ozone.

Scientists have genetically modified the Poplar trees in this experiment.

Poplar trees are a source of biofuel.

They are also used to make products ing to the scientists, “all of which aflike paper and plywood. fect the global energy budget and lead to the degradation of air quality” as Plants like poplar trees create isowell as the climate. prene when they are under stress. For example, when there is a sudden rise The team planted them in Oregon in temperatures or during a drought. and Arizona and watched their proAfter it is released into the atmosgress for around three to four years. phere, it meets pollutants emitted by By genetically modifying the popfossil fuel-burning vehicles, potenlar tree’s genetic code, the scientists tially harmful ground-level ozone is were able to suppress the creation of created. isoprene without affecting how much biofuel they produced.

Isoprene contributes to increasing the lifetime of the greenhouse gas Russell Monson, University of Arimethane, as well as the production of zona’s professor of ecology and evoaerosols in the atmosphere. Accord-

lutionary biology, as well as the lead author of the paper, said that the suppression of isoprene production in the leaves had triggered alternative signaling pathways that appear to compensate for the loss of stress tolerance due to isoprene.

forest biotechnology at Oregon State University, highlighted that that isoprene emissions could be diminished without affecting biomass production in temperate forest plantations.

The research team believes biofuel levels were not affected because it is The genetically modified trees ex- created before the hottest and driest hibited cleaver response that allowed part of the growing season. them to cope up with the loss of isoprene and effectively tolerate stress, Do you think the genetically modiincluding high temperate and drought. fied trees would help the world combat climate change? Do share your Steven Strauss, the co-author of the opinion in the comment section bestudy and distinguished professor of low.

NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

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New Living Concrete Created by Scientists Using Cyanobacteria New Living Concrete using cyanobacteria – ‘A Frankenstein material’. Scientists create living concrete that is alive and can even reproduce.

CONCRETE HAS BEEN MADE THE SAME WAY BY THE BUILDERS FOR CENTURIES, I.E., BY MIXING HARD MATERIALS LIKE SAND WITH VARIOUS BINDERS AND HOPING FOR IT TO STAY RIGID AND FIXED FOR A LONG TIME.

By Prathibha HC

At the University of Colorado, Boulder, an interdisciplinary team of researchers have now created concrete that is alive and can even reproduce, a different kind of concrete.

An arch made from living building materials. Credits: Dr. Srubar’s lab, CU Boulder College of Engineering & Applied Science

Cyanobacteria, a common class of microbes that through photosynthesis, captures energy is the mineral used in the new material. Carbon dioxide is absorbed in the photosynthetic process in contrast to the huge amounts of greenhouse gas spewed by the production of regular concrete.

The scientists made use of the Knox brand gelatin from a local supermarket by dissolving it in the solution with the bacteria. The gelatin formed its bonds when the mixture was poured into molds and was left in the refrigerator to cool. Dr. Srubar said, “It was just like making Jell-O.”The living Another unusual feature of this con- concrete grew faster and stronger crete is the photosynthetic bacteria with the help of gelatin working with giving a green color to the concrete the bacteria and the structure provid(The green color fades as the mate- ed by the gelatin. rial dries). A structural engineer and the head of the research project, Wil In the shape of whatever molds the Srubar said, “It really does look like a group used, the mixture formed conFrankenstein material.” crete blocks after about a day. The molds were of different kinds including shoebox-size blocks and truss pieces with struts and cutouts, twoinch cubes. Although the material is weak compared to most conventional concretes, the individual two-inch cubes were strong enough for a perTo create the living concrete, the son to stand on. For doing real conscientists first tried putting cyanobac- struction, the blocks about the size of teria in a mixture of nutrients, sand, a shoebox showed great potential. and warm water. Gradually, the sand particles cemented together as the The lead author of the study, a formicrobes eagerly absorbed light and mer postdoc with the group — now started producing calcium carbonate. an engineer at Montana State UniThe Darpa, the Department of De- versity, Chelsea Heveran said, “We fense’s speculative research arm and didn’t know if it was going to work the project’s funder wanted the con- the first time we made a big structure struction process to be a fast process using this system, scaling up to this but this process was a slow process. big brick from the little thing. It was At the University of Strathclyde, in Scotland, a concrete expert, Andrea Hamilton said that the new concrete represents a new and exciting class of low-carbon.

A food ingredient Dr. Srubar had previously worked with, gelatin forms special bonds between its molecules when dissolved in water and cooled.

The team was intrigued when he suggested adding gelatin to strengthen the matrix being built by cyanobacteria.

beautiful, bright green saying ‘Darpa’ on the side(The mold featured the name of the project’s funder) when we took it out of the mold and held it.

Over the course of days, the blocks reached their maximum strength and the bacteria gradually started to die

out, when stored in relatively dry air at room temperature. The blocks were however still alive after a few weeks and many of the bacterial cells perk back up when they were again exposed to high temperature and humidity.

Each block could spawn into three new generations as when one block was cut with a diamond-tipped saw and placed halfback in warm beaker along with more raw materials and then poured into a mold, concrete formation begin anew.

from a variety of common materials, these blocks have more advantages.

