Biotechbuster

ABLE India Competition - Worth it

noreply@blogger.com (J(Z)ubin) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Time encompasses so fast that, till we are about to sort out memories of any incident or any event in our every day routine, some or other incident re brushes memory lane to wake it up to same experiences to show up.

I am on verge of letting our Bangalore trip's incidents to flow down here, in meanwhile its so exciting that I am jolting these down in midst of my preparation again to depart for same destination although with different mission in hand this time.

We (includes Me, Roshan -Team leader, Asmit, Moiz & Shreyash) had been to Bangalore for ABLE India competition with our team being selected one among top-20 at all India level for sending novel methodology to diagnose and treat Primary Glioblastoma (Brain tumor), with every team with their own concepts or technologies with some particular goal in mind. We became extremely proud when we read that we were selected among more than 200 applicants and selected one's being from different premier institutes like IIT's, etc. It's always great feeling to be with to compete with people of such grades.

We had booked our tickets for nice cool 2nd AC in Udhyan Express, with feelings reaching greater height when being informed that we would be getting reimbursement for all our traveling expenses and also that we have been provided accommodation in nice expensive suit of 5 star hotel. The journey in train was worth memorable from events like roshan starting installations in laptop as soon as we entered train from Kalyan, trying to get laptop charged, with Asmit sorting issues when he boarded train from Pune, watching movies like 'Andaz Apna Apna','Hangover', was really fun to get going.

We arrived in Bangalore on 24th morning and as we were given accommodation from 25th morning, we had to manage one day's stay, which we got it done with Shreyash's help, by getting flagship to stay at one of his friend's relative place. Typical South Indian welcome we got at their place, with warm coffee and a much needed breakfast just kept ready for us. We can hardly return back any favors from them for way we were made to feel being at home.

The day went quickly as lunch went heavy with most guys and made Roshan, Shreyash and Asmit sleep with wonderful dreams running around.Well as every team had to give power point presentation and restrictions like allowing only 5 slides maximum was itching us to rack our brains more for some innovation. With cheese serving as perfect trigger for moiz and with minor input from me of taking snapshots and adding them to slides. Moiz climbing perfectly on idea by not only taking snap shots but enlarging them on their occurrence during presentation. The idea worked perfectly fine.

Well as the lunch got digested and evening followed we had minor breaks in between and all 5 of us getting charged up. The dinner was again refreshing and was followed by small walk with moiz still searching for perfect food to satisfy his tummy. The night brought in more movies specially for moiz who loves hanging around not much far from any gadget when he is awake. The next morning was certainly more merrier as it was our time to get in to hotel.

The event was organized at Ramee Guest line Hotel and also place of our accommodation. We were split up during our on way to destination as Maruti 800 of the uncle (who took pains and time to drop us to venue) quite small in loading all of us heavy weights. So me and Shreyash had to board Auto, which dropped us in midway to catch bus as being instructed. The experience in that bus, I can never forget as our entry in bus was marked by large voice, which later on we realized was some south Indian hero giving war cry on villain from a movie running on television sets attached in bus. We very interestingly followed what went in the Kannada movie, trying to interpret with suddenly realizing that bus got in to last stop and we were suppose to catch some other vehicle to carry on, which allowed us to get experience of Volvo bus system, was truly memorable.

As we came across the ABLE India representatives at the venue, it brought us more cheers with we getting our part of the reimbursement. The rooms were extremely cool place to keep us attached to bed for long enough but as time schedule for the 3 day event was organized it needed us to be ready in short time interval and attend lecture series for next 2 days which were arranged to help us with our presentations on the 3rd day with topics ranging from Entrepreneurship, finance, new scientific innovations, Government initiatives for Biotechnology sector in India, etc with speakers like Kiran Mazumdar Shaw from Biocon, many leading personalities from Department of Biotechnology (DBT)-India. We were provided with wi-fi facility which was very much relief for all internet addicted generation staying there which helped also for building up blocks for the presentation along with inputs from different seminars.

The day of presentation was most thrilled as organizers had arranged Industrial Visits to Biocon but we choose of settling ourselves in our rooms and making presentation which was like brought in something like presentable form on 2nd day's night by moiz and shreyash. The morning sailed on with all of us forcing ourselves on laptops and trying give inputs for the presentation. The most memorable scene was that we had our presentation timed at 3 and we were still settling scores to prepare final copy and although we went for lunch it brought us sooner to room with tensions creeping to certain extent. At 2:30 few of us were almost ready and one guy which is moiz was very calmly making final touches to presentation and finally we did receive call twice from Nandita Mam (Chief coordinator) on our dear group leader Roshan's cell phone. As all of us reached to the seminar hall which was occupied only by the panel of judges waiting for each team to individually present their project proposals.

It was one of the most admiring moment for me as moiz who was suppose to present our proposal did not even go once through the final soft copy of presentation although time was also against it and it was indeed really interesting and pleasurable to watch roshan with such a big smile on his face with him getting free of giving presentation by getting nervous during our practice sessions. It is fun to watch how stress can change our expression status.

As we were called in for the presentation we all teamed up looking truly professional with everyone matching each other through their perfect formals and tie to go around. I definitely marked that we stood best among rest of the teams in being perfectly dressed up.

Introduction was given by me for our team leader and all of our team members followed by getting nod from panel for moiz to present and those 10 minutes he spoke like warrior trying to battling for his bride. After presentation time limit, we were put up with few questions with biggest hurdle which we understood was that we dealt with 2 things at one go the diagnosis and treatment. Choosing either of them would have helped us to give enough justice to push our idea in those most skilled brains present in the panel of judges. It was enough justice that moiz was still considered as person to give best presentation among all teams there ,which was award in itself.

As the presentation got over it was one of the most relief moments to follow with all of us heading for a much needed break by chilling out through photo session, interacting with other teams and relaxing by pool side although wait for results was building up among all.

The results were announced in evening session with 3 teams from different institutes getting awarded for ideas like 'Vein locator', 'Bio diesel project', etc. It left lump in the throat for not reaching final 3 but it did allow oxygen to enter with a feeling that we were left enriched with higher values, higher skills, loads of inputs at different aspects, giving us opportunity to truly be one among the best.

I would like to emphasize on the facts that when we come in terms on competition with people from institutes like IIT's or in our case the team which won 1st prize was from Stanford Biodesign is that to focus on resolving needs which seem very simple but are very effective in terms of their applicability like a 'vein detector'. Also point of focusing or addressing single aim at one time was principle lesson learn during our participation. It allowed us to self introspect at every aspect when we came in terms to other participants. It allowed giving us inputs which highlights term of 'acceptance' quality along with 'adaptability' like we were suppose to put forward budget for our proposal which needed us run our brains in finance.

The next day (28th July) was little shy in terms of activities as we were suppose to leave for our return journey back to Mumbai in evening through Udhyan Express, with we all choosing to relax in hotel room until our check out time. We got a Volvo bus back to station with ride giving Bangalore darshan sort of. The lunch comprised of KFC on the menu for non vegi's and me and asmit feasting on nearby mithai shop.

