An overview of the University of California, San Diego, its admission procedure, scholarships, latest news, programs, campus culture and enrollment.

Overview and Rank
University of California, San Diego is a public research university located in La Jolla, California. It is currently the 38th highest ranked university in the United States according to the US News university ranking system. UC San Diego is also rated 14th in the US for scientific impact in all sciences according to the CWTS Leiden ranking system.


A panoramic picture of Warren College Mall, containing the Geisel Library and the Jacobs School of Engineering.

Admission
Prospective students for undergraduate admission to UC San Diego can apply online using the University of California Admission Application (http://goo.gl/shdSm). In addition to the application, UC San Diego requires ACT with Writing scores or SAT Reasoning Test with critical reading, math and writing with all scores from the same sitting. Students interested in biotechnology should also consider taking 2 SAT subject tests in areas related to the field they wish to pursue, as UC San Diego strongly suggests these subject tests for students pursuing degrees in engineering, biological and physical sciences. UC San Diego also requires a minimum 3.0 GPA for california residents and 3.4 for out of state students. The average SAT score of admitted students is 1700 and an ACT score of 24.

For graduate admissions, UC San Diego requires at least a 3.0 GPA and a Bachelor’s degree. Prospective students must also submit 3 letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and GRE general test scores. Some departments, such as Bioengineering, do not require the GRE subject test, but others such as Biomedical Sciences recommends a subject test in Biology, Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology or Chemistry. The exact requirements for each department can be found at: http://goo.gl/sGXs7c .

Enrollment (Fall 2012):
Enrolled Undergraduate Students: 22,676
Enrolled Graduate Students: 4,588
Enrolled Medicine/Pharmacy Students: 1,788
Male: 48%
Female: 52%
Accepted: 35.5%

Cost:
Tuition(California Resident*): $13,302
Room & Board: $11,978
Books/Personal Expenses: $3,756
Total: $30,525

*Additional Cost for Non CA Residents: $22,878


Financial Aid:
Students can find out if they are eligible for financial aid by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . The parent contribution to financial costs is determined through analysis of their net worth while considering factors such as family size and additional children enrolled in a college or university. The student’s contribution consists of any summer work in addition to work during the academic year, as well as student’s assets and student loans. In addition to need based aid from state, federal, and university sources, students can apply for merit based and ‘restricted’ scholarships. Merit based scholarships are based only on academic achievement while restricted scholarships are special scholarships which also consider need, background, and field of interest (including some with a preference for students in physical and life sciences). A full list of the restricted scholarships can be found at: http://goo.gl/qIYDgk . For undergraduate students who wish to pursue additional research while at UC San Diego, the University provides several research scholarships which will fund these activities. To be eligible for these research scholarships, students must be enrolled during the entire summer and the research must be above and beyond the scope of normal coursework. These scholarships award $3,500 and there are several specifically given for research in biological, life, physical and health sciences and engineering. A full list of these scholarships can be found at: http://goo.gl/hCZJDL

Academics and Biotechnology Related Study
UC San Diego is a relatively large public university with a sizeable undergraduate population, so there are many potential majors from which a person interested in biotechnology can choose from, including a B.S. in Biotechnology itself. The following is a list of majors which may be of interest to biotechnology minded students:

Bioengineering (BE)
Bioengineering (B.S.)
Bioengineering (Biotechnology) (B.S.)
Bioengineering (Bioinformatics) (B.S.)
Bioengineering: BioSystems (B.S.)

Biological Sciences
Biochemistry and Cell Biology (B.S.)
Biology with Specialization in Bioinformatics (B.S.)
Ecology, Behavior and Evolution (B.S.)
General Biology (B.S.)
Human Biology (B.S.)
Microbiology (B.S.)
Molecular Biology (B.S.)
Physiology and Neuroscience (B.S.)

Chemistry and Biochemistry
Biochemistry/Chemistry (B.S.)
Bioinformatics (B.S.)
Chemical Education (B.S.)
Chemical Physics (B.S.)
Chemistry (B.S.)
Environmental Chemistry (B.S.)
Molecular Synthesis (B.S.)
Pharmacological Chemistry (B.S.)

Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)
Computer Science with Specialization in Bioinformatics (B.S)

Mathematics
Mathematics - Scientific Computation (B.S.)

Physics
Physics (B.S.)
Physics - Biophysics (B.S.)
Physics with Specialization in Computational Physics (B.S.)
Physics with Specialization in Materials Physics (B.S.)

In addition, students may wish to pursue a minor which complements their study in one of these fields, such as Physics, Applied Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and General Biology. Undergraduate students may also wish to participate in extra scientific research beyond what is found in their normal curriculum. For many majors, there are special classes that can be taken as electives called “Special Studies Courses” which allow students to conduct research independently or in small groups. There is also an additional program, the Academic Enrichment Program (AEP), whose purpose is to expose undergraduates to research and prepare them for graduate programs. Students conduct research guided by faculty mentors and may have the opportunity to present their work at undergraduate conferences.

UC San Diego also has 69 graduate programs across 5 graduate schools. Of particular interest to those interested in biotechnology are:
- Bioengineering
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Biological Sciences
- Biology (Joint Doctoral Program SDSU/UCSD)
- Biomedical Sciences
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Nanoengineering

The Bioengineering degree offers one of the widest selections of specializations including:
- Biodynamics
- Bionanotechnology and Biophotonics
- Biofabrication and BioMEMS
- Biomechanics
- Biomedical Imaging
- Biosensors, Instrumentation and Microscopy
- Blood substitutes
- Cardiac Mechanics
- Cardiovascular Electrophysiology
- Cartilage Tissue Engineering
- Cell and Tissue Engineering
- Computational Biology
- Genomics and Genetic Circuits
- Integrative Network Biology
- Microcirculation;
- Microhemodynamics
- Molecular Bioengineering and Biomechanics
- Muscle Physiology and Biomechanics
- Network Genomics
- Neural Engineering and Ophthalmology
- Vascular Bioengineering

In addition to about a year of core courses, a qualifying examination and dissertation defense, there is also a requirement of 4 quarters of teaching in order to receive the PhD.

Culture
UC San Diego is located in La Jolla, California, in a warm climate near the Pacific Ocean. Due to its location, nightlife and over 500 student organizations, UC San Diego is often ranked one of the happiest universities in the US. The campus is spacious with many green areas including eucalyptus groves and even a sea port. There is a large student building on campus, the Price Center, which houses multiple restaurants, bookstore, and a movie theater. The campus also has the popular Che Cafe which is known for its underground music scene and even many performances by well known bands. In addition to over 17,000 parking spaces, UC San Diego also has a free shuttle system for students and faculty with routes around campus, nearby residential areas, and shopping centers. The university also subsidizes local public transportation as well as having a free bike rental program. San Diego is also looking to expand its trolley service to the campus, making it easier for students to travel to the nearby city which is the 8th largest in the US and contains many additional attractions.

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/UCSanDiego
Image Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e...n_Pano.jpg by Znode - Creative Commons-licensed content

Does anyone know if RPMI-1640 with/out Glutamine have any known light sensitivities. Does it need to be stored in the dark?

An overview of Johns Hopkins University, its admission procedure, scholarships, latest news, programs, campus culture and enrollment.