Dr. Srubar said, “Any material can be used, we are in need of a particular type of sand, any waste materials like ground glass or recycled concrete can be used.”

By increasing the bacteria’s resistance to dehydration, by finding a different kind of cyanobacteria that doesn’t require the addition of a gel and by reconfiguring the materials so they can be flat-packed and easily assembled, the research team is working to make the material more pracTo help construction in remote or tical by making the concrete more austere environments, the Depart- stronger. ment of Defense is interested in using the reproductive ability of these Dr. Srubar said, eventually the tools “L.B.M.s”(living building materials). of synthetic biology could dramatiDr. Srubar said, “You don’t want to cally expand the realm of possibilihave a truck in a lot of materials out ties, for example, building materials in the desert.” that light up to reveal structural damage or that can detect and respond Because of the enormous demand to toxic chemicals. In environments for concrete, most concrete requires harsher than even the driest deserts: virgin sand that comes from rivers, other planets, like Mars, these living lakes, and oceans, which is running concrete might play a significant role. short largely, worldwide. Being made

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NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Extinction Hits One of the World’s Largest Freshwater Fish Species Over a decade after the last known sightings of the species, the Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius), one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world is declared as extinct by a team of scientists from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences in Wuhan, China.

THE SPECIES’ LAST KNOWN SIGHTING OF A LIVE SPECIMEN WAS WAY BACK IN 2003 AND 2007 WAS WHEN THE LAST KNOWN DEAD SPECIMEN WAS SIGHTED.

By Prathibha HC

There are no reports of seeing the species since then.

The researchers carried out field studies in 2017 and 2018 and also reviewed fish catch records for their study. They tried to catch the fish themselves as well as canvassing fish markets in their field studies but neither did they see any Chinese paddlefish in the market nor did they catch any. During their survey, they had found other 332 fish species but not even one from then was a Chinese paddlefish.

It is estimated that by 1993, the Chinese paddlefish were already unable to reproduce or functionally extinct, and between 2005 and 2010 went

completely extinct. There is no hope to resurrect the species through cloning because the Chinese paddlefish not just went extinct in the wild, but there are no tissue samples of the species stored nor are there kept in captivity.

the 1970s, they were popular fish to catch and were prominent in many parts of the Yangtze River. However, their population was split into two due to the building of the Gezhouba Dam and this prevented spawning from the ones trapped below. Only a few of the species were observed by 1995.

overfishing. According to the researchers, this extinction serves as a lesson in fish conservation, which showed what happens when it is too late for trying to save a species.

The researchers wrote, ” Resulting from multiple threats, the delayed The Chinese paddlefish was also extinction of Chinese paddlefish sugcalled the “panda of the Yangtze Riv- The scientists concluded that the gests that there is an immediate need er,” and could grow up to 7 meters in reasons for the Chinese paddlefish in optimizing conservation efforts on length, hence it was one of the largest becoming extinct due to habitat frag- endangered Yangtze fauna.” freshwater fishes in the world. Until mentation, lack of reproduction, and

NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

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SERB 2020 Fellowship / Scholarships / Research Award Schedule SERB 2020 Fellowships List. The schedule for the call for proposals offered by the Science And Engineering Research Board in the year 2020 has been released.

CANDIDATES CAN KEEP TRACK OF THE VARIOUS FELLOWSHIPS, RESEARCH PROPOSALS, AWARDS AND MORE BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH BOARD SCHEDULE OF CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Program/Scheme

Call Opening Date

Call Closing Date

Start-up Research Grant (SRG)

1 February 2020

2 March 2020

Core Research Grant (CRG)

1 February 2020

1 February 2020

Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE)

10 February 2020

16 March 2020

MATRICS

24 February 2020

23 March 2020

Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement (SUPRA)

15 February 2020

1 April 2020

Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science (EMEQ)

6 March 2020

6 April 2020

National Postdoctoral Fellowship (NPDF)

13 March 2020

13 April 2020

SERB Science and Technology Award for Research (SERB STAR)

15 June 2020

27 July 2020

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NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Mandatory For PhD Students – Course On Research Ethics Due to the increasing number of plagiarism and publication misconducts, UGC has made a two-credit course compulsory for the PhD students.

MAINTAINING QUALITY HAS BECOME A CONCERN FOR INDIAN UNIVERSITIES AS THE NUMBER OF RESEARCHES IS INCREASING.

By Namitha Thampi

The University Grants Commission approved a two credits course to introduce the PhD students to basics of research.

It is mandatory for all the PhD students to take the 30-hour course from the 2020-2021 academic session. The course consists of six units, each focussing on the basics of philosophy of science and ethics, publication ethics, research integrity, and hands-on ses- publishers. sions to identify predatory publicaThe UGC had previously introtions and research misconducts. duced a 12 credit mandatory course The number of unethical practices in research methodology in 2009 that like pay and publish, and plagiarism included a few chapters on research have increased in the last 15 years. ethics. But the new two-credit course Corrective and Prevention Actions will be more focused on enlightening (CAPA) principle, which will be fol- students about the research ethics and lowed in the course will help students the consequences of messing up with to identify and protect themselves rules. from dubious journals and predatory

Students pursuing MPhil had a research methodology course in their curriculum, but those pursuing PhD did not have the same exposure. The new course will act as a bridge for students entering PhD after postgraduation. The course will also teach the students about the tools used to check plagiarism, as well as the importance of citations.