The return journey in train was again pleasurable with movies to recounting all the events to cheese feast by moiz next morning in train till Pune saw asmit waving off. As we got down at kalyan it did gave a feeling of satisfaction which was biggest gain for me from the journey and experiences throughout not only during journey but through our formulation of the project where moiz came up with idea, roshan working with high end animations to come up with some high end animated diagram, me getting chance to show skills by my writing by building requisites of proposal and getting laptops arranged, shreyash managing inputs from setting up meeting with pharma company owner to finding accommodation before our stay at hotel, asmit charging up with his knowing of scientist to allow us getting their inputs.

I can just summarize that it was made worth the part of life through loads of efforts, ideas, few months to put in from everyone of us each one contributing as much as possible, which has made richer in terms of experiences we all shared together, lessons we learned at each stage. Just wanna say 'Thank you Guys' to all my team members.

I would simply request people following this blog to keep a note of such encouraging events held regularly to actively participate which will help in scaling greater heights not only with individual self but also for finding applicability of one's own self to society.

Spirochete staining - Silver Impregnation Technique

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Aurobindo Pharma acquires Cefepime

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:24:00 +0000

Bangalore, Aug 27, 2009: Hydebadad-India based Aurobindo Pharma has received Swiss drug regulator Swissmedic's approval for the license of Cefepime APL for Injection 1g and 2g.

A press release by Aurobindo said Cefepime APL for Injection 1g and 2g falls under the anti-beta-lactam segment and is indicated for Moderate to severe pneumonia, septicaemia, UTI, skin & skin structure infections, intra-abdominal infections.This is Aurobindo’s second product approval in Switzerland.

But without going much into it in this article I wish to focus on some basic information on Cefepime.

Cefepime (pronounced /ˈsɛfəpiːm/, /ˈkɛfəpiːm/) is a fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic developed in 1994. Cefepime has an extended spectrum of activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with greater activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms than third-generation agents. Cefepime hydrochloride was first marketed in 1994 and is currently marketed under various trade names including Maxipime, Maxcef, Cepimax, Cepimex, and Axepim. A 2007 meta-analysis suggested that when data of trials were combined, mortality was increased in patients treated with cefepime compared with other β-lactam antibiotics. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration performed their own meta-analysis which found that there was no mortality difference.

Cefepime is usually reserved to treat severe nosocomial pneumonia, infections caused by multi-resistant microorganisms (e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and empirical treatment of febrile neutropenia. The use of cefepime might become less common, since it has been associated to an increase mortality when used for different types of infections.

Cefepime has good activity against important pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and multiple drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. A particular strength is its activity against Enterobacteriaceae. Whereas other cephalosporins are degraded by many plasmid- and chromosome-mediated beta-lactamases, cefepime is stable and is a front line agent when infection with Enterobacteriaceae is known or suspected.

Chemistry

The combination of the syn-configuration of the methoxyimino moiety and the aminothiazolyl moiety confers extra stability to β-lactamase enzymes produced by many bacteria. The N-methylpyrrolidine moiety increases penetration into Gram-negative bacteria. These factors increases the activity of cefepime against otherwise resistant organisms including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

Click to read more about cefepime

Glycogen Biosynthesis

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:29:00 +0000

SDS PAGE

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Principle

Electrophoresis is the study of the movement of charged molecules in an electric field. The generally usedsupport medium is cellulose or thin gels made up of either polyacrylamide or agarose. Cellulose is used as support medium for low molecular weight biochemicals such as amino acid and carbohydrates whereas agarose and polyacrylamide gels are widely used for larger molecules like proteins. The general electrophoresis techniques cannot be used to measure the molecular weight of the biologicalmolecules because the mobility of a substance in the gel is influenced by both charge and size. In order toovercome this, if the biological samples are treated so that they have a uniform charge, electrophoretic mobilitythen depends primarily on size. The molecular weight of protein maybe estimated if they are subjected to electrophoresis in the presence of a detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and a reducing agent
mercaptoethanol (b ME). SDS disrupts the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of the protein to produce a linear polypeptidechain coated with negatively charged SDS molecules. 1.4grams of SDS binds per gram of protein. Mercaptoethanol assists the protein denaturation by reducing all disulfide bonds.

SDS-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE)

Polyacrylamide gels are prepared by the free radical polymerization of acrylamide and the cross linking agent N N’ methylene bis acrylamide

Acrylamide + N N’ methylene bis acrylamide

Add Chemical Ammonium persulfate (catalyst)
+
Polymerisation ↓ TEMED (N,N N’ N’ tetramethylethylene diamine

↓

Polyacrylamide

Procedure:

1. Assembling the glass plate

( Gloves should be worn at all times while performing SDS-PAGE. To insure proper alignment and casting, the glass plates, spacers, combs and casting stand gaskets must be clean and dry. The glass plates should be cleaned with 70% ethanol.)

1. Assemble the glass plate on a clean surface. Lay the longer glass plate down first, then place two spacers of equal thickness along the rectangular plate. Next place the shorter glass plate on top of the spacers so that the bottom ends of the spacers and glass plates are aligned

2. Loosen the 4 screws on the clamp assembly and stand it up so that the screws are facing away from you. Firmly grasp the glass plate sandwich with the longer plate facing away from you, and gently slide it into the clamp assembly. Tighten the top 2 screws of the clamp assembly.

3. Place the clamp assembly into the alignment slot of the casting stand so that the clamp screws faceaway from you. Loosen the top 2 screws to allow the plates and spacers to sit firmly against the casting stand base. Gently tighten all the screws

4. Pull the completed sandwich from the alignment slot. Check that the plates and spacers are aligned. If not, realign the sandwich as in steps 1-3. Before transferring the clamp assembly to the casting slot,recheck the alignment of the spacers. Do this by inverting the gel sandwich and looking at the surface of the 2 glass plates and the spacer. Make sure that they are aligned.

5. Transfer the clamp assembly to one of the casting slots in the casting stand. If 2 gels are to be prepared, place the clamp assembly on the other side of the alignment slot.

6. Press the acrylic pressure plate bottom, so that the glass plates rest on the rubber gasket. Snap the acrylic plate underneath the overhang of the casting slot. Do not push the glass plates or spacers because this could break the glass plate.

2. Casting the gels (Demonstration)

Prepare 10% resolving/separating gel and 4.5% stacking gel.

1. Prepare the separating gel monomer solution by combining all reagents except ammonium persulfate(APS) and TEMED. Deaerate and mix the solution after adding each reagent by swirling the container
gently.

2. Place a comb completely into the assembled gel sandwich. With a marker pen, place a mark on the Glass plate 1 cm below the teeth of the comb. This will be the level to which the separating gel is poured. Remove the comb.

3. Add APS and TEMED to the monomer solution and mix well by swirling gently. Pipette the solution to the mark.

4. Immediately overlay the monomer solution with 1 ml. of water. Use a steady, even rate of delivery to prevent mixing with the gel.

5. Allow the gel to polymerize for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pour the water overlaying the gel and drain the excess water with strips of filter paper.

6. Prepare the stacking gel monomer solution. Combine all reagents except APS and TEMED. Deaerate and mix the solution by swirling gently.

