Volume 3 Issue 10 October 2015
Price Rs.100/-
IS CSIR Really Corrupt? uncover the truth with Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai ex CEO, CSIR TECH page
24
Editions Milestones
revisting BT sector in past 2 years
37
R UNCOVE UTH THE TR
Head transplantation initiative DR. SERGIO CANAVERO Exclusive Read in our Online Edition
Celebrating World Food Day
ebrating C el
By Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director, ABLE-AG
In conversation with
Mr. Kevin Munnelly
Years Of
biotecnika magazine
President & CEO, Gen9
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Page 2
From the
EDITOR
Shekhar Suman
Chief Editor
The journey had begun with a resolve to trim down the distance between bioscience industry and its community at least by an ounce. Call it stubbornness, perseverance or determination. Our objective was to bring-in news right from the gates of the industry. If we have appreciated the sector for its good at places, we also have questioned its credibility, when required. Being the voice of bio media, Biotecnika consistently efforted on presenting the facts, devoid fiction. After traversing this road for two years, and as we step into the third year of Biotecnika Magazine, the resolve just got stronger. Celebrating two years of the magazine’s successful journey, the many initiatives to promote the sector have just strengthened along the way. With this ideal on top of the list, Biotecnika once again highlights the needs which are to be looked upon from a common man’s perspective. Intents were noble but repercussions were lamentable. The saga of Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai concerning his report on CSIR has stormed the newsstands lately, questioning the democracy and integrity of the Indian scientific research structure. An accomplished Indian scientist who was amiably invited to adorn the country’s highest scientist post was within five months, hounded out of the country with an eviction order in hand! All he received in response to his fight was cold-shoulder from the system and its people. Dr. Shiva himself unfolds his story with Biotecnika magazine and uncovers the corruption hibernating at every level of Indian scientific research. Is it just CSIR that we need to be concerned about? Or are promises made by organizations for improving the scientific prowess in the country at fault? It is for the people to decide. As we move on, marking our second anniversary, we reminisced our journey with BT sector by unfurling the major highlights of the past 24 issues under the title “24 editions, 24 milestones”. It also features our unfaltering support to GM technology over the past two years. The edition becomes more special as it brings on board, Dr Sergio Canavero, the scientist who has initiated on the ground-breaking advent ‘human head transplant’. That’s not all, we also had a conversation with Mr. Kevin Munnelly, President & CEO, Gen9 (USA). As we close our 25th edition and move into the third year of magazine, we appreciate the immense support received from our readers, mentors and the industry. We at Biotecnika Magazine wish to encourage and support biotech sector and walk along to its zenith. We would be happy to receive your thoughts and feedback at editor@biotecnika.org. Happy reading! MANAGEMENT TEAM
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CONTENTS 24 Editions - 24 Milestones Revisiting the BT Sector in Past 2 Years
The Head Transplantation Initiative
> Bio News > Rasayanika Zone > Bio Events
23
28
28
Dr. Sergio Canavero
Top 8 Research Grants
44
For biotech aspirants
34
In Conversation With Dr. Kevin Munnely
44
President & CEO, Gen9
Celebrating World Food Day By Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director ABLE-AG
Digital India & its impact on healthcare
48 52
C O V E R F E AT U R E
37
Is CSIR really corrupt? Uncover the truth with Dr. VA Shiva Ayyadurai
71 57
Delivering Unfaltering Support to GM Technology
62
iit-kgpians enter igem
67
Guest Corner
71
57
Bomb detecting plants
Is polio staging a comeback?
Sneha Srivastva, New Delhi I am a research student from Delhi working in the Microbiology department. I have come across the news on biodiesel which is about to be introduced in New Delhi. I wonder if it would ever find its rightful place anytime soon. Dear Sneha. The need to opt for a pollution free environment is quite high and biofuel is one of the many solutions that science has to offer. The sale of biodiesel is on and GOI is making efforts to improve supply of blended bio-diesel fuel. So is Emami Agrotech. It is mere lack of awareness which is holding the country back. And we hope it finds its rightful purpose very soon.
LETTER OF THE MONTH
-Sanjeev Sharma, Mumbai I am Sanjeev Sharma, currently working in a biotech firm in Mumbai. The story on DNA Profiling in September issue was intriguing. Though the idea of DNA profiling and making of a database appears to be a brilliant concept as the same could be used in the case of emergencies and crime solving, there seem to be discrepancies as well. While there is still ambiguity on the finances available, maintenance and security issues, and lack of proper governing bodies, maybe India is not ready to take on such big responsibility yet. The Bill seems to be quite controversial in its current form and needs immediate reformation if we want it to be passed as a Bill.
Kapish KM, Hyderabad It was quite interesting to read on super human genes in September edition of the magazine. How often would you find someone with such extraordinary capabilities? Dear Kapish. Human genes which special attributes are a rare find. There are hardly a few hundreds around the world with such special capabilities. And trying to make some useful therapies out of their super human abilities are drug companies like Genentech and Amgen, who are studying rare gene mutations to design drugs for pain and osteoporosis.
Praveen, Bangalore I am a biotech professional looking out to move into IT services and cloud computing is of my interest. It is interesting to know that Thermo Fisher has started a center and is looking for people with skills in both IT & Science. Dear Praveen. The Technology Development Center by Thermo Fisher Scientific will serve as an extension of Thermo Fisher’s information technology team while enhancing its responsiveness to the needs of customers worldwide. TDC is planning to expand to more than 250 employees over the next year. So good luck with your future endeavours.
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“Gene signature”
BIO NEWS
Predicting Alzheimer way before it strikes
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The discovery provides the first robust molecular ‘signature’ of biological age in humans James Timmons King’s College London, UK
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highly intimidating condition, Alzheimer’s, if can be detected years before its onset, would be highly helpful. Efforting on the same lines are a team of researchers, who have developed a 'gene signature' that can be used to predict the occurrence of Alzheimer's years in advance.
ments,” he added.
The study was based on defining a set of genes associated with 'healthy ageing' in 65 year olds and the profile which could be useful for identifying people at earlier risk of age-related diseases.
Timmons added that this is the first blood test of its kind that has shown that the same set of molecules are regulated in both the blood and the brain regions associated with dementia and it can help contribute to a dementia diagnosis. He said that this also provides strong evidence that dementia in humans could be called a type of 'accelerated ageing' or 'failure to activate the healthy ageing program.'
Lead author James Timmons, from King's College London, UK, said, “The discovery provides the first robust molecular ‘signature’ of biological age in humans and should be able to transform the way that ‘age’ is used to make medical decisions.” “This includes identifying those more likely to be at risk of Alzheimer's, as catching those at 'early' risk is key to evaluating potential treatmag.biotecnika.org
The researchers demonstrated that patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease had an altered 'healthy ageing' RNA signature in their blood, and therefore a lower healthy age gene score, suggesting significant association with the disease.
The team says that their 'healthy age gene score' could be integrated to help decide which middle-aged subjects could be offered entry into a preventative clinical trial many years before the clinical expression of Alzheimer's.
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Homo naledi
the new member of human family tree!
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creature with a surprising mix of human-like characteristics, mostly primitive, was discovered in the deep dark caves of South Africa which has lead scientists to believe that a new member of the human family tree has been discovered. Though it was called “bizarre” by a few experts, the discovery provides information on a few mysteries. It is still not claimed that this discovery can be given the credit of ‘immediate precursor of human species’.
Rick Potts, director of the human origins program at the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural History Museum, who was not involved in the discovery, said that without an age, “there’s no way we can judge the evolutionary significance of this find.’’
Researchers call the creature Homo naledi, reflecting the “Homo’’ evolutionary group, which includes modern people and our closest extinct relatives, uncovered in the Rising Star cave system. The creature is noted to have mixed characteristics of the modern human and ape-like ancestors.
A mystery dwelling around the discovery is how they got into the difficult-to-reach area of the cave. The researchers said they suspect the naledi may have repeatedly deposited their dead in the room, but alternatively it may have been a death trap for individuals that found their own way in.
Lee Berger, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg who led the work, said, “Naledi’s anatomy suggest that it arose at or near the root of the Homo group, which would make the species some 2.5 million to 2.8 million years old. The discovered bones themselves may be younger, he said.”
“This stuff is like a Sherlock Holmes mystery,’’ declared Bernard Wood of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., who was not involved in the study.
The researchers say they were unable to determine an age for the fossils because of unusual characteristics of the site, but that they are still trying.
Eric Delson of Lehman College in New York, who also wasn’t involved with the work, said his guess is that naledi fits within a known group of early Homo creatures from around 2 million year ago.
Potts said a deliberate disposal of dead bodies is a feasible explanation, but he added it’s not clear who did the disposing. Maybe it was some human relative other than naledi, he said. Not every expert agrees that the discovery revealed a new species. PC: Mark Thiessen/National Geographic/AFP
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World’s first
HEAD TRANSPLANT
by Chinese & Italian researchers
I
n what may come as a complete awe for the medical world, Chinese and Italian transplant specialists are headed towards conducting the world’s first human head transplant on a Russian computer scientist. The transplantation success is aimed towards curing incurable medical conditions which in the past could not be dealt with. The surgery would be conducted by the Italian surgeon Sergio Canavero along with Chinese surgeon Ren Xiaoping at a hospital affiliated to Harbin Medical University to carry out the operation.
A successful head transplant would “change the course of human history by curing incurable medical conditions,” said Canavero. The first successful head transplant was witnessed in 2013 by successfully transplanting the head of a mouse to another’s body. His team has since then performed nearly 1,000 head transplants on mice. Following a success in mice, he had announced performing the operation on primates earlier this year. They have tested various methods to help the mice live longer after surgery, hitting a survival record of one day, the report said. The research team has identified a 30-year-old Russian computer scientist with muscular dystrophy as the first patient. The scientists however fear the technical difficulties associated with linking the nervous system, blood vessels and spinal cord in order to prevent the body rejecting the head. Apart from dealing with the technical difficulties, the researchers have to work on designing special equipment, instruments and surgical methods. The world’s first ever head transplant was performed in the year 1970 when American neurosurgeon Robert White transplanted the head of monkey onto the body of another. The monkey died after several days when the transplant was rejected. Wang Yifang, a medical ethics expert with the Institute of Medical Humanities at Peking University, believes there are stricter ethical evaluations that need to take place when it comes to humans. “Even if it becomes possible, using a donor’s body, whose healthy organs can help several people, on just a single person might not be fair. Also where can donors be found?” Ren hopes such experiments might help people with spinal cord injuries, cancer or muscular dystrophy in the future. He further added that after initial opposition to head transplantation, they are now being accepted by the scientific community as a promising treatment methodology.
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Boosting cognitive abilities using “SMART PILL”
H
ow embarrassing would falling asleep at work or in a meeting would be! Dozing off at inappropriate times and places is a medical condition called narcolepsy and to combat with these weird sleeping patterns, in 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had nodded for the drug modafinil for it’s treatment.
In the years since, modafinil has become popular for another, off-label use, which is to boost a person’s cognitive abilities, something that has not been thoroughly studied by scientists. Revisiting the same story, a team of researchers have recently reviewed the study behind modafinil, its effect and importance, to find out that it does increase a number of important activities in the brain. Scientists still not sure on its working though past research states that the drug increases the levels of the neurotransmitters histamine and orexin, both of which regulate sleep and wake cycles. It also elevates levels of serotonin (which affects mood) and glutamate (which helps to excite brain cells). These chemical changes make modafinil effective at treating narcolepsy, but it also has some unintended effects on other brain functions. Modafinil has the side effect of making the patient more attentive, a better learner, and more adept at “higher level” tasks that involve executive function and require inputs from several simpler brain functions. After reviewing studies on modafinil’s effects on cognition, scientists found that it indeed provide a boost in tasks that require planning and decision making, flexibility, learning and memory, and creativity. With very few serious side effects to mention the drug was fit to be called a “smart pill.” Though researchers point out that these findings do not indicate that modafinil can be approved as a cognitive enhancement drug, the decision is up to government regulatory bodies like the FDA. But their conclusions may encourage modafinil’s manufacturer to apply for the drug’s prescription for this use. They also note that any cognitive enhancement comes with “ethical considerations” that would be important to explore in future studies.
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Cloned calf to enhance
MILK PRODUCTION A success by Indian scientists
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loning has always been looked up as a gateway to leading edge innovations in science. While India battles with the scarcity in milk production, the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) had cloned the world’s first buffalo in 2009, and repeated the experiment over the years. The demand has always been high and is estimated to touch 200 million tons by 2021. With such high demand on the line, it gets imperative to adopt cloning as a strategy to up the population of buffaloes. Since 2009, post repeated cloning experiments after the world’s first cloned buffalo, 11th such calf, named Swarupa was born recently, using an advanced “hand-guided cloning technique”. Scientists had used a donor cell from the ear of an adult buffalo named Karan Kirti to facilitate the faster multiplication of elite germplasm. This process may go a long way in increasing the number of superior milch buffaloes in India. As India is home to more than 56% of the world’s buffalo population and most of them being low milk yielding variety, there is a need to ensure constant supply based on the rising demand. Though three of the 11 calves cloned at the NDRI died, the remaining offer enough reasons to celebrate the success. Of the eight remaining, three are bulls. The cloning of a female buffalo and its distri-
mag.biotecnika.org
bution among farmers is a long-drawn process. “We are right now concentrating on cloned bulls as their semen can multiply the number of high-yielding buffalos much faster,” says NDRI director A K Srivastava. “Our focus is at present on multiplying elite semen producing bulls. The cloning technology will decrease the demand-supply gap by breeding bulls in the shortest possible time. At present, the country is short of 70 million doses of semen. We tested the semen of clone bulls and the result has been quite encouraging,” says NDRI director A K Srivastava. Detailing on the “hand-guided cloning technique”, developed at the NDRI, it is an advanced modification of the conventional cloning technique. In this, immature oocytes are isolated from the ovaries and matured in vitro. These are then denuded and treated with an enzyme to digest the outer layer of oocytes, the zona pellucida. The oocytes were then treated with chemicals to push their genetic material to one side. This protruded side was then cut off with the help of a hand-held fine blade to remove the original genetic material of the oocyte. It was then electro-fused with a single cell taken from a colony of embryonic stem cells. The resulting embryos were cultured and grown in the laboratory for seven days to develop them to the stage of a blastocyst. The blastocysts are then transferred to recipient buffaloes, resulting in the making of cloned calf consequently. Page 12
VELCRO TISSUE
to help repair damaged hearts!
