Biotecnika Times 19th March 2019 Edition

March 19th, 2019.

Vol. 03

NO 70

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CUCET 2019 CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES COMMON ENTRANCE TEST

HEADLINES:

CUCET 2019 Notification Central Universities Common Entrance Test Page 2

GET THIS NEWSPAPER e-copy VIA WHATSAPP every week

Freshers Biotech Career Advice : Must Read Articles Page 4

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

CUCET 2019 Notification – Central Universities Common Entrance Test The official notification for the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET 2019) has been released.

THE APPLICATION PORTAL IS NOW OPEN AS WELL. INTERESTED AND ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES WHO ARE INTERESTED FOR ADMISSIONS IN UG, PG OR PHD BIOSCIENCES PROGRAMS 2019 THEN CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE SAME BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

THE CUCET-2019 Examination: A consortium of 14 Central Universities of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kashmir, Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi (Bihar), Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and South Bihar established by an Act of Parliament and the Bengaluru Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Economics (BASE) registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, jointly organize a combined CENTRAL UNIVERSI-

TIES COMMON ENTRANCE TEST (CUCET – 2019) for admission to their various programmes.

LIST OF COURSES OFFERED BY THE PARTICIPATING CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, NUMBER OF SEATS:

University

Code

Central University of Haryana

CUHAR

Programmmes and Eligibility Criteria Click Here

Central University of Jammu

CUJAM

Click Here

Central University of Jharkhand

CUJHD

Click Here

Central University of Karnataka

CUKNK

Click Here

Central University of Kashmir

CUKAS

Click Here

Central University of Kerala

CUKER

Click Here

Central University of Punjab

CUPUN

Click Here

Central University of Rajasthan

CURAJ

Click Here

Central University of South Bihar

CUSBR

Click Here

Central University of Tamil Nadu

CUTND

Click Here

Bengaluru Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics

BASE

Click Here

Central University of Gujarat

CUGUJ

Click Here

Central University of Andhra Pradesh

CUAPH

Click Here

Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Bihar

CUMGB

Click Here

Assam University, Silchar

CUASM

Click Here

PROGRAMS Click on the link above to obtain the list of the various programs offered by the universities.

Reservation of seats as per Government of India (GoI)/Participating Universities (PUs) Norms. Candidates are strongly advised to refer to the website of individual PU for reservation policy of respective University/Institute.

All applicants are advised to check the eligibility criteria thoroughly before applying for the programme, because, different universities have different eligibility criteria for similar programmes. Hence, applicants will themselves be responsible if they opt for a programme for which they are not eligible.

Applications should be submitted ONLINE only; OFFLINE applications will NOT be accepted.

Applicants are required to have a valid personal email ID and mobile number which should be kept active during the entire admission process, so that the university may send alerts, important communications etc., regarding entrance test.

Under no circumstances, should the candidate share/mention his/ her email ID with any other person.

Next Page>>>>

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

As all communication will be made the candidate or decided by CUCET through e-mail and SMS, please en- 2019) sure that DND (Do Not Disturb) is not activated on your mobile.

Applicants will receive SMS and Email alerts at the time of registration Applicants should be ready with and also after completing the registrahis/her good quality and a latest tion. digital photograph (20 KB – 50 KB) and signature of size between Applicants can apply for a particular 10 KB – 50 KB while applying, the programme for a maximum of three detailed information about which PUs with a maximum of 03 options has been given above in the of programmes in each of the selected PU. Applicants are required to fill in the details in the form carefully with- In case a candidate wishes to opt for out making any spelling mistakes. more PUs with additional (extra) proOn submission of online application gramme(s), he/she can opt for the successfully, applicants can make the “AddOn” option by paying an addipayment for their selected programme tional prescribed fee again.

by Online mode.

Fee Structure: An applicant can fill the Application Form partially and login again to • General/OBC/EWS Applicants: complete it as early as possible on or Rs. 800/before the last date.

• SC/ST Applicants: Rs. 350/• PWD Applicants: Nil Test Centre cities – Each candidate should choose Test Centre City of his/ Note: her choice from Annexure-II. Change of Test Centre City will not be permit- 1. An applicant can apply for payted after submission of Application ment through net-banking/debit/credForm. In case, less than 100 candi- it card/UPI. dates register for a particular centre, 2. GST and other taxes as applicable it will be cancelled and the candidates by Govt. of India/Bank. will be required to appear at nearby 3. An applicant can apply for three centre allotted to him/her (as given by programmes from three Participating

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Important Dates: Sl.No

Activity

Date

1.

Commencement of Online Registration

March 13th, 2019

2.

Closing Date of Online Registration

April 13th, 2019

3.

Last date to accept the fee

April 13th, 2019

4.

Date of Admit Card Upload

May 10th, 2019

5.

Examination Date

May 25th & 26th, 2019

6.

Answer Key Upload

May 27th, 2019

7.

Grievances, if any up to

May 27th – 29th, 2019

8.

Corrected Answer Key

June 05th, 2019

9.

Result Declaration

June 21st, 2019

Universities (PUs) by paying the application fee as mentioned above.

4. An applicant can further apply up to 03 additional PU‟s (03 programmes each) by availing Addon facility by paying additional fee Rs. 800/- (Gen/ OBC/EWS applicants) or Rs. 350/(SC/ST applicants). While doing so, a University can be repeated in add on.

5. The application fee for an International applicant is Rs. 3500/-

Important Links: • Guidelines for Photo and Signature • Fee Structure • Test Centers • CUCET-2019 Exam Time Table • FAQ • Contact Us

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Freshers Biotech Career Advice : Must Read Articles We’ve all been there or are currently going through it. What next after 10th Boards, then + 2, and now as I am sure what’s next after a Biotech or any Biosciences degree. An age-old question posed by all of us and now one of the most searched questions on Google.

SO SINCE WE ARE A BIOSCIENCES PORTAL – BIOTECNIKA HAS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU CAN STUMBLE UPON. WE POST ARTICLES OFTEN SO THIS IS A LIST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT ALL YOUR INFORMATION ON THE GO. WE WILL ADD TO THIS LIST SO MAKE SURE YOU BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, ALL THE VERY BEST IN YOUR CAREER SEARCH!

By Diluxi Arya

Why Biotech Freshers, Life Science Freshers Don’t get a Job Easily?

Biotech Job Search Tips If You Are Not Getting Job Offers

This question keeps coming to me every now and then. A lot of people Searching for life science jobs & Biwho look for jobs at Biotecnika web- otech Jobs is probably one of the most site have this principal question in excruciating experience after not getmind, Why Biotech freshers don’t get ting job offers for so long. a job? or rather Why Freshers don’t Well, it’s okay not to receive offers get a job readily? just yet. However, you can’t wait for Bsc Life Science Career Plan, 10 opportunities to simply knock on your Things You Must Do during Bsc door. Some lucks require digging up before they show up. Just like finding Degree a job, you need to get on your feet and start moving before anyone can seToday we’re going to talk about 10 cure your dream position.

Things You Must Do during BSc Degree. What you must do while you How to Prepare for a Biotech Job are doing your B.sc or B.tech degree Interview Successfully in Life Science. What strategies you must take up during this stage of your It’s extraordinary how much intercareer. To brief up you are going to view advice there is on the internet read about what should be your Bsc nowadays. Most of them tend to be very successful, but not all are targetLife Science Career Plan. ed at a specific issue.

How to Get a Job in Biotech In- 10 Best Career Options After Graduating in Biotechnology dustry Faster As a Fresher I feel real pride in informing you that after years of research & experience in the job placement industry of placing Jobseekers into various Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical companies, we have realized that all Job seekers face similar problems which are not at all related to their qualification or experience. It is related to something else.

Generally, we dream a lot during our college years. We’re often taken far by our idealism and we tend to expect many things about our course. This is very true, especially for students who have taken up Biotechnology and Life sciences in India.

Top 10 Biotech Jobs With Good Future Career Opportunity When you choose a course, it is also important to think about your future.

So in this article, we have compiled

the top 10 BioTech jobs that will remain in demand over the next decade.

Top 10 Alternative Biotech Career Options Outside the Research lab Working in the laboratory is a popular option for life science graduates.

However, not everyone who completes their Graduate, Postgraduate or PhD degree in Biotech & life science ends up working in laboratories or in academia.

SOME BONUS ARTICLES • Food Technology Career, Job Prospects, Scope In India & Abroad • 7 Expert Tips on How to Write a Killer Resume • Valuable Skills That You Can Add During & After M.sc & PhD. • What is the Scope & Growth Rate of Life Science Industry?

