INFOCUS dbt

shubh-yatra.in66 I SHUBH YATRA I SEPTEMBER 2015

A separate Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology, set up in 1986, has given a new impetus to developments in modern biology and biotechnology. The DBT, over the past 30 years, has matched every inflection in its journey to grow from a na-scent sector to a sunrise industry, making significant achievements in the growth and application of biotechnology in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment and industry. The result framework document for perfor-mance monitoring and evaluation system has rated the DBT as very good.

SCOPE, ROLE AND FUNCTIONIt has been a long journey for the DBT to shift its focus from policy formulation to programme development, helping the scientific community at large, especially researchers, students and academic institutions. It has expanded its basket to support biotechnology-based industries to boost the country's bio-economy. The DBT focused on the creation of institu-tional infrastructure, and human resource development in biotechnology and bio-informatics to bridge the gap between biotech research in basic and applied aspects. The DBT was given a visionary

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has not only shifted from policy formulation to programme development, it has opened its doors wide for students and researchers

PIONEERING BIOTECH INNOVATION

role in developing India's infrastructure in the biotechnology sector, with emphasis on setting up dedicated institutions. The NII was the first autonomous institute of the DBT set up in 1986. From 1994 to 2004, it set up seven autonomous institutes - CDFD, ILS, NCCS, NBRC, NIPGR, RGCE B and IBSD. The scope was further expanded during the 10th and 11th plan; the number has since increased to 14 with the addition of new institutes, namely NIBMG, RCB, TSHTI, NIAB, InStem, NABI and IGGEB. These institutes have state-of-the-art facilities for pursuing research in the specialised areas of agriculture and allied sciences, healthcare, animal sciences, environment and industry. More than 80 technologies have been developed, thanks to the joint efforts of the autonomous institutes, and many have been commercialised through technology transfer.

“Centres of Excellence and Innovation” have been a great focus at the DBT's institutes and reputed R&D organisations have improved research faculty capa-bility through enhanced research and infrastructure, facilitating the acquisition of new skills and experience. Seventeen Centres of Excellence (CoEs) have been

established till date in the sectors of agriculture, medical, basic developmental biology, bio-informatics and molecular bi-ology. DBT-Boost to University Interdisci-plinary Departments of Life Sciences for Education and Research (DBT-BUILDER) is a programme for advanced education and research for the upgradation, re-en-gineering, remodeling and creation of life science departments in central and state universities. The objective is to promote interdisciplinary research and technology development at the university level.

The DBT has contributed significantly to biotechnology research in the 11th plan. More than 150 patents have been filed through R&D-sponsored projects and with institutional support; 63 patents have been granted and 650 publications released.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING The DBT has taken multiple initiatives in teaching and training by supporting un-dergraduate, post-graduate and research programmes in applied and basic life sci-ences. Under the post-graduate teaching programme, 71 universities with 1,150 students are trained every year. Under the undergraduate Star College programme,

shubh-yatra.in flrEcj 2015 I ’kqHk ;k=k I 67

150 eminent scientists have returned and joined leading institutes. The DBT wel-comes the Trust Alliance Fellowship and DBT Overseas Associateship - CREST award and other training and fellowship opportunities for post-doctoral research from India and abroad.

The department also supports career-oriented programmes and grants for the enhanced participation of women scientists in biotechnology research in all areas of life sciences and biology, including agriculture, veterinary science and medicine. Women scientists are strongly supported under the BioCARe Programme 225. The purpose is to build capacities for women scientists after a career break to help them undertake independent R&D projects.

PROGRAMMESUnder the aegis of the DBT, the Na-tional Bio-Resources Development Board (NBDB) was established with a mission to evolve a broad policy framework for re-search and development for sustainable utilisation of bio-resources and an effec-tive plan of action for economic prosper-ity of the nation through accelerated R&D, using modern tools of biosciences. Its ef-forts in bio-fuel research have focused on developing second-generation bio-fuel technologies that can be commercialised. It has established three bio-energy cen-tres in India with Indian Oil Corporation, ICGEB and Centre of Energy Bio-Science, which lays emphasis on the exploration of marine fungus, algal strains for ethanol and lipid production.

With international partnership, the DBT has given a strong impetus to genomic research in India. Its efforts on the devel-opment of transgenic rice, varieties for salinity/drought tolerance, fortified wheat varieties with iron/zinc, development of virus-resistant tomatoes, genes that affect immunity in cattle and genome sequencing of various fish have all had field trials with optimistic results.

The Indo-US Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) has supported innovative vaccine development for 25 years and developed the ROTAVAC diarrhoea vaccine for diar-

the emphasis is on nurturing excellence in science education. As such, 92 col-leges have been supported under the Star College scheme. Training programmes for the undergraduate and post-graduate faculties have also been initiated to up-grade the skills of teachers and mid-ca-reer scientists for research laboratories. On the pattern of experiential learning and with the aim of introducing the concept of finishing school, the Biotech Industrial Training Programme (BITP) has been implemented. This is planned for six months for fresh BE, B Tech, M Sc and M Tech students, and can accommodate 800 candidates every year.