Vasundhara Gautam, who is pursu-

ing her PhD from the department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia after doing MPhil in 2013 says it is important that the researchers know about ethics as many of them are not aware of the ways they can use already used publications not falling prey to plagiarism. To structure their research and avoid problems due to lack of information, the new course will be of great help.

NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

SRM-DBT Algae and Cyanobacteria Identification Service

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SRM Institute of Science and Technology in collaboration with Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India has established this advanced research facility under the project “ SRM-DBT Partnership Platform for Contemporary Research Services and Skill Development in Advanced Life Science Technologies” with the mission to create intra, inter and co-disciplinary research platform to deliver the needs of the state of the art life science research.

SRM-DBT PLATFORM FOR ADVANCED LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES HOLDS CORE FACILITIES IN GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS AND BIO-IMAGING.

By Diluxi Arya

SRM-DBT PLATFORM FOR ADVANCED LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES First Floor, Sir CV Raman Research Park, SRMIST, Kattankulathur, Chengalpet Dist., Tamil Nadu 603203.

Algae and Cyanobacteria Identification Service ‘SRM Institute of Science and Technology’ in collaboration with ‘Department of Biotechnology’, Govt. of India has established this advanced research facility with the mission to create intra, Inter and co-disciplinary research platform to deliver the needs of the state of the art life science research.

Our Service: • Algal Identification Service (18s rRNA Sequencing) • Cyanobacteria Identification Service (16s rRNA Sequencing) Turn around time: 7 days from the receipt of samples in lab METHOD: Sanger Sequencing For Instrument bookings: Please visit “https://www.srmist.edu.in/srmdbt/node/14” and follow the instructions.

For pricing and other details, please contact: Dr. P. Sandeep Koka, Ph.D. Facility Manager, SRM-DBT Platform, Mobile: (+91) 6379860425 Email: srmdbt.ktr@srmist.edu.in Website: www.srmist.edu.in/srmdbt/node/14

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NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Researchers Find A New Way To Fight Cancer Cells With Salt Nano particles At the University of Georgia, a new study found a less harmful way to attack cancer cells.

SALT OR SODIUM CHLORIDE NANOPARTICLES ARE FOUND TO BE TOXIC TO CANCER CELLS AND THEY OFFER THE POTENTIAL FOR THERAPIES HAVING FEWER NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS WHEN COMPARED TO THE TREATMENTS CURRENTLY IN USE.

By Prathibha HC

An associate professor of Chemistry, Jin Xie, led this study and found that cell death by delivering ions into cells and disrupting their internal environment can be caused by SCNPs, used as a Trojan horse. This is not harmful to the body because when SCNPs degrade, they become salt.

Xie said, “For localized destruction of cancer cells, this technology is well suited. In the treatment of neck, head, liver, prostate and bladder cancer, we expect this technology to find wide applications.

According to Xie and the team of researchers, the key to delivering SCNPs into the cells is nanoparticles. A gradient is maintained by the cell membranes that keep the sodium concentrations relatively high outside cells and relatively low sodium concentrations inside cells. The cell does not recognize the SCNPs as sodium ions, thus the SCNPs are able to pass through the plasma membrane even though the membrane prevents sodium from entering a cell.

SCNPs dissolve into millions of sodium and chloride ions once inside a cell and these ions are trapped inside by the gradient and overwhelm protective mechanisms, causing cell death after the rupture of the plasma membrane. An inflammatory response that helps the body fight pathogens is induced when the molecules leak out due to the rupture of the plasma membrane, which signals the immune system that there’s tissue damage.

Xie said, ” Than to normal cells, this mechanism is way more toxic to cancer cells because the cancer cells’ sodium concentrations are relatively high.”

Injecting SCNPs into tumors using a mouse model, SCNPs were tested as potential cancer therapeutic by Xie and the team. They found that the tumor growth was suppressed by 66% with SCNP treatment when compared to the control group, without any sign of toxicity to major organs or any drop in body weight.

A vaccination study was also performed by inoculating mice with cancer cells that had been killed via free-thaw or SCNPs. It was seen a greater resistance was seen in these mice to a subsequent liver cancer cell challenge, with all animals remaining free from the tumor for more than two

weeks.

Using a tumor model, the researchers also explored anti-cancer immunity. By leaving the secondary tumors untreated after injecting primary tumors with SCNPS, it was seen that than the control, the secondary tumors grew at a much slower speed which showed 53% of tumor inhibition rate.

The results collectively suggested that the cancer cells were killed by SCNPs and the dying cancer cells were converted to an in situ vaccine by the SCNPs. According to Xie, in the world of in-

organic particles, SCNPs are unique because their toxicity is based on the nanoparticle form and they are made of benign material He said, ” Than systemic therapy, SCNPs are best suited for localized therapy as they have a relatively short half-life in aqueous solution. The treatment will cause immunogenic cancer cell death immediately. There is no systematic or accumulative toxicity because after the treatment the nanoparticles are reduced to salts which then merge with the body’s fluid system. When SCNPs were injected at high doses, no sign of systematic toxicity was observed.

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January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

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Researchers Created A New Hydrogel from Nature’s Waste Materials

The researchers from the University of Alberta have created a new material, a new hydrogel capable of repairing itself when torn, that could help in replacing products that are petroleum-based.

THIS NEW MATERIAL IS MADE FROM THE MATERIALS THAT ARE USUALLY DISCARDED BY THE FISHING AND FOREST INDUSTRIES.

By Prathibha HC

A new hydrogel, created from these waste materials, could be a substitute for petroleum products used in a number of biomedical applications from pill capsules to contact lenses.

A professor at the University of Alberta who specializes in biopolymer chemistry, Lingyun Chen, who parCredits: Biopolymer chemist Lingyun Chen works in her lab at the U of A. Chen and her team are developing a hydrogel made from waste byproducts like ticipated in the development of the crab shells and wood chips that can repair itself when torn and could find uses in products like contact lenses or pill capsules. (Photo: Sean Townsend) product, made from the shells of crustaceans and spruce trees explained products like adsorbents for water mechanical properties.” byproducts have limited use. Somethat ” To create a material that can be treatment or water filtration systems, times, the things that we consider to used as artificial cartilage was the infood packaging, and more. To trans- This work suggested that it could be be garbage, could have applications tention.” form and use these materials, the hy- used in a number of biomedical appli- in other areas and potentially make drogel is just one example.” cations ranging from drug delivery to other industries(in this care the fishShe said, “There is also the possicontact lenses as the new technology ing and forest industry) less wasteful, bility of using our hydrogel system In a study published recently in Car- has little toxicity to cell cultures. and this work certainly demonstrates to make tiny nanobeads, that could bohydrate Polymers, Chen and her this.” be used in treating specific tissues or colleagues explained the new hydro- Chen believes that this showed that organs through targeted drug delivgel and how is it capable of repairing a little imagination can go a long way The Government of Canada’s Office ery system. Also, in nature, there are itself when torn. in making industries more sustaina- for Energy Research and Developmany biopolymers found and these ble, though much work still needs to ment’s Energy Innovation Program can be made into films and fibers.”

She explained, ” As the hydrogel be done. and the Natural Sciences and Engiis tough, stretchable and can recover neering Research Council of Canada She added “This has enormous poits shape when compressed, we were She added, “We found our hydrogel funded this study. tential as many of them can be used able to demonstrate that it has good having interesting properties as these to replace petroleum in a number of

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NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

23andMe Licenses Its Own Drug Compound To Almirall Known for its ancestry DNA tests, the Silicon Valley firm 23andMe Inc. has licensed an antibody developed by them, to a Spanish drugmaker, Almirall, for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME 23ANDME IS LICENSING ITS OWN DRUG COMPONENT AND THIS DEAL WAS ANNOUNCED BY ALMAIRALL IN A FILING WITH SPANISH REGULATORS.

By Prathibha HC

The vice president of business development, Emily Drabant Conley said, “For 23andMe, this moment is a very influencing moment. From database to drug discovery, we have now gone to developing a drug.”

Developing drugs by leveraging its genetic data has become 23andMe’s business’ important part. Its DNA tests have been taken by more than 10 million people and the data from this can help in finding new drug targets for disease treatment.

The compound belongs to the class, known as a bispecific monoclonal antibody, a class of large-molecule drugs designed to target a single protein in the body. A family of proteins called the IL-36 cytokine is associated with many inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, like disease Crohn’s and lupus. 23andMe’s antibody is designed for blocking signals from this protein family.

The company had previously made a deal in 2018 with a U.K. drugmaker, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, to share its data and collaborate on drug development which took a $300 million stake in the company. Now, this is the first time a compound it developed in-house has For treating severe forms of psoriabeen licensed by the company itself. sis, 23andMe was the most interest-

ed in the knowing effectiveness of logical conditions. the antibody. However, the drug still needs to undergo clinical trials in “Other drug targets are being purhumans after it went through animal sued by 23andMe, some of which might be put through clinical trials ittesting done by the company. self rather than licensing out to other Almirall will have the right for de- companies”, said Drabant Conley. veloping and commercializing the antibody worldwide through this She said, ” We are now seeing our deal. As part of a bid to expand its five-year-old hypothesis to leverage early-stage research portfolio and its our genetic data set to better drug deholdings in medical dermatology, the velopment finally come to fruition.” drugmaker said it plans to further develop the antibody to treat dermato-

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Best CSIR NET Life Science Coaching in Noida, New Delhi Are you someone from Noida, New Delhi who wants to kickstart a career as a Life Science Scientists? To fulfill your dreams you should crack the UGC NET Exam.

THE BIOTECNIKA CSIR NET LIFE SCIENCE COACHING IN NOIDA, NEW DELHI IS YOUR SURE SHOT GATEWAY TO SUCCESS TO ACHIEVE HIGH RANK IN THE UGC-NET EXAM.

By Rahul Mishra

The Biotecnika’s Noida, New Delhi center has produced thousands of toppers in the UGC NET Exam. Biotecnika’s Coaching in Noida is the best coaching center for CSIR NET Life Science in Noida, New Delhi. And We are not saying this, our students are!

Learn & get counseled by our experts, To qualify CSIR-NET / GATE Ex- who will even guide for Interview/ ams with double success guarantee proposal writing after you qualify the enroll with Biotecnika Noida Center. exam.

Why Is Biotecnika’s CSIR NET Life Science Coaching in Noida, New Delhi Considered The Best?

Due To Top-Notch Facilities Provided. Here Are Some Facilities AT A Glance

To qualify CSIR-NET / GATE Exams with double success guarantee enroll with Biotecnika Noida Center. Learn & get counseled by our experts, who will even guide for Interview/proposal writing after you qualify the exam.

Listen to some of our toppers below wherein they describe their learning experience at Biotecnika’s Noida, New Delhi Centre.

CSIR NET Topper CSIR NET JRF AIR 7 – Gurpreet Kaur Shares Her Preparation Strategy – Voice of Biotecnika

• 600 hours of Intensive Coaching for Life Science domain can help you to unfold your potential to achieve your target of clearing CSIR NET. • Highly Qualified in-house Faculties with vast experience in training CSIR NET Life Science Aspirants. They have been given special training from our Headquarters at Bangalore.

• Special Classes & Supplements on General Aptitude- Part A and Practice papers • Unlimited Classes provided both at the center & online – which means you can attend any batch any time whether offline or online.

• Digitally Equipped Classes for Smart Learning • Free Wifi Access – so that you can make use of the internet and learn better • AIMNET & NET JRF Pro Test Series • Special Facility to interact with other teachers present at Biotecnika centers in Bangalore, Noida, Chennai & Pune – you get the opportunity to learn from them all.

• Free access to BioTecNika’s Online Study Portal – Listen directly to our students to know how good & effective our CSIR online study portal is.

• Complimentary Study Portal is provided, which is an add-on for your exam preparation.

• 24×7 Chat Support– where you get to solve your doubts by experts at Biotecnika Next Page>>>>

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NEWS

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

At Biotecnika’s CSIR NET Life Science Coaching in Noida, New Delhi we provide students with hand-made study materials by Experts At Biotecnika + the Online Study Portal which you can use anytime & anywhere.

The salient features of our Books & Study Portal are as follows: • Set of 14 Books ( including Part A, B, and Part C ): 1 Book = 1 Unit, thus 13 Units ~ 13 Books + 1 Book on Part A • Every chapter is followed by a set of 100+ Questions test series on the topic dealt in that Chapter • Study Portal Contains – Videos & Notes For UNIT WISE Important Topics, E-copy of study materials, Online Library, Access to unlimited class lecture recordings from all centers of Biotecnika + Animations + PPTs. • Additionals features that can be availed are – Konceptika, Toughnet, CSIR NET Lecture DVDs. When you enroll for the CSIR Life Science Coaching At Noida Centre you

get Konceptika- The Flowchart book for FREE! Konceptika is a Flowchart Book that contains Short notes & details flowcharts about all important concepts topics which are very crucial for CSIR NET Exam in Life Sciences. The Aim of Konceptika is to help you gain crystal clear concepts Biotecnika has a success rate of above 90% which proves that we are the best when it comes to CSIR NET Life Science Coaching At Noida, New Delhi.

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TIFR Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2020) TIFR Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2020) notification has been released.

INTERESTED AND ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY ONLINE FOR THE TIFR VISITING STUDENTS’ RESEARCH PROGRAMME 2020.

By Prathibha HC

Check out all of the details on the same below: TIFR’s VSRP-2020 Program May 5 – July 9, 2020 The Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP-2020) will be held at TIFR, Mumbai during the pe- application) will be paid. Also, free riod from May 5 to July 9, 2020, as shared accommodation on-or-off- the campus is provided. mentioned below: School of Natural Sciences (NSF) How to Apply: and School of Technology & Computer Sciences (STCS) May 5 to July 1. Registration includes two steps : First complete basic registration step 6, 2020 by clicking the “Apply Online” button given below.

Eligibility: Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Mathematics/ Computer & Systems Sciences : 1) Two years of undergraduate course work in an academic institution.

2) Should not have participated in VSRP before.

2. During the basic registration, “Preferred Subject” indicates TIFR subject area you are applying for i.e., Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Mathematics / Computer & Systems Sciences.

3. After completing basic registration, you will receive an email with a Please note that the VSRP pro- link for advanced registration. Before gramme is for students currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme and not for PhD students or faculty members.

Selection: Selection is purely based on the academic performance of the student, submitted write-up and referee reports. There is no selection test/interview.

