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JUNE, 2010
Mohan Mondal
NRC on Mithun, Nagaland
(Fellow 2007)
Though I had been
selected for the IYBA in
2007, due to my
deputation abroad under
DBT Long-term Overseas
Award, I could only start
my work in 2009. I
personally feel that the
IYBA of DBT is an
excellent platform for the
young talents to come out
with new innovative ideas
to solve several problems
of the country using
modern biotech
approaches.
After my failure in
my first attempt in 2006, I
got inspired and motivated
further by the scheme and
came out with an
innovative idea to solve the
problems of mismothering
behavior
(attachment/bond/love
between mother and
neonate) that result huge
calf mortality in bovine
population. Simple
intranasal spray of
oxytocin can now induce
stronger attachment/bond
between mother and newly
born calf immediately after
delivery leading to a
significant reduction in
calf mortality due to
mismothering in bovine
model. We are now in the
process to test whether
maternal behavior can also
be induced in
normal cyclic cows.
With IYBA support, I have been working over the past one
year to characterize the novel mechanism of drug
resistance mediated by a morphogenic regulator in
Candida albicans, an opportunistic dimorphic pathogenic
yeast. The greatest advantage of IYBA is that it aids the
young investigators with funds and manpower to start their
own research laboratory. This award has played a pivotal
role in shaping my scientific career and would contribute
immensely to the existing expertise in the field of drug
resistance and novel drug targets.
Priti Saxena
NII, New Delhi
(Fellow 2008)
IYBA has
boosted my
career and
strengthened me for faster
achievement of goals and
facilitated this mission by
providing a platform for
independent research. The
opportunity of collaborative
working and scope for wider
exposure are the key essentials
of IYBA that can be utilized for
a multi-pronged approach for a
quicker and sound handling of
project. IYBA has been a big
support for working towards my
aims of developing novel
intervention strategies required
to combat mycobacterial
infections.
Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award
Opening New Doors
Tulika Prasad
JNU, New Delhi
(Fellow 2008)
Rajesh Kumar Gupta
AIIMS, New Delhi
(Fellow 2008)
Over the last one
year, as an
Innovative Young
Biotechnologist Awardee, I have
explored the challenging area of TB
drug development with special
reference to latent tuberculosis. This
fellowship provided me ample
encouragement to work towards lead
molecule identification against DevR,
which is thought to be a key regulator
of hypoxia-induced dormancy in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The
fellowship provided me with a highly
structured plateform and learning
experience in multi-disciplinary team
environment in the area of drug
development. DBT deserves kudos
implementing this innovative scheme
for young scientists.
The IYBA award gave me an opportunity to start
independent research without being in a regular position
and in an area completely different from my doctoral and
post-doctoral work. The flexibility and independence
accorded under this scheme allowed me to freely
experiment with different aspects of the problem without
being tied up by the objectives laid-down at the
commencement of the fellowship. The support and
encouragement received from the IYBA committee during
the fellowship has been exemplary and has helped me
shape up into a confident researcher. IYBA has given my
career the right momentum at the right time of my career,
and I am now ready to explore problems in the area of
human health and infectious diseases.
Amita Gupta
UDSC, Delhi
(Fellow 2005)
BIOTECH NEWS
137