H
eart could heal faster now as the researchers from University of Toronto have made assembling functional heart tissue easier by creating a biocompatible scaffold that allows sheets of beating heart cells to snap together just like “Velcro”. “One of the main advantages is the ease of use,” said biomedical engineer professor Milica Radisic from the University of Toronto who led the project.
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“We can build larger tissue structures immediately before they are needed, and disassemble them just as easily. I don’t know of any other technique that gives this ability,” Radisic said. Two years ago, Radisic and her team invented the Biowire, in which heart cells grew around a silk suture, imitating the way real muscle fibres grow in the heart. We can build larger tissue structures immediately before they are needed, and disassemble them just as easily. I don’t know of any other technique that gives this ability. Milica Radisic University of Toronto
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The study which was published in the journal Science Advance described the usage of special polymer called POMaC to create a 2D mesh for the cells to grow around. It somewhat resembles a honeycomb in shape, except that the holes are not symmetrical, but rather wider in one direction than in another. Critically, this provides a template that causes the cells to line up together. On stimulation with electric current, the heart muscle cells contract together, causing the flexible polymer to bend. Next thing that researchers did was to bond T-shaped posts on top of the honeycomb. When a second sheet is placed above, these posts act like tiny hooks, poking through the holes of honeycomb and clicking into place. The concept is the same as the plastic hooks and loops of Velcro, which itself is based on the burrs that plants use to hitch their seeds to passing animals. The team has created layered tissues up to three sheets thick in a variety of configurations, including tiny checkerboards. The ultimate goal of the project is to create artificial tissue that could be used to repair damaged hearts. Page 13
RASAYANIKA ZONE SANOFI TEAMS UP WITH GOOGLE TO DEAL WITH DIABETES
S
anofi, French pharmaceutical firm has taken a major leap in joining the tech giant Google’s unleashed healthcare division in hopes of developing new technologies that would help manage diabetes. Sanofi and Google Life Sciences, the new Google Alphabet Standalone division, established some time ago, would be pooling their expertise in science and tech to work on more integrated ways to collect analyze and understand information. As a part of agreement Sanofi would bring its expertise in crafting treatments for the disease, including the world’s top-selling insulin, to Google’s nascent life science operations. For Google this is the second deal with a life science major after Novartis which was announced last year. Like this deal, the last one was also diabetes-oriented which involved contact lenses that could monitor glucose.
help patients achieve an improved quality of life.” With the collaboration, the companies aim on improving care and outcomes for patients suffering from type I and type II diabetes. It would enable pairing of Sanofi’s treatments and devices with Google’s analytics, miniaturized electronics and low-power chips. They would work towards developing new tools to improve patient care and develop new treatments that combine blood glucose and haemoglobin A1c level indicators, patient-centric information, medication routines and sensor devices. The combination of technology, sensors, analytics and digital applications would improve how blood sugars are managed hence delivering a better quality of life that lowers complications and reduces the costs and treatment barriers.
“With new technologies emerging to provide a more continuous and real-time view of a patient’s health, we can see the promise for more proactive and effective ways to control diabetes,” Google life sciences CEO Andy Conrad said in a statement. “Together with Sanofi, we believe diabetes management can be simpler and more convenient, which may
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STAKES OFF ITS AMERICAN BUSINESS TO FOR $550 MILLION
H
yderabad based Hetero Drugs’ American business is being bought up by India’s third largest drug firm Cipla as it aims to expand its fledgling presence in the world’s biggest pharma market. Cipla will buy Invagen and Camber, Hetero’s wholly owned subsidiary, for about $550 million. “As a pharmaceutical company, we are constantly in discussions with multiple parties on potential collaboration opportunities — in line with our aspiration to drive access and ensure availability of high-quality, affordable medicines” said a spokesperson from Cipla. Cipla had earlier tried to set a foot in the UW which could not be a success after it lost out to Lannett in the race to buy Kremers Urban, the generics business of Belgian drug-maker UCB. With the purchase of Invagen and Camber, Cipla would get access to manufacturing facility and approvals to treat a variety of illness ranging from HIV, hypertension to heart diseases and depression drugs. It would get access to manufacturing facility in the US and a front end and ready made set of products. Hetero received a boost recently when it secured the approval to make aripiprazole, a blockbuster drug used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
INAUGURATES THE BIOSIMILAR TREND IN THE US WITH ITS FIRST LAUNCH!
N
ovartis has kicked off an all new era in the US medicine with the launch of the first “biosimilar” copy of a biotechnology drug approved in the United States, following a green light from a US appeals court at a discount of 15 percent of the original. Zarxio, Novartis’ version of Amgen’s white blood cell-boosting product Neupogen is aimed at increasing the access to an important treatment by offering a “high-quality, more affordable version”. Though there were minor hitches of Amgen trying to stop the sale of Zarxio, it was soon overcome when Washington-based appeals court rejected its attempt to block the launch. Biosimilars have been in other markets since long but the US regulatory pathway for biosimilars, which are made in living cells and can never be exact replicas of originals, was only established by a healthcare reform in 2010. Biosimilar market is a threat to companies which are heavily reliant on biotech drugs such as Amgen, AbbVie and Roche. Analysts have predicted at least $110 billion of value from innovator companies to copycat producers in the next decade. Neupogen is a $1.2 billion-a-year medicine for Amgen that boosts white blood cell counts to fight infections in cancer patients. Novartis did not immediately announce the price it would charge for Zarxio in the United States. Page 15
India-based Leucine Rich Bio & DiaDome enters Partnership
L
eucine Rich Bio and DiaDome have announced that they have entered into a partnership designed to be mutually beneficial in promoting both organizations in the field of medical diagnostics. Leucine Rich Bio is based in Bangalore, India and its main area of focus is a niche domain of human genome interpretation. The team behind Leucine Rich Bio uses advances in the areas of computer and information science, data management, statistics and systems biology to solve complex problems in genomics. They envision using cutting edge big data approaches along with machine learning algorithms to delve deeper into the understanding of the human genome and to develop novel solutions to drug discovery. “It is the innovative attitude of Leucine Rich Bio’s team and the organization’s modern approaches to their field what made it stand out for DiaDome. Our network is a platform friendly to new ideas that depart from conventions. That is why we believe the alliance with Leucine Rich Bio makes sense and it gives us great satisfaction to be promoting their products and services using tools available to us as
a social network” said Sigrid Passig, the CEO and founder of DiaDome. “It is a pleasure to partner with Diadome. Both our organizations are unique in their offering and we see a huge benefit to propagating our products and services through Diadome’s network” said Dr Debojyoti Dhar, Director (Business Development and Innovation) at Leucine Rich Bio Pvt Ltd. In return DiaDome will be promoted by Leucine Rich Bio in their day to day business. Leucine Rich Bio will use their network of contacts to supply DiaDome with new members and encourage their contacts to register and support DiaDome. DiaDome strives to be the go-to tool for today’s diagnostic community, where anybody from a laboratory technician to a production specialist to a hospital director can reap the benefits of belonging to a worldwide network of diagnostic experts. With that in mind, Leucine Rich Bio will promote DiaDome within their diagnostic circles. Both organizations are confident that this affinity will result in a mutually rewarding coalition.
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It is a pleasure to partner with Diadome. Both our organizations are unique in their offering and we see a huge benefit to propagating our products and services through Diadome’s network. - Dr Debojyoti Dhar Director, Business Development & Innovation, Leucine Rich Bio
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Government sets out rules for ANTIBIOTICS PRESCRIPTION ...to fight drug resistance
T
he unmonitored and uncontrolled use of antibiotics has every reason to worry as it has paralyzed the world of medicines by creating the biggest villains of all times- super bugs. With an increase in its usage by over 62% in the past decade in India alone, the over exploitation of antibiotics could be witnessed clearly.
To curb the same and bring down the wraths of super bugs, the Government of India may soon issue restrictions on prescription and sale of commonly used antibiotics. It would come as a major step to avoid development of drug resistance to infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, urinary tract infection and even HIV. The doctors and chemists will have to follow certain mandatory protocols and guidelines while prescribing antibiotics. This move would come as a major step to fight with antibiotic resistance and has been adopted by all member countries of the World Health Organization. The resolution passed at the Assembly, which is the highest decision making body of the UN agency, asked countries to frame plans by May 2017 and align them with WHO’s global strategy. “India is ready with the standard treatment protocol,” said Rajesh Bhatia, chief scientific advisor to the regional director, WHO SEARO. “The health ministry, along with central drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India, has already framed standard treatment guidelines, which will be notified very soon”, he said. The guidelines are aimed at presenting blueprint of specific norms for doctors, chemists and patients. India which is currently dealing with increasing threat from antibiotic resistance, currently numbers to around 700,000 deaths due to drug resistance. In India, an additional two million lives can be lost by 2050 due to drug resistance. WHO’s global plan is also set out to establish five key objectives- improve awareness and understanding of anti-microbial resistance, strengthen surveillance and research, reduce incidence of infection, optimize use of anti-microbial medicines, and ensure sustainable investment in countering antimicrobial resistance.
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The health ministry, along with central drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India, has already framed standard treatment guidelines, which will be notified very soon. Rajesh Bhatia, Chief Scientific Advisor, WHO SEARO
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ajesh Bhatia, chief scientific advisor to the regional director, WHO SEARO
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Generic drug industry to be $27.9 bn market by 2020
A
recent study projected the domestic generic drug market to touch $27.9 billion by 2020 from the current $13.1 billion owing to the USFDA approvals to Indian pharma firms and many drugs losing their patent status.
According to a study by industry body Assocham and market research firm RNCOS, generics would account for 85 per cent share in the domestic pharma market by 2020, fuelled by cheap labour, patent cliff of blockbuster drugs and prevalence of lifestyle diseases. The sector is likely to benefit from USFDA approvals to Indian pharma firms as 21 drugs lose patent status by 2019, it said. The generic drug market accounts 75% of the domestic pharmaceutical market by value. Drugs for cholesterol control, pain management, anti-coagulant, respiratory problems, liver disorders, depression and lipid regulators are highly prevalent in the global market. For instance, Sun Pharma got USFDA nod to manufacture generic hydocodone bitartate with acetaminophen (APAP) tablets. It is a narcotic analgesic indicated in the treatment of moderate to severe pain of acute, chronic, or post-operative types, the study pointed out. Other generic drug makers targeting international markets are Lupin and Dr. Reddy’s. “With key initiatives announced by the Modi Government to include price control policies and the revision of Jan Aushadhi campaign, the market is likely to show a notable incline in the penetration of unbranded drugs,” Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.
India ranks fourth in pharmaceutical production in the world with an output of about $31 billion in 2014. It exports drugs to more than 200 countries.
The overall domestic pharma market was valued at $15.4 billion in 2014 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 13.3 per cent to $32.7 billion by 2020, the study noted. Americas (US and South America), Europe, China, Japan and Africa are the major export markets for the country’s pharmaceutical products. The US accounts for over 28% of exports from India followed by European Union (18%) and Africa (17%). India ranks fourth in pharmaceutical production in the world with an output of about $31 billion in 2014. The country has a 1.4 per cent share by value and 10 per cent by volume in the global pharma industry. It exports drugs to more than 200 countries.
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YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR PRIORITY
CSIR NET Coaching
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What is the European Antibody Congress? • Develop your production by learning about innovative new platforms and technologies • Hear industry leader’s views on the clinical and commercial future of antibodies and how this might affect your business. • Learn about the latest discoveries and developments in the production of new antibody drugs. • Network wit
Why get involved? Do you need to meet mAb, ADC, multi format and next generation technology decision makers,
If so we have a room full from large and mid cap pharma, large and SME biotech, academic and research institutes, government bodies and regulatory boards.
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Speak to a room full of Antibody experts Host a roundtable and meet your customers Take advantage of 1-2-1 partnering Let us generate sales leads pre-event Hundreds of private meetings arranged
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Venue: Congress Center Basel, Messeplatz 21, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
BIOEVENTS
upcoming events from the industry mag.biotecnika.org
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on act
rd
3 International Plant Physiology Congress (IPPCongress-2015) Challenges and Strategies in Plant Biology Research
December 11-14, 2015 Convention Centre, JNU New Delhi, India
on
Organizers
0 0 0 1958
Indian Society for Plant Physiology Jawaharlal Nehru University National Institute of Plant Genome Research
Sponsors
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Email: ippc2015@jnu.ac.in; Website: www.ippcongress.in
BUILDING VALUE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS BIO-Europe® is Europe's largest partnering conference serving the global biotechnology industry. The conference annually attracts leading dealmakers from biotech, pharma and finance along with the most exciting emerging companies. Produced with the support of BIO, it is regarded as a “must attend” event for the biotech industry. Featuring EBD Group's sophisticated, web-based partnering system, partneringONE®, the event enables delegates to efficiently identify, meet and get partnerships started with companies across the life science value chain, from large biotech and pharma companies to financiers and innovative start-ups.
BIO-EUROPE FEATURES One-to-one partnering meetings; Sessions; Company Presentations; Exhibition
WHO WILL YOU MEET? BIO-Europe plays host to executives from: Established and emerging biotech companies Pharmaceutical companies Academic innovators Private investors including venture capital and private equity Companies developing companion diagnostics Other industry related service companies
VENUE International Congress Center (ICM) Messe Muenchen GmbH, Fairgrounds, 81823 Munich, Germany
Anniversary Special
24 Editions 24 Milestones
O
Revisiting the biotech sector in past 2 years
ne more year crosses the finishing line! And it marks the second anniversary of Biotecnika magazine the idea of which was conceived in July 2013. With hopes unlimited and efforts uncounted we came live with our first issue in October 2013. And since then with the grace of God and the overwhelming support from our audience, we have been able to take off and attain greater heights with every coming edition. As any start-up magazine would, we had our initial phase of glitches such as mustering an efficient manpower, funds and finally the execution of the plan. Amidst these obstacles what kept us motivating was the idea to pursue further and bring the best of the biotech industry to its audience. An unspoken trust on our ideas and unquestioned support from the industry and readers kept us moving. And a steeply growing subscriber base has only added to the confidence to keep going. While the making of every issue of the magazine in itself is a memory to be revered, on the second anniversary special we revisit the journey so far by collating 24 milestones in the past 24 editions that Biotecnika has come up with. Let’s have a glimpse:
October 2013
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BRAI BILL issues and challenges in the context of india
The journey of Biotecnika magazine began after much wait and perseverance in October 2013. While the industry was swirling around with a lot of issues, handpicking a few of them for our debut edition was a big challenge. While the debut issue was honoured by Ms. Anu Acharya, CEO, Ocimum Biosolution, other stories such as BRAI Bill were a great add on.