Overview and Rank
Johns Hopkins University is a private university founded in 1876 located in and around Baltimore, MD. It is currently the 13th highest ranked university in the United States according to the US News university ranking system. Johns Hopkins is also rated 17th in the US for scientific impact in Biomedical and Health sciences according to the CWTS Leiden ranking system.


Wyman Quad, home to the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University


Admission
In addition to academic record, prospective students applying to Johns Hopkins will also be judged based on extracurricular achievements, leadership and community contribution, essays, and letters of recommendation. Application requires a complete Universal College Application or the Common Application in addition to the Johns Hopkins Supplement for whichever application is used. Applicants must also send two teacher evaluations. The SAT Reasoning Test or ACT with Writing Test must also be submitted. The middle 50th percentile for admitted students in 2013 had an SAT composite score of 2110-2300 and an ACT of 32-35.

Enrollment (Fall 2013):
Enrolled Undergraduate Students: 5149
Enrolled Graduate Students: 2,029
Male: 52%
Female: 48%
Accepted: 18.4%

Cost:
Tuition: $45,470
Room & Board: $13,832
Books/Personal Expenses: $2200
Total: $61,502

Financial Aid:
Students can find out if they are eligible for financial aid by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in addition to using the online ‘need calculator’ for Johns Hopkins at https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/jhu. In addition to the FAFSA, the CSS Financial aid profile must be completed (http://student.collegeboard.org/css-fina...id-profile) if the student is a US citizen or the International Financial Aid Application if the student is international (http://www.jhu.edu/finaid/international.html). The parent contribution to financial costs is determined through analysis of their net worth while considering factors such as family size and additional children enrolled in a college or university. In addition to need based loans from the university, Johns Hopkins also provide merit based scholarships. This included the Hodson Trust Scholarship which provides up to $28,500 per year and is given to fewer than 20 freshman each year. Of particular interest to students interested in Biotechnology, there is the Charles R. Westgate Scholarship in Engineering which covers tuition entirely and includes a stipend towards living expenses for four years of undergraduate study for any student in engineering. This engineering requirement spans all engineering majors, so the Bioengineering majors are included.

Academics and Biotechnology Related Study
Known for being a top research university with especially good Biological and Biomedical related programs, Johns Hopkins has a wide array of specialized majors for those interested in biotechnology.

First, there is Biomaterials Engineering which is a special program within the materials science and engineering major. This program is an interdisciplinary major which combines materials science, engineering, biology, and medicine. Students will learn how to engineer materials used in tissue engineering, drug and gene delivery, and medical devices and implants.

Another specialized major is Biomechanics which is offered within the mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics majors. Students can learn about biomechanics at a macroscopic level such as how soft and hard tissues affect computer-integrated surgical systems such as medical robotics. Students can also learn about subcellular biomechanics such as conformational transitions of biomolecules.

Biomedical Engineering is another specialized major which must be set as the prospective student’s first choice major when applying to Johns Hopkins. This program involves learning various engineering techniques and how to apply them to living systems.

Biophysics is a specialized major that involves learning physics and how it is applied to biological problems, particularly at the subcellular range. Biophysics includes areas such as protein folding, molecular structure and energetics, and membrane structure and function. In addition to requiring biology, chemistry, math and physics, Biophysics majors can also take classes for an introduction to computer programming. Biophysics majors must also complete two semesters of original research that is carried out in a nationally funded laboratory of the student’s choice.

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is another specialized major centered around learning about the chemical, biological and physical transformations starting at a molecular scale. Students will learn about chemical and biomolecular engineering of transport, kinetics and thermodynamics with electives in materials science, nanotechnology, and bioengineering. Students in this program can specialize in one of two concentrations: interfaces and nanotechnology and molecular and cellular bioengineering.

In addition to these majors, a student can also minor in various fields which would complement their studies and better prepare them for further work in biotechnology. These minors include Computer Science, Mathematics, and Applied Mathematics and Statistics.

Johns Hopkins University also has a large Graduate program in the department of Biomedical Engineering. A Master of Science in Engineering is available which can be completed in two years. A two-semester course, Physiological Foundations in Biomedical Engineering, is required for all students in this program. Otherwise, the rest of the courses can be chosen by the student to suit their own interests. A PhD program in Biomedical Engineering is also offered at Johns Hopkins. This program has several different areas that the student can specialize in:

• Cell and Tissue Engineering
  
• Computational Biology (further broken into):
  - Bioinformatics
  - Computational Modeling
  
  
• Medical Imaging
  
• Molecular Neural Cardiovascular Systems (further broken into):
  - Molecular and Cell Systems
  - Cardiovascular Systems
  
  
• Neuroscience and Neuroengineering
  

The PhD programs in Biomedical Engineering place particular emphasis on a solid foundation in life sciences. Because of this, PhD students must take in-depth training in life sciences in one of two ways. The first option is to enroll in the basic sciences curriculum in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, designed to cover a broad range of topics including molecules and cells, human anatomy, immunology, physiology and neuroscience. This curriculum usually takes the student’s entire first year. The second option involves taking numerous electives in life sciences which are tailored to the specific program’s research area. This option is generally taken by students who enter a Biomedical Engineering program already with a strong background in life sciences.

Culture
In addition to over 350 officially recognized clubs and organizations, Johns Hopkins has 13 fraternities and 8 sororities. Beyond campus social life, there is much to do in the way of extracurricular and social activity at Johns Hopkins due to its location in Baltimore, which is the largest city in Maryland and 24th largest city in the US. In addition to its main campus being located in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is also near Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Beyond the usual dining and entertainment locations which can be found in any major city, Baltimore has an area, the Inner Harbor, which contains many different attractions and is a popular tourist destination. The inner harbor contains many museums such as the Baltimore Museum of Industry in addition to other interesting locations such as the National Aquarium in Baltimore and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home to the Major League Baseball Team the Baltimore Orioles. Public transportation options exist in Baltimore but are fairly poor and disjointed. There is a bus system, MARC train, Light Rail and Metro subway which all operate independently but can be used to travel around the city. Fortunately Baltimore also has comprehensive bicycle routes throughout the city which are still expanding and many of them pass through the downtown area. In addition to local transport, Baltimore is home to an Amtrak station as well as the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/jhu.admissions
https://www.facebook.com/johnshopkinsuniversity

Image Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en...at_JHU.jpg by Ottawa80 - Creative Commons-licensed content

EntericBio is the first product in the world that can detect faecal pathogens within 3 hours. The test has been launched in market trials in the home markets of Ireland and UK in October 2011. To date each and every trial site is converting over to this new method of testing. Traditional culture based testing that takes 48 hours is now been replaced at a significant pace.

Customers have described the test as “being the new gold standard for faecal pathogen testing”.

EntericBio realtime® Stool Test

• The faecal sample is re-suspended in EntericBio realtime SPS solution. This solution has been designed to enable PCR processing direct from the stool sample.
  
• A robot is used to automatically transfer the liberated DNA, from each re-suspended faecal sample, directly into each well of the assay.
  
• Following amplification on a Roche 480 Light Cycler, positive samples are identified automatically using the EntericBio realtime software.
  

These tests have been designed by Medical Scientists - for Medical Scientists.

The goal was to make the test as simple as possible, 'error proofing' at every stage.

These assays work directly from the stool sample and do not require nucleic acid extraction/purification. The entire mastermix required to perform each test is lyophilised into individual reaction wells. Each reaction well contains an internal amplification control to monitor for PCR inhibition. A positive amplification control is provided with each kit.