7. Place a comb in the gel sandwich.

8. Add APS and TEMED to the solution and pipette the solution down one of the spacer until the sandwich is filled completely

9. Allow the gel to polymerize for 15 minutes.

10. Remove the comb.

11. Gel is placed in the buffer chamber and running gel buffer is added into the chamber

3. Preparation of samples. ( here a cloned protein is put under analysis)

From the recombinant clone VC-25, the recombinant protein is produced as follows:

The clone was grown for 4hours and induced using IPTG for next four hours. The culture was pelleted and resuspended in PBS

4. Loading the samples

1. Rinse the syringe to be used for loading samples a few times with distilled water. Demonstrators will load the first well with LMW (7 ml of LMW). Insert the syringe to about 1-2 mm from the well bottom before delivery. Rinse the syringe a few times with distilled water after loading.

2. Load the second and other well with 20 ml of VC-25 protein as described above. Do not pipette the pellet at the bottom of the microfuge tube. Rinse the syringe a few times with distilled water after loading.

5. Running the gel

1. Check that the buffer in the upper buffer chamber are full because leakage of the buffer may occur.

2. Place the lid on top of the lower buffer chamber. Make sure that the connection is correct, ie. black to black and red to red.

3. Attach the electrical leads to a suitable power pack with the proper polarity (black to black and red tored). Run the gel at a constant current of 30 mA.

4. Stop the electrophoresis when the tracker dye is ~ 1 cm above the end of the glass plates.

6. Removing and staining the gel.

1. Remove the gel from the buffer chamber

2. Loosen all four screws of the clamp assembly and remove the glass plate sandwich from it.

3. Push one of the spacers out to the side of the plates without removing it.

4. Gently twist the spacer so that the upper glass plate pulls away from the gel.

5. Cut the gel on one side (to orientate the gel).

6. Remove the gel by gently grasping two corners of the gel and place it in the container containing the Coomassie blue stain. Make sure that the gel is fully submerged in the staining solution.

7. Stain the gel for 1 hour, agitate it slowly on a shaker.

8. Destain the gel in a destaining solution a few times until protein bands are visualised.

9. Approximately determine the molecular weight of the visualised protein bands by comparing them with the molecular weight markers.

Sorting of Proteins.

noreply@blogger.com (Biotechbuster) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Protein Sorting

Protein synthesis is initiated on ribosomes in cytosol except for those which are synthesised on the ribosomes of plastids. Most proteins do not have sorting signals & remain permanent resident of cytosol. Many others have specific sorting signals that direct their transport to different organelles.

There are three fundamental ways of protein transport:

Active transport through pores.
Transmembrane transport by a membrane bound translocator.
Vesicular Transport.

All the three mechanisms are guided by sorting signals which are mainly of two types:

Signal Peptide : A continuous stretch of 15 – 16 amino acids on the polypeptide at either terminal, which may be cleaved post sorting. (fig.A). Signal peptide direct the protein from cytosol to various orgaelles
Signal Patch : A specific 3D arrangement of amino acids on protein surface, once it folds. This portion may not be a linear stretch of amino acids hence signal patch (fig.B) Signal patches identifyenzymes that glycosylates them. Once glycosylated, the sugar residue then direct such proteins from Golgi to other target organelles.

Organelle specific Sorting of Proteins

Peroxisomes

· All peroxisomal proteins are synthesised on cytosolic ribosomes and incorporated post translationally.

· Most proteins have signal sequences at C – terminal while a few have at N – terminal. Signal sequences are part of functional proteins, hence not cleaved.

· Signal sequences are specific 3 amino acid sequence at either terminal.

· Many proteins are imported in a folded state across the peroxisomal membrane. This translocation involves ATP hydrolysis.

· Proteins incorporated in peroxisomal membrane & peroxisomal matrix have different signal sequence.

Mitochondria and Chloroplast

· Plastid proteins that are encoded by nuclear genes & synthesised by cytosolic ribosomes are imported post-translationally, but in an unfolded state. Cytosolic chaperons maintain the unfolded state.

· Signal sequence lies at N-terminal & is always cleaved after transporting into matrix.

· Signal sequence for mitochondria have alternate specific positively charged amino acids at one terminal and hydrophobis at another.

· Signal sequence for chloroplast on the other hand is the protein itself, rich in serine, threonine and other small hydrophobic amino acid but poor in aspartate & glutamate.

· Translocation occurs at a site where outer and inner membranes are close together.

· Protein is first transported into matrix and then redirected to its destination. Hence two or more signal sequences (one directing transport from cytosol to plastid matrix and the rest direct it to its destination in plastid itself.)

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

· Proteins are transported into ER either post-translationally or cotranslationally. Latter requires direct association of cytosolic ribosome to ER achieved by Signal Recognition Particle, SRP.

· While polypeptide is being synthesised, SRP recognises signal sequence, binds to it, then to ribosome and targets the whole to ER at a specific receptor.

· Binding of SRP to ribosome stalls translation temporarily. Once the whole assembly binds at ER, SRP unbinds from polypeptide signal & SRP receptor at ER. This allows resumption of polypeptide synthesyis by ribosome.

· The growing polypeptide is pushed into ER through a translocon channel and subsequently released into lumen of ER by cleaving signal sequence (always) by enzyme signal peptidase.

· In post translational transport, poypeptides that are destined to be permanent resident of ER, the signal sequence consists of specific 4 amino acids at C - terminal, wwhile those which are further directed into Golgi from ER have signal that comprises of 5-10 hydrophobic amino acids at N – terminal.

Details of co-translational sorting into ER.

Proteins that are sorted cotranslationally contain a signal sequence at N -terminal of the growing polypeptide. The main step in such transport is association of ribosome to ER membrane via a Signal Recognition Particle (SRP).

SRP is a G-protein consisting of 6 polpeptides & 7s RNA. Main steps of sorting are:

1. SRP binds to signal sequence of polypeptide and also ribosome, inhibits the translation.

2. It then targets the whole assembly of ribosome, mRNA, polypeptide, and itself to ER. There it binds at a SRP receptor on ER membrane. The ribosome also attaches itself to SRP receptor.

3. Shortly after SRP releases itself from assembly facilitated by GTP hydrolysis. The signal peptide is thus released into translocon. Translocon is made up of 3 membrane proteins – sec61, it is gated channel, 50’A in diameter

4. Release of SRP allows ribosome to resume translation. At this point ribosome completely blocks the translocon. The growing polypeptide is directly transferred into lumen of ER through translocon.

5. Signal Peptidase is bound to an internal site of translocon and serves the purpose of cleaving signal sequence.

Swine Flu H1N1 - Pandemic History

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:17:00 +0000

There is pandemonium surrounding Swine Flu H1N here in India (where we love to ignore the deadly Malaria and TB). The number of deaths due to to Swine Flu is fraction of what every year malaria alone causes. But who cares about mosquito bites and the filth around.. Swine Flu is the 'In Thing'. Everyone from second class traveller in train to the daily Sea Link traveller is bothered about Swine Flu and has his/her personal opinion on it, given the Dailies are trying to educate generality of men through articles published. But we cant afford to know little. I am publishing this article about H1N1, its history and some properties etc... I am typing out this excerpt from textbook of immunology by Kuby. This is definitely more comprehensive than articles from newspaper and requires one to have some prior knowledge of viruses.

