ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

Advisory Structure
Standing Advisory Committee-Overseas
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The Standing Advisory Committee Overseas,
SAC(O) of the Department consisting of nonresidential
Indians settled abroad was reconstituted
with the approval of the Hon'ble Minister for Science
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and Technology. The 16 meeting of the Standing
Advisory Committee-Overseas (SAC-O) was held on
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13-14 March, 2006. The major areas discussed
were: Translational Research, UNESCO Centre,
Initiatives in tuberculosis, Plants as biofactories and
Human Resource Development.
The SAC(O) recommended that scientific leadership
should be rewarded, a pool of centrally selected
scientists should be created in centers of excellence
and universities and create positions/ conditions (e.g.
joint grants) where outstanding scientists working
abroad can have laboratories in India, with students,
staff and post doctoral fellows. SAC(O) also
suggested that since the portfolio of DBT had
considerably widened and the responsibilities
multiplied, it may be appropriate to consider
reorganization of DBT.
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The 17 meeting of the SAC(O) will be held on March
15, 2007, this will be preceded by a two-day meeting
on HIV/AIDS.The meeting of HIV/AIDS is being
organized with the help of SAC(O) members and
would have participation of the best scientists from
USA.
Biotechnology Research and Promotion
Committee (BRPC)
During the year, two meetings of the BRPC were
held. A total of 12 proposals were considered for
support in the area of medical and agriculture
biotechnology
Inter-disciplinary Research Committee
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During the year, an Inter-disciplinary Research
Committee was constituted to consider project
proposals which were inter-disciplinary in nature.
Two meetings of the committee were held and a total
of 41 projects were considered for support in the area
of agriculture, biotechnology. environment, basic
research, biotech product & process development
and animal and aquaculture
National Bioethics Committee
The Department has setup a “National Bioethics
Committee” with the approval of Hon'ble Minister of
Science and Technology. The terms and reference of
this committee are: (a) To consider any
amendment(s) in the “Universal Declaration on
Human Genome and Human Rights”; (b) To liaison
with the “International Bio-ethics Committee” of
UNESCO; (c) To consider and recommend all the
proposals for Gene Therapy Research; (d) To
develop guidelines for bio-ethics and e) To monitor
and review progress on “Gene Therapy Research”
programme.
This committee is providing inputs to the Permanent
Representative of India to UNESCO from time to time
based on the inputs received from orther Ministries.
This committee has also discussed documents
received from UNESCO. During the year, the
committee discussed documents on: (a) “Assisting
Bioethics Committee” (ABC), and (b) Project on
“Ethics Around the World-Rotating Conferences”.
ABC project is currently being developed by
UNESCO for activities to be undertaken by the Social
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