Nationwide Biotechnology Information System Network (BTISnet) has been es-tablished with 168 centres, which include CoEs, Distributed Information Centres (DIC) and sub-DIC and Bio-Informatics Information Facilities (BIF) for biology and biotechnology teaching. Teaching programmes in MSc, M Tech and PhD in bio-informatics and computational biology supported by BTISnet centres are under way, in addition to advance post-graduate diploma courses.

There are various fellowship pro-grammes, such as the TATA Innovation Fellowship, a highly competitive scheme granted to those scientists who have an outstanding track record in biological sciences so they can peruse research in interdisciplinary work for bringing in-novation and translational research with a potential towards commercialisation. For attracting eminent scientists from across the world, the DBT has launched the Ramalinga Swami Fellowship. Almost

rhoeal infection among children. In India alone, about 5 lakh childhood diarrhoeal deaths have been reported. The vaccine, developed under PPP and launched in 2013 in India, is being manufactured by Bharat Biotechnologica Ltd. Under the Indo-US vaccine programme, low-cost vaccines against malaria and TB are also being developed.

The Grand Challenge Programme in the areas of healthcare, sanitation and agri-culture has been launched for accelerat-ed development of affordable and effec-tive vaccines, marker-assisted breeding to crop improvement and sustainable agricultural development and microbial bio-prospecting and engineering.

The DBT has strategically developed multiple international partnerships with countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Canada, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Japan, Australia, the EU and the US under joint project funding initiatives in agriculture, medical and hu-man vaccine development.

The department is also laying special emphasis on the north-eastern region

The result frame-work document for performance moni-toring and evalua-tion system has rat-ed the performance of DBT as very good

DISCOVERY

DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY (Set up in 1986)

INNOVATION ENTERPRISE

• 500R&Dprojectssupportedeveryyearacross17areas

• 600universities/institutessupported,involvingover2,500scientists

• 17CentresforExcellence,3biotechclusters,8biotechparksand15bio-incubatorssupported

PostGraduateProgrammein71univer-sities,1,000studentsperyear

92StarCollegeshavebeenrecognised;laboratory,facultyskillsupgraded

Biotechnol-ogyIndustrialTrainingPro-gramme-700studentseachyearand150industries

30short-termtraininginvolving500researchers;250JRF/SRFfellowshipseveryyear

SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

RamalingasamyFellowship-140eminentscientistshavereturnedfromabroad,80

havebeenabsorbedasfaculty

INFOCUS dbt

shubh-yatra.in68 I SHUBH YATRA I SEPTEMBER 2015

by setting up the North-Eastern Region Biotechnology Programme Management Cell (NER-BPMC) through Biotech Con-sortium India Limited (BCIL) in the past five years. It is promoting biotechnology activities in the region in close coopera-tion with government agencies, minis-tries and departments at the central and state levels, along with universities and research institutions for development and implementation of various programmes.

BIOTECH CLUSTERS The department has taken an initiative to establish multi-institutional regional clusters to ensure synergistic connectiv-ity between partner institutions within clusters and with other stakeholders in the city. This is also to build and maintain common infrastructural resources for research, translation, product innovation and validation; enable the creation of cluster-wide resources, including human capacity, physical and technological infrastructure for regulation sensitisation, translational platform, product validation, infrastructure and systems, entrepreneur-ial, community connectivity and global engagement necessary and appropriate for cluster energy; and promote entrepre-neurship and techno-business.

Under this initiative, the Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster for Multiscale Basic and Applied Research in Biological Sciences (B-Life) has been established in January 2015 with the overall objective to develop structural biology infrastructure to com-plement existing bio-cluster strengths from molecules to eco-systems.

NCR Biotech Science Cluster is also being established to provide strategic support

to national and regional research organ-isations in creation and integration of scientific, technical and business-related frameworks to accelerate and trans-late discoveries and pass on validation and transfer of product technologies to enterprises.

PUBLIC-SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS The DBT has two PSUs, BIBCOL and BIRAC. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit section 8, schedule B, public-sector enterprise set up by the DBT as an inter-face agency to strengthen and empower the emerging biotech enterprise to under-take strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. About 300 start-ups and SMEs have been supported.

Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL), a leading biotechnology company based in Uttar Pradesh, currently manufactures and produces a range of pharmaceutical products such as oral polio vaccines, zinc tablets and diarrhoea-management kits. Its mission is to save millions of children from disability through polio vaccination.

A unique feature of the department is its deep involvement in India's scientific community through a number of techni-cal task forces, advisory committees and individual experts in identification, formu-lation, implementation and monitoring of various programmes and activities.