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#1 Page 23
#2 #3
November 2013
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What could be more fascinating than having a choice to design your own baby? This advancement of biotech sector was celebrated by featuring Designer Baby, a hope to design the babies for perfection.
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With talks on Bio entrepreneurship and the ideas to reboot biotech sector, this issue was reloaded with freshness and hope to strive in biotech sector.
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Top 15 upcoming innova-
tions to marvel the biotech industry
To mark the beginning of a new year, we decided to give a hopeful start by listing out 15 outstanding innovations that the biotech industry is slated to witness.
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#5
February 2014
Emerging Asia
The theme for this edition was crafted out to be suited for the event BioAsia. It marked various accomplishments that Asia had celebrated in the past and also listed the upcoming events that would make Asia proud with respect to biotech.
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Biotechnology never fails to awe you and one of its biggest accomplishments has been the concept of bio-printing. To be able to print your intricate body parts in complete authenticity does sound biopromise of the future!
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March 2014
Bioasia 2014 coverage
Biotecnika staged the coverage of one of the largest events of Biotech sector- BioAsia which was hosted in the city of Hyderabad. It gave us a chance to explore and cover the entire event and also grow our connections worldwide.
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Biopromise of the future- Bioprinting
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#6
#7
April 2014
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#8
May 2014
Dr. Thomas Sudoff, Nobel Prize Laureate
What could be more inspiring than a Nobel Prize Laureate himself praising the work we do! This issue brought in a lot of confidence and boost as Dr. Thomas Sudhof, Nobel Prize winner in Medicine in 2013 interacted with Biotecnika magazine!
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January 2014
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#4
Designer Baby
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Reboot Biotech Bio entrepreneurship special
December 2013
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July 2014
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#9
Is biotech industry facing media bias?
#10
Is BT academia going the right way?
To report the news correctly and in full authenticity is the work of media. But is media righteously fulfilling its duty or is it being biased towards important issues? Whether the media is worth our belief or are manipulating our views is what June cover focused on!
A lot has been said about the short falling in biotech academics and the dearth that sector faces in providing adequate in-hand training to its students. This issue covered a complete analysis on the biotech academia and if it is going the right way
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September 2014 September 2014
#12 #12
ctober2014 2014 OOctober
#13
November 2014
#14
December 2014
#15
August 2014
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#11
Did Modi’s budget quench the thirst of BT sector?
India came in for a major reprising moment when Modi was elected as the PM. While the public had a hopeful eye for bringing a major change in all the verticals, we analyzed what Modi’s budget had in store for the BT sector.
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Ebola Pandemic
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June 2014
A major portion of the globe was trapped under the wraths of Ebola. This issue featured if biotech would churn out a remedy soon! IT majors backing BT sector...
With this issue we marked the first anniversary tag. Cover celebrated the fact that biotech sector is receiving backing up from the IT majors bringing a ray of hope for the industry. Make in India-A stylish attempt to attract investments to BT sector?
Following many stints that Modi had taken following his takeover as PM, Make in India is one attempt to foster investments in the country. We tried to analyze what it holds for the BT sector, apart from holding promise on investments. GM crops- Promotion vs. Relegation
While GM technology has been doing the rounds since a long time, its acceptance has not been quite friendly. Only a few organizations and countries have bestowed faith towards the technology. Promotion vs Relegation has been the inevitable tug of war with GM crops and this issue covered the same. Salary special: Who pays you best in biotech sector
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January 2015
Who doesn’t believe BT sector to be one of the most challenging fields given the problems such as lack of investments or the inconsonant salaries. Amidst the rife, this issue tried to pick those jobs in the sector that pay you the best!
Interviewing Lupin CFO
This issue brought a new high when one of the largest pharma firms in the country, Lupin interacted with us. Special thanks to Ramesh Swaminathan, CFO, Lupin for his time and support extended for the same. #18
This issue covered the exceptional work by Apply Inc. to initiate ResearchKit which comprise a set of apps that promises to make the detection and diagnosis of severe diseases much easy!
April 2015
Apple research kit= big hit?
March 2015
Bioasia coverage 2015
This issue marked the second year of media partnership with BioAsia which came out much bigger and successful than the previous year. With delegates from all across the globe, it provides the perfect platform for biotech biggies to connect and explore business opportunities. #19
February 2015
#17
#24 September 2015
#21 June 2015
#22 July 2015
#20
#23 August 2015
May 2015
DNA Profiling Bill 2015 Human embryo gene editing
Top 10 GM supporting countries
GM yet again! While the technology is not totally acceptable, there are countries who swear by the technology. We had 10 such GM supporting countries in this issue. mag.biotecnika.org
Scientific community was taken for a surprise as well as agitation when Chinese scientists attempted to edit the genes of non viable human embryo. Though their intentions were unadulterated, ethical concerns flew from every corner.
It’s time to prosecute anti GMO NGOs
This issue raised a question if it’s the time to prosecute anti GMO organizations that opt for every possible practise to malign it. We stand high with our unfaltering support the technology which promises to support the mankind at the time of emergency.
Maggi: Silent Killer brand or silently killed
The lives of millions of people came to a standstill when FSSAI banned the sale of their favourite instant food- Nestle Maggi! Amidst the blame game of negligence and concealing facts, Nestle suffered. It was hands down the best seller issue!
The squabbling around DNA Profiling bill was the highlight. Though it promises an easy way out to crime detection and control, not everybody is convinced with the idea. “Superhuman genes,” are those special quality genes possessed by a few & are aimed to design drugs like never before! Page 26
MAGAZINE
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Man behind the first
human head transplant An Exclusive with Dr Sergio Canavero
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transplant neurosurgeon, who confidently believes that the so-called impractical and unattainable task of human head transplant can be accomplished, paving way to curing many of the daunting medical disorders across the globe, is Dr. Sergio Canavero. Prof Canavero is currently serving as the Director of Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group and has for the past 30 years focused on making the first head transplant possible. While the concept of head transplant, in a way, had entered the medical arena through the experiments of Charles Claude Guthrie, Vladimir Demikhov and Robert J. White, they had unfortunately not succeeded in taking the idea further implementing it in humans. Professor Canavero, who was inspired by Dr White’s work, had begun his very early research during med school itself. The Italian mastermind, who has also introduced surgical cortical brain stimulation for Parkinson disease, the vegetative state and stroke recovery, has over 100 peer reviewed publications and several books to his credit including Head Transplantation and the Quest for Immortality. With a firm determination to successfully conduct his first human head transplantation experiment, scheduled for December 2017, he joined hands with Dr Ren Xiaoping of China. The man who volunteered for the procedure is 30-year-old Russian Valery Spiridonov, who suffers from the extremely rare, progressive Werdnig-Hoffmann disease. There is a storm of questions which comes from media and the medical experts such as what are the challenges to conduct the surgery, would there be ethical concerns, what would be the consequences of the surgery and much more. Let’s hear from the man behind ‘head transplantation,’ Dr. Sergio Canavero himself.
I have waited for 30 years to announce this as I wanted to do it only when I was prepared to meet all sorts of oppositions that I knew would come
Q. Russians have created a two headed dog. Dr. White performed a head transplant on monkey a while ago. What’s different about yours?
A. Russians back then did not make a head transplant but they added a new head to the dog. With his experiment Dr. White wanted to prove that a head could be transplanted onto another body and could survive. A monkey survived for several days. As it has been written over and over, this monkey did not die of immune rejection but was euthanized because it was paralyzed. Professor White with his experiments proved that a brain could survive being detached from the body under deep hypothermia and be re-attached onto a new body. I and Dr. Ren Xiaping, who had transplanted the head of a mouse onto the body of another mouse earlier this year, are gearing up towards the first head transplant. We have started workmag.biotecnika.org
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I have waited for thirty years to announce this (head transplant) as I wanted to do it only when all the elements panned out, all factors sorted out and when I was prepared to meet all sorts of opposition that I knew would come.
ing on a protocol that will lead us towards the first head transplantation. That being said, our protocol to make this true is actually totally different from what has been attempted in the past except for hypothermia part. You can also read further details in the book which will be released shortly (Canavero, Rosati. Il Cervello Immortale. Milano: Sperling & Kupfer, 2015) Q. Can you tell us more about how this head transplant surgery would be done? A. The operating suit will have a donor and the recipient. The distance between the beds will be limited to no more than 2.5 meters. So we will all be in the same room. What does that mean? You can detach your head and count on a watch how many seconds does it take for your head to be translated mechanically on another body. You will see that it takes seconds to mechanically transfer a head. The brain will receive the blood flow from the body until the last moment and it’s only when everything is ready that the arteries, vessels and the spinal cord will be severed as the last step of the procedure before transplant. So imagine now your head is being cut except for the blood supply in the spinal cord. At this time silicon tubes will be re-attached to the vascular supply of body donor and we expect blood flow to be re-installed in no more than 20 minutes. Brain would be deep freezed at up to 15 degree Celsius for no more than one hour which is more than enough. Q. How difficult was it to convince others with the idea of head transplant? Could you tell us about your association with Dr. Ren Xiaping.
A Unfortunately at the Annapolis conference in June 2015 no one knew what I was talking about- the pivotal grey matter motor sensory transmission pathway, spinal cord stimulation, polymers, nothing at all. For me it was a big surprise. I have been in this field for 30 years and all the technologies involved in the procedure come from different fields so to find someone with a complete knowledge of everything was impossible. mag.biotecnika.org
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I am happy that Dr. Ren Xiaping and I have combined our forces. He is an expert in microsurgery and that is very good for the peripheral nerves. He did the first mouse head transplantation. So right now there are the only two guys on planet earth who know how to do that and we have the expertise. Q. What was the inspiration behind opting something as complicated and controversial as head transplantation?
A. My inspiration has been Professor White. When I was a kid I read about him for the first time and now I am 50 and for the past 30 years I have been in this field. I started working seriously on this in my first and second years of medical school at a time when I was an intern at the Institute of Anatomy and studied Neuro-regeneration. It has been a long time since then. Professor White had wanted to save a friend dying from cancer and he had said the only way to do that was to give him a new body. That was pretty much inspirational. Q. How long did it take to devise the procedure for head transplant?
A. It took me three decades to figure it all out. I have waited for thirty years to announce this as I wanted to do it only when all the elements panned out, all factors sorted out and when I was prepared to meet all sorts of opposition that I knew would come. Q. How do you react to the critics and the ethical questions around head transplant?
A. I had expected every kind of opposition against it. It comes naturally and it does not bother me. And I am thankful to Valery Spiridonov, the patient to have come to Annapolis, USA, in June. He suffers from Werd-
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nig Hoffman’s disease and for him it has been a journey to hell. When people were raising questions about ethics, the reply came from Valery and he said okay no problem! Let’s trade places, you stay in my body for the rest of your life and I get your body. The response to this was complete silence. Everyone is good at spilling out truths but when it comes to do the right thing everybody observes a religious silence. Q. How did you find the volunteer for your experiment? Had he approached himself to volunteer?
A. Yes. The Russians have a long tradition in the field of head transplantation, as I said. So it is gratifying that first volunteer was Valery Spiridonov, a Russian. I have many patients from India too who have written to me. As a fact I am delighted to give you this interview as the head transplants are part of Indian religious traditions so this process is very much Indian too! That being said I am happy to say that Valery Spiridonov is an extremely talented man and very smart. We talked for a long time about the process and the risks associated. Q. As you inch closer to the first experimental surgery of head transplantation on human, what challenges are you expected to face?
A. Life is all about taking risks and every task has risks associated with it. Even when we were sending men to moon for the first time there were risks. Neil Armstrong himself had said during the Apollo program that he went there knowing that the chances of success were only 50 percent. But we have to start. If we don’t start now, we will never start and we will never go anywhere. And as I have already
Life is all about taking risks and every task has risks associated with it. But we have to start. If we don’t start now, we will never start and we will never go anywhere.
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Valery Spiridinov suffering from Werdnig Hoffman’s disease who has volunteered head transplant
When people were raising questions about ethics, the reply came from Valery and he said okay no problem! Let’s trade places, you stay in my body for the rest of your life and I get your body. The response to this was complete silence.
said, a head transplant is not only about curing incurable neurological disorders but it’s about extending life. So, what we are taking is a first step. Though it is ethically charged right now, it’s up to the people and society to decide. Q. Are we at the right stage of technology and time-frame to perform head transplant?
A. The technology is definitely there. It’s just like asking the Wright Brothers back in 1903 if the technology they had was perfect for building a plane! The first plane was not like the jetliners or other complex planes that we have today. Head transplant too would be something like that and the technique will be perfected over time. Even today if you go to a hospital for surgery, you may die even after decades of perfecting the techniques. So, yes, there is a risk but the technology is absolutely there. Q. One curious question is that post successful head transplant, would the knowledge and memory of the donor be passed onto the recipient?
A. I believe that consciousness is created outside the brain as I have also mentioned in my book “Immortal- why consciousness in not
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-Prof Canavero
in the brain” (AMAZON Kindle 2014). What science usually says is that memories are found in the brain so if you transfer the brain you transfer the memory. But over the past 10-15 years we have discovered that bacteria in the bowels actually control the brain which is pretty much revolutionary. Meaning that from Parkinson’s to Multiple sclerosis, everything is influenced by our intestinal flora. So much of our personalities are controlled by bacteria which release substances that interact with the intestinal nervous system and this influences the brain. Since the body would belong to somebody else and the bacteria too, they would surely influence the mind state of the recipient. And the new chimera would be 80% the brain and 20% influenced by the body. Happily we know how to manipulate, and to tamper with the intestinal flora. And as I have mentioned in my book, there are instances of heart transplantees who go on to develop tastes and other attributes that belonged to the heart donor. Recent work by Prof Levin provides a rationale whereby a heart can store memories; also, is not totally impossible that the intestinal nervous system may store rudimentary memories of some sort. All I can say is that there are many sub fields involved in head transplant and to know all of those you have to study really hard…….. And that explains the 30 years! (Chuckles).