• Biotech Salary Analysis 2018 – City Wise Biotech Jobs & Salary

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Mini-Kidney Developed From Urine Cells

By Utrecht Researchers Scientists from Princess Máxima Center, the Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht University, and University Medical Center Utrecht have Generated kidney organoids using urine cells. This could open doors for a completely new set of treatments which are not onerous for kidney patients.

THANKS TO REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENTS IN STEM CELL RESEARCH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PANCREASES, LIVERS, LUNGS, AND MINIATURE DEBRIS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE LAB.

By Preety Suman

Recently, by growing pluripotent stem cells, mini kidneys have also been created. In their analysis, adult stem cells were used by the researchers in Utrecht University, directly for the first time, from the individual.

Urine Cells proved to be great for this research.

“Collaborating in this manner has is tailor-made. But that’s still a very created a massive difference to our long way.” said Marianne Verhaar.

The study of the research was pub- research. We hope that we could enlished in Nature Biotechnology on the hance remedies for kidney patients.

In the long run, we expect to be able 4th of March. to use kidneys that are mini to create A mini-kidney from the lab does not a real, working kidney — a liver that look like a normal kidney. But the simple cell structures shows lots of the qualities of kidneys that are real, so researchers may use them to examine kidney ailments. “We can use these mini kidneys to simulate several disorders: hereditary kidney diseases, infections and cancer, which makes it possible for us to research in detail what exactly is going wrong”, says Hans Clevers, Professor of Molecular Genetics at Utrecht University and the University Medical Center Utrecht, and group leader at the Hubrecht Institute. “This helps us understand the workings of healthy kidneys better, and hopefully, in the future, we’ll be able to develop treatments for kidney disorders.”

Patients undergoing kidney transplant are at constant risk of contracting a viral disease. Regrettably, at the present time, there’s still no treatment for this. ‘In the lab, we can give a mini-kidney a viral disease which some patients contract after a kidney transplant,’ says Professor of Experimental Nephrology in UMC Utrecht, Marianne Verhaar. “We can then determine whether this infection can be treated using a specific drug. And we can also utilize mini kidneys created in the tissue of a patient with lung cancer to examine cancer.”

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IISC Bengaluru Launches Online Database Of Plants In Peninsular India Now the Nature enthusiasts will have free access to peer-reviewed info on over 10,000 species of plants from peninsular India and this has been made possible by Indian Institute of Science (IISc)‘s Center for Ecological Sciences (CES) by developing a site named Digital Flora of Peninsular India.

ON MARCH 2, 2019, THE WEBSITE WAS LAUNCHED BY LAKSHMI NARAYANAN, FORMER CEO AND VC OF COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGIES AND KAMESWARA RAO RETIRED CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SERICULTURE AND BOTANY, BANGALORE UNIVERSITY.

By Swarna Khushbu

The duo has been instrumental in promoting this initiative: Mr. Narayanan made a personal contribution to this cause and the database committee was chaired by Kameswara Rao. Addressing the gathering Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, K VijayRaghavan congratulated Mr. Rao and his staff. In order to reach a wider audience, He suggested that they will soon bring out the site in Kannada. In response, the Chair of CES, Rohini Balakrishnan, assured him that bringing the site in several languages out was on the cards.

The Website Digital Flora of Peninsular India has the information available in the herbarium which is a collection of dried pressed plant specimens and their associated data housed in CES. IISc stated that The herbarium was founded by a Botanist named CJ Saldanha, who collected these specimens from his explorations of the flora of Karnataka. according to K Sankara Rao, who was the herbarium

in-charge and retired professor of the Department of Biochemistry, the institute acquired the herbarium after Mr. Saldanha’s retirement.

When Mr. Rao took control in 2007, by developing an online database that would contain information about each plant species: its vernacular name, taxonomic description, habitat distribution, flowering time, conservation status and much more, he decided to reinvent the herbarium. To accomplish this he brought a group of volunteers together who digitized and compiled records of plant specimens, and programmers, who created the database.

But Rao faced a problem, He stated that as the collections are over 30 years old, there could be a sea of change in species diversity in a habitat.

So his team completed extensive ecological surveys to ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date.

The website features images of the herbarium specimens in addition to photographs taken in the field trips of the team.

In the early years, Mr. Rao’s team concentrated only on digitizing Karnataka’s flora. But the exercise slow-

ly expanded to include other nations by which the Western Ghats runs, and the Eastern Ghats. The group spent four years to collect, process and upload the information on the website.

Mr. Rao later stated that the availability of the database is a crucial first step in addressing issues related to the conservation of both plant species as well as habitats.

K Sankara Rao (left) and Lakshmi Narayanan (right) during the launch of the website

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

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Brain Organoids Created With Retinal Pigmented Cells A Research team at the D’Or Institute for Research and Education stated that they have improved the initial steps of a standard protocol and have produced organoids displaying regionalized brain structures, including retinal pigmented cells.

AS PER STATEMENTS BY RESEARCHERS, ORGANOID CULTIVATION IN SUSPENSION CULTURE REQUIRES AGITATION IN LOW SHEAR STRESS TO ALLOW FOR NUTRIENT DIFFUSION, WHICH PRESERVES TISSUE STRUCTURE.

By Swarna Khushbu

Multiplex systems for organic cultivation have been indicated but if they fulfill similar shear pressure parameters as the regularly used spinner flask and its correlation with the successful generation of mind organoids hasn’t yet been determined.

“The bioreactor had reduced speed and higher shear stress areas that may affect cell-aggregate growth, based on volume, whereas the calcu- In this technique, cells extracted lated variables of the steering plates from urine or skin of volunteers have were nearer to those of their spinning been transformed into stem cells and flask.” – They further added. then into neurons and other neural cell types. They’re cultivated for months “Our protocol enhances the first until they start forming agglomerates steps of the standard brain organoid that resemble an embryonic brain. formation, as well as the produced organics displayed regionalized brain For the last few decades, scientists structures, including retinal pigment- are attempting to perfect this model ed cells. In general, we conclude that to create organoids increasingly comsuspension culture on orbital steer- plex and like those on later phases of ing plates is a cost-effective practical development. alternative to previously described platforms for the cultivation of brain In partnership with the Federal Uniorganoids for study and multiplex versity of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), testing” – the researchers said. scientists in the D’Or Institute Re-

searchers have cultivated human mind organoids to study neurological diseases and the effects of new drugs on the nervous system.

They have placed nerve cells in a nutrient-rich liquid, like the development environment of the human embryo. From there, those mini-brains develop within a self-regulated procedure. To put it differently, all one has to do is make sure they have the right environment to develop.

Recently, the team led by Stevens Reed, Ph.D., scientific director in the D’Or Institute, has been able to refine the environment where the cells

are maintained.

Later Rehen stated that These organoids are a demonstration that it is likely to replicate, in the lab, increasingly advanced gradients of human brain development, and that We have developed a cheap suspension system on orbital steering plates as a substitute for the cultivation of brain organoids with retinal pigmented cells.”

Published Paper in BMC Developmental: “Computational fluid dynamic analysis of physical forces playing a role in brain organoid cultures in two different multiplex platforms”

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Mini DNA Reader For Progressive Development of Anticancer Drugs Working with nanometers size of DNA is not an easy task. Pulling out a microscope is not enough.

SCIENTISTS GOT TO BE CREATIVE TO CURTAIL THE DIFFICULTIES THEY FACE WHILE WORKING WITH NANOSTRUCTURE OF DNA ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH SINGLE STRANDS.

By Preety Suman

This problem is often faced in Cancer research conducted globally wherein the proposed drugs need to be tested at the nanomolecular level.

Researchers from Japan’s Osaka University have published a study in Scientific Reports Journal that explains how they came up with a really modest solution to the challenge of into DNA since it reproduces. While analyzing anticancer drugs integrated similar to thymine, among the four nucleotides that make up DNA adeinto single strands of DNA. nine. This destabilizes the DNA molWith nearly half of us prone to de- ecule, leading to cell death gene exveloping cancer at some point in our pression and, ultimately. life, the demand for publication and effective treatments has never been more crucial. And while researchers are continuously developing new and improved treatments to kill cancer cells or halt their replication, a limited comprehension of how these drugs work can sometimes make it tough to advance otherwise promising treatments.

But where trifluridine becomes integrated into the DNA remains a puzzle because it isn’t distinguished by DNA sequencing methods that are conventional, hampering efforts to comprehend and develop the technologies.

