ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

a) Harnessing plants for improving human and
animal health, and
b) Understanding and exploiting genomics of
plants of common interest to the benefit of both
the countries
c) Collaborations in additional areas such as, but
not limited to, vaccine design, production and
delivery systems, and biodevices are being
explored.
As a follow-up of the MoU, the following workshops
were held :
1. Workshop on “Biofuels : An Indo-Canadian
perspective opportunities for collaboration” was
held on February 3, 2007 at TERI, New Delhi
2. Indo-Canadian Bio-pharma workshop was held
from February 21-23, 2007 at Hotel Ashoka,
New Delhi.
Indo-Korea
The MoU was signed between DBT and
International Vaccine Institute, Korea in June, 2006
for co-operation in Biotechnology.
Indo-Norway
Signing of MOU in the area of Agri-food
Biotechnology between Canada and India
The Indo-Norway collaborative effort has emphasis
on vaccine research development. This initiative has
been taken as a result of the Norwegian Prime
Minister's visit to India during December, 2005. The
road-map was developed during two seminars; in
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Bergen February 1-2, 2006 and in New Delhi March
7-8, 2006. The mission goal is to attack global
challenges and threats through vaccination, to create
a platforms for the private sector in both countries to
exploit the markets in both countries and globally, to
facilitate continued co-ownership in emerging private
companies in the two countries, to strengthen
vaccine related R&D in both countries and to foster
innovation and problem solving attitudes as well as
global commitment. The programme will spearhead
a broader framework for research collaboration
between India and Norway. The road map includes
specific areas of work as well as proposed timelines
and project management for Indo-Norwegian
collaboration in this area. The focus of this
programme is vaccine and vaccination research and
development. The programme comprises both
human, animal and aquaculture areas.
Indo-Ukraine:
An MoU was signed between DBT and Academy of
Medical Sciences of Ukraine in October, 2006. The
areas have been identified in medical biotechnology
and specific areas are : high-immunogenic oral
vaccine, stem cell research, infectious diseases and
management.
Multilateral Collaborations :
SAARC
A project on the “Study on available technologies and
mechanisms of transfer in SAARC region in the
areas of vaccines, diagnostics and plant materials“
under SAARC has been funded by the Ministry of
External Affairs to be implemented by the
Department.
UNESCO Regional Centre for Training and
Education in Biotechnology
The UNESCO Regional Centre for Education and
Training in the frontier areas of biotechnology under
the aegis of UNESCO has been proposed to be set
up during the current financial year in New Delhi. The
rd
proposal has been approved by the Cabinet and 33
General Conference of UNESCO. The