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We are providing special access to all our subscribers to access old issues!! If you are an ardent follower of Biotecnika Magazine, avail the old issues for FREE!
For accessing old editions of Magazine, log onto mag.biotecnika.org/past-issues Call at 180-200-3757 or Write to us at editor@biotecnika.org for further assistance (Access valid during the period of your subscription alone)
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Top 8 RESEARCH GRANTS for biotech aspirants
To promote excellence in science and make an aspiring research career is the dream of every biotech graduate but how successful and competent is the support received to make it a reality. Scrolling through the various opportunities that a researcher can make use of through out his science career, the monetary benefits available for scientific research are surging high. The funding opportunities in biotechnology are designated to cover various purposes involved with research including research, infrastructure, international collaborations, international exchange, organization of workshops/seminars and travel. Narrowing down to grants dedicated to support research in biotech is in the following order;
2012
5 yrs
Rs. 20 lakhs
Rs. 23 lakhs
Rs. 10 lakhs
1.5 yrs 3-5 yrs
CSIR
Rs. 22- 26 lakhs
IYBA
Rs. 25 lakhs
BIG
Rs. 18 lakhs
IN INDIA
Rs. 50 lakhs
RESEARCH GRANTS
Rs. 50 lakhs
GRANT AMOUNT
RGYI WOS
SRG
CRP
FTS
3 yrs
3 yrs
3 yrs
3 yrs
--
TIME PERIOD
Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG scheme)
Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award (IYBA)
CSIR Research Grant to CSIR Young Scientist Awardees 1994
2005
Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-A)
Rapid Grant for Young Investigators (RGYI) 2004
Fast track scheme (FTS) for young scientists 2000
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Collaborative Research Programme (CRP) ICGEB Research Grants
Start-Up Research Grant (SRG) (Young Scientists)
1988
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GRANTING AGENCIES & AREAS OF RESEARCH
RESEARCH GRANT
DST SERB ICGEB DST
DBT
FTS
Life science research (any area), though plant tissue culture, grafting, breeding etc might fall under ICAR
DST
BIRAC DBT CSIR DBT
CRP
Any branch of science
ICMR
BIG IBYA CSIR RGYI WOS SRG
Biomedical research
GRANTING ORGANIZATION
PURPOSE AND ELIGIBILITY
CSIR
Financing projects for Fosters creative research in original scientific various fields of biotechnology, problems of particuto enhance early career lar relevance for development of young For young the host investigators To provide scientists to country opportunities to pursue Any women scientists and innovative researcher technologists for pursuing research PhDs research in areas of science and engineering
CRP
RGYI
CSIR
FTS
To identify & nurture young scientists with PhDs, To support innovative ideas,deScientist, and nurture high sire to pursue Researchers, Junior risk early starters PhDs research in scientist, and their frontier areas Trainee of biotech concepts scientist In order to promote To provide excellence in various fields quick research of science and technology support to young scientists
Through HRDG, it funds various extramural grants with focus on scientific applications
ICAR
Entrepreneurs from academia, start-ups or an incubatee
Plant, animal science, horticulture based research areas
MoES
BIG
Marine biology, oceanography, geophysics
MoEF
PhDs
IYBA
Extramural funding for ecology projects, including conservation, environmental impact studies, taxonomy, and wildlife management
G SR
S
Researchers, PhDs
WO Post graduate in applied science, MD/MS, DM/MCH in Medical Sciences
That’s not all. There are plethora of agencies and programmes providing valuable research funds, fellowships and grants buttressing the confidence of young researchers and budding entrepreneurs to take a bold leap into the research sector. While Government of India has been ardently supporting research across various sectors of science and technology, certain international organizations extend support offering opportunities unlimited, paving way to a successful research career in science. mag.biotecnika.org
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POWER TWEETS
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Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, but research into antibody-drug conjugates could bring hope to patients in the future.
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Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally. Each year, 1.59 million people die as a result of the disease.
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Vaccines have reduced morbidity from vaccine-preventable diseases up to 100% in 20th century.
India needs an entrepreneurial ecosystem linking research, capital and tech-led ideas to the marketplace.
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Start-ups provide an alternative channel for job creation in a global economy facing rising unemployment. - Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD, Biocon mag.biotecnika.org
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cover feature
Is CSIR really corrupt? Uncover the truth with
DR. SHIVA AYYADURAI
EX-CEO, CSIR TECH
H
ired and fired within five months is indeed the worst nightmare any employee can think of. And if that happens to someone for tabling an honest report, rectifying the lopsided state of affairs at an organization, well, that is the heights of corruption. As if termination of employment was not enough, being evicted from the country within midnight, barred from contacting fellow colleagues and threatened with an arrest were icing on the cake. The anguish of the “Inventor of Email” and a former top scientist of CSIR do not end there. Today, while Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai is taking on his fight against the corruption single handedly, there is no respite to him. Whether it was 2009 or 2015, Manmohan or Modi, there are no takers of his story. He has not just been stigmatized and ostracized from the Indian scientific community but has also been denied the right to serve his homeland. We never complained when our fellowships were delayed, no one heard of us when we agitated against meager salary to CSIR scientists / fellows. But this is heights! The ultimate scientific body of the country not just denied the right to work to this bright professional but also is not ready to grant justice today. An initiative that would have hastened the scientific progress of our country was deplorably lost to a petty war of bruised egos and personal interests. While CSIR is yet to respond to his allegations and provide a justifiable answer, our magazine decided to raise its voice to support for a better scientific environment and a hope for the many research professionals of the country. The incident questions the science echelons on the subservient set-up widespread in the scientific community and “Why there have been no Nobel Prize winners from India in any category of science or medicine in the last 85 years?” How long will we have to wait before our scientific bodies learn to respect scientists and entrepreneurs and their views? How can democracy survive with such double standards? Are we proving the phrase “No Science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power” to be true? THE CONTROVERSY UNWINDS… Corruption and nepotism, which are presumed to be rampant in our political system, have now
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crept up the walls of organizations like CSIR as well. While an Indian American scientist tries to highlight a few lacunae that the organization is burdened with, it leads to his impetuous dismissal. Dr Shiva, a world renowned scientist, with his fierce allegations against CSIR, has his statements report that the organization is a pot full of corruptions. He avers that it lacks professionalism, breeds sycophancy, is bureaucratic, and lacks a transparent commercialization arm which is hampering the scientists’ confidence and innovation spirit. Back in 2009, Dr Shiva was appointed as the first Outstanding Scientist Technologist of Indian Origin (STIO) at the Additional Secretary level of the Indian Government, the highest Scientist Level H posting possible, by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India with the directive to unleash innovation across the nearly 40 labs of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. He was asked to draft a report, along with his colleague Deepak Sardana, underlining the problems of CSIR leadership that need to be addressed and ensure success of CSIR-TECH.
Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, the inventor of email and polymath, holds four degrees from MIT, is a world-renowned systems scientist, inventor and entrepreneur. He is a Fulbright Scholar, Lemelson-MIT Awards Finalist, India’s First Outstanding Scientist and Technologist of Indian Origin, Westinghouse Science Talent Honors Award recipient, and a nominee for the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Currently, he serves as the Chairman & CEO of CytoSolve, Inc., (www.cytosolve.com) a revolutionary biotechnology company, which develops multi-combination therapeutics, obviating the need to kill animals. As Founder of a non-profit project, Innovation Corps (www.innovationcorps.org), he supports young 14-18 year old’s in converting their ideas to innovations. His new book, free to anyone, “The Boy Who Invented Email and His 7 Secrets of Innovation,” chronicles his journey to invent email and provides 7 key elements necessary for innovation.
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But the intentions which were meant to support innovations in the country turned foul when hardly 72 hours after the report released, CSIR leadership demanded Dr. Shiva and Sardana to desist from any kind of oral and written communications with scientists and directors of CSIR. Followed were threats and malicious acts of hounding Shiva out of the country. Letters to the Minister of S&T, Prithivraj Chavan, the Vice-President of CSIR, and the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, went in vain. While he had to face threats, gag-orders, evictions notices and finally move out of the country, a fact that high-handedness and bureaucracy are persistent in CSIR, rings in high volume. Amidst the uproar, Biotecnika magazine dives in deep for an accurate explanation from Dr Shiva himself who is ready to go head-on with any Indian government official and says that he can prove his stance at any point of time. “Is Shiva being the voice of many deprived scientists?”, “Would he be granted justice?” Taking a look at the exclusive conversation with Dr. Shiva, the excerpts of the interview are;
Q
Could you tell us about the report drafted by you highlighting CSIR’s administration? What are your thoughts six years along the line? Nothing has changed significantly as far as I understand. I wrote that report when I was within the organization at a very Page 38
senior level (Additional Secretary, Scientist Level H, appointed as CEO of CSIR-Tech by the PMO’s office) reporting directly to the Director General. That report was a reflection of my commitment dedicated to advance scientific innovation in India. I took that role on as an amazing opportunity to serve my motherland, and money was never the motivating factor. The observations that I made in that report, put in a nutshell, address the historical considerations in which CSIR was actually formed, which very few Indians are aware of today. The report exemplifies the feudal way in which the organization is run. Many people, who are running the organization, themselves are probably unconscious about this historical context, and as such they have been brainwashed, by a long history of feudalism, to behave like robots and suppress their fellow Indians, and Indian innovation. If we look at Indian history, and follow the thread from 1657 to today, 2015, and if you look at CSIR as an organization, it is a part of that historical experience of oppression and subjugation. India, prior to British colonialism, was on a path of freedom, to a rising merchant class, entrepreneurialism, and the dissolution of the caste system. The British actually re-imposed the caste system in India, and used it to control our people, with the intent of turning them into subservient workers, who would follow orders, not be creative or innovative. They needed obedient slaves. In this model, the British “transferred power” from their rule as white men with crowns to a new Indian elite of brown men with white hats, who learned, well from their Masters, to oppress and suppress their fellow Indians, better than the British, ever could. In this model, the British trained the new rulers of India to be good secretaries, civil servant, engineer, and even CEO’s, and Director General (DG) of CSIR. And, as such they taught the Indian ruling class to treat their fellow Indians in a very feudal like manner. Without understanding this historical context no one is going to understand how to fix CSIR. And, for that matter mag.biotecnika.org
fix many other aspects, which all lead to this same problem.
The silent
If you peel away the layers one’s, forget of the report, you come that they are across the fact that CSIR has a feudal infrastructure government and the DG thinks he is employees the Maharaja. Each of the lab directors runs it as serving the though they are the local citizens of Rajas of their kingdoms. This is no personal attack India. on anyone, but is simply the systemic truth. You have 4,500 scientists who are treated like feudal serfs. The Lab directors do not see these scientists as equals and collaborators, but as workers, as threats, who will not upstage them, and that could lead to Lab directors loosing their roles as Rajas. That is the heart of the report.
Q
What other aspects of CSIR administration does your report, “CSIR TECH- Path Forward” highlight? The other part of the report is the incentive structure of CSIR, which includes as its core incentive: 1. Publishing papers, and 2. Submitting patents. It is actually a very stupid model for innovation. It may work in a basic science research lab but for organizations set up to do translational research for the masses of Indians, who need real problem solved, this is a bad idea. Innovation is not an outcome of Patents and Publications. Innovation is done by actually making a tangible product, beyond the Lab, testing the product on prospective customers, collecting customers’ feedback and going back to testing, refining and iterating to create a viable solution. It is a repetitive cycle. No entrepreneur I know is focused, as the impetus for innovation, to write a paper or submit a patent. Patent is not the motivation factor to do innovation. It is something you do as a side effect to support the innovation. In the current incentive model of CSIR, people who
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have never started companies, who have no idea of what it takes to translate a discovery to an innovation, are running Labs. Most of the leadership has no knowledge on what it means to innovate, and a hands-on level. Maybe they are good lab scientists but they should not be running any of these Labs, and be expected to innovate. It’s setting them and everyone up for failure. In fact, they are afraid of innovation and in turn suppress innovation, from their own subordinates. It’s ironic, CSIR was setup for innovation, but it really is a Council for Suppression of Innovation & Research, as many internally refer to it’s leadership.
Q
As you say there is a feudal system up and running, do you think that could be the reason for the deceasing fund flow and slowing innovation currently in the country? How many great innovations came out of Britain in the last 50 years? Britain is no Silicon Valley or innovation superpower. That is the legacy British colonialism gave us. Five thousand years before British colonialism, Indians were innovative, all the time. It was Indian innovation and our raw materials and assets, which motivated Europeans to come to India. Up until the late 1800s, for example, British were stealing Indian shipbuilding blueprints from India. What’s even more ironic is that during British rule, India had two Nobel Prize winners, indigenous to India, and sine 1947, India has created ZERO Nobel Prize Winners indigenous in India. At the heart of this is something really disturbing: Racism. I don’t mean racism of Whites over Indians. I mean racism of Indians over Indians. The British trained us well to abuse our own people and put when one Indian is growing, another Indian will put him down, better than an “White.” Giving you an example, when I travelled India as the CEO of CSIR TECH, I went to NIO (National Institute of Oceanography). There were a few amazing young scientists who had built an underwater robot for zooplankton research, which was better than what I know
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exists in the U.S. On the demonstration day, when even a few commanders from the Indian Navy were present, the Lab Director, himself did not show up! I later came to know that is the kind of environment the young scientists at CSIR face, consistently. Lab directors are jealous of their subordinates. They think that if their subordinates create something and get publicity, it would diminish him, meaning that could threaten their Kingdom. For me this was in such contrast to my experience as a 14-year-old, working as a Research Fellow in New Jersey. There, I was in an environment where people were 30 years older than me, including my mentor. They never suppressed me or tried to diminish me. They didn’t try to take away my credit for my inventing email, but encourage my innovation. My colleagues supported and encouraged me as they say my growth a reflection of their growth. I was not a threat. In feudalism, the boss gets paranoid that someone, from his own territory, might stab him in the back, like in the old palaces.