Therefore, the group in Osaka University set about creating a DNA sequencing method that could differOne such therapy, trifluridine, is an entiate the chemical molecules from anticancer drug that gets integrated normal nucleotides in short strands of

DNA. Electric pulses were passed using microscopic probes over a distance of 65,000 times smaller than a grain of sand, just wide enough to match a strand of DNA. “For the first time, we had the ability to directly discover anticancer drug molecules within the DNA.” explains lead author Takahito Ohshiro Significantly, the conductance of trifluridine was lower compared to that of those four nucleotides, which displayed conductance values that are divergent. Based on the results inferred, the researchers sequenced

DNA strands of up to 21 nucleotides only, locating the exact insertion sites of trifluridine.

“Now that we’ve got the ability to ascertain exactly where the drug is integrated, we could create a better comprehension of the mechanism involved in DNA damage,” says senior writer Masateru Taniguchi. “We hope that this technology will aid in the rapid development of new and more powerful anticancer drugs.”

Press Release By Osaka University, Japan

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Govt Plans to Symbolize & Colour Code Generic Drugs

In order to promote low-cost generic medicines, The New Delhi Government has planned to color-code drugs so that the consumers can easily differentiate between generic medicines and other drugs and take an informed decision while purchasing them from chemists, to make generic medicines easily identifiable the Government is also planning to use symbols.

LATELY VARIOUS MEASURES HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE HEALTH MINISTRY TO ENCOURAGE THE SALE OF GENERIC MEDICINES OVER-BRANDED ONES.

By Swarna Khushbu

It has now been made mandatory by the Government for pharmacies to have separate shelves for displaying generic drugs and asked doctors to prescribe drugs by generic names in legible handwriting. The companies are being given instructions by the drug regulator to print generic names on their labels in a font which is two font sizes larger than the brand name.

By strengthening the backend supply chain The government is planning to promote the stores which sell only generic drugs like Jan Aushadhi stores.

At present, there are over 3,000 such stores across the country.

is going to be used by the Government is likely to be similar to the codes that are used in food products to differentiate between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Soon The government is expected to draw a detailed proposal on the matter, which will be put out for stakeholder consultations.

At a recent Drugs Consultative Committee meeting, the proposal to In a recent Research, it was seen that color-code generic medicines was 70% of the Rs 1 lakh crore local phardiscussed. The coding system which maceutical market is dominated by

branded generics, whereas patented medicines constitute around 9%.

Last year, a concern was raised by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) over the high trade margins included in prices of branded medicines. CCI Highlighted the role of intermediaries in increasing costs, the antitrust regulator had requested the authorities to find mechanisms to market generic medicines. Later In a policy notice, the CCI said high

margins were a form of an indirect marketing tool employed by pharma companies.

Increased use of generics can reduce the burden of out of pocket expenditure on healthcare said “the World Health Organisation�.

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BIOTECH NEWS

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Sight Diagnostics – “OLO” AI Based Fastest Blood Testing Device Introducing – Sight Diagnostics, an Israeli Biotech Startup which is using Artificial Intelligence to fasten up the blood test process.

RECENTLY THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY POOLED IN $27.8 MILLION SERIES C FUNDING ROUND.

By Preety Suman

The funding is led by VC firm Longliv Ventures and also is a part of the conglomerate CK Hutchison Group.

The company has built a machine, called OLO, which analyzes cartridges packed with drops of the individual’s blood counts in situ.

Sight Diagnostics said it was after strategic investment to its Series C — especially investors who could give rise to its own technological and commercial expansion. And on that front CK Hutchison Group’s portfolio comprises more than 14,500 wellness and beauty shops across Asia and Europe, giving a crystal clear go-to-market route for the OLO blood testing device of the company.

with pilot research: Modest clinical tests that each significant clients run at their own centers, under real-world conditions. This allows users to go through the advantages of the technologies in their context. In average progress, pilot research is then followed by modest initial orders, after which by wide deployment.”

Sight Diagnostics also notes that it is searching for additional strategic partners that will allow it to get its device to “major markets across the world”.

The financing will also support continuing regulatory efforts from the U.S., where it has been conducting a series of trials as part of FDA testing in the hopes of gaining regulatory clearance for OLO.

The company said it expects that customers across “multiple countries in Europe” will have deployed OLO in actual use this past year.

The MedTech startup, which was founded back in 2011, has increased more than $50M so far, only disclosing its Series A and B raises past year.

Although its first go-to-market push has concentrated on Europe — where it has obtained CE Mark registration for OLO (required for commercial sale in certain European nations) after a 287-person clinical trial and went on to start the device last summer. It’s since signed a supply arrangement in Italy for OLO. “We’ve pursued several pilots with prospective clients in Europe, specifically in the united kingdom and Italy,” said co-founder Danny Levner informs TechCrunch. “In Europe, it’s typical for market adoption to begin

“In December 2018, we completed US clinical trials at three US clinical sites and we’resubmitting them later this month on the FDA. We’re seeking a 510 (k) FDA clearance for use in US CLIA compliant laboratories, to be followed by a CLIA waiver application that will allow being used at any doctor’s office. We’re quite pleased with the outcomes of the US trial and we aspire to acquire the FDA’s 510 (k) clearance within a year’s time,” he says.

“With the current funding, we are focusing on commercialization in the European marketplace, starting in the UK, Italy, and the Nordics,” he adds.

The money will go on the r&d to expand the menu of tests the company is able to provide via OLO. The startup previously advised it envisages developing the device into a platform capable of conducting a

portfolio of blood tests, saying each additional evaluation would be added individually and only after “separate clinical investigation”.

The first test OLO provides is a complete blood count (CBC), with Sight Diagnostics employing machine learning and computer vision technologies to digitize and examine a high-resolution picture of a finger prick’s value of the patient’s blood on apparatus.

The point is to offer an alternative to getting venous blood drawn and sent away to a lab for evaluation — using an OLO-based CBC charged as taking “minutes” to perform, with the startup also asserting it is easy enough for non-professionals to carry out, whereas it says a lab-based blood count can take several days to process and return an outcome.

On the R&D front, Levner says it sees “tremendous potential” for OLO to be used to diagnose blood diseases like leukemia and sickle cell anemia.

“Also, given the small quantity of blood required and the minimally-invasive nature of the evaluation when utilizing finger-prick blood samples, there is an opportunity to use OLO in neonatal screening,” he says. “Accordingly, one of the most important immediate next steps is to tailor the test algorithms and procedures for neonate screening.”

Levner also told us that some of its own pilot studies have looked at eval-

uating “improvements in patient and operator satisfaction”. “Certainly standing out in such studies is your taste for finger-prick-based testing, which OLO supplies,” he claims.

1 key point to notice: Sight Diagnostics has to release peer-reviewed results of its clinical trials. Last July it advised us it’s a novel pending in a peer-reviewed journal.

“With regards to the peer-reviewed book, we’ve decided to combine the outcomes in the Israel clinical trials together with people that we only completed in the united states to get a stronger publication,” the firm says now. “We hope to focus on that publication after we get FDA approval in the united states.”

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Microsoft Partners With Biotech Companies On Programming Biology In order to produce new medicines and potentially materials that could be applicable to a range of industries, Microsoft intends to bring its programming abilities to bear on biotech, with the objective of building an end-to-end platform for programming the biology of living cells.

THE TECHNOLOGY GIANT’S STATION B STUDY TEAM–BASED AT MICROSOFT RESEARCH’S FIRST”WET” MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY, HOUSED IN CAMBRIDGE, U.K.–IS PARTNERING WITH A TRIO REPRESENTING INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGY, AND ACADEMIA: GENE AND CELL THERAPY MANUFACTURER OXFORD BIOMEDICA, LABORATORY SOFTWARE DEVELOPER SYNTHACE AND PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.

By Swarna Khushbu

Microsoft’s biological computation head Andrew Phillips stated that programming Biology has the potential to address some of the world’s toughest problems in medicine, and also to lay the foundations for a future bio-economy based on sustainable technologies.

Microsoft’s new devotion follows over a decade of research to processing data from biological systems, with the project’s structure mirroring its Station Q team and work in quantum computing.

Together With Oxford Biomedica, Microsoft expects its platform will improve the yield and purity of viral vector delivery systems for gene therapies which would further help in reducing the cost of products through machine learning and cloud calculating.

Oxford will contribute large datasets for analysis to the initial two-year collaboration, while researchers develop in silico models of the biological processes used in production.

Jason Slingsby, chief business officer of Oxford Biomedica which holds a contract with Novartis to supply vector material for its Kymriah gene therapy stated that It builds on our digital framework initiative, established in 2018, and the work underway within our collaboration with Synthace to rapidly and flexible design, simulate and execute complex experimental designs to create next-generation manufacturing pro-

cesses, including with stable producer ic companion, Princeton researchers cell lines for lentiviral vectors. will analyze the proteins made by cholera germs to assist form biofilms, Synthace will additionally help Sta- allowing the disease to develop neartion B develop applications for con- ly anywhere and fight treatments. By ducting reproducible experiments genetically programming different throughout a variety of automatic lab proteins to light up, they’ll have the apparatus, in addition, to scale up data ability to quantify how and where creation attempts in computer-aided they’re created, in addition, to catalog biology. and construct models of the elements.

Meanwhile, Princeton University will employ Station B’s system toward the comprehension of bacterial biofilms, which may play roles in disease, transmission, and antimicrobial immunity.

This follows match among other enormous firms looking to add the bio to tech, with the likes of big firms Apple, Google, and IBM all trying their hand in biology, either on their own or teaming with or financing upand-coming startups in regions like Since Station B’s initial academ- aging or cancer

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Beam Therapeutics – Gene Editing Startup Bags $135M in Series B top-up $135 million has been raised by Beam Therapeutics in second-round funding, which will be used to advance its single-base approach to gene editing.

BEAM’S TAKE ON CRISPR IS THAT ITS APPROACH TO THE TECHNOLOGY IS MORE PRECISE THAN GENOME-EDITING TECHNIQUES AND CAN TARGET JUST 1 BASE — A, T, C OR G — OUT OF BILLIONS.

By Swarna Khushbu

“Traditional” CRISPR-Cas9 editing cuts a whole gene to create a break in DNA or RNA, while the approach initiated by one of Beam‘s founders – David Liu, Ph.D., of Harvard University–directly converts a single base into another.

Hoping that it is going to have the ability to change sequences without the risk of unintended, off-target effects that some researchers suggest could be a problem for CRISPR as well as other technologies such as TALEN and zinc-finger nucleases.

With over half of the genetic errors associated with the disease resulting from a change in the foundations that form the human genome and some 33,000 point mutations identified as being linked to genetic diseases, the potential uses of Beam’s platform are enormous.

For now, though, the biotech is continuing its policy of keeping its therapeutic targets under wraps, although it has revealed that its programs are split between ex vivo modification of cells that can act as therapeutics and delivery of foundation editors that could modify genomes directly within the body.

“Since the launch of Beam this past year we’ve made considerable progress toward our aim of developing base editors as a new class of precision genetic medicines,” states Beam’s CEO John Evans.

The new cash will allow Beam to “continue to expand our team and capacities, expand our leadership position in base-editing technology, and move our pipeline towards clinical development,” he added.

The series B comes After a solid funding round of $87 million, last year headed by ARCH Venture Partners and F-Prime Capital Partners,

which Beam said had already provided two to three decades of cash.

The new versions include Cormorant Asset Management, Redmile Group

with earlier backers ARCH, Omega See Also: Unknown Facts About Funds and Eight Roads Ventures con- CRISPR cas9 Gene Editing Techtributing once again to new investors. nique

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DST Women Scientists Scheme – A (WOS-A) Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, Women Scientists Scheme – A (WOS-A) 2019 call for proposals open.

INTERESTED WOMEN APPLICANTS CAN APPLY ONLINE FOR THE WOMEN SCIENTISTS SCHEME – A (WOS-A) FOR THE YEAR 2019. ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE OVERVIEW, ELIGIBILITY, APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND SUCH BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

Notification for Provisional acceptance of proposals under Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) All the programmes under KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing) Scheme of DST including Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) are under review and may likely to modify at some extent. Therefore, provisional submission of new proposals under WOS-A programme is allowed w.e.f. 01.01.2019 till further notice.

The proposals under consideration are also subject to the outcome of the review process.

Preamble: Women constitute an important section of the workforce. However, the present situation of a large number of well-qualified women scientists who due to various circumstances have been left out of the S&T activities needs to be addressed. The problems faced are several but, significantly, most often the “break-in-career” arises out of motherhood and family responsibilities. The option for the revival of their profession is presently unavailable due to restrictions in age and qualification and no system at present addresses these issues.

The “Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A)” for research in basic and

applied sciences has been evolved in this context, by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) for providing opportunities to women scientists and technologists between the age group of 27-57 years who desire to return to mainstream science and work as bench-level scientists.

Through this endeavour of the Department, a concerted effort would be made to give women a strong foothold into the scientific profession, help them re-enter into the mainstream and provide a launch pad for further forays into the field of science and technology.

Scientific Disciplines: (1) Physical and Mathematical Sciences [PMS] (2) Chemical Sciences [CS] (3) Life Sciences [LS] (4) Earth and Atmospheric Sciences [EAS] (5) Engineering & Technology [ET].

Support: This scheme will provide a research grant with an upper limit of Rs. 30 lakh (for PhD or equivalent)), Rs. 25 lakh (for M.Tech/M.Pharm or equivalent) and Rs. 20 lakh (for M.Sc. or equivalent) for a well-defined R&D project proposal for a period of three

years. This grant will include the fel- fellowship for such candidates will be lowship of the applicant and the cost Rs.40,000/- PM. of small equipment, contingencies, travel, consumables etc. Institutional 6. Women scientists having PhD overhead charges will be extra.

Degree in Basic or Applied Sciences will be entitled to the fellowship of Eligibility: Rs.55,000/- PM. 1. Persons already in employment need not apply.

2. Women scientists, less than 27 years of age are not eligible.

3. Candidates who are registered in PhD and receiving any fellowship are not eligible to apply.

Minimum 2 years of break is required after PhD award.

Contact: For Online Submission Related Queries Contact:

Dr. Vandana Singh, Officer-in-charge, 4. Women scientists, with a mini- Women Scientist Scheme-A, mum of Post Graduate degree, equiv- Department of Science & Technology alent to M.Sc. in Basic or Applied Technology Bhavan,New Mehrauli Sciences or B.Tech. or MBBS or oth- Road, er equivalent professional qualifica- New Delhi – 110016 tions, are eligible for this scheme. The Telephone: +91-11-26590273 amount of fellowship for such candi- Email: support[dash]wosa[at] dates will be Rs. 30,000/- PM. nic[dot]in 5. Women scientists, with M.Tech. or MD/MS, DM/MCH in Medical Sciences from recognized Universities can also apply. The amount of

APPLY ONLINE

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

Life Sciences PhD Fellowships ICGEB – Arturo Falaschi The notification for the Life Sciences Arturo Falaschi PhD Fellowships 2019 has been announced.

INTERESTED CANDIDATES CAN CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE SCHEME, THE OVERVIEW, APPLICATION DETAILS, FINANCIAL STABILITY, TIMELINES AND ALL OF THE IMPORTANT LINKS ARE GIVEN BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

Arturo Falaschi PhD Fellowships ICGEB provides competitive Pre-doctoral Fellowships in Life Sciences to highly encouraged scientists wanting to pursue PhD research studies within a world-class scientific atmosphere. Fellowships include participation in a competitive research programme, accessibility to advanced facilities, participation in ICGEB Meetings, Seminars and Journal Clubs and a competitive stipend, and full coverage of tuition fees and health insurance.

To Apply: Applicants must contact the ICGEB Group Leader/PI of the choice with a motivation letter, to ascertain the availability of lab space and also to specify the research project proposal which will form an essential component of the application.

Eligibility: Applicants should be nationals of an ICGEB Member State.

Nationals of both India and South Africa, ICGEB Host Countries, Aren’t eligible to apply for ICGEB Fellowships within their home nation.

Degree requirements: • Applicants for ICGEB Trieste must hold a BSc (Honours) degree; applicants for ICGEB Cape Town and New Delhi must hold an MSc degree.

• Candidates need a fantastic working knowledge of the English language, supported by a proficiency certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate( or equal ). Not mandatory when scholastic education was undertaken in English.

• Candidates for Trieste, Italy has to be under age 32 years at the time of application (i.e. date of birth following 31/03/1987).

There’s no age limitation for applications such as ICGEB New Delhi and Cape Town.

Fiscal support: Duration: 3 years PhD course together with the possibility of 1-year expansion.

Monthly stipend: Trieste (Italy): Euro 1,300, New Delhi (India): US$ 1,020, Cape Town (South Africa): ZAR 12,500.

Travel: the fellowship includes provision for travel expenses from the student’s home country to the ICGEB laboratory at the beginning of the fellowship along with a return travel provision upon completion of the fellowship.

Medical health insurance coverage is provided for the duration of the fellowship.

The university tuition fee is covered for the entire PhD registration period.

Visa/permit of stay application and renewal costs are reimbursed.

Support for participation in Meetings and Courses Is Usually provided by the Group Leader / PI. ICGEB makes no financial provision, nor can it provide administrative support for family members of participants in the programme.

Submission: Please complete this application online. Additionally, please upload one pdf document comprising all requested attachments (see application form below).

Selection: All submitted applications will be

transmitted to the respective ICGEB Liaison Officer in the country of which you are a national for endorsement. The endorsement is a basic necessity for the Fellowship to be awarded. The ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee will evaluate endorsed and complete applications received by the closing date. The principal criteria for selection include scientific excellence of this project, the qualities of the candidate’s CV and potential benefit for your home country. The candidates will be notified of this outcome by email when possible following the final date for applications.

Accommodation ICGEB Trieste: A Housing Service is conducted via

the Welcome Office — Friuli Venezia Giulia. For more information please visit http://www.icgeb.org/trieste-housing.html • ICGEB New Delhi: A Guest House is run on campus, on a twin-share basis, for a nominal rate.

• ICGEB Cape Town: Accommodation service is given to fellows. Arrangements have consented prior arrival.

APPLY ONLINE Closing Date for Applications: 31 March

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

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Research Scholars Program 2019 @ CDFD, Hyderabad Official Notification for Research Scholars Program I 2019 at CDFD, Hyderabad. CDFD – Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics Hyderabad has announced the online application for Research Scholars Program I 2019.

INTERESTED AND ELIGBLE CANDIDATES CHECK ALL THE DETAILS ON THE SAME BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

The CDFD (Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics), Hyderabad, is a premier institute in the nation, which supplies services in DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics and conducts basic research in the frontier regions of modern biology.

The current research themes include: • Computational & Structural Biology • cancer and stem cell biology • genetics and epigenetics • cell signalling • silkmoth genomics • molecular and cellular biology • molecular pathogenesis (The details are listed on our website www.cdfd.org.in) We encourage applications from exceptionally motivated applicants, ready to take up challenges in modern biology, for admissions to our Research Scholars program beginning July/August 2019. Keeping in view the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology, we particularly encourage persons from diverse backgrounds to apply. Those admitted as Research Scholars are encouraged to apply for the PhD program of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, University of Hyderabad, Regional Centre of Biotechnology or AcSIR. Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible All of the candidates should have: • Master’s degree in any branch of Science, Technology, or Agriculture in a recognized University/ Institute OR MBBS. Candidates who have appeared for their final semester examination, but are awaiting results, are also eligible to apply.

• Qualified CSIR / UGC / DBT / ICMR / INSPIRE NET JRF /

• •

•

•

BINC / JEST / UGC — RGNF or any other similar examination with fellowship. Candidates having qualified for the Project – JRF fellowship under the ICMR funded project Scheme/ [which is only for a period of two years] / DBT JRF NET with a B.Tech.

[Biotechnology] degree /DBT JRF NET under DBT – B category list are NOT eligible to apply.

A valid fellowship is an ABSOLUTE requirement for pursuing PhD at CDFD. a)If a candidate’s fellowship result is AWAITED, the candidate can UPDATE the fellowship status by 03.05.2019. b)Note that having a fellowship is not mandatory for applying and writing the test, BUT, only candidates with a valid fellowship will be shortlisted for interview.

Candidates with LS-NET qualification only in CSIR-UGC (NET) examination need not apply.

Selection Procedure: Admission to the CDFD Research Scholars program in July/August 2019 (RSP – I – 2019) will be based on interviews conducted at CDFD on June 17 and June 18, 2019. The shortlist of candidates to appear for these interviews will be prepared by CDFD from: 1. Applicants who appear in the ENTRANCE examination that will

be conducted jointly by CCMB and Examination will be held on May 5, CDFD at 19 different centres across 2019.

India on May 5, 2019, and have applied to CDFD RSP – I – 2019. (CD- Application Fee: FD-LAN Shortlist) 1. General Candidates ₹ 500/OR 2. Other Backward Classes (OBC) ₹ 250/2. Applicants who appeared in the 3. SC/ST/PWD/Women candidates Joint Graduate Entrance Examination ₹ 125/for Biology and Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (JGEEBILS 2019), which The additional Payment Gateway was held on December 9, 2018, and Transaction Charges @ 3.10% will be have applied to CDFD RSP – I – charged extra from the Candidate.

2019. (CDFD-JGEEBILS Shortlist) Important Dates: The shortlisting will be based on cut-off scores determined by CDFD. • Open date for submitting an online application – 11/3/2019.

As the CDFD-JGEEBILS short- • Last date for submitting an onlist will be displayed only on 10th line application – 15/4/2019.

May 2019, candidates who have • Date of issue of ADMIT CARDS appeared for the JGEEBILS-2019 – 20/4/2019. exam are encouraged to appear for • Date of CCMB / CDFD joint the CCMB/CDFD Joint Entrance Entrance Examination – Examination to be held on May 5, 05/05/2019.

2019.

• The date for Display of CDFD JGEEBILS-2019 shortlists – Application Procedure: 10/5/2019.

• The date for Display of CDInterested candidates (includFD-LAN shortlists – 10/5/2019. ing those who have appeared for • Date of the interview – 17/6/2019 the JGEEBILS-2019) need to reg& 18/6/2019. ister their names for RESEARCH SCHOLARS PROGRAM – I – 2019 View Notification by applying in the prescribed application form. online portal.

APPLY ONLINE The Online facility of application will open on March 11, 2019, and will be closed on April 15, 2019.

The CCMB/CDFD Joint Entrance

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

APEX Postdoctoral Fellowship 2019 : Marie Sklodowska-Curie Cofund Applications invited for APEX Postdoctoral Fellowship 2019 Notification. Apply Online Marie Sklodowska-Curie Cofund.

SECOND CALL OF APEX POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP 2019. CHECK THE DETAILS BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

APEX is a postdoctoral fellowship Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) COFUND programme, based at APC Microbiome Ireland at University College Cork (UCC), and co-funded by H2020.

APEX is a new intersectoral training, career development and mobility fellowship which focuses on the research strengths and expertise of the Institute in the area of gut microbiota and their role in human health and disease.

The APEX programme will offer 20 prestigious two-year postdoctoral fellowships for incoming mobility across two calls over the 60 months duration of the programme. Call 1 is now closed where we awarded 10 fellowships and Call 2 opened January 2019. Submission of completed applications must be before or on the deadline of 9th April 2019 (13:00 hrs). If interested you must first send an Expression of Interest EoI Template to apex@ucc.ie.

Fellowships will be targeted at experienced researchers. (An experienced researcher must at the application deadline be in possession of a doctoral degree OR have at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience in academia or industry).

All fellows will be hosted in an APC academic host organisation (University College Cork or Teagasc Moorepark ) and will be required to complete a mandatory secondment in a relevant industry host.

Fellowships will be offered in the four thematic APC research areas of ‘Microbes to Molecules’, ‘Diet and Microbes at the Extremes of Life’, ‘Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis’ and ‘Host-Microbe Dialogue’. Adhering to the MSCA principle of ‘individual-driven mobility’, APEX applicants will have the freedom to choose their research topic (within the remit of the APC), their supervisor and their

secondment organisation. Secondments will be relevant to the fellows’ research project and career development.

Fellowship Details: The APEX Fellowships are open to experienced researchers of any nationality, resident anywhere in the world (provided the mobility eligibility criteria are met), seeking a prestigious career development fellowship in research of the gut microbiota and their role in human health and disease.

All fellows will be hosted in an APC academic host organisation (University College Cork or Teagasc Moorepark ) and will be required to complete a mandatory secondment in a relevant industry host.

The aim of APEX is to develop the next generation of scientific leaders who will gain hands-on experience developing cross-disciplinary and entrepreneurial skills through individual research projects.

Applicants choose their research area (within the remit of APC), APEX supervisor, and secondment organisation in the non-academic sector.

Duration Of The Fellowship The total duration of each fellowship is two years, commencing October 2018 (Call 1) and October 2019 (Call 2).

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered eligible, applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

the call deadline.

• Secondment Eligibility • Applicants may be of any nationality.

Eligible secondment hosts are re• Applicants must be fluent in search performing non-academic orEnglish (written and spoken) ganisations located anywhere in the • Applicants must be Experienced world.

Researchers.

Secondments must be 3 to 6 months in duration and can be a single period An experienced researcher must at or split into short stays. the application deadline be in posses- Secondments must be relevant to the sion of a doctoral degree or have at fellow’s project and career developleast four years of full-time equiva- ment. lent research experience in academia or industry. Full-Time Equivalent Re- Project Eligibility: search Experience is measured from the date when a researcher obtained Proposals must describe a research the degree entitling him or her to project to be implemented during a embark on a doctorate, either in the 2-year period. country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the Adhere to the ethical standards as researcher is recruited, even if a doc- stated in the programme documentatorate was never started or envisaged. tion.