The EntericBio realtime® Gastro panel I assay is a molecular diagnostic test for the simultaneous detection of Salmonella enterica spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter jejuni/coli/lari and Stx1/Stx2 from human stool samples.

The EntericBio realtime® C. difficile assay is a molecular diagnostic test for the detection of the C. difficile toxin B gene (tcdB) directly from human stool samples.

The assays work directly from the stool sample and do not require nucleic acid extraction/purification.

Process Summary; a swab is lightly coated with the stool sample, the swab is re-suspended in a tube of EntericBio Stool Preparation Solution (SPS) then heated at 97⁰C for 30 min. The heat treated samples are placed on the epmotion 5070 instrument (Eppendorf AG) for fully automated transfer of the processed samples directly to the lyophilised reaction wells using the EntericBio Gastro Panel I programme. The wells are capped and transferred to the LC480 instrument (Roche) for automated amplification, detection and analysis with the EntericBio programme. A typical run of 48 samples has a turnaround time to result of less than 3 hours with typically 30 mins hands-on time.

The Stool tests require

NO DNA extraction,
NO reagent preparation
NO manual pipetting
NO enrichment
Same day results
...... truly revolutionary.

Visit: http://www.entericbio.com

An overview of University of Chicago, its admission procedure, scholarships, latest news, programs, campus culture and enrollment. This post will be the first in a series on the top biotechnology colleges and universities in the US. I will include some general overview of the school and its location, but focus on biotechnology and related fields for the sections on academics.

Overview and Rank
The University of Chicago is a private university located in Chicago, Illinois which was founded in 1890. The campus is situated 7 miles south of downtown Chicago, in the Hyde Park neighborhood. It is currently the 4th highest ranked university in the United States according to the US News university ranking system. U. Chicago is also rated 24th in the US for scientific impact in Biomedical and Health sciences according to the CWTS Leiden ranking system.


Admission
Undergraduate admission to U. Chicago is based on more than GPA and test scores. The university has no specific minimum GPA or SAT/ACT and considers each applicant's entire background, including extra curricular activities and letters of recommendation. The average GPA for accepted students in 2012 was an A- (3.7 on a 4.0 scale), the average SAT score was around 2000, and the average ACT score around 32. U. Chicago accepts the Common Application, in addition to a specific U. Chicago supplement, which can be found on the Common Application’s website (http://goo.gl/kPW9J).

Enrollment (Fall 2012):
Undergraduate: 5,612
Graduate: 9192
Total: 15,544
Male: 52%
Female: 48%
Accepted: 13% (8.8% for 2013. This number has been dropping each year due to the elite nature of the school.)

Cost:
Tuition: $45,324
Student Life Fee: $1,062
Room & Board: $13,653
Books/Personal Expenses: $3,821
Total: $63,860

Financial Aid:
Students can find out if they are eligible for financial aid by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The parent contribution to financial costs is determined through analysis of their net worth while considering factors such as family size and additional children enrolled in a college or university. The student’s contribution consists of any summer work in addition to work during the academic year, as well as student’s assets and student loans. Once all of these factors are considered, U. Chicago may award an institutional grant to cover the remaining cost of attendance. Of full time undergraduates, 46.7% receive an average of $36,600 in financial aid.

Academics and Biotechnology Related Study
At U.Chicago, the undergraduate school, called “The College”, offers 50 majors and 28 minors. Because this is a consistently ranked top school, students can expect a rigorous curriculum throughout all of the majors. Of primary interest to those seeking a future in biotechnology are the Biological Chemistry and Biological Sciences majors. Biological Chemistry focuses on the study of the chemistry and physics of cellular and molecular structures and processes, and includes courses in biotechnology. This major will prepare students for work in fields related to biochemical and biophysical sciences. Biological Sciences is closer to a traditional Biology program with focus on organisms and their environment. This major also allows the student to select a specialized program of study including:

• Cellular and Molecular Biology
  
• Ecology and Evolution
  
• Endocrinology
  
• Genetics
  
• Immunology
  
• Microbiology
  
• Neuroscience
  

There are two undergraduate classes specifically for introduction to biotechnology. One class is part of the “Core Biology” series, which is designed to give an introduction to biotechnology for non-biological sciences majors. This class (or another that falls under Core Biology) is a prerequisite for the Biotechnology for the 21st Century class. This class starts with an overview but then branches into specific aspects of the biotechnology field, including microbial, medical and agricultural biotechnology. More advanced biotechnology related topics should then be pursued in major specific classes.

These majors can be further augmented with minors in fields related to biotechnology that may help better prepare the student or give them important cross disciplinary knowledge. Suggested minors are Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics. In addition to the classes required for each major or minor, undergraduate students must complete a core curriculum known as The Core. The Core is a set of classes covering a wide range of fields that introduce students to a common set of ideas and skills useful across all majors. The Core takes about ⅓ of a student’s time at U. Chicago and covers the Humanities, Civilization Studies, Arts, Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Social Sciences, Language (which the student can place out of) and Physical Education (which the student can pass with a fitness test, instead).

There are a wide variety of undergraduate research opportunities in the Biological Sciences Division including the Beckman Scholars Program in Molecular Sciences. This program includes guided literature readings, seminars and data and journal clubs. There is also a summer research program for undergraduates (REU) which lasts for 10 weeks and pays a stipend of $4,000. REU programs allow students to spend a summer intensively working on a research project with a faculty member at the university .

U. Chicago also has 4 large Graduate and 6 professional schools. Of particular interest to Biotechnology minded students is the Biological Sciences Division with areas of research spanning many biological fields. The 20 PhD programs are divided between 4 different “clusters” pertaining to their areas of study. These 4 clusters are:

• Biomedical Sciences - research centered on medical fields such as immunology
  
• Darwinian Sciences - research covering evolution and integrative biology
  
• Molecular Biosciences - Biochemical and Molecular biology related study
  
• Neuroscience - Neurobiology and computational neuroscience
  

Admission to the Biological Sciences Division requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, in addition to having proficiency in English and having taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Subject GRE’s are not required, except for Medical Physics. To complete a PhD for the Biological Sciences Division, every student must satisfy the curriculum, preliminary examination, qualifying examination and dissertation requirements of their particular program in addition to 6 quarters of residency. In addition, every PhD student must teach twice for credit and can take an optional teaching training course. A course in Scientific Ethics must also be completed in the Spring quarter of the graduate student’s first year.

There is also the Institute for Molecular Engineering, which is a cross disciplinary institute built upon the University’s strengths in molecular, computational, and clinical sciences. The institute is fairly new, having been established in 2012 in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory, and aims to lead the way in a new field which combines synthetic molecular building blocks with biological components. The institute is actively and rapidly growing, seeking 24 new faculty members. The institute will also be moving to a brand new building to be completed in 2015, which will have state of the art laboratory space and equipment.