Q
So would you say that the people running CSIR are insecure of their positions?
Massively, and they don’t have a backbone to tell the truth publicly. Let me give you an example, Rajesh Gokhale, who runs one of the labs at CSIR, stated behind closed doors that OSDD, a highly-publicized CSIR project, is a complete fraud. And days later, at Directors’ Conference with Samir Brahmachari, the DG, (who by the way recently lost his pension because the analysis showed that he had done some incredibly outrageous things, as I had written about), Gokhale was praising Brahmachari and OSDD. As another example, Girish Sahni, the current DG, who behind closed doors, called our work and critiques of the then DG, spot on, agreeing with everything that we had reported on, now wants to refute the report and its findings. People say the truth behind closed doors, but do not share it openly. It’s an approach they have been taught well. They forget their duty is to the people of India, not to protect and preserve a cozy position.
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Q
Do you think being upfront in the report had made lot of people uncomfortable?
When you say “a lot of people”, CSIR has 4500 scientists and about 30 Lab Directors, which is about 0.75% of people who were made to feel uncomfortable by the Report. The other 99.25% of people did not feel uncomfortable. The day the report was sent out for feedback on October 19, 2009, within seconds, three hours before my email was shut down, I received at least 300 positive emails from scientists, across CSIR labs praising the findings. Later these scientists were threatened and suppressed to even say a peep. If an RTI was issued on the emails sent out after 19th Oct 2009, from my server, you would realize that far over a majority would agree with the findings of the report. The silent one’s, forget that they are government employees serving the citizens of India. Unfortunately, they lack the courage because they still live in the brainwashed feudal world. If you read the article written in Nature titled “Innovations Demands Freedom,” by me, I share my observations and called for an Open Forum. But, the PMO’s office threatened the Editor of Nature, to pull down the article. I am still willing to do such an Open Forum, in the interest of my people as I believe that people who run CSIR do not care about Indians but are bothered only about their career, pensions and family. The core elements of that Report still are unaddressed.
Q
Who do you think is really responsible for your being hounded out of India? Would you like to pinpoint someone who was or were responsible?
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When you say “a lot of people”, CSIR has 4500 scientists and about 30 Lab Directors, which is about 0.75% of people who were made to feel uncomfortable by the Report. The other 99.25% of people did not feel uncomfortable
First, being an India, my loyalty is not to those who misled CSIR and abuse its scientists and assets, but to the people of India. I have no regrets in taking on the role, and would do it again, and have no regrets for the actions I took. If you look at Samir Brahmachari, he is an individual who should have never been in that role. I was privy to knowing of the back room politics, which denied someone like Lalji Singh in becoming the DG of CSIR. Samir Brahmachari worked hard to get into that role as a politician and as a PR guy, but he is really not an innovator, and not anyone, who India should have trusted to unleash innovation out of CSIR. After this entire event, when I got back to the U.S., for example, I got a call from one of Bhramachari’s former colleagues, who said that Brahmachari, as a graduate student, had literally physically threatened him, and stole his data and published it. If this is the kind of people that rise to the top, I question their purpose and their very role as a head of the organization. Among 4,500 people, there are many incredible scientists, but feudalism, silences such people and promotes those with a weak spine. In 2009, when I went to a Directors’ meeting, an Australian guy called Ian Dean was hired by CSIR who this foreigner crores of money to advice Indians at CSIR on how to improve CSIR. In the report, he talked about the many failings of CSIR and its culture of fear. At the meeting, Mr.
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Biotecnika’s point of view:
While we present the story swirling around the CSIR controversy, we have left it on you to take a call on who is correct. To decide whether Dr. VA Shiva and his accusations are at flaw or not! There is no denying in the fact that every organization has flaws and it could never even be near perfection if its people are at fault. They are the backbone of any organization & have all the powers to make it or break it. While this blame game was an unfortunate turn of events in the history of Indian academia, what we can say is that the foundation should be strong and substantial enough to abstain people from pointing fingers at us in the future. Dean shared a PowerPoint, including those issues and problems. We shared in our Report Mr. Dean’s observations, and Mr. Dean also attempted to attack our Report. But, it was too late, because we simply published his findings, which were paid for by the Indian people. India does not deserve second-rate people without any integrity or courage, but needs courageous people to be upfront right now, so we can fix the issues and move to our well-deserved bold future.
Q
If you had received backing for CSIR TECH, and still in India, what all would you have done? First of all, many do not know this, but I started day one, without even getting paid, that’s how committed I was to this mission ( and, I believe the organization still owes me a months pay). But that was not why I did this. The commitment I made to CSIR was that I would do create six (6) new spin-off companies in one year from innovations I identified within CSIR. The great news is that I actually identified twelve (12), double my goals. Even if I had taken 50% of those 12, I would have hit my goal of six new companies. The people of India would have had gotten 6 spin-off companies. More importantly, the people of India would have seen the light of day of six innovations coming out of this Lab after nearly 70 years. And, that event would have provided other CSIR scientists a much needed confidence and culture that they too, as a scientist can step out of the Lab and do something productive, and break the barriers of their own a feudal environment. The truth is CSIR has an infrastructure, has tons of money,
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has great people. What is missing is the right leadership across the board. People who have never run anything and not experienced in entrepreneurism cannot be expected to have CSIR rise to its great mission.
Q
You had written in your report that being a researcher of CSIR lab, you would like to commercialise the technologies and if CSIR does not support, you would want to start company of your own. Do you think this was holding CSIR at ransom and that is why they had to really act fast? Not sure what you are exactly talking about. But, we had proposed in the report that a CSIR scientist has an idea, should give the organization, CSIR, the “Right of First Refusal.” This is a very common way of ensuring that things happen, and don’t just sit still. Say an CSIR scientist has an amazing idea. The idea was that he can go to the Lab Director and say to him that I would like to work with CSIR to create a new company based on my idea, and that Lab Director is given some time, say 3-6 months, to make a decision. If that Lab Director sits like a lump on a log, is bureaucratic and does nothing,, scientist has every right to pursue that innovation and take it to market. This was not about “ransom” but to make the Lab Directors accountable to actually DO something in a timely manner. So, it is not holding CSIR at ransom; it’s about making the organization’s leadership accountable. The IAS officers think they own India. Everything occurs on their time frame. But that’s not how things work. It should be on the time frame of people of India, who need innovative solutions yesterday to basic problems of hygiene,
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water, etc.
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How hopeful are you with the current Modi Government? Do you think your case is going to be taken into priority? Modi does not belong to any legacy or dynasty. He, as an individual, in my opinion and observation, sincerely wants to help our country and is committed to that. With his leadership, I believe we have an environment and a historical opportunity for a lot of constructive conversation to put CSIR on track. He appears genuinely to want to address core and systemic issues. I look forward to working with him and his team in anyway that is constructive to unleash innovation from CSIR, which is what India deserves. The goal here is not to make it a controversy but to reach a constructive conclusion.
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What is your message to the CSIR scientists who are working out there, feeling succumbed to the transitional structure and superiors? Being a scientist is about the exploration of truth. So if you are a scientist, be it at CSIR or anywhere else, your commitment has to be foremost to the exploration of truth. The second and equally important commitment has to be to the communication of that truth knowing that there are uncertainties. Science is not definitive, and always has its uncertain-
ties. However, if people want to call themselves “scientists,” they have to explore truth and express that truth at all levels. Expressing that truth is not just about writing a paper or getting a publication. Writing the Report that Dr. Sardana and I did was to share our observations, and that in and of itself, was an act of being a scientist. I hope others share their observations and express their duty as a scientist. In our case, by also offering our ideas for improvement of this broken system, we were also being innovators. And in our view, the integration of science and innovation is why CSIR was created. So the scientists of CSIR must realize that their duty is to the people of India, and that by expressing openness, transparency, and discourse, they are actually being scientist. So, frankly I encourage the scientists of CSIR to be real scientists.
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If things improve and you are invited to come back and work for CSIR, would you be interested? My grandparents, poor farmers, worked 16 hours in the fields in a small village where I spent 20% of my life. Those are my people. Every time I go back to India, I know who my people are: the ordinary citizens who get up every day and put in a hard days work to actually creating something of value. It has always been my goal to serve my people in whichever small way I can. So as an Indian if I can do something to help, I am always here to help my motherland. Always.
It is high time for the greater minds of scientific India realize the fact that innovation without objective is of no use. Whether or not Ayyadurai’s accusations are authentic, Indian organizations are bred under the umbrella of corruption and ambiguity. Petty politics, egotism and indistinctness harbour amongst the scientific fraternity, hampering the science and research at a larger scale. When India already is left far behind compared to the contemporaries when it comes to innovation, are the promises made by organizations to improve scientific prowess a fake? Is there an effort made towards encouraging young scientific talent or is it a false flamboyance being carried through ages? The report of Dr. Shiva has put forward the critical scenario persisting in Indian scientific community that needs to be answered immediately. A road map has to be in place making the Indian scientists’ set up discovery milestones along the way. A change for good will only happen when you take your chances. But are we ready to take a chance?
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Kevin Munnelly,
President & CEO, Gen9
in on i t a s r e v n co with
ly l e n n u M n i v mr. Ke EO C & t n e d i s e Pr Gen9 Inc.
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e ation gen us r e n e g t x s Our ne ology give nds n h c e t is sa synthes vide thou o r p o t y ene the abilit lions of g il m d n a xof genes id and ine p a r a in variations ay. pensive w
K
evin has a passion for synthetic biology and is an active proponent of bringing innovative technologies to market that will enable the next generation of breakthroughs in this exciting field. Kevin is the President and CEO of Gen9 and currently serves on the board of directors for OH2 Laboratories, Innovate America and Mass Innovation Labs. He is an advisor to Eve Biomedical, eGenesis and several synthetic biology start-up companies in the greater Boston area. Prior to Gen9, Kevin was Leader and General Manager of the Next Generation qPCR business at Life Technologies. He also served as Vice President and General Manager of BioTrove, Inc, which was acquired by Life Technologies in 2009, and as Senior Manager at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Prior to that, Kevin spent 10 years in various scientific and leadership positions in both life science tools and therapeutic development. He holds an A.B. with honors from Bowdoin College in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and an MBA in Entrepreneurship, magna cum laude, from Babson College.
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Stay energized and don’t give up. As an entrepreneur, you will make mistakes. Don’t fear failure as you will learn from it.
Q. Could you thrown some insight on the company Gen9? How did the company get its name? A. Gen9 was founded by Joseph Jacobson, George Church and Drew Endy, pioneering scientists in fabrication, genetics, and bio-engineering respectively. Our founders’ vision was, in essence, to bring Moore’s law to the field of biology by applying semiconductor technology to gene synthesis. They believed that the rate of advancement in biological research could be dramatically accelerated by using a massively-parallel process to scale gene synthesis to an unprecedented level and enabling the democratization of synthetic biology. At the time the company was founded, the latest and most advanced semiconductor process in widespread use was called CMOS 8—an eighth generation version of the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor. Since we were taking this technology in a whole new direction by applying it to gene synthesis, our company became Gen9. Q. Could you brief on any remarkable success story in the history of Gen9? A. As I mentioned, the Gen9 vision is one of democratizing synthetic biology; that is, enabling scientists everywhere to use synthetic biology to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems. Our goal is to enable broad adoption of powerful synthetic biology techniques by providing custom DNA constructs of the highest possible quality. Using our proprietary BioFab® platform, which enables massively-parallel manufacture of DNA, we make synthetic DNA easier to design, easier to use, and easier to access. We have enjoyed the privilege of playing a key role in the remarkable success stories of many of our customers. In our view, we write our own success story with each custom DNA construct successfully delivered to our customers.
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Q. How would synthetic biology be a game changer in the area of therapeutics, agriculture and other industries? How has Gen9 been effectively contributing to the same? A. What makes synthetic biology so great is that it can be a game changer across so many diverse industries. For example, scientists are using synthetic biology and antibody engineering approaches to develop more effective therapeutics with fewer side effects. Agriculture companies are using gene manipulation techniques to improve crops with drought resistance properties and increased nutritional value. We even see companies using synthetic biology to turn cells into factories that can produce chemicals more safely, or to serve as a renewable source of energy, or to function as bioremediators to improve the environment. Our job at Gen9 is to enable all of our customers that work in these diverse industries to conduct their experiments more efficiently and effectively. We do this by providing them with affordable synthetic DNA of the highest possible quality. Researchers can design experiments, test more hypotheses and get to their next breakthrough faster than ever before possible. Q. What is the capacity of BioFab platform for making of the DNA-constructs? How expensive/affordable is the technology?
sequence-verified synthetic DNA that is ready-for-use, all at the same price or less that scientists pay for DNA that may require additional processing before it’s ready for the experiment. We work with scientists every day who are switching from traditional methods to our synthetic approach, and have a manufacturing process that easily scales to meet this increasing demand. Q. What concerns do you hear from your customer companies? Do you face any ethical, regulatory or policy hurdles along the way? What other challenges do you foresee? A. Our customers are interested in exploring DNA sequence space as rapidly and effectively as possible. With advances in sequencing technology, the ability to “read” DNA has grown tremendously over the years, but the ability to “write” DNA has been limiting. Customers want to engineer more DNA constructs, take on more aggressive projects, and test multiple hypotheses at once, rather than serially. It’s all about using their resources as effectively as possible. That’s where Gen9 comes in. Our next generation gene synthesis technology gives us the ability to provide thousands of genes and millions of gene variations in a rapid and inexpensive way so our customers can think differently about the way they use DNA in their work.
