PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Listed below please find the syllabus and course schedule

The Syllabus

A. Basic theoretical aspects

1. Research in life sciences: An overview and a few specific examples.
2. Safety, common equipment and reagents used; basics of computer and statistics.
3. Introduction to bioethics, IPR issues, some of industrial activities and practices and related     statutory regulations.

B. Practical sessions: Regular assignments

1. Record keeping (patent-oriented) and other relevant professional skills (e.g., presentation     skills, literature search, experimental designs, interpretation of results, and team work).
2. Understanding accuracy, precision and variations in results.
3. Basic bioinformatics: Sequence analysis, primer designing and related databases and tools.

C. Practical sessions with repeated performance by the students

1.  Basic bacterial culture methods.
2. DNA and RNA handling:
        Genomic DNA (plant, microbial and animal) isolation and quantification
        Analysis of DNA samples by gel electrophoresis
        RNA isolation
        Quantification and gel electrophoresis of RNA
3. Recombinant DNA technology
        Primer designing and PCR
        Restriction digestion and ligation
        Preparing competent cells and transformation
        Cloning and plasmid isolation
4. Protein handling
        Extraction and quantification
        Native and SDS-PAGE; staining procedures for the same. 

D. Practical sessions with limited performance by students
       
        Purification of DNA after enzymatic reactions
        mRNA isolation
        Reverse transcription-PCR
        Blotting DNA and RNA for Southern and Northern
        Two-dimensional electrophoresis
        Expression of cloned sequences
        Western and ELISA
        Purification: Chromatography
        Mammalian cell culture and transfection

E. Demonstrations/theory only
       
        Complete Southern and Northern procedures
        DNA sequencing and Microarrays
        Protein activity assays

F. Networking and exposure

Visits to industrial/academic organizations and interactions with eminent persons in the related area.

G. Project work in a specialized area

The work might involve one or more of the above mentioned techniques.

Course schedule

Last date for submitting filled application forms: 09 August 2006.
The application form fee is non-refundable. Forms received after the last date will be rejected.

Tentative dates for selection procedures: Test and Interview on 20 Aug. and 14 Sept., 2006, respectively.

Course Duration

6 months (certificate course) or 12 months (diploma, with project work).
Course Commences: Tentatively in the first week of November 2006.
Maximum no. of seats: 20