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Varsity signs MoU with Institute of Bioinformatics, Bangalore

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

NEW VISTAS: Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University J.A.K. Tareen after signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Director of the Institute of Bioinformatics, Bangalore, Akhilesh Pandey, on Monday.

PUDUCHERRY: Pondicherry University inked a pact with the Institute of Bioinformatics, Bangalore for collaborative efforts in teaching, training of students and research programmes, on Monday.

Shortly after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University J.A.K. Tareen said that training programmes would be jointly held at the University and Institute of Bioinformatics under the agreement.

“The advantages of this agreement include use of facilities at both the institutions and sharing of resources,” he said. Exchange programmes in the field of bioinformatics, curriculum development, conducting training programmes, seminars, workshop and research would be part of the agreement.

Director, Institute of Bioinformatics Akhilesh Pandey said, “With Pondicherry University being a pioneer in bioinformatics, students will benefit from the joint umbrella. The scope of bioinformatics is exploding. But the limiting factor is that there are not enough people being trained. There has to be high calibre training in the area.”

He pointed out that bioinformatics was the next big wave after Information Technology.

The MoU would allow joint research as well as training to be carried out at these institutions.

Research scholars at the Institute of Bioinformatics would enrol for the Ph.D programme at the Pondicherry University under the guidance of the faculty of both institutions.

“The collaboration would help to create bioinformatics researchers who are needed in most fields of biomedical research today,” said head, department of biochemistry and molecular biology and coordinator of Bioinformatics Centre, Pondicherry University P.P. Mathur.

He said that bioinformatics was one of the fastest growing disciplines in the field of biology.

“Biomedical research has become increasingly complex in the recent years. Due to the enormous amount of data that are generated, the use of computers to help understand the data and plan further experiments has become a necessity,” he explained.

However, professionals who have training in both – the use of computers and in life sciences – were still rare, Professor Mathur added.

Registrar of the University S. Loganathan said that the bioinformatics centre at the University was a Centre of Excellence recognised by the Department of Information Technology.

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