A. Our BioFab® manufacturing platform is unique in that we have the ability to manufacture hundreds to thousands of synthetic DNA constructs at one time. In our facility based in Cambridge, Massachusetts we can synthesize in weeks the amount of DNA that would take months or even years to make using traditional gene synthesis or DNA cloning methods, all within a very small footprint. Our system utilizes chip-based technology and unique error-correction strategies that enable us deliver 100%
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As leaders in the field, we always aim to ensure the constructive application of synthetic biology. Gen9 is an active member of the International Gene Synthesis Consortium (IGSC). As such, we screen all submitted sequences against databases of known pathogens and toxins to ensure we are not synthesizing DNA that may contain potentially harmful content. As we are responsible for our own compliance with all laws, regulations and policies that apply to our business, our customers are responsible for ensuring their compliance with the laws, regulations and policies that apply to them as the end-users of the synthetic DNA products we provide. Q. Who are your major competitors in this area? A. There are several suppliers in the market that provide synthetic genes or gene fragments, but our BioFab® production platform is unique in the industry. In addition, many scientists still use a DIY approach where they utilize traditional PCR cloning methods to generate their gene of interest. Q. Are there any plans in the near future to expand globally? A. Yes. We already deliver our DNA products to scientists in many countries around the world and we are continuing to expand our commercial representation. In fact, we recently added direct sales presence in Europe. Q. What is your advice to young researchers who wish to begin their own entrepreneurial journey?
Team of Scientists @ Gen9
A. I would say three things:
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First, it’s so important for your passion to drive you. Stay energized and don’t give up. As an entrepreneur, you will make mistakes. Don’t fear failure as you will learn from it. Second, surround yourself with the best people, including employees, mentors, investors and others. Seek their advice, listen to their perspectives, and learn from them. And finally, don’t underestimate the importance of company culture. Make sure you have a clear and simple mission that your team can rally around. Company culture thrives on shared passions and common goals.
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celebrating WORLD FOOD DAY By Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director, ABLE-AG
I
t`s been almost five decades since the Green Revolution started in India. Since then India`s food grain population has grown almost five times. We have a strong affinity for cereals, primarily rice and/or wheat as the primary food source. This bears out in terms of policy focus as well. Our granaries overflow with millions of tonnes of rice and wheat. In the 1950s and 1960s India had to rely on food imports. This was the precursor to the Green Revolution and the focus on ushering in food security. The Green Revolution saw an influx of fertilisers, high-yielding seeds, on-farm equipment and subsidies for water and electricity. As a result, India’s agricultural production exploded, securing the state’s food self-sufficiency by the late 1970s. However, we have not kept that pace and demand for food is growing rapidly. Changing consumption patterns, a larger population and urbanisation all influence growing demand. However, we still face the challenge of hunger, malnutrition and other great inefficiencies that surround the agriculture sector that feeds more than a billion people in the country. According to latest FAO estimates in ‘The State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2015” report, 194.6 million people are undernourished in India. By this measure India is home to a quarter of the undernourished population in the world. These disparities have contributed to India ranking 136th out of 186 countries in the 2013 UNDP Human Development Index and 94th out of 119 countries in the Global Hunger Index.
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According to UN Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO) the global population by 2050 is expected to increase by 40% while associated global food production needs will expand by more than 70% with a rapidly growing middle-class in developing countries. By 2050 India is likely to be home to 1.6 billion people and with the increase in population in the country, there will be intense pressure on agriculture to produce more in lesser land area. In addition, the challenges of future, will be much different than the ones in past because of various factors like climate change, reducing availability of land and water, soil degradation and changing food preferences of people. So the solution sought to be is very different. Indian agriculture needs to change – both in terms of increasing production to feed a growing population and also ensuring that food inflation is reduced. A multi-pronged approach is needed to revitalise Indian agriculture as it is today. Crop improvement by using Science and modern technologies, improving agronomic practices and resource efficiency in food production would be the critical criteria in agriculture during the next few decades. We must adopt new technologies to keep up with the challenges of safeguarding our environment and resources. Agricultural biotechnology is a part of the package of solutions that we need to use in this endeavour. The agricultural biotechnology in India has tremendous potential. It is a sector where technologies are not only developed globally but are also developed locally by both private sector and public institutions can have significant and positive impact on the sustainable improvement in the productivity of Indian agriculture. According to a report by Mackenzie, it is estimated that adoption of hybrids along with biotechnology can contribute annually up to 25600 crore in 2025. Globally it has increased farmer profit by 68%. It is important for the government to focus on ensuring farming to become a lucrative occupation for the farmer. To do this, farmers need to be encouraged to shift from cereal crops to vegetables, fruits, oilseeds and pulses. Increased production will ensure a reduction of expensive imports drive up prices and increase food inflation. Adoption of agricultural biotechnology in some of the other crops in the country can bring increase in crop productivity. The importance of rice to India needs no mention. So it is another important crop for the country which can achieve desired yield through introduction of agri-
Indian agriculture needs to change – both in terms of increasing production to feed a growing population and also ensuring that food inflation is reduced.
cultural biotechnology. Introduction insect resistance rice will see a major reduction in the use of pesticides with the associated environmental benefits. Transplanted rice is also the single crop that consumes the maximum amount of water and with increasing shortage of water in the country it is time to find technological solutions to weed management in rice so that we can reduce cultivation of transplanted paddy and increase direst seeded rice cultivation. Herbicide tolerant technology in rice can help us in achieving saving of significant amount of water. It is also necessary to keep increasing our rice production. Development of high yielding varieties of rice through agricultural biotechnology should complement the existing efforts of increasing rice production through traditional breeding. Newer technologies to produce hybrid rice can also result in yield increase as well as bring new traits to cultivated rice. Pulses and Oilseeds are also the key crops in India which lacks self-sufficiency. Agricultural biotechnology can play a significant role to produce sufficient volume of pulses and oilseeds to meet our increasing domestic demand. At present India is the largest importer of pulses (4 million tons/annum) approx. value ofINR 14000 crore per annum and the consumption is increasing every year. Pulses are majorly attacked by Lepidopteran insects. Therefore, introduction of biotechnology trait such as insect resistance in some of the pulses will play a significant role in increasing production thereby bridging the production gap currently prevailing in the country and help in saving valuable foreign exchange. It is estimated that only introduction of Bt chickpea can result in increase in production by 2 million tonnes per annum thereby reducing imports worth Rs 6000 crore per year. It is remarkable that India also imports edible oil worth INR 60,000 crore and introduction of Bt cotton has resulted in increase of cotton seed oil from 5 lakh Mt in 2002-2003 to 14.8 Mt in 2013-14. Increase in production of oilseed crops such as mustard and soybean through biotechnology can increase the edible oil production by 7.75 lac tonnes thereby reducing ouredible oil imports resulting insignificant savings of foreign
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Introduction of technologies which can benefit the farmers exchange worth Rs 4000 crore. Development of hybrid GM musin rainfed artard by public sector in India could increase the yield which will eas need to significantly help in bridging the gap. be given highest In the recent time due to increase in demand for domestic consumption in the feed industry the demand for corn has increased and export opporpriority tunities prevailing there is a need to look at using modern biotechnology for better insect and weed management in corn. It is projected that we will be running short of corn production by 2020 and will have to resort to imports. Currently, our corn yields of 2 tons/ha are much below the world average of 4.8 tons/ ha. Using modern biotechnology can help us in this crop. Due to introduction of biotechnology in maize countries like Philippines has resulted cost advantage of 10% to the farmers over a period of more than a decade. For developing country like India similar gains can be achieved, if not more, by adopting GM Maize in the country.
Every year farmers in the rainfed cultivation areas of the country are highly vulnerable to crop losses due to uncertain weather conditions. So introduction of technologies which can benefit the farmers in rainfed areas need to be given highest priority. It is estimated that by 2025 more than 1.8 billion people globally will living in the regions of water scarcity. Drought tolerance technology could be a boon to these farmers since it can help them to grow crops with almost 25-30% less water. Another important factor which needs to be addressed on an urgent basis is to optimise the use of fertilizers in the country to save the soil structure from excessive use of it. Biotechnology can help in production of crops which have better fertilizer use capability, which would help in better plant performance, lesser variability in yield, reduce soil pollution and more importantly reduce government expenditure on subsidy significantly. Also a high dose of technology coupled with more dynamic farming methodologies aligned to India’s farm requirements is required (while being less harsh on the environment). Use ofless water intensive crops and improved irrigation methods such as drip irrigation and use of IT to facilitate ‘smart agriculture’ that combines with renewable energy to create ‘green agriculture’ would be a good start. Crop biotechnology is enabling this and India boasts of some of the world’s best agri research institutes who are working tirelessly to enable this. Agricultural biotechnology can be the other side of the coin that helps usher in a new wave in India’s agriculture sector. The last requirement is of creating an integrated network of cold-chain facilities to ensure that Indian farmers reduce crop-loss due to poor storage therefore are able to improve access to both local and export markets. A combination of all the above will ensure a sustainable increase in food production, enhance farmer incomes and bring down food inflation.
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DIGITAL INDIA & ITs IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE Is it accessible? Is it affordable? Is it achievable?
Q
uality health care in India— Is it accessible to the 1.2 billion population? Is it affordable to 70% of people in rural India? Is the quality achievable with the limited infrastructure and medical practitioners? The answer quite sadly is ‘no’. At present, the population residing in rural areas is prone to a host of illness due to poverty and lack of awareness on health and hygiene. Scrolling over the statistics along the urban-rural divide, they reveal that resources are highly skewed towards urban India alone. Moreover, a majority of 75% healthcare infrastructure in India is concentrated in urban areas. It is also shocking to understand that only 24% of rural areas have health care facility, while 88% of towns are well equipped. The saddest part is that, a person in a village needs to travel more than 2 km to reach the first health center, more than 6 km for a blood test and nearly 20 km for hospital care. The picture worsens when the person realize that there is hardly anyone in the hospital to take care of them highlighting the shortage of medical practitioners, which is 0.7 doctors for 1000 people! The investment side of healthcare is also not impressive, with only 4% of GDP. These negatives have been hugely impacting the Indian healthcare scenario since long. However, with the recent launch of “Digital India”, the flagship programme of the Government of India with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society, transforming Indian health care system is just round the corner.
Digital India Initiative- Promises in store: “One can’t make available thousands of medical specialists or school teachers to the remotest corners of the country, but one can make their services available through broadband at multi-service centers in every village”. That, in essence, is the vision of Digital India Initiative, as expressed by its visionaries. Its scope includes all aspects of public life. It envisages making India a leader in digitally delivering health, education and banking services at the click of a mouse. The Digital India programme is centered on three key vision areas including; Digital infrastructure as a core utility to every citizen; Governance and service on demand; and Digital empowerment of citizens. mag.biotecnika.org
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Wi-fi in 2.5 lakh schools, all universities Public wi-fi hotspots for citizens
05 400,000 Public Internet Access Points
Net Zero Imports by 2020
Digital inclusion: 1.7 crore trained for IT, Telecom and Electronics Jobs
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By 2019, it envisions to achieve
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02 Universal phone connectivity
Job creation: Direct 1.7 Crore and Indirect at least 8.5 Crore
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Broadband in 2.5 lakh villages
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E-governance & Eservices: Across government
India to be leader in IT use in services health, education, banking
Digital Health Care on the go! While Digital India promises to step up and upgrade various segments across the country diligently, healthcare is believed to be the most impacted space. The need to reinstate healthcare is high and so are its attributes such as quality service, cost-effective service and value for money. It can affect the healthcare sector in one of the following ways: E-health:
To take off, the E-health service envisaged under E-Kranti of Digital India is highly promising. The government hopes to give complete coverage to the initiatives on online medical consultation, online medical records, online medicine supply and pan-India exchange for patient information. We hope for a day when the medical status and medical history of every Indian would be available on finger tips! This revolution will make consultation among medical experts very easy and also enable instant data transfer from one service agency to another, considerably reducing the need to travel. Healthcare on mobile:
How often would you see a person without a Smartphone? It is estimated that by 2019, every Indian will own a smart phone, ensuring a Digital India. “Currently, nearly 74% of the population has mobile phones, most of which though is in the hands of urban India,” says telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. “We want to ensure that all the services can be provided through a mobile handset, especially, health, education, various government services and retail,” Prasad stated. A smart phone in every hand will boost the digital health care scenario, as it will further strengthen
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the telemedicine services, taking it to the remotest locations. Connecting through wi-fi:
With majority of population relying on internet for the tiniest of problems or suggestions, it is highly inspiring to learn that the web effect is going to spread over the entire country connecting remote regions with broadband services soon. In addition, it will be supported by 20 and 40 hour revealed a 2005 study published in the Journal of Paediatrics. The study found that mortality rates in a children’s hospital increased after the hospital inadequately installed, ineffectually changed several key clinical care processes, and hurriedly began using a new computerized medication ordering system. This case points out the need of digital training for medical practitioners. Electronics for healthcare:
The Digital India’s promise of investment in manufacturing of homemade medical electronics will set a big boom to the medical sector. At present, although there are many innovative technologies, regrettably, few digital tools have been designed with the huge consumer populations in mind. Apart from this, open access to “broadband highways” across cities, towns and villages will also positively impact digital health care services, as it would give rise to trade and warehousing, benefiting the Pharmaceutical companies as well.
Will Digital Health turn into a reality? When the talk is about making India digitally equipped to ease healthcare access, the biggest question that arises is if digital literacy would be possible, the way it is expected? Rama Vedashree, Vice President of Domestic IT, IT services, NASSCOM states that, “Digital literacy will be achievable only with a combination of access to affordable broadband, smart services and monthly data packages, to avail all the facilities of the packages.” However, as our villagers don’t prioritize health care at the top, they will be spending their earnings to get data-packs to download their favorite movie songs, rather than listening to the 40 module digital literacy programme!!! So it raises a series of potential cases where the technology could backfire. Let’s have a quick glance on what could those be:
•
Will digital India become accessible with the digitization of information in regional languages?
The linguistic and cultural diversity will stand as a big challenge with over 1600 languages and different dialects. Hence, complete integration, that is, integration of technology and language will be one of the main challenges the mission would face in its implementation. Apart from this, privacy concerns also stand to be a big problem, as in rural India, women might shy away from sharing their health problems to an external party. •
Are our medical practitioners skilled enough in using the digital technology?
In the present Digital India strategy, skill development is offered for workforce in electronics. Similarly, skill development and training for medical practitioners at all levels shall be included, as technology may turn riskier. Dr. Dean F. Sittig, Professor, University of Texas School of Biomedical Informatics, Houston, raises various risks associated with technology. He opines that the technology designed to make care safer mag.biotecnika.org
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and more effective can create entirely new risks. He revealed a 2005 study published in the Journal of Paediatrics. The study found that mortality rates in a children’s hospital increased after the hospital inadequately installed, ineffectually changed several key clinical care processes, and hurriedly began using a new computerized medication ordering system. This case points out the need of digital training for medical practitioners. •
Will online medicines under E-Kranti become practical?