Culture
In addition to over 400 officially recognized clubs and organizations, U. Chicago has 14 fraternities and 7 sororities. Beyond campus social life, there is much to do in the way of extracurricular and social activity at the University of Chicago due to its location in Chicago, which is the third most populous city in the US. There are innumerable attractions to visit, such as Millenium Park, Chicago Theatre, The Art Institute of Chicago, and many more. Like any major city, there are many concert venues, theatre performances, and a wide range of dining and nightlife locations. Chicago has several modes of transportation around the city, including its large public rapid transit system, known as the ‘L’, and the Metra, a commuter rail service. Chicago is also home to the O’Hare International Airport, Chicago Midway International Airport and the Union Station Amtrak line, both useful for traveling in and out of the city itself. Making use of all the transportation options available is well advised due to the population density, traffic, and parking scarcity in Chicago, as is typical with many major cities.

Of course there are also many attractions in Hyde Park itself, where the campus is located. Hyde Park has several shopping and dining districts, museums such as the Hyde Park Art Center, parks such as Jackson Park (which contains wooded areas and a Japanese garden), and is bordered to the east by Lake Michigan.

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/uchicago

Image Source: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/46/1273394...3ad7_z.jpg by by eli_albert - Creative Commons-licensed content.

What is the acid in the stop solution for TMB in ELISA kits? Can anyone tell me?

Module for production developed by Advanced Algal Technologies Limited

The passage of time has led to the development of numerous new methods for the generation of biofuel.

The company has researched patented and innovative means of the production of biofuel. It is currently in the ultimate stages of harvesting algae in a manner that is commercially viable for the production of biofuel. The approach of the company is not only unique but causes no harm to the environment.

Various innovative approaches of Advanced Algal Technologies Limited
Cultivating algae on a commercial scale has many advantages. In this process the temperature and humidity of the environment can be controlled in order to produce certain specific variety of algae. Different methods like monoculture are used to grow algae. The growth of algae depends of the environmental temperature, humidity and light factor. Advanced Algal Technologies Limited has been cultivating algae on a large commercial scale.

Company URL: http://www.advancedalgal.com/

---------------------------------
Update - 24/July/2013

Advanced Algal Technologies Limited has participated in Australian Sustainability Conference & Exhibition

Advanced Algal Technologies Limited is responsible for developing two major systems – the Infinites and the Substrata. The former concentrates on the manufacture of products right in protein for the industry of livestock feed. The technology is ideal for the sector of health foods, animal feeds, and biodiesel. The Substrata system involves controlled module that uses a connected substrate for the optimal biomass output of algae. The technology will work wonders for the functional food ingredients industry, pharmaceuticals, biodiesel and health foods.

I need your help with following information and it would be great if you could help with this as soon as possible. I am basically trying to clone two genes in a plant-based vector and express it in either tobacco/ Arabidopsis. Old method of doing this was cloning two separate genes in two different plant vectors and go for sequential transformation. Its important to ensure that two vectors are compatible for the experiment, as in they should have different promoters and selection markers. In recent times TA cloning and gateway cloning vectors have been designed by various labs, so cloning multiple genes in single plant based vector is possible but these are not commercially available so it becomes essential to contact various labs.

If have any information on the same then please share and I would also like information on how to obtain these vectors. I would ideally like to have a single vector in which multiple genes can be cloned and expressed in plants. If not then I would like to have some more information on what criteria I should use in selecting two different vectors and choose which plant for transgenic expression.

I hope I have explained myself well. If you have any questions please ask me.
Thanks!

To add updates about these biotech companies please add posts/replies to these existing threads only. Do not create multiple threads for the same company. If a company does not exist in the list below you can start a "New Thread" and we will usually include it here within 48 hours.

Belgium

•  
•  NXT-Dx
  

Canada

• Bioniche
  
• Caprion Pharmaceuticals
  

Denmark

• Novozymes
  
• Novo Nordisk
  

France

•  
•  LFB Group
  

Germany

• Bayer Healthcare
  
• MorphoSys AG
  

India

• Biocon
  
• Ranbaxy
  
• Shantha Biotechnics
  
• Sun Pharma
  
• Wockhardt
  

Ireland

•  
•  Elan
  

Switzerland

• Merck Serono
  
• Novartis
  
• Roche
  

UK

•  
•  Shire Pharmaceuticals
  

USA

• Abbott Laboratories
  
• Acceleron Pharmaceuticals
  
• Alcon Labs
  
• Alexion Pharmaceuticals
  
• AMAG Pharma
  
• Amgen
  
• ARIAD Pharmaceuticals
  
• AstraZeneca
  
• Bausch and Lomb
  
• Baxter
  
• Bio-Rad
  
• Celera Corporation
  
• Celgene Corporation
  
• Forest Labs
  
• Genentech Inc
  
• Gilead Sciences
  
• Hospira
  
• Janssen Biotech
  
• MedImmune
  
• Medivation
  
• Mylan Laboratories
  
• Pfizer
  
• Seattle Genetics
  
• Spectrum pharmaceuticals
  
  

India's leading research based global healthcare and biotechnology organisation: Wockhardt is a true Indian multinational company with 3 research centers and 12 manufacturing plants. With its headquarters located in Mumbai, Wockhardt also operates in USA, UK, France and Ireland.
Here are the latest updates of Wockhardt:

• Wockhardt reported $1 billion sales in 2012-13!
  

Wockhardt Ltd. continues to be amongst the top Pharma companies on PAT & Operating Profit Growth. It summarized the FY 2012-13 with:
365% Growth in Profit After Tax at Rs.1594 crores
52% Growth in Operating Profit at Rs.2091 crores
29% Growth in Revenues at Rs.5610 crores in 2012-13.
For more details click here

• Wockhardt Recieved "BEST ENTERPRISE" Award from Europe Business Assembly
  

Wockhardt Ltd.,was recently rewarded with the "BEST ENTERPRISE" award by the Europe Business Assembly in Vienna, Austria for its achievements in the global pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Murtaza Khorakiwala, Managing Director of Wockhardt received the award at glittering ceremony in Vienna, Austria.
For more details click here

• Wockhardt Hits Lowest On UK Import alert in Last One Year
  

Wockhardt Ltd. suffered a slip on its Shares of Company and hit a 1 Year low on Rs. 872.45 on NSE. The Stock had declined almost 8 Percent,this week (as on July 9, 13) and is down nearly 60 percent of last year. An import alert means detention of drugs without its physical examination from firms, which have not complied with good manufacturing practices.
For more details click here

Following are the recent job openings:

To Apply click here



This thread will be updated as and when new information is available.
Keep Reading!

Thank You!

Many local degree programmes related to biotechnology, both BSc and MSc, require the students to carry out a short-term research project or an internship for the fulfilment of the degree. Some of the major research institutes as well as companies are willing to give these students a chance to join them as temporary research assistants or interns. Here are the details of some of the Sri Lankan institutes/companies that offer internships/ research opportunities in areas related to biotechnology.

Industrial Technology Institute(ITI)

Location: Colombo

The biotechnology unit (BTU) at ITI conducts research in areas related to Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Their current research include studies related to crop improvement, value addition through genetic engineering, production of recombinant enzymes and DNA based disease diagnostics among many more. They also offer various technical services related to Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.

Find out more about the on-going projects at BTU, ITI

If you are interested in carrying out your research project/internship here, please submit your application to the Director, ITI.

Contact details:
Postal Address: Industrial Technology Institute,363, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7
Telephone(General) : +94-11-2379800
Fax (General): +94-11-2379850
Email (General): info@iti.lk
Head (Biotechnology Unit): Dr. (Mrs.) S.G. Senaratne Email : sidsenara@iti.lk


Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL)

Location: Agalawatte (Kalutara District)

RRI has three departments currently carrying out research related to genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology.