'The influenza virus infects the upper respiratory tract andmajor central airways in humans, horses, birds, pigs, andeven seals. In 1918–19, an influenza pandemic (worldwide epidemic) killed more than 20 million people, a toll surpassingthe number of casualties in World War I. Some areas,such as Alaska and the Pacific Islands, lost more than half oftheir population during that pandemic.'

PROPERTIES OF THE INFLUENZA VIRUS

Influenza viral particles, or virions, are roughly spherical or ovoid in shape, with an average diameter of 90–100 nm. Thevirions are surrounded by an outer envelope—a lipid bilayer acquired from the plasma membrane of the infected host cell during the process of budding. Inserted into the envelope are two glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), which form radiating projections that are visible in electron micrographs . The hemagglutinin projections, in the form of trimers, are responsible for the attachment of the virus to host cells. There are approximately1000 hemagglutinin projections per influenza virion. The hemagglutinin trimer binds to sialic acid groups on host-cellglycoproteins and glycolipids by way of a conserved amino acid sequence that forms a small groove in the hemagglutinin molecule.Neuraminidase, as its name indicates, cleavesN-acetylneuraminic (sialic) acid from nascent viral glycoproteins and host-cell membrane glycoproteins, an activity that presumably facilitates viral budding from the infected host cell.Within the envelope, an inner layer of matrix protein surrounds the nucleocapsid, which consists of eight dif-ferent strands of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) associated with protein and RNA polymerase . Each RNA strand encodes one or more different influenza proteins.

Three basic types of influenza (A, B, and C), can be distinguished by differences in their nucleoprotein and matrix proteins.

Type A, which is the most common, is responsible for the major human pandemics. Antigenic variation in hemagglutinin and neuraminidase distinguishes subtypes of type A influenza virus. According to the nomenclature of the World Health Organization, each virus strain is defined by its animalhost of origin (specified, if other than human), geographical origin, strain number, year of isolation, and antigenic description

of HA and NA (Table 17-2). For example, A/Sw/Iowa/15/30 (H1N1) designates strain-A isolate 15 that arose in swine in Iowa in 1930 and has antigenic subtypes 1 of HA and NA. Notice that the H and N spikes are antigenically distinct in these two strains. There are 13 different hemagglutinins and 9 neuraminidases among the type A influenza viruses. The distinguishing feature of influenza virus is its variability. The virus can change its surface antigens so completely that the immune response to infection with the virus that caused a previous epidemic gives little or no protection against the virus causing a subsequent epidemic. The antigenic variation results primarily from changes in the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase spikes protruding from the viral

envelope. Two different mechanisms generate antigenic variation in HA and NA: antigenic drift and antigenic shift. Antigenic drift involves a series of spontaneous point mutations that occur gradually, resulting in minor changes in HA and NA. Antigenic shift results in the suddenemergence of a new subtype of influenza whose HA and possibly also NA are considerably different from that of the virus present in a preceding epidemic. The first time a human influenza virus was isolated was in 1934; this virus was given the subtype designation H0N1 (where H is hemagglutinin and N is neuraminidase). The H0N1 subtype persisted until 1947, when a major antigenicshift generated a new subtype, H1N1, which supplanted the previous subtype and became prevalent worldwide until1957, when H2N2 emerged. The H2N2 subtype prevailed for the next decade and was replaced in 1968 by H3N2.Antigenicshift in 1977 saw the re-emergence of H1N1. The most recentantigenic shift, in 1989, brought the re-emergence of H3N2, which remained dominant throughout the next several years. However, an H1N1 strain re-emerged in Texas in 1995, and current influenza vaccines contain both H3N2 and H1N1 strains. With each antigenic shift, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase undergo major sequence changes, resulting in major antigenic variations for which the immune systemlacks memory. Thus, each antigenic shift finds the populationimmunologically unprepared, resulting in major outbreaks of influenza, which sometimes reach pandemic proportions. Between pandemic-causing antigenic shifts, the influenzavirus undergoes antigenic drift, generating minor antigenic variations, which account for strain differences within a subtype.The immune response contributes to the emergence of these different influenza strains. As individuals infected with a given influenza strain mount an effective immune response, the strain is eliminated. However, the accumulation of point mutations sufficiently alters the antigenicity of some variants so that they are able to escape immune elimination . These variants become a new strain of influenza, causing another local epidemic cycle. The role ofantibody in such immunologic selection can be demonstratedin the laboratory by mixing an influenza strain with a monoclonal antibody specific for that strain and then culturing the virus in cells. The antibody neutralizes all unaltered viral particles and only those viral particles with mutations resulting in altered antigenicity escape neutralization and are able to continue the infection.Within a short time in culture, a new influenza strain can be shown to emerge. Antigenic shift is thought to occur through genetic reassortment between influenza virions from humans and from various animals, including horses, pigs, and ducks. The fact that influenza contains eight separate strands of ssRNA makes possible the reassortment of the RNA strands of human and animal virions within a single cell infected with both viruses. Evidence for in vivo genetic reassortment between influenza A viruses from humans and domestic pigs was obtained in 1971. After infecting a pig simultaneously with human Hong Kong influenza (H3N2) and with swine influenza (H1N1), investigators were able to recover virions expressing H3N1. In some cases, an apparent antigenic shift may represent the re-emergence of a previous strain that has remained hidden for several decades. In May of 1977, a strain of influenza, A/USSR/77 (H1N1), appeared that proved to be identical to a strain that had caused an epidemic 27 years earlier. The virus could have been preserved over the years in a frozen state or in an animal reservoir.

When such a re-emergence occurs, the HA and NA antigens expressed are not really new; however, they will be seen by the immune system of anyone not previously exposed to that strain (people under the age of twenty-seven in the 1977epidemic, for example) as if they were new because no memory cells specific for these antigenic subtypes will exist in the susceptible population. Thus, from an immunologicpoint of view, the re-emergence of an old influenza A strain.

HOST RESPONSE TO INFLUENZA INFECTION

Humoral antibody specific for the HA molecule is produced during an influenza infection. This antibody confers protection against influenza, but its specificity is strain-specific and is readily bypassed by antigenic drift. Antigenic drift in the HA molecule results in amino acid substitutions in several antigenic domains at the molecule’s distal end. Two of these domains are on either side of the conserved sialic-acid–binding cleft, which is necessary for binding of virions to target cells. Serum antibodies specific for these two regions are important in blocking initial viral infectivity. These antibody titers peak within a few days of infection and then decrease over the next 6 months; the titers then plateau and remain fairly stable for the next several years. This antibody does not appear to be required for recovery from influenza, as patients with agammaglobulinemia recover from the disease. Instead, the serum antibody appears to play a significant role in resistance to reinfection by the same strain. When serum-antibody levels are high for a particular HA molecule, both mice and humans are resistant to infection by virions expressing that HA molecule. If mice are infected with influenza virus and antibody production is experimentally suppressed, the mice recover from the infection but can be reinfected with the same viral strain. In addition to humoral responses, CTLs can play a role in immune responses to influenza.