The objective of online medicine supply will be fulfilled only with setting up of cold chain facilities for pharmaceuticals. Investments in cold distribution and cold retail hubs are extremely required. However, the present cold chain services in our country are highly fragmented, with services available only in big cities and towns. •
Will the broadband connectivity be smooth, with the existing protocols?
Connectivity glitches are very common in Indian telecom services with different internet protocols in different states. Hence, Digital India will be successful only with standardization of all software protocols. Hence, we need a directive to standardize all the software protocols. As experts get skeptical of the cyber security of the personalized documents of citizens, India requires privacy norms to ensure security. The above challenges indicate that Digital India has a long way to go on its road to reality in its truest sense. However difficult that looks, it could be made achievable with concrete steps such as: • • • • • •
Literacy on importance of health to rural people Digital literacy for rural people Digital skills training for medical practitioners Cold chains and warehousing for promoting online supply of medicine Standardized internet protocol for smooth broadband connectivity Privacy norms for cyber security of personalized documents
While the world is progressively inching towards a technology- dependent processes, digitizing healthcare becomes a mandate. It could be rightly said that ensuring Digital Health is the new age Digital India. However the healthcare is currently restricted mainly due to economically and socially privileged populations. Unfortunately, undeserved population, mostly in rural hinterland and some in urban areas still do not have much access to this technical advancement in the healthcare space. The first task therefore at hand is to make digital healthcare an added advantage from a patient’s perspective to increase the ability to manage their own health. With efficient and operational platforms taking ahead the objectives of Digital India, augmenting quality healthcare in each and every corner of the country, is the need of the hour, paving way to a healthy India.
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Biotecnika Magazine Anniversary
SPECIAL FOCUS
2 YEARS IN BIO-MEDIA
Delivering unfaltering support to
GM technology
A
n alarmingly huge public rally to relegate GMO foods, under the initiatives “Stop the dark act”, “GMO free country” and “Millions against Monsanto” are not a rare find. The participants are none other than the mere public who have been highly influenced to walk the talk against GMO. The strife has been on since long and a popular meme that genetically modified organisms foods are harmful to health is out manipulating the multitude. Though the various aspects of this technology have been over and again debated by the world, be it on the grounds of application, functionality, reliability, authenticity, safety and so on, it comes as a surprise that GM crops are still frowned upon even after continuously proving their stance. The most obvious reason stands to be ignorance and proper understanding of science by the public. mag.biotecnika.org
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SUPPORTING GMO ALL ALONG As ardent supporters of biotechnology and its unprecedented contributions to the world of living science, Biotecnika Magazine has been extending complete support towards GM technology. On the same road, spreading a good word and stating untouched facts on GMOs has been on our calendar since the Magazine’s inception. We have brought to the discussion table various aspects concerning GM technology and issues hovering plant genetic modification research. Over the time, benefits associated with GM technology have been highlighted, including their potential to mitigate world hunger, enhance crop productivity, trigger a second green revolution, reduce global warming and other environmental crisis and so on. Reminiscing the scientific facts, the focus of the debate was always on, “Should GM crops be perceived as different from others?”
ALTERNATIVE PARADIGM FOR FOOD SECURITY
SUPPORTING GMO Supporting GM, we have highlighted various issues surrounding the technology, in most of our editions. Taking a glance we have...
GMO TO THE RESCUE OF GLOBAL WARMING
Envisaging GM crops as a solution to protect the world from global warming
BAN ON GM TRIALS
Questioning the ban issued on GM trials and where the road would take us
IMMINENT SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION
Highlighting the want for a second green revolution to deal with the imminent famines would take us mag.biotecnika.org
ALL ALONG
Problems faced today in various sectors and GM as a possible answer to come out of the crisis
INSURING FOOD SECURITY
Buttressing the technology as the most immediate solution to combat world hunger via enhanced crop biotechnology
PROMOTION VS RELEGATION OF GM CROPS
Taking inspiration from China and portraying the need for similar efforts essential for promoting GMO via various media platforms
PATENTS ON GMOS
A detailed discussion on the patenting of seeds and crops and their effect on agriculture
BIOTECH CROP AREA SPREADING WINGS
Appreciating the expanding biotech crop area and reviewing India’s position
WILL ‘MAKE IN INDIA’ TURN THE FACE OF GM TECHNOLOGY
Anticipating the effect of the then launched ‘Make in India’ initiative on GMOs
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“
Worsening the situation was the issue of a rule where a mandatory ‘no objection certificate’ required from state governments to conduct field trials.
CAN GMOS OFFER SOLACE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
The various environmental crisis that GM crops and the technology can potentially mitigate IT’S TIME TO PROSECUTE ANTI-GMO NGOS’
Questioning the anti-GMO NGOs on their constant disapproval and criticism expressed towards GMOs
DELAYED REGULATION ON GM CROPS
Delayed issue of regulations by Government bodies and its subsequent effect on agri-innovation
TOP
10 GM SUPPORTING COUNTRIES
Listing countries that have been arduously supporting GM crops
d n
INCREASING SUPPORT FOR GM CROPS
Opinions by various countries and people and their increasing adoption of the technology
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NEEDS AND CONTROVERSIES As we scroll through the world problems such as rising population, world hunger, global warming, environmental hazards, water scarcity, soil erosion and so on, the need to put a full stop at the end of these issue is soaring high. And science has various solutions in store, with one in the field being GM technology. But the crops which are spinned out by employing gene modification technologies are not easily appreciated. The technology still looks out for some potential support and backing from every vertical. Controversies are high and with activists and NGOs at the top of their game, influence a major spectrum of the society. While administration and regulators hold a strong responsibility towards spreading a positive note on GM, society also needs to have a positive outlook and give them a try. On the same note arises the need to implement a national GM policy by the Government regulators, which is expected to produce highly constructive results. Since the speed at which biotechnology approvals were being initiated has considerably slowed down since 2010, the need for a GM policy is on the rise. The road to the launch of Bt cotton was a smooth one. Being the first biotech crop in India, an insect-resistant Bt cotton, released in 2002, it was a huge success. There were several more varieties of cotton, maize, rice, wheat, mustard, brinjal and so on which have been developed successively and submitted for regulatory approval. But the
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Modi Government needs to draft a national policy for development and adoption of biotech crops and revive biotech crop research.
response has not been the same. Since the moratorium on Bt brinjal trials by the ministry of environment in 2010, the regulatory approvals have slowed down. Worsening the situation was the issue of a rule where a mandatory ‘no objection certificate’ is required from state governments to conduct field trials. The delay from regulatory bodies, pending cases, and the report given out by standing committee on biotech crops are adding fuel to the fire. The effect is being carried forward onto the biotech crop research area as well. With the number of permissions for field trials going South, the projects and research schedule is being hampered. The delays from all quarters are severely impacting the status of research and development this year. To renew this situation, Modi Government needs to draft a national policy for development and adoption of biotech crops and revive biotech crop research. “Without a national policy to guide them researchers in GM crops are chasing a black cat in a dark room,” says regulatory specialist Gajendra Babu. A national GM policy would provide scientists, researchers, companies and research organizations with a confidence to go ahead with their proposals for development of biotech crops. Government needs to come up with a clear policy along by replenishing the regulatory system. Transparency and dialogue between central and state ministries on aspects of research, development, trials, and acceptance would lay out a roadmap for commercialization of the products too. WHAT INDUSTRY EXPERTS AVER “India has gone complacent about food security. We have to become more efficient. The priority must be on providing technology and training to farmers on marginal lands”, says Sanjaya Rajaram, winner of the 2014 World Food Prize and
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director of Resource Seed International, a company which works on wheat and barley. The wheat utilization by the country is rising high and we will have to increase the productivity from its current 3.4 tonnes per ha. A possible way of achieving these numbers is by the use of hybrid wheat and biotechnology. Likewise, the need to boost productivity in crops like rice, sorghum, pulses and oilseeds is also needed. “We can double the production if regulations allow us, if the laws permit. (GM) technology is no good if it remains on the shelf. It has to be applied,” says Rajaram. Not just only embracing agriculture biotech but producing the correct technology packages through legislation at cheaper rates is also essential, according to Rajaram. “India’s small farmers could not be compared with those of the West. They need help.” ----------------------------“There is a restriction on testing and the limitation of obtaining ‘no objection certificates’ for field trials from state governments, which is holding it back. State governments should see it as just another technology and have confidence in the regulatory system. There should be no need for NoC for use of GM seeds by farmers after the central government has established their safety,” says K V Prabhu, Joint Director (Research) at Indian Agricultural Research Institute. ------------------------------“Bt cotton did not come into the field because of policy makers or political leaders,” says M Mahadevappa, rice breeder and former vice-chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. “The state should promote the development and deployment of GM crops that confer tangible benefits to farmers after having been found to be safe on the basis of rigorous scientific analysis. The fear of controversies should not stop the state from adopting GM crops. Field trials of GM crops should be
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allowed if they conform to national regulatory guidelines and are approved by GEAC. A special cell of the SBCC should be vested with the authority and resources to examine all applications for field trials and dispose them off in a time bound manner,” says Mahadevappa in his report to the Government. A letter addressed to Principal Secretary to the PM by Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw read, “The failure to hold GEAC meetings and the consequent breakdown of the regulatory process had forced many to shut or scale down research programmes in agri biotechnology in India. GEAC is required to meet at least once each month. It has only met eight times in the last three years and had not considered any agri biotechnology applications since August 2014. The biotech industry is concerned as with the delay in GEAC meetings, the upcoming Kharif season may be lost for field testing,” Shaw noted.
THE ROAD AHEAD The fear due to controversies and unruly debates should not intimidate the public by affecting their understanding towards science and GM crops. The road to GM has always been bumpy but is expected to witness a change very soon. Provided media platforms and social groups adopt a responsibility to promote the concept and support the cause. Being one among the science media, we have been relentlessly efforting on improving the scenario by talking more GM crop benefits and pushing the technology closer to the people. Pursuing this cause further would be on our agenda right through the coming season and hope to witness a genetic makeover in agriculture soon!
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inspiring young india
A
team of 17 enthusiastic undergraduate students hailing from IIT Kharagpur stepped into the world’s largest competition of synthetic biology, the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Out of these 17 fourth year biotech undergraduates, a team of four, Yogesh Lakhotia, Harsheel Singh Soin, Roshan Satapathy and Sriram Bharath, have represented India at the competition organized by the iGEM Foundation which is organized every year at Boston in USA. iGEM, launched by MIT in 2004, is dedicated to students, who aim to promote research in synthetic biology, which is to design living organisms with characteristic properties. This is an international event, where teams of undergraduates from
IIT-KGPIANS ENTER IGEM with a novel attempt to address food spoilage around the world portray their skills in synthetic biology. iGEM brings together 250+ teams from all continents to present innovative ideas on genetically engineered micro-organisms which can prove beneficial to mankind. The team from IIT-K have been efforting to conceptualize their project since January 2015. The finale of this competition was from 24 to 28 September 2015 at Boston. Along with representing IIT Kharagpur and the country on an international stage, these young researchers also inspire many budding bioscience aspirants on the front. “Problems like food spoilage are a major concern in our lives mainly because of their direct impact on our health. Food spoilage renders a product undesirable for consumption and is the outcome of the biochemical activity of a microbial community. In our project, we aimed to design a biological product which can be used to detect food spoilage and contain food poisoning,” says Yogesh.
iGEM TEAM FROM IIT-KHARAGPUR: (L to R) Karan Gupta, Rhushikesh Phadke, Dipasha Sinha, Shaurya Veer, Chetan Khandelwal, Vivek Rai, Roshan Satapathy, Yogesh Lakhotia, Harsheel Singh Soin, Agneyo Ganguly (Professor, Team Supervisor), Pruthvi Patel, Biki Kundu, Sanjay Prasad, Sriiram Bharath, Aayushman Srivastava, Krishna Deepak, Jugal Mohapatra and Adarsh Mukesh.
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Detailing on the project… Many species of bacteria communicate with each other through a process called Quorum sensing. The bacteria produce and secrete certain signalling molecules (called auto-inducers or pheromones) that freely diffuse into the environment. Quorum sensing is mainly a system of stimulae and response correlated to population density. So, as the number of bacteria in a region increases, the concentration of the signalling molecules also increases. After a certain threshold concentration, these signalling molecules bind to the promoters and induce the gene of interest. This helps them to express their genes together and cause a larger impact. They also “become aware” of the concentration of their own species and of other species in their vicinity. Recent researches have shown the possibility of the involvement of Quorum sensing in food spoilage. The enzymatic activities that account for the quality degradation of the food products are regulated by Quorum sensing activity. Also, the quorum molecules (auto-inducers) have been detected in spoiled food products. The team aimed at making a genetically engineered bacterium that senses the concentration of other food spoiling bacteria and expresses a coloured pigment. The enzymatic activities that account for quality degradation of food products are regulated by quorum sensing activity. The newly engineered organism would be used
“
In our project, we aimed to design a biological product which can be used to detect food spoilage and contain food poisoning.