Stipend/Accommodation: Rs 7000/- (Maths Programme – ~4.5 weeks).

Rs 14000/- (NSF/STCS Programme – ~9 weeks).

To-and-fro travel reimbursement from the place of residence (address for correspondence mentioned in the

proceeding to advanced registration, please keep the following ready : a) Scanned photo (.jpg file of size not exceeding 100kb ) of your passport size photograph. b) Students can select two areas of research for a selected department.

Please read the Information Brochure before you fill this section. c) A write-up of up to 400 words, describing your interest in the most preferred field of study has to be provided in the appropriate box. The write up should not contain special characters. In particular, use of equations in write-ups is strongly discouraged. d) Names, Affiliation, Designation,

Contact address (both e-mail and physical address) and contact phone numbers of two referees who would be filling referee reports for you.

They should be teachers or persons with whom you have interacted academically.

The link for filling up the Referee Report Form online will be sent by email to both Referees after complete registration.

Last date for application: January 31, 2020 NOTE: REFEREES CAN FILL THE ONLINE REPORT FORM TILL FEBRUARY 9, 2020.

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BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator (BBB) at RCB Inviting Applications For Incubation BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator(BBB) at Regional Centre for Biotechnology is inviting applications for Incubation from entrepreneurs.

ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR??

LOOKING FOR INCUBATION SPACE IN DELHI-NCR ??

BSC BIONEST BIO-INCUBATOR(BBB) AT REGIONAL CENTRE FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY IS INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR INCUBATION

By Diluxi Arya

BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator (BBB) is a leading Bio-Incubator located in the National Capital Region on Faridabad-Gurugram Expressway, with a vision to foster innovation, research and entrepreneurial activities in biotechnology related areas.

The mission of BBB is to stimulate the establishment and growth of biotechnology based startup companies.

BBB is funded by BIRAC under the BioNEST (Bioincubators Nurturing Entrepreneurship for Scaling Technologies) scheme, managed and operated by Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) which is recognised as an institute of national importance by the Parliament of India and is a Category II centre under the auspices of UNESCO. BBB provides excellent incubation facilities & infrastructure, spread across 35000 sq. ft. covered area which includes Lab Space, Office Space, Professional Business Suites, Culture Facility and Instrumentation Facility.

Contact for applying- bbb@rcb.res. in Contact Us: BSC BioNEST Bio-Incubator Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, PO Box 3,Faridabad-121001, NCR Delhi, India Email: bbb@rcb.res.in Phone No: 0129-2848625/629 Application deadline-15th Feb. HURRY UP!

Selection Process: Currently BBB has incubated many startups which are working in differ- Idea Submission....Screening.... ent areas of Lifesciences and Biotech- Presentation.....Selection.....Incubanology focussing on healthcare. BBB tion also supports innovative Bio-services Eligibility to apply– UG / PG / Ph.D. in Life sciences / Biological sciences / Biotechnology / Pharma / Microbiology / Medical professional / Single Innovator / Startup Company Process to Apply Log on to www.rcb.res.in / www. bbb.rcb.res.in visit Bio-Incubator

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

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INSA Visiting Scientist Programme 2020 – Applications Invited The official notification for the Indian National Academy of Science (INSA) Visiting Scientist Programme 2020 has been released.

INSA VISITING SCIENTIST PROGRAMME 2020 NOTIFICATION. CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE OBJECTIVE, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, IMPORTANT DATES AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

INDIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY (INSA) Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002, INDIA Call for Visiting Scientist Programme 2020 INSA welcomes applications from scientists/faculty of less endowed institutions to conduct research as well as training in advanced research Institutions/Laboratories within India under Visiting Scientist Programme 2020. The main goal of the program is to assist scientists/faculty to enhance their research capabilities with training in specific techniques or through utilizing facilities not available in their own institution. The scientists/faculty holding a regular position in R&D Organizations including Universities or Affiliated Colleges in India are eligible to apply under the programme. The fellowship duration varies from one month to six months depending upon the proposed work or purpose.

Application and also various other detailed information including qualification requirements are offered on the INSA web site: http://www.insaindia.res.in. Full application in the prescribed format endorsed by the Head of the Institution should reach INSA, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi– 110002, latest by 31.01.2020.

Applications are welcomed for the following year from Indian citizens for the awards of INSA Visiting Fellowship for conducting advanced research or undergoing specialized training at Indian Research Institutes/ Laboratories.

Details of Awards: These Fellowships will be granted on a competitive basis to the scientists/faculty for

furtherance of their research and/ or research capabilities for carrying out collaborative research, undergoing training in specific techniques, or making use of facilities not available in their own institutions. The Fellowship will be for a minimum duration of one month to a maximum of 6 months in a laboratory or research institutions of his/her choice anywhere within India. Fellowships to be awarded every year will be a maximum of 120 manmonths per annum.

Value: During the fellowship period, awardees will be paid a consolidated

amount of Rs.30,000/-. (maximum) monthly to cover their expenses associated with boarding, lodging, travelling etc.