Gene regulation - An Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:54:00 +0000

Gene expression can be controlled at any of several stages, which we divide broadly into transcription, processing, and translation:

Transcription often is controlled at the stage of initiation. Transcription is not usually controlled at elongation, but may be controlled at termination to determine whether RNA polymerase is allowed to proceed past a terminator to the gene(s) beyond.

In eukaryotic cells, processing of the RNA product may be regulated at the stages of modification, splicing, transport, or stability. In bacteria, an mRNA is in principle available for translation as soon as (or even while) it is being synthesized, and these stages of control are not available.
Translation may be regulated, usually at the stages of initiation and termination (like transcription). Regulation of initiation is formally analogous to the regulation of transcription: the circuitry can be drawn in similar terms for regulating initiation of transcription on DNA or initiation of translation on RNA.

The basic concept for how transcription is controlled in bacteria was provided by the classic formulation of the model for control of gene expression by Jacob and Monod in 1961 (Jacob and Monod, 1961). They distinguished between two types of sequences in DNA: sequences that code for trans-acting products; and cis-acting sequences that function exclusively within the DNA. Gene activity is regulated by the specific interactions of the trans-acting products (usually proteins) with the cis-acting sequences (usually sites in DNA). In more formal terms:

A gene is a sequence of DNA that codes for a diffusible product. This product may be protein (as in the case of the majority of genes) or may be RNA (as in the case of genes that code for tRNA and rRNA). The crucial feature is that the product diffuses away from its site of synthesis to act elsewhere. Any gene product that is free to diffuse to find its target is described as trans-acting.
The description cis-acting applies to any sequence of DNA that is not converted into any other form, but that functions exclusively as a DNA sequence in situ, affecting only the DNA to which it is physically linked. (In some cases, a cis-acting sequence functions in an RNA rather than in a DNA molecule.

To help distinguish between the components of regulatory circuits and the genes that they regulate, we sometimes use the terms structural gene and regulator gene. A structural gene is simply any gene that codes for a protein (or RNA) product. Structural genes represent an enormous variety of protein structures and functions, including structural proteins, enzymes with catalytic activities, and regulatory proteins. A regulator gene simply describes a gene that codes for a protein (or an RNA) involved in regulating the expression of other genes.

Figure 10.1
A regulator gene codes for a protein that acts at a target site on DNA.

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The simplest form of the regulatory model is illustrated in Figure above: a regulator gene codes for a protein that controls transcription by binding to particular site(s) on DNA. This interaction can regulate a target gene in either a positive manner (the interaction turns the gene on) or in a negative manner (the interaction turns the gene off). The sites on DNA are usually (but not exclusively) located just upstream of the target gene.

Bioinformatics Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Polymerase chain Reaction

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:17:00 +0000

American Dreamz

noreply@blogger.com (Madscorpion) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:47:00 +0000

Phew!!
Finally, I have managed to do it. After a nearly 4 month harrowing experience I have managed to firmly plant my feet on the Road that will eventually lead me to America.

I had never expected the application process to American Universities to be quite so complicated and time-consuming although I had been forewarned by those who had been through this experience. But being true to my lazy self I did not act upon the good advice and went about the application process in my own carefree style. The Result: Last moment runs to the doctor for immunization certificates, to college professors for their valuable signatures on university prescribed recommendation letters, etc. The last 2 weeks especially have been really demanding on my glucose and adrenaline levels along with a large chunk of cold hard cash.

A little advice from one who never follows it: Please start planing your American Dreamz atleast 1 year prior to when you plan to start applying. University review and selection are in my view the most difficult of decisions that you will have to face. The next most irritating task is to beg the bank staff for a letter detailing your own funds. Trust me friends, unless the banker is a relative of yours you will have a rough ride in procuring the requisite documents. Also check every univesities requirements atleast 20 times before being even 1% confident that you have completed them all cause something will always be remaining when you're sure that everything has been taken care of. Also do plan for your GRE/TOEFL etc. exams well in advance because you will never get your appointment of choice at the last minute.

And in the end don't worry. For any solutions to study abroad problems feel free to contact me. Although I do not guarantee you admission to University of your choice.

General outlook

noreply@blogger.com (J(Z)ubin) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:54:00 +0000

Hey people, I have taken an long break this time to add on, in this wonderful piece of art created by my friend. This time I hope to make few things clear with what are the fields where one can make a mark either with research or other aspects and still having a essence of biotechnology in it.

Starting with, there should be one thing pretty clear that research is never payed up to mark, at least in India, that is long term aspect, other things to consider are that research definitely leads to frustration, needs high end patience and dedication with single minded aim.

On other hand if we consider marketing, there is real time struggle initially, depends on one's skill to walk upstairs or to slide down, but it does pays off really well with experience. It needs one to be acceptable of terms that people can be best when sales are good but worst is never far to look for.

Considering management, off which marketing is a part, best to bet on, requires hackwork during course work but at least ends with something to rely upon, most preferable for job guarantee.

There are options like law, most companies require legal advisers and people with technical background are preferred, it is also safe bet to rely upon, relatively newer but has good prospects.

Rest of them include, quality control stuff, technicians, which are extremely easy to get along but are attached with boredom in longer time periods, some interesting prospects are also existing like dealing with updating of industry through magazines or news papers, pretty good to try hand on or teaching is ever green option, specially for girls, who are genetically better in making understand or putting their point in front of others. There are high end jobs for computer professionals, even for research or for data input, who can put their feet in fields like drug designing, clinical trials, genetic engineering, tracing evolutionary history.

Now, we stand from biotechnology background so definitely it should be our principle for how can we integrate different principles. It is most common ideology among biotechnology students that there has been unneeded hype created that biotechnology has great scope but it never pays off. Well, we should we make it dead clear that if we are standing in middle of sea without water, then we should know how to purify that water and live on it, there always 2 sides to every aspect.

Coming to research, it needs patience, needs capacity to handle frustration, but can we make a fun of it, it is important that we enjoy at the end of day, that is what here we for, so research does not needs us to sit in lab for hours together, or just dealing with books and reference journals, it should be a small part of it, but if we know then inventions which happened in previous times were never due to following particular protocol, there is always nice to make a group and put up rough ideas together, it really works out seriously, can generate new ideas, can make us also stand to think that entrepreneurship is possible, just requires planning, will fail many times, but working in unity always combats such things.

Integrating research with management, research can be done on management issues also, so that is nice for people who are good at research but really need funds to back them up. Same applies to law.

Computer aided technologies are on rise, biotechnology requires high end computing skills, which has opened broad way for computer professionals to contribute, it can be real fun and cheaper as computers are relatively cheaper to deal with when compared with high end biotechnology devices. It can allow best of logical brains to put in their best. Simple eg of integrating both is a real good topic like 'DNA Computing', using DNA to solve computer problems, simple question like how many ways in which brain can think, I suppose no computer can solve, but suppose that message is embedded in DNA itself, if that can be decoded, will open up high end technological prospects.