• Mobility Requirements: Inter- Include a secondment in the non-acnational mobility is a core ele- ademic sector. ment of the APEX programme.

-Applicants must be incoming The topic must fall within the broad fellows to Ireland and fulfil the APC research themes – mobility requirements: • -Applicants may not have re- • Microbes to Molecules, sided or carried out their main • Diet and Microbes at the Exactivity (work, study) in the Retremes of Life, public of Ireland for more than • Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis 12 months in the 3 years prior to • Host-Microbe Dialogue. the Call deadline.

• -For Career Restart and Reintegration: Applicants may not have resided or carried out their main activity in the Republic of Ireland for more than 3 years in the 5 years immediately prior to Next Page>>>>

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Application Process: • Send an Expression of Interest to the APEX Programme Manager APEX@ucc.ie • Expression of Interest template can be found here EoI

• Follow the application process steps to help you prepare your application: Preparation of APEX application

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March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

The Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program 2019 Ravi Sankaran Fellowships are open to Indian nationals (who must also be resident in India at the time of applying) and this fellowship program funds three types of schemes – a master’s degree, and internship and a Small grants program.

TO LEARN MORE ON THE ELIGIBILITY, FUNDING OPTIONS AND APPLICATION PROCESS, THEN CHECK OUT THE DETAILS POSTED BELOW:

By Diluxi Arya

The Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program funds three major activities: • Masters Degree at an International University: The Program will fund one or two students to work towards a 1-2 yr Masters degree in a reputed academic program in ecology or conservation. The purpose of this Fellowship is to train the student recipients in the science and/or implementation of conservation; and to facilitate interaction with the larger international community involved in conservation science and practice.

• Funding provided: stipend, course fees, one-way international travel.

• Internship with a International Conservation Organisation: The Program will fund one or two recipients to carry out an internship of 6 weeks to 1 year with a university research group, NGO, government agency, or other organisation, known for its work in conservation science and practice in a country other than India.

The purpose of the internship is for recipients of the fellowship to gain experience and insight in field ecology and conservation beyond what they would ordinarily gather from an academic degree program; and to facilitate interaction with the larger international community involved in conservation science and implementation.

• Funding provided: stipend, internship fees (if any), to-and-fro international travel (with a cap of USD 1,500 for travel).

• Small Grants program for a conservation research or implementation project within India: The Program will fund up to 5 recipients to carry out an initial project of up to 1 yr that is expected to lead to a longer-term conservation science and/or implementation project. Thus, this

program provides “seed money” for what may ordinarily be viewed as an unconventional or risky project. Recipients of an initial Small Grant may apply for follow-up funding; when doing so, they must demonstrate the success of the pilot project and show how subsequent funding is essential to bring out the conservation benefits of the project.

Activities funded by the Small Grants program should ordinarily be carried out in India. Where appropriate, applicants for a small grant are encouraged to consider and include the potential role that local communities can play in conservation.

• Funding provided: stipend and project expenses (not exceeding Rs 2 lakh per year in total).

Note that Masters and Internship fellows are not eligible for project/research funding.

Eligibility and Selection: Ravi Sankaran Fellowships are open to Indian nationals (who must also be resident in India at the time of applying) with a demonstrated deep interest in wildlife ecology and conservation through prior involvement in this field. Applicants must hold a Bachelors degree in any subject, and should normally be below 30 years of age in the year of application.

Applicants must demonstrate their commitment to conservation and strongly justify how the fellowship

will further conservation in India. The Fellowship particularly seeks young applicants with bold and unconventional ideas for tackling conservation problems. Small Grant applicants must also submit a project proposal with budget. Full details accompany the application form for the specific activity.

• Masters Abroad: please apply online under the Inlaks Scholarship program • Internship Abroad 2019 Application Form • Small Grant 2019 Application Form

Instructions on filling in and submitting the Internship Abroad and Small All complete applications received Grant forms are contained within will be screened by a committee, who these files. Some fields have a word will then shortlist candidates for in- limit; please make sure you do not terview. If you are shortlisted, we will exceed this limit. In addition, please send you details of travel, venue, etc. note: No interviews will be conducted for Small Grants applications. Interviews • Type out your answers to all questions in the space provided for Masters and Internship applicants (note that space will expand if usually take place in Mumbai or Delhi needed) at the end of May or early June. Decisions on all three fellowship activities • Internship applicants must enclose a letter of acceptance/adwill be announced shortly thereafter. mission from the host institution.

Fellowship recipients must submit • We will contact your referees directly — please ask them not to a detailed Interim Report every year, send their letters until they have and a Final Report at the end of their heard directly from us. term. All reports must contain an accounting of funds spent. Fellows retain all rights over information gen- Once completed, all Internship erated during their tenure. Fellows Abroad and Small Grant application must acknowledge support received forms must be converted to PDF forfrom the “Ravi Sankaran Fellowship” mat (max. file size 1Mb) and sent to when and where they publish this the following email addresses: – Internship Abroad applications work. (completed application form as well as a letter of acceptance/admission How to Apply: from the host institution) must be There is a separate application form emailed to ichchaporia(at)inlaksfounfor each activity funded by the Ravi dation(dot)org Sankaran Inlaks Fellowship Program.

Please use the appropriate form for your application.

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– Small Grant applications must be emailed to gladys(at)inlaksfoundation(dot)org Deadlines for submission of applications: Masters Abroad: 15th April 2019 (23:59 IST)

Internship Abroad: 1st May 2019 (23:59 IST) Small Grants: 1st May 2019 (23:59 IST)

For queries about the fellowships, please email: info(at)inlaksfoundation(dot)org info@inlaksfoundation.org

To be considered for funding, your There is an opportunity available application must reach us on or be- at Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation as fore the deadline. well for which all the information can be perused by clicking the link

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below: View Notification (Inlaks Scholarship) View Notification (Ravi Sankaran Fellowship)

ASEAN-India Collaborative R&D Scheme Check out the notification for the ASEAN-India Collaborative R&D Scheme.

INTERESTED AND ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES CAN CHECK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE ASEAN-INDIA COLLABORATIVE R&D SCHEME BELOW.

By Diluxi Arya

General Description: India has been the dialogue partner for ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) since 1992. In 2012, on the occasion of 20th anniversary as dialogue partner, India-ASEAN celebrated commemorative Summit and declared enhancement of its relations to strategic level. The ASEAN Member States are as belowBrunei ii.Cambodia iii.Indonesia iv.

Lao PDR v.Malaysia vi.Myanmar vii.

Philippines viii.Singapore ix.Thailand x.Vietnam India S&T Collaboration started formally in 1996 with establishment of ASEAN India S&T working Group (AIWGST). Initially, the collaborative ASEAN-India S&T activities were supported through ASEAN India Fund (AIF). In 2008, Government of India established a dedicated fund viz ASEAN India S&T Development Fund (AISTDF) to support R&D projects and associated project development activities. The total budget of AISTDF is an equivalent amount of 5 Million USD in INR. This amount of 5 Million USD is jointly shared by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Department of Science & Technology (DST). The Department of Science & Technology is the nodal Department for execution and implementation of ASEAN-India S&T Cooperation program from Indian side.

The Plan of Action of the ASEAN-INDIA PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND SHARED

PROSPERITY (2016-2020), implements the goals and objectives of the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity on 30 November 2004 in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and the Vision Statement of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit, adopted by the Leaders of ASEAN and India on 20 December 2012 in New Delhi, India. Through the implementation of this Plan of Action, ASEAN and India will work towards supporting the ASEAN Community building and integration process, including the ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision, for a politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible and a truly people-oriented, people-centered and rules-based ASEAN, narrowing the development gap and enhancing ASEAN Connectivity. Both sides will also further promote cooperation in addressing common and emerging challenges and enhance coordination in other international fora on issues of common concern to contribute to overall peace, stability and prosperity.

vation cooperation are based on the to facilitate sharing of advanced research facilities among researchers following principlesof ASEAN MS and India, India and • Encourage and promote cooper- ASEAN agree to institute the scheme ation in science, technology and “ASEAN-India Collaborative R&D innovation, including through Program”. joint research activity, and development on cross-sectoral The following types of proposals areas such as health, communi- shall not be considered: cable and emerging infectious diseases, environmental man- • Applicants who have an existing collaborative project which agement, climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, already covers travel and living expenses; agricultural technologies, alternative energy, biodiversity, food • Purely individual visits/training processing, advanced materials programme; for development of value-added • The organisation of Seminars / products, and space technology Workshops or participation in a Conference / Congress. and applications; • Encourage and promote cooperation in biotechnology including Priority research areas through capacity building and joint research and development All disciplines of natural sciences, for mutual benefit; medicine, health, Mathematics, elec• Undertake activities and de- tronics & IT, science & technology velop program/projects under (social sciences & humanities are not the ASEAN-India Science and covered). The research areas should Technology Development Fund;

The main objectives of ASEAN-India Science, Technology and Inno-

In order to support collaborative Research & Development (R&D) and

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be ASEAN centric and be aligned with the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation 2016-2025 (copy attached at Appendix-I) Goals • To intensify interaction and scientific cooperation between Indian and ASEAN scientists/institutions • To connect existing but separately funded research projects in India and ASEAN MS • To enhance academic training and development of young scholars • Project duration • Up to 24 months (No extension with or without additional cost beyond 24 months of the project shall be considered)

March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

tries. ed by the Evaluation Committee tutional links between ASEAN • The maximum number of project and approved by the Governing MS and India participants from each country Council of the AISTDF shall be • The potential for follow-on colmust be only two (preferably one released and placed at the dislaborative activities senior and one junior researcher posal of lead Indian Institute in • The final results shall be notified ie PhD student/post-doc).