Application Procedure: Applications will be welcomed yearly. The candidates would be needed to provide a concise account of their plan of work/ study besides their bio-data highlighting their achievements. It would be desirable that the applicant must have approached the host institution as well as the scientist concerned to ascertain their concurrence to accept him/ her.

The applicant must be a Scientist/ Faculty in any R&D organisation consisting of Universities or Affiliated Colleges in India. Applicants ought to not have actually availed INSA Visiting Fellowship in last one year.

Candidates need to submit their application (Two Sets) on prescribed application offered in the Academy via a proper channel to the Deputy Executive Director-I (Scientific), Indian National Science Academy, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110002. The decision of the Academy will be communicated during April/ May in the following year.

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January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

DBT Wellcome Biomedical Research Fellowships 2020 – Applications Invited The applications are open for the Wellcome Trust-DBT India Alliance Senior and Intermediate Fellowships in Biomedical Research.

CANDIDATES FROM ANY SCIENCE BACKGROUND WITH A PHD ARE ENCOURAGED TO CHECK OUT THE DETAILS AND APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, WHOSE DETAILS ARE GIVEN BELOW:

By Prathibha HC

The Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance invites applications for the Senior and Intermediate Fellowship scheme. These Fellowships are available across the full spectrum of biomedical research under the remit of India Alliance, which is to support biomedical research that is relevant to wish to establish their own independhuman and animal welfare. Interdisent research programme in India. ciplinary projects are also welcome.

Eligibility: • This competition is open for basic science/veterinary researchers with 4 – 15 years of postPhD research experience; the applicant can have a PhD in any discipline of science.

• Applicants are advised to choose the most suitable scheme according to their qualification, research experience, track record, and aspirations. They can consult with the guidance notes, mandates and provisions of the schemes. The Office reserves the right to advise on the suitability of this scheme.

• There are no age or nationality restrictions. The applicant does not need to be resident in India while applying but should be ready to relocate and work in India.

• A salaried position or dedication towards a salaried position at the Host Institution isn’t required.

Qualification guidance notes: Senior Fellowship: For researchers who have demonstrated their ability to lead an independent research programme and want to expand it further to undertake pioneering research.

Intermediate Fellowship: For postdoctoral researchers who have been successful in building a track record of pursuing cutting-edge research and

Provisions: The 5-year Fellowship supplies: • Aggressive private salary assistance • Generous and flexible funding for research • Funds to develop global collaborations Requirements: Listed below are essential for the ap-

plication.

• A research proposal that’s based on a hypothesis and seeks to answer an original biomedical research question a minimum of one letter of recommendation • A non-profit Host Institution in India which will administer the Fellowship for the complete duration of this award • A Sponsor at the Host Institution, that can guarantee resources and space for the duration of the award. If invited to make a complete application, an official support letter from the Sponsor would be required.

How to Apply: Preliminary Application forms are now available at the India Alliance online application System (IASys).

We will assess your eligibility and competitiveness; if suitable, we will invite you to submit a full application for the subsequent steps of review and interview.

Submission deadline: 03 February 2020, 2:00 PM IST Queries may be addressed to info@indiaalliance.org

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Wellcome / DBT India Alliance Clinical and Public Health Research Fellowship 2020 DBT Wellcome India Alliance – Clinical and Public Health Research Fellowships 2020. Call for Applications: Clinical and Public Health Research Fellowships 2020.

INTERESTED CANDIDATES CAN CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE SCHEME, DETAILS, APPLICATION PROCCEDURE, IMPORTANT DATES AND MORE BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

The Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance invites applications for three Fellowship schemes: Early Career Fellowships, Intermediate Fellowships, and Senior Fellowships.

Eligibility: Eligibility limit covers the entire range of Clinical and Public Health Research Fellowship schemes.

• No age or nationality restrictions • The candidates need not to be resident in India while applying but should be willing to establish an independent research career in India.

• Clinicians and Public health researchers do not require a PhD to apply.

• This competition is open for clinicians and public health researchers with up to 15 years of post-MD/MS/MPH/PhD or equivalent clinical/public health research experience.

• Applicants are advised to choose the most appropriate scheme suitable for them based on their qualification, research experience, career trajectory, and track record. Please refer to the guidance notes, provisions, and mandate of the scheme for assessing your eligibility on the website.

The office reserves the right to advise on the suitability of the scheme accordingly.

Early Career Fellowship: For those applicants who have shown promise to pursue research and wish to further their efforts to build a research career under the supervision of a Fellowship Supervisor. Guidance note: Suitable for applicants in the final year MD/ MS/MPH/PhD or have up to 4 years of relevant experience.

Intermediate Fellowship: For those applicants who have been successful in building a track record of pursu-

ing cutting edge research and wish to establish their own independent clinical/public health research program in India. Guidance note: Suitable for applicants with 4-7 years of relevant experience.

Senior Fellowship: For those applicants who have demonstrated their potential to lead an independent research program and want to expand it further to undertake pioneering research. Guidance note: Suitable for applicants with 7-15 years of relevant experience.

Remit: Full spectrum of biomedical science involving clinical and public health research.