I have slightly deviated from topic, but today when money is definitely required at every single step, it is important that our interests definitely generate fuel for us to move further. It can be combated in few ways like taking up teaching at non governmental institutes, getting payed nicely, starting with some editorial sections in news papers to put our writing skills to earn a bit, designing simpler projects like strategies to save agricultural wastage, if that can be worked out, definitely would generate great income sources or for treatment of waste at different levels, using simples counselling sessions to keep people healthy by imparting them with idea of ways of maintaining good health, to deal with stress, like combining stress coutering sessions for company professionals, it can surely fill up pockets to keep moving. Arranging for small competitions where people can put newer ideas to work upon, can be used to generate incomes, although at smaller scales. Generating alternatives to loads of notes being photo copied, can not only save money for students but can generate interesting future work options. For creative students, starting tattooing business using basics of biology like safer chemicals, imprinting stuffs like DNA can make us look cool, definitely these ideas can work out among teenage sections

Next time, I wish to include technical aspects of what are real time classifications to work upon, to do research and other similar aspects, so thought to start with general outlook towards different openings.

Never lose hope, there is always new strand of future being made for us, we will make sure that most of us end with a work end DNA, with loads of proteins it will generate for everyone in terms of money.

P.S by Anand: I am not sure what is meant in the lengthy line of generarting alternative income.. Art of Living doesnt pay any of its volunteers for organising a workshop/course.. It is a six sigma, (UN recognised as well for its transparency in accounts) Non-Govt Non-Profit Volunteers Based largest organisation in the world.. AOL only re-imburses amount spend by volunteer for organising a course like sounds halls auditorium .. on return of white transaction receipt. That too has a deadline .. i.e if I am late to submit the amount that I have spent on a course or if i lost the bills for the same purposely or inadvertently.. I lose my money.. I have learnt to preserve my bills hard way.. During last UTSAV my wallet was lost and I had to pay the course fee for those who had applied for the course through me!!!
Anyone who doubts this can volunteer for Art of Living in any part of the world and spend some money from pocket on courses and throw away bills in garbage.. and ask for reimbursement.. GoodLuck ;)

For making money use HEAD .. ART OF LIVING is not about making money it is about HEART.. to empower someone wealthy and asking him to donate a fixed minimum amount for our service projects.. u can find them on http://artofliving.org

There are people less fortunate than others.. sharing and caring makes love multiple.. :) AOL believes in ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.. Universe is One Family!

Plant Transgenesis

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:30:00 +0000

MBA entrances- SNAP & NMAT

noreply@blogger.com (Biotechbuster) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:12:00 +0000

Many of Biotech students must have planned for a career in management, so the race day to secure admissions to full time MBA programme 2009-2011 at Symbiosis and N.M.I.M.S. has been announced. The written test will be held on 21st Dec. and 28 th Dec respectively. For more details check out the official websites www.snaptest.org and NMAT .
I also presume that many are already appearing CAT.

Preparation for NMAT is slightly different somewhat similar to CET. SNAP is not as tough as CAT, however their is a section on G.K and awareness. May be I ll put some strategies sooner for final prep based on NMAT and CET exam.

Wish you all the Best!!! Go apply and crack!!

y_key_e2c8326089bbfa90

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:24:00 +0000

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Sitemap

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:09:00 +0000

Rock on

noreply@blogger.com (J(Z)ubin) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:37:00 +0000

It's said that when we start dreaming, actually we try to visualise what are the things which can happen with us in our virtual life. It is no where related to what actually will happen with us in real life. There are times when we realize we had been through certain things in our dreams, which, when we come across in reality. There are times when we feel we certainly had few things done in our virtual level of thinking and find it happening in reality. So how much are this things related, let us try to think from a example, as such being a science student it makes better explanation with a reference rather then simple explanation, also it fetches us more marks..that's brighter part of it..

There is a student who has been a big time dreamer, dreams can be classified, like dreams which can become aims to achieve in life and dreams which are better suited for fantasy. So specifically considering former part, he always wished to become a doctor, not knowing what it needs to be a doctor, not knowing how many people have felt down chasing that dream, how much time is spent in coaching classes to just think about strategies to be used to get admitted to medical college, how much money should be flown if there's any back door option available.

It is not different then usual story that my reference example couldn't get admission in any medical college, although the effort which was put in was also not up to that mark, but that's where limits play a major role. It is general trend to choose something related to biology when medicine shows stop gate option, so something called biotechnology enters therein with special appearance, but it was not known that this entry would lead to biotech will become source of lamp for achieving in different terms of what couldn't be done in straight forward manner. The relation which I am about to show between dreams and reality is quite amazing, definitely put a notice over it.

Getting into graduation for biotechnology was although seemed to be blur option for people within field with contrasting views of having highest scope from layman. So moving ahead, it was fairly easy for this student to clear graduation, again not scoring too high, there again came time to decide which way to follow, to lead towards a normal masters in biotechnology or something interesting knocking on future door. It was easier this time as average marks made it confirmatory of not getting admission to M.Sc, but it's said, just look around and there will always be something to survive. It came a hard core change in the life of this student who although never realized which way he was leading but was getting himself towards more closer of achieving his goal of becoming doctor, although just doing diploma. Just keep eyes flowing through further part and definitely the relation will become more clearer like how a person with diploma is inching towards becoming a doctor.

Life is extremely sweet, it teaches us in it's own terms, but it always fun to have those lessons, sometimes little boring, little painful, little irritating, little funny, little sad, little adventurous but every bit of it meaningful.

Well, diploma led to the project and it involved working in hospital under trained doctors, with one of the best subject of study, cancer, what more can one ask..so a step again towards becoming a doctor, involved dealing with patients, and many features of being a doctor, with a definite recognition that follows.

Next step is further interesting of him taking admission into masters but a slight different subject as being majors, bio informatics. It's nice always to have variety but there should be only one target in eyes, in every storm, in every minute, but with a sense of care for one's own self that life gives what we need rather then what we want, a big difference between the two.

Well, next step is about doing PhD, they are referred as doctors, I suppose, that time will decide whether final step or final jump will make it to perfect gold or something else is stored in this adventurous journey. Doing PhD is not about getting a tag line of being doctor but with sense of working towards better society in terms of specific specialization.

It's nothing specifically related to biotechnology, but it's just to make a feeling around that life is sweet, whatever we are into, it just needs to keep out hands open and there won't be space to grab things coming in our way but u c there should be some kind of sticky substance( glue) should be developed by us, being biotechnologists, which will allow us to stack this things on our hands and we could have our hands full rather then just being people with source of cribbing of having nothing for us in market.

If there is confusion of what is going on in this post, then better skip it, or if you find interest in what happens to this student, whether he achieves his dream or settles for something satisfactory, then do stick to this blog, it will need patience but then beautiful things come only after having patience, so again I say develop some glue, but this time for your eyes to remain on this blog...lol

A Comprehensive Guide To Using This Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Madscorpion) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:08:00 +0000

To all blogger newbies and also to those that are viewing this blog for the first time, I put forward this comprehensive guide to using this blog. I shall begin by dividing the blog page into 3 parts: Left, Center and Right. Before I begin describing the 3 sections in detail I would like to speak about the Top section of the blog which contains a box with our aim for creating this blog: Learning With Interest and Freedom From Xeroxes.