DBT AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTES• Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and

Diagnostics (CDFD)• Institute of Life Sciences (ILS)• National Centre for Cell Sciences

(NCCS)• National Brain Research Centre

(NBRC)• National Institute of Plant Genome

Research (NIPGR)• Rajiv Gandhi Centre for

Biotechnology (RGCB)• Institute of Bio-resources and

sustainable development (IBSD)• National Institute of Immunology (NII)• National Institute of Biomedical

Genomics (NIBMG) • Regional Centre for Biotechnology

(RCB)• Translational Health Science and

Technology Institute (TSHTI)• National Institute of Animal

Biotechnology (NIAB)• Institute for Stem Cell Biology and

Regenerative Medicine (INSTEM) • National Agri-Food Biotechnology

(NABI)

INDIA - A VACCINE MANUFACTURING HUBIndigenous Rotavirus Vaccine in Universal Immunisation Programme

Other Vaccines developed /manufactured• Japanese Encephalitis • Rabies • Dengue

• Typhoid • Malaria • Leprosy • Anthrax • Cholera

DBT PSUS • Bharat Immunologicals and

Biological Corporation Ltd. (BIBCOL)• Biotechnology Industry Research

Assistance Council (BIRAC)

Biotechnology DrKVijayRaghavan,Secretary,theDBT,hasbeenhonouredbytheUSNationalAcademyofSciencesandelectedaforeignassociateoftheacademy.

shubh-yatra.in flrEcj 2015 I ’kqHk ;k=k I 69

How far do you think biotechnology re-search and development has come since the department was set up in 1986? The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in the past three decades has made a major impact in the biotechnol-ogy sector, not only within the country but also globally. The DBT, in its initial years, focussed primarily on building the biotechnology base in terms of basic and applied research, infrastruc-ture and human resource. As we have moved forward, the DBT has set up 14 aided autonomous institutes, 16 centres of excellence (CoEs), more than eight biotechnology parks and incuba-tors, and three biotech science clusters focussing on translational research. This evolution, which encompasses discovery research to innovation and translational research, has impacted the biotech innovation system greatly in the country.

What are the new initiatives the department has undertaken to promote industry growth?The DBT initiated industry funding with the launch of the Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) scheme in 2007 for supporting innova-tive research initiatives of SMEs and thereafter, the Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) was launched for supporting scale-up and manufacturing efforts. Based on the success of these programmes, the DBT set up Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a section 8 public sector undertaking. BIRAC caters to the needs of the Indian biotech industries right through the product-development chain, from discovery and early- and late-stage validation to prod-uct development. More than 300 start-ups and SMEs have been supported and 150 young entrepreneurs nurtured with seed fund. Apart from this, the DBT also has industry representatives in various task forces and academic research projects.

Q&A

Dr K VijayRaghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, talks to Shubh Yatra on the way forward

What is the idea behind setting up DBT’s Centres of Excellence?CoE offer long-term flexible support to novel and innovative scientific ideas. The idea is to support proven research teams and scientists, enabling them to make outstanding scientific con-tributions to society, both in terms of understanding systems and translating it to products through sharing of skills and knowledge.

Are there any indigenous technologies and programmes the department is promoting?All the programmes are indigenous and have been designed keeping in view the requirements of the Indian scientific groups, be it students, scientists or entrepreneurs. Some programmes and schemes may have elements inte-grated from successful programmes elsewhere but are fine-tuned to cater to Indian science. The mandate of the DBT is to promote indigenous technologies. However, it does not limit development of technologies licensed from else-where if it is for public good.

Tell us about the department's teaching and training initiatives.The DBT is implementing an Integrated Human Resource Development Pro-gramme comprising of a star college scheme, a post-graduate teaching programme, doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships and specialised training programmes for UG and PG teachers and mid-career scientists. Teaching and training programmes aim to sup-port quality education for UG and PG students with emphasis on intensive hands-on training in various areas of biotechnology. The DBT also provides industrial training to biotechnology students in the country. The depart-ment also awards fellowships to 10+2 students, doctoral and post-doctoral fellows to strengthen research in universities and research institutions across the country. Fellowships and various awards are also available for scientists to inspire them to excellence and innovation.

What future does biotechnology have in our country?Biotechnology is today one of the most successfully emerging sectors and the biotech industry has projected a target of $100 billion by 2025. This may seem an ambitious target but the large hu-man resource and infrastructural base in the country, along with the enormous interest of the international global community in the Indian biotech sector, makes the challenges achievable. To-day we not only have some of the best science collaborations, but our strategy for promoting innovation, entrepre-neurship and translational research facilitates this growth. Biotechnology today offers exciting opportunities for young scientists and entrepreneurs, and promises affordable and accessible solutions to major problems in the ar-eas of healthcare, agriculture and food security, clean energy and sanitation, and manufacturing.

What are the future international collabora-tions in biotechnology?The DBT has bilateral cooperation programmes with a large number of countries. Through these partnerships, we have built some of the best research cooperation programmes such as the Indo-US Vaccine programme, the Indo-Swiss Agriculture Biotechnology Part-nership, the Indo-French Partnership for Marine Biotechnology, the Indo-Japan Cooperation Programme in Stem Cell. In addition to these, there are partner-ships with major biotechnology groups in different countries such as the UK, Finland, Sweden and Canada - and even to the EU, SAARC and other South East Asian countries. We hope to expand and strengthen these partnerships further to include more joint programmes for capacity building, infrastructure cre-ation and addressing global problems. Emphasising the importance of health among populations, we have planned to strengthen our partnership in the fields of non-communicable diseases, pharmaceutical industries, antimicrobial resistance and healthcare institutions.