Genetics and Plant Breeding Department

Find out more about the on-going projects at the department

Plant Science Department

Find out more about the on-going projects at the department

Plant Pathology & Microbiology Department

Find out more about the on-going projects at the department

If you are interested in carrying out your research project/internship here, please submit your application to the Director, RRI.

Contact details:
Postal Address: Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka, Dartonfield, Agalawatta.
Telephone (General): +94- 34 - 2247426
Fax (General): +94- 34 – 2247427
Telephone (director): +94-11 - 2635142
Email (director): dirrub@sltnet.lk


Coconut Research Institute (CRI)

Location: Lunuwila (Puttlam District)

CRI has two divisions currently carrying out research related to genetics, tissue culture, molecular biology and biotechnology.

Tissue Culture Division

Find out more about the on-going projects at the division

Genetics & Plant Breeding Division

Find out more about the on-going projects at the division

If you are interested in carrying out your research project/internship here, please submit your application to the Director, CRI.

Contact details:
Postal Address: Coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila
Telephone (director):+94 31 2255890


Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRI)

Location: Thalawakelle (Nuwara Eliya District)

Plant Breeding Division at TRI carries out research related to genetics, tissue culture, and molecular biology.

Find out more about the on-going projects at the Plant Breeding Division

If you are interested in carrying out your research project/internship here, please submit your application to the Director, TRI.

Contact details:
Postal Address: Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka, Talawakelle
Telephone (General): +94 52-2258201 :
Fax (General): +94 52-22582229:
Email (General): info@tri.lk


Sugarcane Research Institute

Location: Uda Walawe (Ratnapura District)

SRI has three divisions currently carrying out research related to genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology.

Division of Crop Protection

Find out more about the on-going projects at the division

Division of Crop Improvement

Find out more about the on-going projects at the division

Division of Processing Technology

Find out more about the on-going projects at the division

If you are interested in carrying out your research project/internship here, please submit your application to the Director, SRI.

Contact details:
Postal Address: Sugarcane Research Institute, Uda Walawe
Telephone (General): +94-47- 2233281, +94-47- 2233285
Fax (General): +94-47- 2233233
Email (General): info@sugarres.lk
Telephone (Director / CEO): +94-47- 2233282
Email (Director / CEO): director@sugarres.lk


Genetech Sri Lanka

Location: Colombo

Genetech Sri Lanka is a leading biotechnology company that specialises in the areas including molecular disease diagnostics, DNA typing for paternity testing and forensic casework, research in the molecular life sciences, Customized biotechnology solutions, Molecular biology products etc. It carries out research and various diagnostic services related to biotechnology.

Find out more about Genetech Research Projects

Contact Genetech if you are interested in joining Genetech as an intern/ temporary research assistant.

Contact details:
Postal Address: 54, Kitulwatte Road, Colombo
Telephone :+94-11-2696992, +94-11-5839553, +94-11-5840814 Fax: +94-11-2686137
Email: genetech@slt.lk


Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC Pvt Ltd.)

Location: Biyagama

SLINTEC is involved in Nanotechnology research & development focusing on five primary research areas; Agriculture, Apparel, Water purification, Healthcare and Mineral resources.

Visit HERE for more details

Contact SLINTEC if you are interested in joining them as an intern/ temporary research assistant.

Contact details:

Postal Address: Lot 14, Zone 1, Biyagama EPZ, Walgama, Malwana
Telephone:+94-11-4650500
Fax:+94-11-4741995
Telephone (Research and Development/ Business Development team): +94 11 4650528
Email (Research and Development/ Business Development team): R&Dprojects@slintec.lk


Institute of Fundamental Studies (IFS)

IFS takes up research students as volunteer research assistants for on-going short-term projects. You can find more details on this through my previous article on IFS

Information on MSc at University of Ruhuna and Peradeniya in Sri Lanka. Course contents, How to apply, Fees and Duration of the programs.

Postgraduate Institute of Science (PGIS)

PGIS, a postgraduate institute affiliated with the University of Peradeniya, offers an M.Sc. in Experimental Biotechnology. This programme is offered to a maximum number of 25 students each year.

The Structure of the Programme: This is a full-time programme consisting of course work and a research project.

Duration: The course work component is conducted over a period of two semesters of 15 weeks each and the research project is carried out over a period of 3 - 6 months.

Eligibility: Graduates in medical/dental/agricultural/veterinary/biological/engineering and physical sciences, or with equivalent qualification are eligible to follow the programme.

Course Fees (As at July 2013) : A programme fee of LKR 220 000.00 and other payments including registration fee, medical fee, library subscription, examination fee and deposits (science and library).

You can fiind the details of other fees in the PGIS Students’ handbook which you can download Here.

(The fee structure for foreign candidates can also be found in the students' handbook)

Programme fees shall be paid in two instalments (50% at the registration and the balance 50% within six months from registration)

Course contents
Download the Course Contents Here

How to Apply: Click Here for more details on the application procedure

Selection Criteria: selection is based on the academic merits and the performance at an aptitude test as well as an interview. There will be no subject-based test. 

University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka

University of Ruhuna offers two MSc Programmes in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.
_____________________________________________________

• The following details apply for both Programme I and Programme II
  

Eligibility: Graduates in medical/dental/agricultural/veterinary/biological sciences or those who have any other equivalent qualificationeligible to follow the programme.

Course Fees (As at July 2013): A programme fee of LKR 200,000.00 plus other applicable fees.

The programme fee is payable in three instalments as follows.

• First instalment: Rs. 100,000/= at the commencement of the first semester of the course
  

• Two instalments of Rs. 50,000/= at the beginning of second and third semesters
  

Course contents: Click Here to view the course contents

How to Apply: Click Here for more details on the application procedure

Selection Criteria: selection is based on the academic merits and the performance at an interview.
_________________________________________________

Programme I : M.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (by coursework only)

The Structure of the Programme: This is a part time programme that consists of theory and practical courses.

Duration: three semesters of 15 weeks each.


Programme II M.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (by coursework and research)

The Structure of the Programme: This is a part time programme of course work and a research project.

Duration: The course work component is conducted over a period of three semesters of 15 weeks each and the research project is carried in the fourth semester.

The cost of the research project shall be borne by the candidate or through a research grant.

Course content: Click Here

Baxter International Inc. is one of the leading names in the world of biotechnology. Baxter is the chief manufacturer of vaccines, products for regenerative medicines, recombinant and plasma-based proteins to treat hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. It’s US based organization, with its presence all over the world. With over 48,500 employees aiming at providing advanced patient worldwide, it is well spread in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America/Canada and Asia Pacific. The areas this company focuses on are:

-Acute and Intensive Care Pharmaceuticals
-Anesthesia
-BioSurgery
-Clinical Nutrition
-Critical Care
-Fluid Management Systems
-Hematologic Malignancies
-Hematology/Hemophilia
-Home Care Therapies
-Immunology/Inflammation
-Infusion Systems/IV Tubing
-Oncology
-Pharmaceuticals/Solutions/Drug Delivery
-Pulmonology
-Rare/Orphan Diseases
-Regenerative Medicine
-Renal/Dialysis Drugs and Devices
-Vaccines

• Baxter showcased the data on ADVATE during the 24th Annual Congress of the ISTH

More on ADVATE






Thank you!

Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Company has a profile of manufacturing API and formulations, and sells it over more than 40 countries. And with more than twenty destinations for its manufacturing unit. Every year Sun pharma grows a little bigger and has been listed in Forbes for Asia's fab 50 and World's top 100. Company is renowned for its high quality research facility, low impurity APIs, lesser cost products and worldwide reliability. With one of the biggest fermentation and chemical synthesis facility in India, it employees over 15k employees worldwide.



Company was started in 1983 in Kolkata by Mr. Dilip Shanghvi with a manufacturing facility specialized in psychiatric drugs, within four years company expanded its specialty for Cardiology and Gastroenterology. Today company stands tall and proud with its expertise in cardiology, psychiatry, neurology, gastroenterology and diabetology. It also supplies APIs such as warfarin, carbamazepine, etodolac, and clorazepate, as well as anticancers, steroids, peptides, sex hormones, etc.

In this thread we will discuss about latest news and career updates of Sun Pharma.

• USFDA gives a positive sign on Sun Pharma's testosterone cypionate injection
  

Achieving another star in its success milestones Sun pharma has come up with a generic testosterone cypionate injection which is therapeutically equivalent to Pfizer Inc's Depo Testosterone injection. As per IMS MAT data company has estimated a $130 million market in the US. The injection is used for treatment of male fertility related issues and for replacement therapy in males with conditions and symptoms of deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone.

• Sun pharma bigger than three rivals put together
  

The stock of Sun Pharmaceuticals hit a record high this year dominating the market capitalization over that of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Cipla and Lupin put together. Major revenue, profit growth and benefits are estimated from overseas acquisitions, currency depreciation and gigantic sales of its cancer drug Lipodox.

Along with this market capture company has also received the tentative approval for two significant abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs)/generics for sale in the market and its unit, URL Pharma, recently hiked the selling price of a major selling drug in market.This, along with its recent acquisitions & mergers and extremely strong product pipeline, is likely to help Sun Pharma replicate its overall robust performance in financial year 2013.

• NDTV Profit awards Sun pharma business leadership of the year-2012
  

The premium drug-maker policy and a robust business tactics takes all to receive Businees Leader in Pharmaceuticals. NDTV profit awards business awards with full market and financial survey, which truly reflects the winner. With other major awards in hand like CNBC most outstanding company of 2012, Forbes listed it in top 100 most innovative companies, Sun Pharma was awarded PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR in 2011 by Frost & Sullivan India Healthcare Excellence Awards, Mr. Dilip S. Shanghvi was awarded WORLD ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR by ERNST AND YOUNG 2010. And many more awards are in its accolades trunk and many more are on the way for 2013.

• Vacancies
  

Click on the below jobs for more information on the post. Apply for the jobs by sending your resume to hrd@sunpharma.com, and do mention the code as per the job.

1. Business Development: Officer/Executive Business Development Mumbai, code SP043

2. Training Executive: Dadra, code SP030

3. Process Engineering: Manager/Senior Manager, Panoli (Gujarat), code SP029

4. Technology Transfer: Executive/Assistant Manager, Panoli (Gujarat), code SP028




We'll keep you updated with world's major companies updates and vacancies.

Institute of Fundamental Sciences, popular as IFS among research personnel, is a renowned research institute in Sri Lanka. It conducts research on many areas including microbial biotechnology and molecular biology & genetics.


There are two major projects currently carried out in the microbial unit.

1. Biofilm based Biofuel Production
Click here for more details on the project.


2. Biofilm-based Biofertilisers
Click here for more details on the project.



Researches are being conducted under two major disciplines at the moment.

1. Plant Biology
Find more details here


2. Cell Biology
Find more details here



IFS offers an ideal opportunity to people who are interested in research to carry out research under the guidance of proficient scientists- local and foreign- in well-equipped laboratories with state-of-the-art instruments. The environment of the institute is welcoming and friendly.

Research assistants (Contract Basis)

The vacancies will be advertised on the institute website and national media. You can check out the vacancies at IFS here (Unfortunately, there are no vacancies at the moment)


Eligibility: A candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree (often a four year degree is required) or a Master’s degree in the fields related to the position.

Selection criteria: the candidates will have to face a placement exam (subject related) as well as an interview.

How to apply: anyone who wishes to apply for a research assistant position (Contract basis) should prepare and forward their applications according to the criteria mentioned in the advertisement.

Salary Scale: Will be specified in the advertisement.


Research Assistant (Volunteer)

If you are interested in participating in short-term research projects at IFS, you can join the institute as a volunteer research assistant. A volunteer will not get paid but this is a great opportunity for budding scientists to hone their research skills. There is also the chance of getting recruited as a research assistant (contract basis) if any vacancy pops up.

Eligibility: Undergraduate students, graduate students, postgraduate students and anyone (even school leavers) who is interested in science can join the institute as a volunteer research assistant. Research projects will be assigned to the volunteers based on their level of capability.

How to apply: persons who wish to work at the institute as a volunteer should forward an application to the Director/IFS mentioning their research interest along with their CV.

Contact details: dirifs@yahoo.com

In order to find out about the ongoing research projects, they should contact the respective project leader directly.

If you are interested in the project “Biofuel production” please contact Dr. (Mrs)Renuka Ratnayake.

Contact Details: renukaratnayake@yahoo.com

If you are interested in the project “Biofertiliser” please contact Prof. Gamini Seneviratne.

Contact Details: gaminis@ifs.ac.lk

Click here to for information on joining the research at the IFS.

Everyone knows that connection between our emotions and music is very strong. Anyone who listens his favorite music knows how powerful music is and how it affects our emotions. However, music and sound can affect people in both ways- positive and negative. Our emotions control this process because they are responsible how we hear and how we process sound.

Hearing similar sounds to those we like can evoke good feelings because many certain types of sounds are associated with very strong emotions in our brains. In similar way, sounds can evoke negative feelings as well.

Some tests on combat veterans suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder were examined and this phenomenon with hearing association was present. These patients could evoke terrible memories from the battlefield just with a simple and common sounds like sounds of thunder, wind and rain. However, scientists were blind for a long time, because they couldn’t find out which mechanisms were responsible for these associations. Nowadays, scientists from the University of Pennsylvania have discovered how fear can increase or maybe decrease the ability of discrimination between wide range of sounds. This discovery has provided new viewpoint in victims suffering post- traumatic stress disorder.

Benefits of emotions in human

Many scientists from Penn University thins that our emotions are very close linked to our perception. These emotions and our emotional response can really help us deal with newly occurred problems. Just to explain, our emotion for example, fear, can help us escape some potentially dangerous situations. This emotion also gives us ability to react very quickly.
However, there are also some situations where things can definitely go wrong in the way the fear response develops. These situations can occur in some pathological conditions like anxiety and also in PTSD. In these situations the emotional response to these events is generalized to the point where the fear response starts getting developed to a very broad range of stimuli.