Left-Hand Side: The very first thing which is visible to you is the word BOOKMARK under which there is a button saying Add This. By clicking on this button you can save this blog to your bookmarks.
Below it is SUBSCRIBE TO BIOTECHBUSTER with an RSS feed button. By clicking on this button you can subscribe to this blog via the feedburner feed which will give you live updates about the blog as and when they are made by us.
Below this is a box displaying various ads.
Next is a Google Mini Search bar followed by a Google Scholar bar which allows you to search the huge google database directly from our blog.
Following the google search bars is a tab connected to the NCBI site giving access to the huge repository of data via Pubmed, OMIM, Gene and various other tools.
Finally there is a Quotation of the Day and a section showing snippets related to Microbiology courtesy The Encyclopedia Britannica.

Center Section: This is where the actual blogging begins. Dominating the top of this section are 3 names.. Biotechbuster, Madscorpion and J(Z)ubin... Each name having a corresponding pic below it... These 3 names belong to the Co-Authors of this blog, yours truly.. Messrs Anand, Moiz and Jubin...
Following us is a tab which allows you to Search this blog.
Next start the Blog Posts, arranged in descending order i.e. from the most recent posted going chronologically backwards . The end of each post is marked by a Peacock-Feather Quill alongside which the name of the blogger and the time of the post is given. There is also a Label which says Blogger Speaks.. Blogger is replaced by the name of whoever posted the post.. Beside this label is a Comments() button.. By clicking on it you can leave behind your precious comments regarding the post.. We eagerly await your feedback to our posts and always keep them in hindsight while making subsequent posts..

Right-Hand Side: At the top is a tab saying Drop One which is an Entre Card.. click on it to find out more about what it is..
Below it are the Statistics of the blog showing the number of people who have visited the blog and how many users are currently online..
Next is the Labels section.. This shows three labels: Biotechbuster speaks, Madscorpion speaks and J(Z)ubin speaks... By clicking on any of the labels you can view all the posts made by the specified blogger...
Followed by the Labels is the Contributors section enlisting those that contribute to this blog..
Next is the Contact Us section where our email id is given.. Please feel free to contact us with any queries regarding any difficulty or problem you may have regarding your studies or even career-related problems.. We will try our level-best to help you out..
Then comes the Archives listing the various posts made each month..
This is followed by a Blog List containing several blogs of note which you can visit..
Next comes a Must Visit section which contains external links that are quite fascinating and every visitor should visit them..
And finally come the snippets related to Biochemistry and Genetics courtesy Encyclopedia Britanninca..

Will keep updating this guide as and when new Tabs or Labels are added. Enjoy and keep commenting. We love your critiques and reviews to the posts we are putting up. Hope this guide will help make your experience navigating this blog a truly pleasurable and joyful experience.
Yours Biotechnologically,
Biotechbuster, Madscorpion & J(Z)ubin.

Mysterical mysterious

noreply@blogger.com (J(Z)ubin) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:19:00 +0000

The title goes with topic I am about to discuss or put my thoughts into it.

'Biotechnology', which has scored all time hit score in becoming most difficult mystery to crack, even DNA code seems easier to decode this days.

It's a nice feeling that I am part of it, as it gives me a opportunity to look at this difficulty from different perspectives, from layman's view who thinks this is gold pot being waited to get emptied on any one who gets a touch of it, from students view, who feel they are struck in mid sea, where they have water but really can not drink it, from people who are involved with imparting imparting theories or principles of biotechnology into students head, who themselves are encircled with thoughts of understanding biotechnology.

Biotechnology for me, has been a great source to understand myself, reasons being if u learning such great mystery, it's bound to somewhat look into within one's own self which is on similar grounds.

It is not only about learning what goes within a small space of a living cell to a huge limits of a fermenter, it's more important if we can apply it to daily terms of life. Biotechnology, as we all know encompasses limits of such varied subjects, so how do we really understand what are we doing here or how are we suppose to carry the lights of this distantly seemed light of gold, which it can become if properly churned, but it becomes a type of radiation, which throws off people who cannot handle it.

People who are waiting to enter this division, I would suggest and also I wish they bear a goal in mind, with exact picture of their aim, whether research into it makes them fancy their dreams or marketing products can fill up their pockets, patience is term which stands so important for any one who can even distantly relate themselves to biotech. Frustration is other aspect of any biotechnologist, it is for anyone actually, it's really a need for a person to handle frustration, there are times when person thinks if he/she can mutate him/herself so that they can know which way to drive themselves to instant success, so people anyone who is facing this difficulties can really contact my friend 'ANAND', a person who can easily get you out of such mentalities, with his biotechnological art of of living, I am exactly in my senses when I am writing this, so please do put a thought on it.

Biotechnology can put you in front of so many choices that we can blind to view anything through and feel there's nothing which is meant to be out of it. It's said that excess can make you blind.

I just wish institutions enrolling students for imparting degrees of biotechnology in their resumes should make it accountable for years which students put in, by innovative thinking like making students earn for any project they carry out, or recognition in front of crowd, or putting students through compulsory counselling sessions, grinding students to practical aspects of principles they learn in theory, not only by just visiting industries but having their own labs to terms which can allow students to stand with confidence among anyone in terms of trouble shooting or handling of different lab apparatus.

It's said that biotechnology has a great scope, but can anyone tell me in terms of what?..jobs?...is it really so..explaining it, biotechnology can have only people who are into aspects of this field from a considerable part of their life, this field deals with living science so it does enforces to choose for people who can give outputs with minimum error, it does lessens chances of newer minds to enter at speeds, when compared to other sectors. It does have scope if you choose to put your brains behind opening up your own venture or dealings with share market related to biotech. It is bound to change, again patience needs a mention here, also make yourself stand at that point, at least try to, it is definite that you will be recognised as a potential and earn up for efforts put in.

People who think I have touched tip of biotechnological iceberg, then hold on as I am still trying to bind to upstream elements which will allow me to transcript my message through this blog and help translate proteins in any living system reading this blog post.

For now, I just wanna put a temporary regulation and come back with some more interesting stuff to put my brains view behind it. So, people who are checking this out, just remain constitutively expressed in terms of holding your senses on this blog. I am sure it will be beneficial for anyone and everyone, just don't loose hope, it does make world for this world of people.

P.S By Anand/Biotechbuster: J(Z)ubin is a grad in Biotechnology, PGDip. in Applied & Industrial Biotechnology , currently pursuing M.Tech in Bioinformatics. This Iceberg is really huge.

Indian biotech's bumpy road

noreply@blogger.com (Madscorpion) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:23:00 +0000

The rush to join in India's latest boom sector has led to a bottleneck.

Vinay Vasant didn't think twice about returning to India from England, after a year-long biotechnology master's at Newcastle University. He missed home and had heard a lot about India's blooming biotechnology sector. The career prospects, he predicted, would be bright. Although most of his Indian classmates stayed on in Britain, Vasant packed his bags and flew to Pune.

A year later, Vasant is wondering whether he should have boarded the plane. Despite his foreign credentials and several promising interviews, Vasant has yet to land a job. "I thought I would come back and get opportunities, but I am sitting at home," he says. "A lot of young students now ask me for advice on whether they should go into biotech, but I don't know whether to encourage or discourage them."

Vasant's confusion reflects a growing anxiety among graduates who are struggling to find a foothold in India's growing biotechnology market. It's been a rude awakening for those who flocked to the field after widespread media reports likened the growth of Indian biotech to the country's startling information-technology boom that began in the 1990s. Cashing in on that perception, hundreds of private institutes sprang up and now churn out thousands of bachelor's- and master's-level biotechnology graduates every year.

