Department of Biotechnology

The Integrated M.Sc Course in Biotechnology was initiated in July 2006. Currently there are 4 batches of students (a total of 129 students) and the VIIIth semester is being completed. The syllabus is indigenous to the department and has been approved by the Syndicate of the Calcutta University and subsequently by the Academic Council of St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous).

Under our integrated course in biotechnology, topics are divided into core and ancillary. Core topics include various aspects of biology and biotechnology. The topics covered range from study of biomolecules and cellular components, microbiology, protein crystallography and bioinformatics, enzymology, genetics, recombinant DNA technology, physiology, metabolism, environmental biology, plant biology, plant biotechnology, animal biology and animal biotechnology. Ancillary topics include mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and ethics. As biotechnology is a multidisciplinary subject, these enable students to get a firm grasp of various principles which they can then assimilate and utilize in their studies on research and technology. The course is delivered in the form of formal lectures on the theory of implementation of contemporary methods in Biotechnology, practical classes and discussions of recent scientific literature. The visual mode of instruction is liberally used, with slides and powerpoint presentations being used to impart information which students find interesting and can easily assimilate.
As in the study of any science, practicals are of utmost importance. Practicals covered include microbiology, analytical biochemistry, immunology, recombinant DNA technology, plant biotechnology and animal biotechnology. Our students are extremely committed and intelligent and we, as teachers can say that it is a pleasure to teach such excellent young minds and mould them for the future. Not only do they do excellently in academics – they are at the forefront in extracurricular activities as well.

The department has a total of eight full time faculty members (Dr. Chandana Barat, Dr. Uma Siddhanta, Dr. Sudipa Saha, Dr. Aniruddha Banerji, Dr. Jhimli Dasgupta, Dr. Dipankar Chakraborti, Dr. Ronita Nag Chaudhuri and Dr. Aryadeep Roy Choudhury). The interdisciplinary subjects and specialized topics are taught by the respective departments of the College as well as guest lecturers from Calcutta University, Jadavpur University, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, BP Poddar Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. The semester system of evaluation has been rewarding but a hectic experience for both students and faculty. Although it has enabled us to cover a wide variety of topics, getting used to the pace of this entire process has proved to be demanding.

The Biotechnology Department has also participated in a number of other academic activities. Along with the department for postgraduate studies in Computer Sciences, a seminar on “Pattern recognition in Bioinformatics” was organized in St Xaviers in 2007. The faculty are keen on initiating research and a number of projects both major and minor are currently running in the department. Our faculty also published several articles in frontline journals and distinguished themselves at a number of seminars.
 

M.Sc in Biotechnology

(5 year integrated course after 10+2)

Course Objectives: 

The post graduate Integrated program in Biotechnology is for the duration of 5 years, at the end of which a certificate of Master’s degree in Biotechnology will be provided. It allows no lateral movement at any intermediate level during the course.

The course intends to a) generate adequate human resources trained in the multi-disciplinary and knowledge intensive field of Biotechnology to meet the requirement of trained personnel for the promotion of biotechnology b) equip the students with theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary biology and biotechnology such that they can pursue research in frontier areas in biotechnology. 

The initial phase of the course provides an exposure to all relevant aspects of natural and physical sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics computer science and biology) with the simultaneous application of the above subjects for understanding  more advanced concepts and methods in biology (both laboratory based and computational). This eventually provides the premise for the specialization in the different fields in Biotechnology. The course is delivered in the form of formal lectures on the theory of implementation of contemporary methods in Biotechnology, practical classes and weekly discussions of recent scientific literature. Experience in the application of molecular biological methods to the solution of problems is provided through weekly problem sets and tutorials. Guest speakers with particular expertise are invited, whenever necessary, to deliver lectures on specialized topics. Field trips will be organized in which students will get direct exposure to the current procedures being followed in industries. A six-month project work at the end of the course in universities and research institutions having facilities and expertise in the areas of biotechnology will impart hands-on training on advanced research techniques in various areas in the field and will introduce the student to a genuine research project in a research group.