Provisions: The 5-year Fellowship support provides: • Interested clinicians the opportunity to pursue their research goals in combination with their clinical duties • Competitive personal support • Generous research support with the flexibility to accommodate requirements of clinical and public health research • Flexibility to request additional support staff • Support training cost and research sabbatical • Funds for International training and travel • Opportunity to pursue a PhD on the India Alliance-funded research Essentials on the application:

• A research proposal that seeks to answer an original biomedical research question • A not-for-profit Host Institution in India that will administer the Fellowship for the full duration of the award. A salaried position or commitment to a salaried position at the Host Institution is not required.

• A Sponsor at the Host Institution, who can guarantee space and resources for the duration of the award.

• In case of an Early Career Fellowship, a Fellowship Supervisor, who can guarantee access to laboratory space and resources

required for the project as well as provide relevant scientific guidance for the tenure of the Fellowship.

Application procedure: Application forms will be available on the India Alliance Online application System (IASys) from 20 January 2020, 9 am IST. The preliminary applications deadline is 18 February 2020, 2 pm IST. Further information on the remit, provisions and application process is available here. Queries may be addressed to info@indiaalliance.org

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CERTIFICATION COURSE

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

Bioinformatics Methods & Tools Master Course Bioinformatics Methods & Tools Course- Master Bioinformatics

B

ioinformatics is a blend of multiple areas of study including biology, data science, mathematics, and computer science. The field focuses on extracting new information from massive quantities of biological data and requires that scientists know the tools and methods for capturing, processing and analyzing large data sets.

In simple terms, Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to analyze and manage biological data. The Scientists involved are tasked with performing high-throughput, next-generation sequencing.

They also analyze DNA sequence alignment to find mutations and anomalies and understand the impact on cellular processes.

Bioinformatics Methods & Tools Course- Master Bioinformatics This Specially curated course from Biotecnika is to provide you with a solid foundation and prepare you for the advanced specializations in this area. The lectures cover each concept at a perfect pace in an elaborate manner.

Course Content: • Bioinformatics: Introduction and basics • Genomic sequences, Online databases (nucleotide sequence, protein sequence, protein structure, protein function, Pathway, Network) • Sequence alignment, Scoring Matrices, Pairwise alignment, Gaps.

• Multiple sequence alignment, Relevance to inferences about evolution.

• Molecular phylogeny and evolution.

• Primer designing • Protein secondary structure predictions (Chou and Fasman method, PHD, PSIPRED, PSSPRED) • Protein Folding and Protein Structure Modeling • Monte Carlo Simulation • Machine Learning & Deep Learning • Human variation and disease.

• Characterizing Eukaryotic Genomes, Sequence Variation,

SAVE 93% Comparative Genomics • Cryo-Electron Microscopy for Protein Structure Determination • Microarray and its analysis Who can enroll for the Certification Course?

€177.53 EUR

€12.67 EUR

the lessons to proceed to the next lesson and if you want a Hard copy certificate you must clear the evaluation test, which will be available at the end of the course.

Every Self Learning Course has a test at the end.

• How to get started with the self-learning course?

To avail, the hard copy certificate, Take the test at the end of the course.

Clearing the test ( with a minimum of 40%) will earn you the certificate.

The certificate will be sent to your doorstep. Now you know not to skip through the course.

All undergraduates, Graduates, Ph.D. holders, research scholars, Once you enroll for the awesome teachers must attend the course as Bi- course, You will get the activation oinformatics has become an indispen- email almost immediately. start and sable part of Biosciences. finish the course at your own pace!

Start learning whenever you can.

Job Opportunities: Bioinformatics There is no need to bend your schedCareer Scope & Job prospects have ule. become widespread after the merging of the information technology sector • How to unlock the next lesson has taken place with that of molecof the course? ular biology. One can find employment as Bio-analytics and Analytics, Once you master a session hit the Clinical pharmacologist, Computa- Complete and Continue button on the tional chemist, Database design and top to begin your next session. Make maintenance, Informatics developer, sure you don’t skip through! Unless Pharmacogenomics, Pharmacology, you complete the current lesson you Proteomics, Sequence analysis, Se- cannot proceed to the next lesson quence assembly, etc.

• What is the time limit to comMode Of Learning: Self Learning, plete the course?

Online Mode. Learn at your own pace with flexible deadlines.

Unlimited access until you decide to complete the course. But once you Frequently asked questions: have given your certification test, the course ends. If you fail in the test, you • What is an Online Self Learn- can revise the course again ing Course?

• How do I evaluate myself?

An Online Self Learning Certification Course means you can log in Time to test all the knowledge you any time and study at your own pace. have gained. Take the test at the end However, you must watch 90% of all of the course and evaluate yourself.

• How to get the hard copy certificate?

• Whom do I contact for any further queries?

Having any trouble? Get in touch with our team. Click on that Chat thingy or write to us cst@biotecnika. org or info@biotecnika.org

stores.biotecnika.org

January 21st, 2020 Vol. 04 NO 114

BIOTECNIKA TIMES

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