|
| Home | | | Contact us | | | About Us | | | Search the Site |
| News Release :: |
| Meetings and Workshops :: |
| October 16-17 | Agricultural Biotechnology Symposium and Showcase: Plant Manufactured pharmaceuticals: Contact sdcma@biology.ucsd.edu |
| November 10-14 | Second Moscow International Congress: Biotechnology - State of the Art and Prospects of development; Moscow |
| November 17-21 | Biotechnology and Food Safety; Rome, Italy |
Marine biotech park to be set up in Vizag
MODELLED on the Shapoorji Pallonji Biotech Park on the outskirts of Hyderabad, which focuses mainly on pharma companies, the State Government has taken up the task of developing a marine biotech park in Visakhapatnam.
The Government has allocated 25 acres of land on the suburbs of Visakhapatnam and is in the process of laying roads and facilitating other infrastructure support.
It will soon short list a developer on the lines of the SP Biotech Park near Hyderabad, according to the Director (Biotechnology), State Industries and Commerce Department, Mr D.N. Mohan.
Like the SP Biotech Park, private companies would be allocated land, encouraged with sales tax concessions and other incentives, but the overall focus would be on development of marine resources using the latest biotechnology methods, he told Business Line.
Already the US-based Biogenus Inc, promoted by a non-resident Indian hailing from Andhra Pradesh, has evinced interest in taking 60 acres of land for a major project it was planning in the country.
In a run up to the ambitious project, the Government has been supporting the development of a Centre of Excellence in Marine Biotech Resources Development at the Andhra University (AU), Visakhapatnam. The AU has a strong focus on marine sciences. Plans are to locate this Centre in the Marine Biotech Park, Mr Mohan said.
The AU Centre would work on development of a vaccine to prevent shrimp disease, which has been playing havoc with the fortunes of the farmers and exporters, and research on marine foods and fisheries.
The University of Mahidol in Thailand, with whom the State Government had recently signed an MoU at the Bio-2003 in Washington, would be involved in research project as they have have expertise, he said.
In addition to providing infrastructural support to the marine biotech park tenants (industries), the AU Marine Biotech Resources Centre would be actively involved in assisting them with scientific and technological support as and when required.
The centre, to be set up in Delhi University, would be a joint collaboration between Delhi University, Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) and Delhi Government, DSIDC Managing Director, Jalaj Shrivastava, said.
The objective of the centre, to be converted into a Centre of Excellence for University-Industry Collaboration, would be to encourage research and development activities in biotechnology.
The construction of the building was likely to be completed in a year, he said adding "The centre will come up in an area of 2.5 acres at a cost of a little over Rs 5 crores in the South campus."
The money would be provided by the Delhi Government - half as grant and half as interest free loan.
The research efforts initially would be in the areas of isolation, development and production of industrially important enzymes, diagnostics for infectious diseases and genetic disorders and vaccines and transgenic crops.
Visit the site offered by Wellcome Trust on Genome Research and its possible impact on medicine and society.
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/genome/index.html
Genome sequence of Lab Mouse
Nature Publishes ( Volume 420 No. 6915) the genome sequence of lab mouse: an event with major significance for the human biology and medicine through mouse models of human disease. Companion articles report the initial analysis of the sequence, the most comprehensive picture of the mouse transcriptome yet, a description of variation in strains of laboratory mice, as well as news, features and an interactive history of the mouse in genetics.
For complete access to this comprehensive web focus, Click Here: http://www.nature.com/nature/mousegenome/
Coexistence between genetically modified crops and conventional agricultural crops is possible.
Co-existence paper released ( New Zealand Government; April 17, 2003), can be viewed at :
http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/research-and-development/biotechnology/gm-coexistence-decision/
Comprehensive site on biotechnology information
The site can assist you in preparing for Biotechnology symposia or writing a review paper or giving a talk on a biotechnology topic. It contains scientific literature, science backgrounders, global news and links to over 100 biotechnology related websites.
you can reach AgSymbion through this website : http://www.agsymbion.comNote: You will be required to login with a name and password. Access to AgSymbion is limited. If you are not authorized for access to AgSymbion, but believe you would be benefit, please submit a request by email message to : ag.biotechnology.conservatory@monsanto.com ( Please include your name, organisation or affiliation, and e-mail address.)
Patent Information Centre, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
The state of Uttar Pradesh has diverse geoclimatic and cultural variety, vast network of institutions and is rich in man and material. But the information and awareness on protecting "knowledge base" remain abysmally low, which reflects in the less number of patents filed from the state of Uttar Pradesh. Thus the scientists, technologists and researchers need information, orientation and facilities for protecting the products of their intellectual prowess. In order to facilitate this, the Patent Information Center (PIC), Uttar Pradesh has been setup under the aegis of Council of Science & Technology, Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with Patent Facilitating Cell, Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi to provide regional level services regarding patents especially to S&T community.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To create awareness about IPRs, especially patents, in the neighboring region of this centre and enable patent searches for the universities, industries, government departments and R&D instutions in the state and around.
2. To analyze the patent information on a regular basis and suggest new programmes for R&D based on such informations.
3. Guide the inventors in respect of patenting their inventions.
For further information please contact:PATENT INFORMATION CENTRE
COUNCIL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, UTTAR PRADESH
Vigyan Bhawan, 9, Nabiullah Road,
Surajkund Park, Lucknow- 226018
Phone: 0522-2211773, 2215345, 2273828, 2202453
Fax: 0522-2211793
E-mail: ranashashi@sify.com
ILSI Announces Crop Composition Database
The database is available for public use (free of charge) at: http://www.cropcomposition.org , http://www.ilsi.org .
Bisafety Protocol Ratified by 50 Countries - Will Enter into Force September 11, 2003
This month Palau was the 50th country to ratify to Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The protocol regulates the trans-boundary movement of living modified organism (LMOs) that could harm conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The Protocol was adopted by the member governments of the Convention on Biological Diversity in January 2000.
Additional information about the Biosafety Protocol is available at: http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety
The biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) website also has a briefing document on the Biosafety Protocol available at: http://www.bio.org/foodag/biosafety.asp
International Council for Science report on Biotech Crops
The International Council for Science (ICSU) has published a new report " Food and agriculture: scientific Discoveries - Societal Dilemmas" The report represents on analysis of a selection of approximately 50 science-based reviews published by national academics of science, governments, international organizations and private agencies in year 2000 - 2003 covering modern genetics and its applications in food, agriculture and the environment. The report addresses five key questions about genetically modified food and living modified organisms: who needs them? Are they safe to eat? Will there be any effects on the environment? Are the regulations adequate? Will they affect trade? According to the report "The broad range of modern genetics applications in agriculture could contribute more towards improving the efficacy and sustainability of agriculture in emerging economics...Genetically modified crops also offer promise to contribute more toward both food security and poverty reduction". ICSU represents more than 100 science academics including the U.S. National Academy of Science and the UK's Royal Society.
The Press release, executive summary and full report along with additional background research from the study are available at: http://www.icsu.org
OECD Report on Accessing Ag Biotechnology in Emerging Economies
A report published by the Organization or Economic Cooperation and development (OECD) entitled "Accessing Agricultural Biotechnology in Emerging Economies" brings together two framework papers that were presented during an OECD workshop in November 2002.
The report is available at: http://www.oecd.org/pdf/M00041637.pdf
Home || About Project || DBT || CII || UPSIDC || Educational and R&D Institutes || Biotechnology Products & Processes || Resource Persons || Facilities Available || News Release || About Lucknow || Biotechnology Tutorial || About Patenting || FAQs || Contact us || Home