INR.

by DST to the Indian applicants • Only one visit per year from as and when it is jointly taken by each participating country is Number & duration of visits unDST and ASEAN COST. permitted under this scheme to der the project visit each participating country Reporting

by Indian researchers whereas • A project participant from either ASEAN project participant to side will be allowed to under- Grant recipients will have to submit visit India. The duration of visits take only one visit per year of a scientific and financial report after would be max 14 days per year the project for a duration of up to each financial year of the project to for Sr. Scientists/ researchers/ 14 days for senior scientists and DST. faculty and max of 30 days per up to 30 days for young scienyear for junior researchers. One tists (PhD students, post-doctor- Contact visit is defined as a visit by a scial etc). entist/ expert to a partner coun- • The international visits would For any further information and/or try. be supported only from In- questions, please contact: dia to partner ASEAN MS and Grant information vice-versa.

In ASEAN

The funds under AISTDF are avail- Submission Eligibility able only in INR. Therefore budget/ funds must be projected only in Indi- Applications must be prepared jointScientists with an appointment as a an rupee in accordance with the fol- ly by the Indian and ASEAN MS regular faculty member at any eligible lowing guidelinespartner scientists and must be submitIndian/ASEAN MS institution can apted only ONLINE (click here) ply as Principal Investigator (PI). The • Generally, the funds are availamaximum age of each project particble only to support the mobility Application deadline ipant must NOT exceed 60 years as of project participants/ researchon date of submission of the project. ers from India to partnering The completed applications/proposThe appointment of the PI must last ASEAN MS and vice versa. als can be submitted ONLINE during until the end of the project. Addition- • Some incremental funding ie the period 1st April till 30th Septemally, the project may include a junior Minor components, add-ons, ac- ber each year. faculty/ scientist and/or a PhD student cessories to existing equipment; Incomplete and proposals not for/ post-doc. The total number of particchemicals and consumables etc mulated as per guidelines of the anipants on each side should not exceed (up to Rs 0.5 Million per year) nouncement shall not be considered. two. is also available in addition to salary for scientific manpower Evaluation and selection Eligible institutions in India: (One JRF/SRF/RA/Post-doc etc) and shall be supported ONLY to The project proposals/applications All Universities/ Academic InstituIndian lead project Investigator. will be evaluated independently by tions recognised under Indian Laws • General norms to support mobil- ASEAN COST and DST India. From

by UGC, Publicly funded R&D Instiity of project participants shall ASEAN Side, applications will be tutes/ Labs be supported as per following considered and recommended by financial normsASEAN-COST. In India, applications Eligible institutions in ASEAN • International airfare by lowest will be considered by DST. MS: economy class from the place of work in sending the country Evaluation criteria: (not listed in All Academic/ Research Institutions, to the place of work in receiv- the order of priority) Universities and other Research and ing country including visa fees, Academic Institutions which are eloverseas medical insurance, do- • The added value of the visits for igible to receive funding from ASEmestic travel related to internaongoing research on both sides AN. tional travel etc • Scientific and technological • The living expenses (local hosmerit of the proposed exchange Composition of Project team and pitality) for staying in the reactivities and of the anticipated duration of visits: spective visiting country (India outcomes to partnering ASEAN MS and • Feasibility of the proposed ap• The project would necessarily vice versa) shall be supported as proach have to be developed jointly by below• Expertise and complementarities the scientists/ researchers in In- • -Rs. 6,000/- per day (all incluof the two laboratories/institutes dia and at least 2 ASEAN memsive) for the senior researcher • Qualifications and experience of ber countries, and duly forward(PhD degree holders and in regapplicants ed by the Heads of the respective ular positions at respective Insti- • Opportunities for training and institutions. tute/University etc) development of young research• The project team must comprise • -Rs. 5,000/- per day (all incluers of a Project Investigator from sive) for the junior researcher • Benefits of the proposed activIndia and Co-PI from at least 2 (PhD students and post docs) ities for the establishment of different ASEAN member coun- • The total grant as recommendresearch partnerships and insti-

Mr Dimas Adekhrisna, Science and Technology Division Sectoral Development Directorate, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Department ASEAN Secretariat | 70 A Jalan Sisingamangaraja | Jakarta 12110 Indonesia Tel. (62 21) 724-3372, 726-2991 Ext. 240 Fax(62 21) 739-8234, 724-3504 email- dimas [dot] adekhrisna [at] asean [dot] org In India Mr. R.K. Sharma, Scientist-E (Director Grade) International Multilateral & Regional Cooperation Division, R.No-18 D, Technology Bhavan, Department of Science & Technology (Govt of India) Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, NEW DELHI-110022 Tel: 011-26590560; 011-26537976, email: sharma_rk [at] nic [dot] in

APPLY ONLINE

ADMISSIONS

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Top 20 Biotech & Life Sciences Admissions 2019

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ist of Latest PhD Notifications for PhD Admissions in Life Sciences & Biotech is enlisted below along with their deadlines. Every M.Sc / M.Tech Biotech / Life Sciences Student must apply for these PhD admissions at premium institutes. Top 20 List of Biotech PhD Admissions, Life Science PhD Admissions 20192020 are listed below: 1. IISc Admission 2019 : PhD / M.Tech & Integrated PhD Programmes Applications are invited from eligible applicants for admissions to regular (1) Research Programmes [Ph D / M Tech (Research)] (2) Course Programmes [M Tech/M Des/M Mgt], (3) Integrated Ph D Programmes, and also to (4) Research (Ph D only) under External Registration Programmes.

Deadline: 25th March 2019 2. IBAB Admissions 2019 – MSc Biotechnology & Bioinformatics IBAB is a premier institute in India, set up with a mission to combine education, research & entrepreneurship.

Located on a sprawling 20-acre campus in the south of Bengaluru, the institute has state-of-the-art facilities for biotechnology & bioinformatics training.

Deadline: 23rd March 2019 3. PhD Admissions 2019-2020 @ GITAM – Applications Invited The notification and online portal is active at GITAM (deemed to be University) for PhD Admissions 201920. PhD Admissions (Full Time / Part-Time) – Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Food Science Technology, Microbiology.

Deadline: 25th March 2019 4. MSc & PhD Biotechnology Admissions 2019-2020 @ South Asian University The official notification for the MSc & PhD Biotechnology Admissions 2019-20 at South Asian University.

South Asian University Admissions 2019-2020. SAU MSc & PhD Biotechnology Admissions 2019-20.

Deadline: 29th March 2019

5. Govt of India, Dept of Atomic Energy – RRCAT Life Sciences PhD Programme 2019 Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore, was founded in 1984 by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for the pursuit of R&D in the areas of Accelerators, Lasers and related technologies.

Since then, the Centre has set up two Synchrotron Radiation Sources

Applications are invited from Indi- 14. PhD Biotechnology Admissions an citizens for admission to the PhD 2019-20 @ IIT Madras Deadline: 18th April 2019 program scheduled to commence from 26th July 2019 in the following PhD Biotechnology Admissions 6. JNCASR Research & Integrated schools of NISER, Bhubaneswar: 2019-2020 at IIT Madras notification PhD Programme Admissions 2019 is released. Application Portal for the PhD Biotechnology Admissions Deadline: 01st April 2019 The notification for the JNCASR 2019-2020 at IIT Madras has been Research & Integrated PhD Pro- 11. Research Scholars Program 2019 open. Intersted and eligible candigramme Admissions 2019 has been @ CDFD, Hyderabad dates are requested to check out all of released. Interested and eligible canthe details. didates can check out all of the details The CDFD (Center for DNA Finon the admissions, procedure, online gerprinting and Diagnostics), Hyder- Deadline: 31st March 2019 links, important dates and more abad, is a premier institute in the nation, which supplies services in DNA 15. IIT Delhi Admission PhD ProDeadline: 12th April 2019 Fingerprinting and Diagnostics and grammes 2019 – 2020 conducts basic research in the frontier 7. Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, regions of modern biology.

