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Workshop on Synthetic Biology at IBAB in Association with Harvard University
The workshop is sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

Bangalore 21st Jan 2019 : B4 (Boston Bangalore Biosciences Beginnings) Program was held at IBAB (Institute of BioInformatics and Applied Biotechnology) Bangalore centre in association with the Harvard University (Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute) starting 21st January 2019 which will go ontill 2nd February 2019.

This year the theme of the SAI-B4 program is based on Synthetic Biology.

About the workshop :-

This workshop is designed to introduce talented Indian students to the emerging area of synthetic biology- a highly interdisciplinary area that envisages rational fabrication and re-design of naturally occurring biological systems for useful purposes through the application of engineering principles. The two week immersion course will introduce the students to some of the most exciting developments in this area, advanced techniques involved I genome engineering and building metabolic pathways through didactic lectures and hands-on sessions. The workshop also includes specialized lectures as well as panel discussion on emerging areas of synthetic biology, its future potential in shaping the biotech industry. In addition, it will address the limitations and ethics of synthetic biology. The program will provide excellent networking opportunities.

HARVARD – SAI – B4 Programme
 
The South Asia Initiative (SAI) continues the long tradition of collaboration between Harvard and South Asia’s nations. Learning from South Asia, and contributing to its development, has become vital given the salience of the region in contemporary times. Harvard University became the first in the nation to offer Sanskrit courses in 1872. Today, professors and students from across Harvard conduct research on scientific, strategic, social, economic, environmental, and political issues, in collaboration with colleagues in South Asia and elsewhere, in service of the community-at-large. The purpose of SAI is to be a nexus for interdisciplinary intellectual activities at the University, with the shared aspiration to build the leading center of expertise on South Asia. SAI seeks to expand knowledge of a vital region through faculty and student engagement across disciplines. We do so in an environment of compassion, tolerance, humility, and awareness, which qualifies us to become informed decision-makers and change agents.

About the B4 Young Scientist program
 
The aim of this program is to raise the awareness amongst students about current technology platforms and state of the art approaches in emerging and frontier areas of the biosciences and biotechnology. The students, selected from science and technology institutions of higher learning across India, participate in an intensive 2 week workshop where faculty experts from the Harvard-Boston area and Indian are involved in training through lectures as well as hands on sessions. In the past, workshops on “Frontiers in Neurosciences” and “Genomic Applications in Healthcare & Translational Research” have been successfully organized as part of the B4 program.
 
About the B4 program
 
The Building Bharat-Boston Biosciences (B4) Program is funded by the Dept of Biotecnology(DBT), Govt of India. The IBAB, Bengaluru is collaborating with The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asai Institute, Harvard University (Mittal Institute), Cambridge, USA and the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Pune for the implementation of this program. The aim of the B4 Institutions in India and Boston to promote research and create new knowledge and capabilities in emerging areas of the biosciences through collaboration between the two countries:

The program activities include:
a)       Supporting post-doctoral fellows with eighteen-month fellowships in the biosciences at Harvard University and other institutions in the Boston area.
b)       Organizing two workshops annually each spanning for two weeks (the Young Scientists Development Courses) on topics in biosciences for interdisciplinary learning in India.
c)       Organizing two seminars annually (In country seminars) to highlight the work of returning fellows and visiting scientists.
 
Program highlights
 
ü  Expert faculty from Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University and premier institutions of higher education in India.
ü  25 student participants from India, with biology and non-biology background.
ü  2-week intensive hands-on training in latest Synthetic Biology and Gene Editing technologies.
ü  Expert and didactic lectures, panel discussions and interactive sessions in frontier and emerging R&D areas.
ü  Dedicated session for Biotech industry, regulatory policies and start-up companies.
ü  Extensive networking and collaboration opportunities with academia and industry.

About IISER Pune
 
The Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Pune is a teaching and research institute set up in 2006 by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, with the primary goal of integrating high quality research with undergraduate teaching to improve science education in India and to enhance the number and the quality of future researchers of the country. The institute offers a 5-year BS-MS dual degree program, integrated PhD program for bachelor level students and PhD program for Master’s level students. The disciplines of study at the institute include Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Climate Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematics and Physics.
 
About the Mittal Institute, Harvard University
 
The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University is an academic institute that engages faculty members, students and in-region institutions through interdisciplinary programs to disseminate knowledge, build capacity, inform policy and engage with critical issues relevant to South Asia. It facilitates scholarly exchanges among Harvard faculty and students, academics and public figures from the region with a goal to create new knowledge in the arts and humanities, social sciences and pure science.

About IBAB
 
The Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) is an autonomous research and educational institute established by the Department of IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka. It is located in the Biotech park in Electronic City, Bengaluru. The Institute runs interdisciplinary research programs in genomics, systems biology, synthetic biology, computational structural biology, cancer biology, parasitology and epigenetics. IBAB offers post graduate courses (an MSc in Biotechnology & Bioinformatics) and a Ph.D program. The institute actively collaborates with clinicians and biotech companies for its translational research activities. It has also incubated 25 start-ups to date.   

Discussions on the impact of B4 program:
•    Moderated by Prof. Venkatesh Murthy, Chair of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Boston
•    Keynote Lecture: Rewriting the Blueprint of Life by Synthetic Biology by Prof. Srinivasan Chandrasegaran, Johns Hopkins University, USA
•    Genes, Genomes and Dawn of Computational Biology by Dr. Abhilash Mohan, IBAB, Bangalore
•    Restriction Enzymes and Biotechnology Revolution by Prof. Desirazu N. Rao, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
•    Regulation of metabolic pathways in Pichia by Prof. Pundi N. Rangarajan, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
•    Reclaiming the lost genomic treasure -Responsible Innovation: ethics, safety and security by Prof. Pawan Dhar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
•    Structure to signaling: Understanding roles and mechanisms of non-coding RNAs in bacteria by Dr. Arati Ramesh, NCBS, Bangalore
•    Targeted genome editing approach to reactivate fetal hemoglobin: An strategy for treating β-hemoglobin disorders
•    Creating a governance framework for gene editing applications in humans Dr. Shambhavi Naik, The Takshashila Institution, Bangalore
•    Understanding the Regulatory and Policy Implications of SyntheticBiology by Dr. Balakrishna Pisupati, FLEDGE, Chennai.

Venue:
Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology
Biotech Park
Electronics City Phase I
Bengaluru 560 100
India
Media Relations

Manjuu Rangarajan – BrandiT Communications
96322-99872 / manjuubrandit@gmail.com