Earlier experiments on mice

A group of scientists have used emotional conditioning in laboratory mice to find out how hearing acuity can change following unpleasant event. This is commonly known as classic emotional learning. ( Hearing acuity is the clarity of clearness of hearing. It is a measure how good person hears and is the person able to distinguish two tones of different frequencies. This hearing acuity is commonly used to determine persons need for hearing aid ). In these experiments on mice, which rely on classical (Pavlovian) conditioning, animals learn to separate potentially dangerous and safe sounds. This conditioning is called emotional discrimination learning. This type of conditioning is not that good method of examination. It has no brilliant results and it has showed a relatively poor learning. However, a group of scientists have designed a series of learning tasks with a mission to create progressively greater emotional discrimination in the laboratory animals- mice, with variations in the difficulty of the task. What really was interesting for those scientists was how different levels of emotional discrimination can possibly affect hearing acuity. In other words, they wanted to find out how emotional responses affect perception and discrimination between sounds. The specificity of this study is that it created the connection between perception of the world and emotions, and this fact was unknown until now.

Further experiments

As expected, scientists have discovered that fine emotional learning tasks have shown greater learning specificity and results than experiments in which the tones were farther apart in frequency. The animals examined with various sounds that were far apart generalized the fear that they developed to the danger tone. This danger tone was over a whole range of frequencies. On the other hand the animals tested with the two sounds that were very similar exhibited specialization of their emotional response. Due to fine conditioning task, they found out that it's a very short range of pitches that are eventually dangerous.

Results of the study

When scientists measured pitch discrimination abilities in the animals, they noticed that mice with more specific responses showed way more finer auditory acuity than the mice who were tested with a wider range of frequencies. In final results, a connection between how much their emotional response generalized and how well they could tell different tones apart was present. In first case, animals that specialized their emotional response had sharper pitch discrimination. In other words, these animals were able to discriminate two tones which could not be separated previously. Another very interesting finding of this study are effects of the emotional learning on hearing perception which were under control of the auditory cortex. From the previous researches auditory cortex has been known as part of the brain responsible for auditory plasticity. However, an interesting discovery was also registered. Auditory cortex did not play role in emotional learning.

Link between auditory cortex and amygdala remains unknown

When we know that auditory cortex is involved, and when we know that emotional learning is controlled by sub- cortical auditory areas and amygdala, one question still remains unanswered: how do the amygdala and cortex interact together? This question has no answer, but there is a hypothesis that the cortex and amygdala are modifiers of the subcortical auditory processing areas. The sensory cortex has role for the changes in discrimination of the frequencies. However, this brain part is not required for developing generalized or specialized emotional responses.

Possible solutions

If scientists find the way for solving that problem, it could promise new insight into the causes and possible treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, and the question of why some people develop it while others subjected to the similar events do not. Nowadays, researchers are sure that there is a strong link between mechanisms that control emotional learning and the brain mechanisms responsible for posttraumatic stress disorder development. One of the main foci in the future will be defining and studying that connection.

The Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB) is a postgraduate training institute affiliated with the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka.

IBMBB is the National Node for European Molecular Biology Network (EMBnet) and is designated as a Resource Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, by the International Programme in Chemical Sciences, University of Uppsala , Sweden.

The Postgraduate Programmes Offered by the Institute

The Institute offers MSc, MPhil and PhD programmes as well as short courses in disciplines related to Molecular Life Sciences.


Short Courses in Molecular Biology

Certificate Course in Molecular Biological Techniques

Course content: the programme includes theory and practicals with hands on experience in DNA based techniques such as DNA extraction and quantification, PCR, RT-PCR, DNA probes, gel electrophoresis, restriction fragment length polymorphism and an exposure to DNA sequencing. Application of the techniques in diagnosis of pathogenic diseases, mutation detection etc will be discussed.

This course is designed for scientists, clinicians, academics, technical officers and students awaiting higher studies in biological sciences.

Course Duration: From 12th August 2013 to 16th August 2013

For more details, click here (http://www.ibmbb.lk/node/250)

Apply now! Application deadline will be 15th July 2013

To apply online, click here

MSc Programmes

Eligibility (For all three MSc Courses): Graduates in Biological / Medical / Dental / Veterinary / Agricultural Sciences are eligible to apply.

Course Fee (For all three MSc Courses): Contact the Senior Assistant Registrar of the Institute
Email: sar@ibmbb.cmb.ac.lk.


1. MSc in Molecular Life Sciences is a full time three semester programme in which the duration of a semester is 20 weeks. The course provides an advanced training in molecular life sciences. This also includes a research project which should be completed within one semester.

This programme will admit Commonwealth Scholars through the Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka from the next intake. Interested overseas applicants should make their application through the Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka.

You can view the course contents here


2. MSc in Cellular and Molecular Immunology is a full time course designed to be completed within three semesters of 20 weeks duration each. This course provides a strong foundation in molecular and cellular immunology and includes a research component which is designed to offer advanced training in research methodologies.

You can view the course contents here


3. MSc in Bioinformatics is a full time, two year programme providing advance training and a strong foundation in Bioinformatics. This programme is jointly offered by the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB), University of Colombo and the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC).

You can view the course contents here

MPhil and PhD Programmes

The institute also offers several MPhil and PhD programmes in the areas related to molecular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology. Further details about these programmes could be obtained by contacting the institute on weekdays between 3.00 am to 11.00 am GMT.
Telephone : +94 11 2552528
Fax : +94-11- 2553683
E-mail : info@ibmbb.cmb.ac.lk


We will keep updating the post as new details are available. Thank You.

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/IBMBB

Ranbaxy is a world renowned Pharmaceutical company (serving over 150 Nations), with it's global headquarters in Gurgaon, Haryana (India). With it's diverse portfolio of Generics, Branded Generics, Value-added and Over-the-Counter (OTC) products, Anti-retrovirals (ARVs), Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), Vaccines etc, Ranbaxy has a strong hold in the pharmaceutical markets of both the developed and developing nations. Since it's inception in 1961, Ranbaxy has given due consideration to Research and Innovation, enabling it to consistently add depth to it's product pipeline.

Here's a brief overview of the recent updates and job positions at Ranbaxy.

• Ranbaxy Q2 Results to be declared on August 07, 2013
  

Click here for the stock report

• USFDA Sheds Clarification on Ranbaxy's Manufacturing Plants
  

USFDA told CNBC-TV18 about the lack of any proof on data reliability issues of Ranbaxy's Manufacturing Plants except for 3 plants i.e Paonta Sahib, Batamandi & Dewas. FDA thereby supported the fact that there was no evidence of major current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) violations by Ranbaxy overall. The clarification boosted the shares of Ranbaxy up, leading to a 6.5% gain on July 3, 2013.

Click here for the details

• Ranbaxy launches Hybrid Business In Brazil in Collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo
  

Click here for details


Job Opportunities
Following are the recent Job Openings at Ranbaxy, India:
(To apply, Click here)


We will keep updating the post.

Thanks for Reading!

Depending on the circumstance, the term fermentation can have three meanings. In a physiological sense, fermentation refers to a process that produces energy by breaking down of energy-rich compounds under anaerobic conditions. This is the basis of food fermentation, which is commonly used in the food industry in order to produce diverse food products and also as a food preservation method. In a biotechnological context though, this term is used in a much broader sense. There, fermentation means a process in which microorganisms that are cultured on a large-scale under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, convert a substrate into a product which is useful to man.

This article attempts to provide an overview of the industrial fermentation process, mainly focusing on various types of fermentations, the basic steps in a typical fermentation process and the major industrial applications of fermentation.

Basic Steps of Industrial Fermentation

Any industrial fermentation operation can be broken down into three main stages, viz, upstream processing, the fermentation process and downstream processing.



Upstream processing includes formulation of the fermentation medium, sterilisation of air, fermentation medium and the fermenter, inoculum preparation and inoculation of the medium.

The fermentation medium should contain an energy source, a carbon source, a nitrogen source and micronutrients required for the growth of the microorganism along with water and oxygen, if necessary.

A medium which is used for a large scale fermentation, in order to ensure the sustainability of the operation, should have the following characteristics;
1. It should be cheap and easily available
2. It should maximise the growth of the microorganism, productivity and the rate of formation of the desired product
3. It should minimise the formation of undesired products

Usually, waste products from other industrial processes, such as molasses, lignocellulosic wastes, cheese whey and corn steep liquor, after modifying with the incorporation of additional nutrients, are used as the substrate for many industrial fermentations.

Sterilisation is essential for preventing the contamination with any undesired microorganisms. Air is sterilised by membrane filtration while the medium is usually heat sterilised. Any nutrient component which is heat labile is filter-sterilised and later added to the sterilised medium. The fermenter may be sterilised together with the medium or separately.
 
Inoculum build up is the preparation of the seed culture in amounts sufficient to be used in the large fermenter vessel. This involves growing the microorganisms obtained from the pure stock culture in several consecutive fermenters. This process cuts down the time required for the growth of microorganisms in the fermenter, thereby increasing the rate of productivity. Then the seed culture obtained through this process is used to inoculate the fermentation medium.


Inoculum preparation procedure

The fermentation process involves the propagation of the microorganism and production of the desired product. The fermentation process can be categorised depending on various parameters.

It can be either aerobic fermentation, carried out in the presence of oxygen or anaerobic fermentation, carried out in the absence of oxygen. Many industrial fermentation are carried out under aerobic conditions where a few processes such as ethanol production by yeast require strictly anaerobic environments.

The fermentation process can also be divided into three basic systems, namely batch, continuous or fed-batch, depending on the feeding strategy of the culture and the medium into the fermenter. Each of these processes has their own advantages and disadvantages. In a batch operation, the medium and the culture are initially fed into the vessel and it is then closed. After that, no components are added apart from oxygen (in an aerobic process) and acid or alkali for the pH adjustment. The fermentation is allowed to run for a predetermined period of time and the product is harvested at the end. In a continuous process, fresh medium is continuously added and the products, along with the culture is removed at the same rate, thus maintaining constant concentrations of nutrients and cells are maintained throughout the process. A fed-batch system is a combination of these two systems where additional nutrients are added to the fermenter as the fermentation is in progress. This extends the time of operation but the products are harvested at the end of the production cycle as in a batch fermenter.



The process can also be categorised as solid state fermentation (SSF) or submerged fermentation (SmF), depending on the amount of free water in the medium. In a solid state fermentation, the medium contains no free flowing water. The organisms are grown in a solid substrate which is moistened. This is used in certain industrial process such as ‘koji’ fermentation from soybeans, production of amylase and protease by Aspergillus oryzae on roasted soybeans and wheat, bioremediation, detoxification of agro-industrial wastes, etc. Submerged fermentation is in which microorganisms grow submerged in a liquid medium where free water is abundant. This is the method of choice for many industrial operations over SSF although SSF is also rapidly gaining interest in the present.

A comparison of SSF and SmF



Downstream Processing includes the recovery of the products in a pure state and the effluent treatment. Product recovery is carried out through a series of operations including cell separation by settling, centrifugation or filtration; product recovery by disruption of cells (if the product is produced intracellularly); extraction and purification of the product. Finally, the effluents are treated by chemical, physical or biological methods.
 
Fermentation Products

Commercially important products of fermentation can be described in five major groups as follows.

1. Biomass (Baker’s yeast, SCP, Starter cultures, animal feed, etc.)
2. Primary metabolites (amino acids, organic acids, vitamins, polysaccharides, ethanol, etc.) and secondary metabolites (antibiotics, etc.)
3. Bioconvertion or biotransformation products (steroid biotransformation, L-sorbitol etc.)
4. Enzymes (amylase, lipase, cellulase, etc.)
5. Recombinant products (some vaccines, hormones such as isulin and growth hormones etc.)

Sources

1. Food Biotechnology (2nd edition) edited by Kalidas Shetty, Gopinadhan Paliyath, Anthony Pometto and Robert E. Levin

2. Introduction to Biochemical Engineering By Dubasi Govardhana Rao

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. is Swiss multinational company established in 1896 by Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, which specializes in two mainstream profiles: pharmaceuticals and healthcare diagnostics.



The company is headquartered in Basel and the company has many hot centers around the world - including:

USA & CANADA: Nutley, NJ; Pleasanton, CA; Branchburg, NJ; Indianapolis, Indiana; Florence, South Carolina; and Ponce, Puerto Rico; Mississauga and Laval in Canada.

SOUTH AMERICA: São Paulo, Brazil;

EUROPE: Welwyn Garden City and Burgess Hill in the UK; Clarecastle in Ireland; Mannheim and Penzberg in Germany; Segrate, Milan in Italy;

ASIA Shanghai in China; Mumbai & Hyderabad in India; Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan.

Roche also holds the American biotechnology company Genentech, which is a wholly owned affiliate, the Japanese biotechnology company Chugai Pharmaceuticals and the Tucson, Arizona based Ventana

The company has a legacy of invention, its has credits for presenting The World of medicine, first anti-depressant Iproniazid and one of the most powerful statin Xenical

In this forum we will discuss about the latest updates of the company and the vacancies.

• Roche Diagnnostics has acquired Constitution Medical Inc
  

With its huge steps for mergers and acquisitions growth of Roche looks unstoppable. This July (07-02-2013) company has acquired a Boston based company Constitution Medical Inc. This will make the hematology section of Roche quite robust. A total of USD 2.0 billion of global market is estimated for hematology testing post this well thought move.

• US FDA puts Roche's Perjeta for priority review
  

Perjeta, in combination with Herceptin and chemotherapy, was approved by the FDA in 2012 for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Now it is proposed to be used as a neoadjuvant therapy where it will be used before surgery of HER-2 positive breast cancer. But the treatment is restricted to patients where cancer has not spread beyond the breasts or the lymph nodes. It was studied that treatment with Perjeta, Herceptin and docetaxel chemotherapy significantly improved the rate of pCR by 58 percent compared to Herceptin and docetaxel alone (45.8 percent vs. 29.0 percent, p=0.014).
FDA has granted a priority review for of the application and the results can be expected by October 31, 2013.

• Be Roche graduate program

Are you a biotech/pharma graduate? And want to have a future in management division of a pharma company? Then definitely Be Roche program is for you. It specializes the student in eleven divisions-
- Human Resources
- Finance and Administration
- Marketing
- Medical Marketing
- Corporate Communications
- Sales
- Business Initiatives
- Health Economics
- Regulatory Affairs
- Medical Services
- Analytics
If you have talent to show up in multidimensional aspect this is the pathlight to a successful career.
Have a look into reviews of past graduates, click here.

• Vacancies
  

Vacancies are listed as per countries, all enthusiasts should give a look at the career site for a bright shining future with one of the most invention driven company.



Do follow the post for regular updates!