The award of the PhD degree is in PhD Admissions 2019 – MSc Life recognition of high achievements, inSciences Apply dependent research, and application Deadline: 15th April 2019 of scientific knowledge to the soluStudents are invited to join the Ph D 12. CCMB August 2019 PhD Pro- tion of technical and scientific probprogrammes of the Institute in Phys- gram – Apply Online lems. The creative and productive inics and Biophysical Sciences starting quiry is the basic concept underlying from 2019-20 Session.

Centre for Cellular and Molecular the research work.

Biology, Hyderabad, invites applicaDeadline: NA tions from applicants that are Indian Deadline: 30th October 2019 citizens, to pursue research in modern 8. PhD Life Sciences Admissions biology resulting in a PhD Degree. 16. IISER TVM PhD Admissions 2019 @ MACS-ARI, Pune The projects offered for PhD would August 2019 be in the broad Regions of Cell BiApplications are invited from Indi- ology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, IISER Thiruvananthapuram has a an nationals for the PhD programme Genomics, Developmental Biology, vibrant PhD Programme in the arein a variety of regions of life sciences Plant Molecular Biology. as of Biological Sciences, Chemical viz. Biodiversity and palaeobiology, Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Bioenergy, Bioprospecting, Devel- Deadline: 15th April 2019 Physical Sciences and Interdiscipliopmental biology, Genetics and plant nary areas. breeding, and Nanobiosciences.

13. IIT Roorkee PhD Biotechnology Admission Autumn Semester 2019� Deadline: NA Deadline: 12th April 2019 -20 17. Integrated PhD Admissions 2019 9. PhD Program Admissions 2019 @ The Degree of Doctor of philoso- IISER TVM IITB – Monash Research Academy phy is allowed for research work in regions recognized by the Academic Applications are invited from highApplications for the June 2019 In- Departments / Centres of this Insti- ly motivated students for admission take are now open. The last date for tute. The research work will be an to the integrated PhD programme submission of EOI forms is 20 March original work characterized either by (iPhD) starting from 1st August 2019 2019. the discovery of facts, or by a new ap- at the Indian Institute of Science Edproach towards the interpretation and ucation and Research ThiruvananDeadline: 20th March 2019 thapuram (IISER TVM) application of facts 10. NISER PhD Program Admission 2019-2020 (Summer Session)

Deadline: 25th March 2019

Deadline: 29th March 2019

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ADMISSIONS

18. PhD Programme Autumn 2019 Admissions @ IISER Kolkata Together with the dedicated high excellent teaching, the faculties of the Department of Biological Sciences of IISER Kolkata are actively engaged in solving varieties of research problems which range from basic sciences to applied sciences utilizing cutting edge technologies employing multidisciplinary approaches.

Deadline: 14th April 2019

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19. IISER Tirupati PhD Biology missions @ IISER Berhampur Program Admissions August 2019 Indian Institute of Science EducaIISER Tirupati invites applications tion and Research Berhampur invites from potential candidates for entrance applications from highly motivated into the PhD programme, August students for admission to the Ph.D. 2019. IISER Tirupati admits students programme beginning from July in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, 2019.

Mathematics, Physics and Earth & Climate Sciences and related interdis- Deadline: 30th April 2019 ciplinary Regions of research.

21.Integrated PhD Program AdmisDeadline: 15th April 2019 sions August 2019 @ IISER Tirupati 20.PhD Programme July 2019 Ad-

The integrated PhD (I-Ph. D.) pro-

gramme at IISER Tirupati is aimed for highly motivated students who wish to pursue a career in research.

Students with an outstanding academic record are able to apply for the I-Ph. D. programme upon completion of a bachelor’s degree in any branch of science.

Deadline: 30th April 2019

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

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Ministry of Railways Job 2019 For Life Science Candidates

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ujarat State Biotechnology Mission, Summer Internship 2019, Summer Internship Programme – 2019. Biotechnology Summer Internship Programme 2019 notification has been released. You can check out all of the details on the eligibility, duration of internship and the apply online link below: Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission Summer Internship 2019 Summer Internship Programme – 2019 1. Objective: To facilitate on-project Industrial training & capacity building of students pursuing B.E. (BT)/M.Sc. Biotechnology and allied areas of Biotechnology for one month.

2. Who can apply? i. M.Sc. Biotechnology and allied areas (First Year completed) ii. B.E. (BT) (Fourth and Sixth Semester completed) 3. Duration of Internship Programme: 1 Month, during Summer Vacation.

Most probable date of start of the summer internship is 01st May 2019.

4. Stipend to student: No stipend will be provided to the applicant student.

5. Training Support to the Trainer Companies: GSBTM will pay an amount of Rs. 2,500/- per student to the trainer companies 6. Method of Selection and allotment of applicants: All the applications received before the due date will be screened for eligibility. If found eligible, candidates will be invited for examination and/ or allotted companies based on merit and/or location. The decision of the selection process will be decided based on the number of applications, and the decision of the Mission Director, GSBTM, will be final and binding to all.

7. Syllabus for the Entrance Test: i. Biochemistry: Biomolecules-structure and functions; Biological membranes, structure, action potential and transport processes; Enzymes- classification, kinetics and mechanism of action; Basic concepts and designs of metabolism (carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleic acids) photosynthesis, respiration and electron transport chain; Bioenergetics pletion, Coding and Decoding, Blood ii. Microbiology: Viruses- structure Relation, Analogy and classification; Microbial classification and diversity (bacterial, algal Note: and fungal); Methods in microbiology; Microbial growth and nutrition; 1. For any query other than menAerobic and anaerobic respiration; tioned above, you can contact at gsNitrogen fixation; Microbial diseases btm.ibtp@gmail.com and host-pathogen interaction or can call at 079-23252197 (Ext. 67). iii. Cell Biology: Prokaryotic and 2. The decision taken from this ofeukaryotic cell structure; Cell cycle fice from time to time regarding this and cell growth control; Cell-Cell programme is binding to candidates. communication, Cell signalling and signal transduction Important Dates: iv. Molecular Biology and Genetics: Molecular structure of genes and chromosomes; Mutations and mutagenesis; Nucleic acid replication, transcription, translation and their regulatory mechanisms in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; Mendelian inheritance; Gene interaction; Complementation; Linkage, recombination and chromosome mapping; Extrachromosomal inheritance; Microbial genetics (plasmids, transformation, transduction, conjugation); Horizontal gene transfer and Transposable elements; RNA interference; DNA damage and repair; Chromosomal variation; Molecular basis of genetic diseases. v. Immunology: History of Immunology; Innate, humoral and cell-mediated immunity; Antigen; Antibody structure and function; Molecular basis of antibody diversity; Synthesis of antibody and secretion; Antigen-antibody reaction; Complement; Primary and secondary lymphoid organ; B and T cells and macrophages; Major histocompatibility complex (MHC); Antigen processing and presentation; Polyclonal and monoclonal antibody; Regulation of immune response; Immune tolerance; Hypersensitivity; Autoimmunity; Graft versus host reaction. vi. Logical Reasoning: Series Com-

• Application Start Date: 01st March 2019

• Last Date of Application 15th April 2019 • List of eligible candidates on GSBTM website – Will be intimated through Email to selected candidates.

• Last date for clarification about eligibility – Will be intimated through Email to selected candidates.

• Examination date – Will be intimated through Email to selected candidates.

• Joining Date in Industries – Will be intimated through Email to selected candidates.

REGISTER HERE

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VOICE OF BIOTECNIKA

March 19th, 2019 Vol. 03 NO 70

10 Scientifically Impossible Places That Actually Exists WEEKLY PODCAST

Episode 22 Our World is a stage of illusion and we just hallucinate in this stage but amidst this, the only reality we have is the most alluring gift- our NATURE! Hereby presenting another refreshing session of Biotecnika podcast – Voice of biotecnika.

Today’s podcast gonna be really interesting as we will discuss 10 Scientifically Impossible Places That Actually Exists. You might have heard about these places but have you ever figured out the scientific explanations behind it on why do these places exist. Tune in to the podcast below to know more.

Voice of Biotecnika by Priyanjana Ghosh