Unfortunately, the hype has outstripped reality, say industry observers. India's biotech industry is growing, but hasn't matured enough to absorb all the country's fresh talent. Making matters worse, the quality of biotech education is often inadequate. Despite the many degree holders, industry officials say it has been a chore recruiting talent with the requisite skills. "Unless we do something now, human resources will be a big limitation for the growth of India's biotechnology industry," says Kottaram Narayanan, president of the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) and managing director of agri-biotech company Metahelix Life Sciences in Bangalore.

Indian biotech generated revenues of some $2 billion in 2006–07, 60% of it from exports, according to the latest industry survey by ABLE and trade publication BioSpectrum India. Biopharmaceuticals — particularly the development of generic drugs and affordable vaccines — is the sector's biggest profit-maker, generating about 70% of total biotech revenues fuelled, in part, by profitable partnerships and mergers with companies in the West and other parts of Asia. The 'bioservices' market — typically drug companies outsourcing clinical-trial tasks to contract research organizations (CROs) — takes in around 13% of the total biotech pie. Bt cotton, the only transgenic agricultural product on the market, has made about 10%. Biomanufacturing and bioinformatics are also starting to play a part.

Innovation needed

Yet India's biotech market is still finding its feet when it comes to home-grown biotech inventions and discoveries. For a real boom, Indian scientists need to start innovating, says Virender Kumar Vinayak, president of biopharmaceutical R&D at health-care company Panacea Biotec in New Delhi. The emphasis should be on developing new biomolecules, tools and medical devices. This will require a steady supply of critically thinking scientists with solid hands-on skills. But therein lies the problem.

The inconsistent and largely unregulated biotech education sector is producing up to 30,000 graduates every year, according to reports from BioSpectrum India. "A large number of teaching shops have opened up in India, but most of these churn out improperly trained biotechnologists," says Vinayak. There is a dire need to improve course curricula to meet the requirements of the industry, he adds.

Many of the estimated 300 private programmes lack lab space and basic equipment. "Some of these graduates have never even seen a gel apparatus," says Rajeev Soni, chief operating officer of CRO Premas Biotech, based near Delhi. Soni says Premas has to train graduates for at least six months before they are ready for the job. "This lag time is really hurting the industry," he says.

Krishna Ella, managing director of vaccine-maker Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad, says that his company receives 300–500 applications for every new job opening, but the vast majority of candidates don't fit the bill. "It's not just a degree that is important," Ella says. "The most important things are practical skills and the ability to think critically as a scientist." Worsening matters, there's a dearth of good teachers at private programmes, particularly in small or remote towns.

Aparajita Mitra, who did a bachelor's degree in biotechnology at Fergusson College in Pune, laments the lack of hands-on training and equipment. Dissatisfied with her career prospects in biotech, she is pursuing an MBA. Barely one-third of her college class of 30 are still working in biotech, with most stuck in underpaid administrative and technician positions, Mitra says.

Not all private programmes are poorly equipped. New Delhi's Amity University and Tamil Nadu's SRM University, for example, have spacious labs and cutting-edge equipment such as protein-purification and electrophoresis systems. These programmes have the money to attract qualified staff. SRM also has ties with industry, enabling bachelor's students to do company internships in their final year. But such schools charge up to 100 times more — around US$4,000 in tuition fees per year — than government programmes.

India's government has actually fostered some strong biotech feeder programmes. In the mid-1980s, prime minister Rajiv Gandhi gave $500,000 to five universities to establish world-class biotech degrees; they bought modern research tools and recruited high-profile Indian scientists from around the world. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) funds 60 programmes producing some 1,000 graduates every year, according to Suman Govil, a DBT adviser for human-resource development. The government awards recurring grants of up to $75,000 a year to each of its sponsored programmes, and has spent more than $5 million this year on biotech teaching and training alone, Govil says.

"Our students have not really faced any problems with regard to finding opportunities," says Rakesh Bhatnagar, chair of the biotechnology centre at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, who left a research career at the US National Institutes of Health to come to Delhi. The university was among the first five to receive the government's biotech grant and is regarded as one of India's top biotech centres. Only 20–30 students get in, by way of a competitive exam. They learn basic sciences such as immunology and genetics in the first year and spend another year working on a real research problem in the lab, says Bhatnagar.

Expansion limited

But even India's best institutes have struggled to recruit experienced staff, says geneticist Bharat Chattoo, coordinator of the biotech programme at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, one of India's first feeder programmes. The government hasn't helped much, he says: "Most places have not got additional faculty positions after their programmes were started. How is the programme meant to rejuvenate and grow?"

Even qualified graduates are finding few jobs with a real biotech focus, says Kumaraswamy Ramasamy, dean of SRM's school of biotechnology. Every year, almost half of SRM's 180 BSc graduates end up going into the IT sector to work in bioinformatics companies, Ramasamy says. Many others find work at CROs. To expand skill sets and attract an array of employers, SRM is giving mandatory computer courses and emphasizing communication and languages. This flexibility sets private schools apart from government programmes, which accept far fewer students and focus entirely on research, Ramasamy adds.

Although that approach may serve a short-term need in the market, Chattoo believes that it's not seeding a new crop of scientific innovators. "We need to provide an ecosystem in which innovations can thrive," he says. "My role as a teacher is not to produce people who are vocationally trained but people who can be leaders."

Government and industry officials are now kick-starting various measures to ease the mismatch between academia and industry. The DBT offers short-term training courses for biotechnology teachers around India. The department also runs a programme that places fresh master's graduates in six-month, paid industry internships. It placed 200 students last year, and intends to place at least 500 this year, Govil says.

Meanwhile, ABLE, in collaboration with a government advisory group, plans to start a series of competitive 'biotechnology finishing schools' for master's-level graduates who would spend six months to a year working on a real industry project while honing fundamental science concepts and analytical skills. The first such venture — with an initial group of 100 students — is due to start with the 2008 academic year in the southern state of Karnataka. Narayanan and others hope the model, if successful, will be copied in other parts of the country. "Once a person in biotechnology is properly trained, he or she will be immediately picked up by companies," says Narayanan. But this runs counter to the experiences of young graduates such as Vasant, who are anxiously waiting for the Indian biotech sector to live up to the hype.

Article source: Nature

Nature 450, 580-581 (21 November 2007) | doi:10.1038/nj7169-580a

Biotechbuster

noreply@blogger.com (Anand Jage) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:13:00 +0000

Biotechbuster is a blogger concept, happy to serve sorts of. We conceived this name & idea to create a weblog (simply blog!) that would cater the needs of individuals interested in learning & teaching biotechnology. The primary purpose is to demystify biotechnological concepts, offer solutions, create a sound Help and Discussion Forum constituting eminent Bioscience Alumni, Faculty, Professionals and overseas as well as local Students from diverse fields related to biotechnology.

To contact the authors, please click image below.

Overall, our blog Biotechbuster aims at making learning & teaching process interesting through co-ordination, communication and innovation. Wish you a happy blogging & learning with us.

Hope you enjoy,

Biotech Busters.