'Biotechnology is going to help human beings breaking all social and scientific barriers'

Varanasi, December 4, 2009: Professor Kandukuri V. Raman of Cornell University, USA, said biotechnology is turning to be boon for the society. “Biotechnology is going to help human beings breaking all the social and scientific barriers”, he said while delivering his key note address at the opening session of International Conference on Emerging Trends in Biotechnology and 6th Annual Convention of Biotech Research Society at Swatentra Bhawan in Banaras Hindu University on Friday.

He said the biotechnology discoveries should be translated into business ventures. “Today the investment in life sciences is over hundred billion dollars. The area of research involves from animal to plant kingdom to nano-technology”, he said.

He said Banaras Hindu University should evolve incubator system to translate and help the biotechnological discoveries to common people.

Professor Mathura Rai, Director IIVR, Varanasi spoke about vegetable research involving biotechnological tools. Professor BD Singh, Rector of BHU while presiding over the function said that biotechnology had become focal point to many life science branches including agriculture, medical, animal husbandry etc. He said there was a need to create general awareness among common people about innovation in biotechnology.

In the plenary session-I Dr VS Chauhan, Director, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi spoke about “Translational Research: A developing world’s perspective in health sciences”.

He said our focus should not be restricted in doing good research and publish papers in high impact journal but it should focus on “how to look healthy and how to live longer”. He mentioned that 90 per cent research works are not translated in realities of life.

Citing examples, he mentioned CGEB, New Delhi work on development of malaria vaccine, dengue vaccine, HIV vaccine which would be the pioneer contribution to the society. He also acknowledged the funding agency of malaria vaccine work (DBT, Bill Gates Foundation, European Malaria Initiative, WHO).

Dr. N.K. Singh talked about famous genome sequencing programme. He mentioned about rice genome, tomato genome and pigeon pea genome. He said currently there were 16 genome sequencing programme, out of which 10 had been completed and 6 were about to finish.

He said two genomes- Rice and Arabidopsis have high quality sequence data. He said now this is a matter of funding.

“India was granted chromosome No. 11 to sequence along with USA, as India invested about Rs. 50 crore in this sequencing programme. But this has made India ahead of many countries in the research of functional genomics”, he said.

“The contribution of India to total rice genome is only 3 per cent but this has allowed India to access of whole rice genome information that of 24 chromosomes. It is interesting to note that out of 56298 genes identified in rice, 1500 genes sequences are common to gene sequences found in human being”, he added.

Dr Singh also mentioned that there are some rice genes sequences, which are common across the number of plant and animal species. So this information generated out of rice sequences can be used for different plant, animal and human kingdoms, for transfer of genes from one species to another species including from rice genes to human being.

He said wheat genome is much bigger then rice genome, which have about 56298 genes whereas human genome has about 25,000 genes.

“Wheat genome sequencing programme cannot be initiated due to lack of funds. USA initiated tomato genes sequencing programme but due to funding problems, the programme has to be shared by China. So there is involvement of huge funding as well as information in these sequencing programme which require high degree of science and most important future life sciences discoveries will be coming from these areas”, Dr Singh remarked.

Prof. Lal Ji Singh Director Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad spoke about genetic diversity in India by Modern Biotechnology: What’s in the Pipeline?

Photo caption: Prof. KV Raman of Cornell University (USA) and others at inaugural function of international conference on ‘Emerging Trends in Biotechnology’ in Banaras Hindu University on December 4, 2009.
Photo: Samrat
Source: Press release from PPP Cell-BHU