THE FUTURE IS HERE: S. Gopal, Managing Director, Scigenics Biotech Private Limited (right), explaining the equipment on display to M. K. Bhan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi (centre), and D. Viswanathan, Vice-Chancellor, Anna Unive rsity, in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: The Union Department of Biotechnology is adopting a two-pronged strategy to improve trained manpower in specific areas of stem cell research and create a critical mass of scientists who can convert their research into an enterprise.

The department will send 25 biotech researchers abroad for training in embryonic stem cell and simultaneously woo Indian researchers working abroad to institutions here, according to M.K. Bhan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology.

Talking to The Hindu here on Thursday, Dr. Bhan said while creating expertise in stem cell research was essential, it was more important to utilise the good opportunity provided by the research activity to use "good biology", for industrial application and converting it into an enterprise.

He cautioned researchers and institutions against taking up this inter-disciplinary activity involving medicine and basic biology as individuals, saying it required a systemic approach. Unless these were in place and a team with a leader who could draw up a road map was available, the endeavour would not succeed.

Inter-disciplinary approach

Dr. Bhan, who inaugurated the Second Convention of the Biotech Research Society of India and the national conference on `Path to Health-Biotechnology Revolution in India' stressed the need for an inter-disciplinary approach. Biotechnology and a host of other disciplines in science and technology had helped evolve solutions for many intractable health problems. He said investment was no longer a problem in promoting biotechnology. The real issue was slow pace of innovation and discovery, when compared with the advances achieved by institutes in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden.

As the Intellectual Property Right regime had come to stay, India should take advantage of the prevailing atmosphere in the country offering mobility, flexibility and possibility.

Ashok Pandey, president, Biotech Research Society of India (BRSI), said biotechnology had not only helped the people to improve the quality of life but also played an important role in tackling new forms of infectious diseases. The BRSI had been promoting research and development in biotechnology, initiating and strengthening academic-industry interactions to make them aware of new developments. It had instituted four medals to recognise outstanding contributions of its members.

Anna University Vice-Chancellor D.Viswanathan highlighted the role of the Centre for Biotechnology, established in the university in 1987, and the Centre with Potential for Excellence in Environmental Science in providing programmes in biotechnology and environmental sciences.

Dr. Bhan presented the BRSI lifetime achievement medal to Subramanian Rajagopal, veteran researcher and former Director of the National Physical Laboratory, for his work on biosensors; the industrial medal to P.N. Rangarajan of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for his work in anti-malarial research and the young scientist medal to S.K. Dubey of Banaras Hindu University for his work in molecular microbial ecology.

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