TWO DECADES OF PANTNAGAR BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME

Biotechnology can be viewed as group of useful enabling technologies that have tremendous potential in precision farming and molecular agriculture. In view of the importance of biotechnology, university has initiated Biotechnology program in 1986 so as to develop suitable biotechnological techniques to complement conventional methods of raising field crops. The Biotechnology program started in 1988 with the support of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India which serve as the nodal department besides imparting training to postgraduate students as part of manpower development program. After initiating the M.Sc. program, the department initiated a Ph.D. program in 1995 and has been offering it as inter-disciplinary program with curricular and faculty inputs from different departments. The M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs essentially provide basic and applied science curriculum and specialized skills for profitable employment. The students of this program not only excelled nationally but also internationally. Almost all students qualified the competitive NET/GATE and CSIR and DBT-JRF examinations and found placements in premier National/International Institutes. In the year 2008, we have successfully completed two decades of Pantnagar Biotechnology programme. During this journey, programme has got national recognition and rated one of the Top-ten biotech schools in the country. In the same year, B. Tech Biotechnology programme was also started to cater the need of growing industrial sectors. Pantnagar biotechnology group is making concerted efforts to make use of rich biodiversity of Uttarakhand state to promote high-tech agriculture through development of stress tolerant varieties, addition of value to agricultural produces and enhancement of socio economic status of people by using modern tools and techniques of molecular biology and biotechnology. To achieve this objective, department has developed the state-of-art facilities and equipments for carrying out the focused research in frontier areas of Biotechnology. With the support of State government (~1.6 crores) a new wing of biotechnology having two floors of ~ 2000 sq. mt. has already been constructed which will has central Instrumentation facility and seven function based laboratories. The space and labs are being utilized on the pattern of ICGEB to optimize the utilization of routine and specialized equipments. The State Government has also created a separate budget for strengthening and sustaining Biotechnology in the University.  

The most outstanding impact of the Agricultural Biotechnology program at Pantnagar besides generation of human resources has been reorientation of agriculture research to problem solving and end use mode by incorporating tools of molecular biology and biotechnology. It has permitted university to take up advanced research in the areas of basic plant molecular biology, transgenic, immunodiagnostic especially for plant and animal diseases and pregnancy diagnostics, embryo transfer technology, IVF etc. Scientists in the university are doing seminal work in the plant signal transduction pathways and their role in diseases and pest management. Recently a program mode support programme in Agricultural Biotechnology of worth Rs. 8 crores has been sanctioned from DBT, Govt. of India for implementation of eight projects in three different areas viz. signal transduction, aromatic rice and neutraceuticals. Scientists, in the Department, are also continuously fetching funds from DST, DBT, ICAR & DRDO to do seminal work in key research areas of agricultural importance. The bio-agents developed by the university have already reached farmers. The immunodiagnostic kits for detection of Karnal bunt and early pregnancy in cattle are under validation. A salmonella inactivated toxin has been patented. Department of Biotechnology, Government has supported establishment of a Rural Bio-resource Centre in Pantnagar University where we are trying to create farm clusters for production of hybrid seeds in paddy, quality protein maize and vegetables. The other interventions to be taken up by the rural bio-resource centre include organic farming, fish duck farming and production of elite planting material for Litchi, guava and mango. The idea is to conduct training, demonstrations and promote on farm activities in these areas and develop business hubs where industries can get sufficient raw material in these hi-tech areas. Uttarakhand Government is also in the process of establishment a Biotechnology Park at Pantnagar where Pantnagar University will be a knowledge partner.

FACULTY MEMBERS:  The sanctioned faculty for the department is 15, but, five posts are still vacant. At present, the departmental faculty includes two Professors, three Associate Professors and five Assistant Professors.               

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