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as a marker of freshness in different kinds of food (dairy and other packaged products) by detecting the presence of Acyl Homoserine Lactones using the Lux operon system in E. coli and rendering a visible colour change (through lycopene production) and thus preventing the consumption of such food and aiding to healthy living. The engineered E. coli senses the concentration of other bacteria and triggers the expression of lycopene (red-coloured) pigment which is visible to the naked eye. Packets will contain a pouch with a sample of product and the engineered bacteria. Detection of AHLs (in the case of food contamination) in the product sample will trigger the expression of the lycopene gene that will produce the red-coloured pigment (easily observable to the human eye). The iGEM competition iGEM competition involved designing useful genetic features and incorporating those into living micro-organisms in order to create solutions for real world issues. Each year, in the month of May, the participating teams receive the same kit of Biobricks (kind of live Lego bricks, BioBrick parts are DNA sequences which conform to a restriction-enzyme assembly standard). During their summers, the team spent their holidays in labs working on their project and by the end of August, they had sent their results and construction to the contest organizers. The 281 participating teams later joined in Boston on September 24 for the grand finale (or the Giant Jamboree). The iGEM competition is aimed at undergraduate university students, as well as high school and graduate students. At the Giant Jamboree, iGEM teams com-
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pete for various awards. These awards range from Medals to Track Awards to Special Prizes for the finalists. The three finalists were selected based on their overall excellence of their entire project, from choice of project, presentation, impact of the project, consideration of issues of Human Practices. The Team The team of IIT-KGP was interdisciplinary, with students from distinct academic fields bringing different skills and expertise to the table. It included programmers, web and design members apart from the core research team. Since the team consisted of undergraduates from a variety of disciplines, it aided the project at the maximum via exchange of ideas, skills and expertise from their respective fields of study, followed by use of mathematical models and predictions to investigate the findings. They were guided by Prof. Agneyo Ganguly, a faculty member of the department. “Collaboration with other teams and scientific transparency are key principles of the competition, and so the IITKGP-based team is open to working with any iGEM team from any continent,� aver the team members. They conducted outreach programs in the local areas, for instance doing presentations and lessons in secondary schools in Kolkata, discussing the synthetic biology project as well as the role of young women and men in the scientific community. In the coming months, the team believes that there is still much more to do to prepare for and achieve the self-defined objectives. Students are suggested to keep up to date in order to find the right and most importantly new topic in order to create something unprecedented, something exciting, and something innovative and last but not the least, something that everyone can understand and act as a solution to the thriving environmental problems.
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GUEST CORNER Debashish Kar is an M.Sc and M.Tech in Biotechnology currently pursuing PhD at the Dept of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur. He has many experimental research publications and scientific article publications in national and international reputed journals and magazines under his belt. He has also published a book “Advanced Guide for CSIR-UGC-NET Life Science” published by New Delhi Publisher. He also holds life membership of the Indian Science Congress Association and the Society of Biological Chemists (India).
Bomb detecting plants Will it put terrorist activities to end?
T
errorists might have a hard time in future as hiding bomb is going to be a no easy task for them. A genetically modified plant would replace sniffer dogs and metal detectors to snuffle the toxic chemicals found in bombs. Surprised? Well, it is an outstanding achievement in the field of biotechnology where a computer programmed detectable system is introduced in plants to sense bomb ingredients. Scientist at Colorado State University has figured out a way to make a general plant primary line of defence in the terror prone area. Lab based research work showed that a green plant could turn white when exposed to any explosives or chemical weapons. De-greening of plants will alert security system to be tighter! Professor June Medford and her fellow research scientists from the Colorado State University in association with U.S. Departments of Defence and Homeland Security are working to build a genetically programmed and modified plant to get rid of terrorist activities in public places. “We actually modify the seed,” Medford said, “and then it’s a trait that is stable and stays with it forever. It’s very empowering because it will tell you that there’s an explosive around and get the security guys here!’” The team has modified her plant to sense any explosives or chemical agents at a point to turn from green to white leaf. “It’s a program we can put in any plant species,” Medford said. With the help from Duke University and the University of Washington, Medford reformulated receptor proteins using a computer program. They then modified the receptors to function in plants, and targeted them to the test plants’ cell walls.
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The science behind it! Periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs), known to be involved in bacterial chemotaxis, have been re-designed in-silico to generate extremely specific and sensitive bio-sensing capacities for substances such as explosives, a metal or a chemical agent. When an extracellular ligand binds to PBP a conformational change takes place resulting higher affinity of the ligand bound PBP complex for an extracellular domain of a bacterial chemotactic receptor (e.g., Trg). The periplasmic portion of Trg was fused to the cytoplasmic portion of a histidine kinase (HK), EnvZ, to produce a functional chimeric protein Trg-HK. This chimeric protein admits re-framed receptors to be linked to gene expression. The activated HK then triggers an intracellular phospho-relay system that controls gene expression. An experiment was designed on multiple fusion points in bacteria to understand transmembrane HK activation process. To explore the mechanism, a phosphate sensing PAS domain was deleted from PhoR (PhoB a response regulator, normally accepts a signal from its cognate HK, PhoR) and the conserved DHP domain (Dimerization and Histidine Phosphotransfer) was fused to the charged region (CR). Most fusions have a basal signal in the absence of the ligand or no induction. DHP8, which fuses the Trg HAMP domain to place M197of PhoR, showed the best ligand-dependent induction and was finally selected for further validation. Bacterial signal transduction systems transmit signal from the exterior to a response using two proteins whereas eukaryotic systems typically use multiple components. An attempt was made to introduce bacterial derived components for plant function by adapting each component with eukaryotic target sequences. Computationally re-designed receptor for TNT, TNT.R3 was targeted to the apoplast, as done for RBP, producing ss-TNT.R3. In addition to this, a fused DHP8 Trg-PhoR product was also restructured for plant expression by introducing an N-terminal signal peptide from a protein with known cell membrane localization (FLS2) to produce Fls-Trg-PhoR.
“
0 hr
24 hr
48 hr
Fig: De-greening of leaves on exposure to TNT
When you have a system where the bad guys don’t even know that there’s a detector there, I think it’s very, very powerful. It can tell our security guys, the police, where to come and where to look.
Professor June Medford Colorado State University, US
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It works right now, but it’ll work in hours; we need to cut it down to minutes and seconds. And we think that’s very doable -- and indeed we’re getting some very good data to support that. June Medford
To check it further whether synthetic HK function in plants, GFP was tagged to PhoB and subsequently traced if GFP tagged PhoB translocated to the plant nucleus in response to exogenous TNT. PhoB-GFP translocated to the nucleus in response to the ligand. However plants carrying same gene circuit with point mutation at the phospho-accepting domain (Asp53Ala i.e PhoBD53A-GFP) did not show ligand-dependent nuclear translocation, indicating that the phosphorelay is quintessential for ligand-mediated nuclear translocation of PhoB in plant.
How efficient the detective plant is? The detection level covers a good range of sensitivity while it comes to real world use. For example, well trained sniffer dogs typically detect explosives and drugs within a detectable range of tens of ppb to 500 ppt. However these detector plants have sniffing efficiency 100-fold better (GUS data) or equivalent (de-greening response) to the detection abilities of dogs. These pioneer transgenic plants are the first example of detector plants with fully synthetic signalling pathway in a higher eukaryotic organism. The synthetic signal transduction system was constructed using a validated assembly of bacterial and plant protein domains. A more stronger and specific signalling pathways could be possible with the nurturing of signal transduction components. In addition to this, a more sophisticated expression with feedback regulation could be addressed to enhance sensitivity and biological memory. An extraordinary adaptive potential of this system with much improved version are soon to follow. Before it becomes practical, however, the time it takes a plant to turn from green to white has to be reduced, Medford said. “It works right now, but it’ll work in hours; we need to cut it down to minutes and seconds. And we think that’s very doable -- and indeed we’re getting some very good data to support that.” Medford’s list of possibilities seems endless. In addition to explosives detection, plants can be modified to react to disease-causing microbes, pollutants, even carbon monoxide or radon gases in homes. Speaking with Fox News, Medford said “When you have a system where the bad guys don’t even know that there’s a detector there, I think it’s very, very powerful. It can tell our security guys, the police, where to come and where to look.” She also added that once the offensive substance has been removed the plant will go back to original colour and can be used again and again. So, it would be plants that would join our security system to get rid of terrorist activities. When humans fail to control violent human, plants join hand to uproot them from the world. Once again plants prove that they are indispensible for our survival and arguably our best friend in the society.
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Is POLIO
em o c a g n i g sta back?!
I
t was not long after India sighed in relief as WHO declared the country as ‘polio free’. On March 24, 2014 the country was stated to be rid of polio and the deadly disease was believed to be behind the bars for good. Eradicating a disease from the face of the earth is a worthy dream. It was widely believed, not just in India but every corner of the world, that humanity is approaching the finishing point in the race against polio. While the world was about to sweep off the virus forever, an instance which has been recently reported in UK, brings us back to square one, posing a serious question, “Is polio staging a comeback?” An alarming new study brings in the case of a polio vaccinated man in UK shedding polio virus for the last 28 years! The scientific community is apprehensive of this discovery, as this is a worrisome new development in the polio end-game. Although it is known that some people could shed the virus from their body for long periods, the new case is by far the longest that the virus has stuck around in a person, and a first in the history. A weakened form of polio from polio immunizations lived on in his gut, mutating into a strain which could cause paralysis in the unvaccinated.
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According to WHO, a country needs zero recorded cases of an infectious disease for three years for the disease to be eradicated. After vigorous campaigns across India, the last polio case, that of 18-month-old Rukhsar from West Bengal, was reported in 2011. Three years later, the country was declared polio free.
The new discovery has prompted scientists to warn fresh outbreaks of the disease in regions where people are unvaccinated. The discovery is made by a team of scientists from the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, UK. The findings have implications for health officials who are close to eradicating polio from the three remaining countries where the virus is still circulating: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Page 71
What is vaccine-derived polio virus (VDPV)? The oral vaccine, a very weak live virus which is considered safe and effective, gets excreted by immunized children, and within 12 months it mutates in the environment and begins causing infection in unvaccinated children.
Vaccine-derived outbreak- How could this happen? “In a healthy person, the virus is replicated and excreted for several days, and then stops,” says Dr. Javier Martin, biologist at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. Hence, excretion of polio virus is considered a common phenomenon. However, the case under discussion is unique, with 28 years of virus shedding! The reason is identified as ‘immune disorder’, a condition that suppresses the immune system, affecting its ability to kill viruses in gut. The British man had a full course of polio vaccinations in his childhood, which included three doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV) at 5, 7 and 12 months, followed by a booster dose at seven years. In 2004, the UK switched to an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) which is injected. The scary findings came into picture when researchers analyzed more than 100 stool samples from the man, collected over a period of 20 years. It was shocking to observe high levels of strain 2 polio virus in all the samples. Sewage samples collected in Slovakia, Finland, Estonia, and Israel have also revealed the presence of the polio virus, which suggests that ‘chronic excreters’ are living in those countries and may pose an ongoing risk to eradication efforts. It is not known how many people continue to excrete poliovirus long after their immunizations. When Oliver Rosenbauer, communications officer from WHO’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative, was questioned on how bad the effect of vaccine-derive polio virus can be, the reply was, “Over the past 10 years, more than 10 billion doses of OPV [oral polio vaccine] have been administered to more than 2.5 billion children, preventing more than 650,000 polio cases every single year. In that same period, only 21 ‘circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus’ episodes are known to have occurred, resulting in 622 cases. This is extremely rare.”
Could Polio make a comeback in developed countries? It is a matter of relief that people who are fully vaccinated against polio are not at risk of vaccine induced polio. However, in countries where routine vaccination is not encouraged, similar immune-deficient patients could potentially start a new polio outbreak.
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Dr. Robert Daum of the University of Chicago says, “We have a perfect storm for polio to make a re-appearance in the American scene.” Reports from various other countries also reveal that parents deny polio vaccines for their kids, owing to various wrong beliefs. As per statistics about eight percent of parents refused to immunize their children against childhood diseases because of erroneous beliefs that vaccinations are unsafe or unnecessary. When asked specifically about the 10 recommended childhood vaccines, most of those who refused said “no” to polio vaccine. And in Pakistan, where polio still circulates, militants have convinced some people that the polio vaccine is unsafe. In India too, there was a belief in the early stages of campaign that polio vaccination leads to infertility in girls! But the truth is that people who refuse to immunize their children against polio, are putting those children at risk now, and possibly into the future, from residual virus still alive in the guts of a few, rare individuals. Apart from the thousands of ‘no-nos’ to the vaccine, which need to be brought under control, to curb down the incidence of vaccine-derived polio infection, the world needs to switch from oral vaccine to injectable. The risk associated with random outbreaks would decline along with the number of shredders pumping out the virus. Despite years after the first incidence of VDPV, the problem still manages to make its appearance in one corner or the other, slowing the global polio eradication initiative consistently.
Recent relapses over a year Setting back global eradication initiatives:
Two children in Ukraine have been paralyzed by polio, the first outbreak of the disease in Europe since 2010. Reason being inadequate vaccination coverage. Sept 2015 Ukraine, Mali
June 2015 Nigeria, Pakistan
Nov 2014 South Sudan
Sept 2014 Madagascar
mag.biotecnika.org
An infant in Mali, the country which was also declared polio-free, was affected by the virus and the paralysis had set-in one week prior to the start of his treatment. A single confirmed case in Nigeria 21 cases reported with vaccine-derived polio virus in Pakistan Two cases have been confirmed with onset of paralysis in South Sudan
Three confirmed cases of polio virus contacts
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Towards an end-game strategy Our march towards polio eradication will be successful only if mutated strains of vaccine derived polio virus is tackled properly. A few suggested steps for wiping out polio can be in the following order; • surveillance research: Enhance the surveillance for sewage sampling and stool surveys to search for the presence of iVDPV strains. • routine screening: Define the risk of iVDPVs by measuring the rate of long-term excretion of vaccine-derived poliovirus from immuno-deficient people. • antiviral treatments: Develop efficient anti-viral treatments for virus shedding patients, to stop the replication of the polio virus. • vaccine coverage: Maintain high level of vaccine coverage. Outbreaks are self-limiting or rapidly stopped with 2–3 rounds of high-quality supplementary immunization. • new polio vaccines: Develop new vaccines to fully eradicate the illness. World Health Organization is set to trial a new vaccine next April, for mutated strains of polio virus. • cessation of opv: Phase out the use of the oral polio vaccine in routine immunization programme to eliminate the rare risks posed by vaccine-derived polioviruses. This may be done after the certification of wild polio virus eradication. Disease might affect every person at some point of their life. But there are a few unlucky ones who contract the paralyzing polio virus at early childhood. Though the World Health Organization has set a goal of wiping out polio by 2018, the discovery of mutated poliovirus in immune-deficient people has posed a threat, an extra hurdle before the finish line. There is need for concern in the reports regarding a renewed threat in our race against polio. However, there is no room for panic. Carefully planned precautionary and preventive measures are the need of the hour. These would put us back on the road to optimism in the fight for eradicating polio from the face of the earth. We shall not let our guard down. It’s doable! mag.biotecnika.org
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