1wHdS1G

36
Science and Technology Research Players in India
5. National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS)
Overview: National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) is located in Bangalore, and is part
of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. The mandate of NCBS is fundamental research in
the frontier areas of biology. The research interests range from the study of single molecules to
ecology and evolution. In addition, the centre engages in a number of collaborative initiatives,
such as inStem and the iBio; and it helps to develop cutting edge instrumentation and software
via C-CAMP. NCBS is a premier research institute with all the necessary facilities. NCBS was
supposed to deal with almost all aspects of biology viz cell biology, development of animals
and plants, brain research, behavior, ecology and theoretical biology. An MoU was signed
with the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) in February 1991 at Bangalore and finally a
campus was set up in 1992.
Experience: NCBS has 31 years of experience in biological research. Research interests ranges
from the study of single molecules to systems biology. Research at NCBS uses experimental
and computational approaches to the study of molecules, cells and organisms. NCBS offers
Post doctoral programme, PhD programme, IBIO programme, MSc and various other courses
and academic programmes.
Human and Financial Capital: NCBS has around 100 post graduates, 32 academic
staff and 100 admin staff and is a part of TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research), a
major autonomous institute aided by the Dept of Atomic Energy (DAE). Research at NCBS is
also supported in a major way through extra-mural grants raised by the investigators from
sources including the DBT, DST, CSIR amongst others, The Wellcome DBT India Alliance,
Human Frontier Science Program (HSFP), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Biotechnology
and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and corporate support for specific activities
from MERCK, Astrazeneca, Pfizer and Pepsico.
Infrastructure: Researchers at NCBS have access to several world-class research facilities,
many of which are managed by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms. Shared
facilities: NCBS include a well-managed Central Imaging and Flow cytometry Facility (CIFF);
equipped with one Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and an Atomic Force Microscope
(AFM). Field stations: NCBS has collaborations at two field stations of the Madras Crocodile
Bank Trust, including the Andaman and Nicobar Island’s Environmental Team (ANET and the
Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS), aimed at facilitating research and training in
marine and island ecology. NCBS also provides various facilities for facilitating the research
works conducted for - Workshop, Flow Cytometry, Computing, Animal Care center and
Informatics.
Research Areas and Activities: The US-based National Science Foundation (NSF) has
ranked the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) as the number one centre in India
along with the IISc and the Indian Institute for Information Technology. These are among
the top eight destinations for science research for US graduate students to take up research
fellowships and short-term programmes as quoted in the article “Three city science institutes
get US pat” From: The Times of India, Bangalore, 10 June 2009.
The ambit of research activities at NCBS has diversified. With this expansion, research activities
in biological spectroscopy, nucleic acid biochemistry, cellular neurobiology, human and
population genetics, cellular networks and cell biology have received a major infusion of
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE