Banking - Yojana

Generated by PDFKit.NET Evaluation
CAREER GUIDANCE
Biotechnology and Bioinfortnatics'
BIOTECHNOLOGY IS the
use of living organisms or
other biological systems in
the manufacture of drugs or other
products or for environmental
management, as in waste recycling,
genetically engineered bacteria to
produce human hormones and
monoclonal antibodies to identify
an tigens. Biotechnology is the
group of technologies that share
two things in common: they
manipulate living cells and their
molecules and have a wide range
of uses that can transform our lives.
Biotechnology is the fastest
growing applied science of our
times; it is rapidly becoming the
cornerstone of industrial
development. The biotechnology
boom is due to genetic
engineering in which simple life
forms are created to make entirely
new products. Geneti~
engineering takes matetials
provided by nature, uses
specialised knowledge and
purpose~built tools to modify them
in particular ways, and assembles
the pieces to make the fina,~
structure. Genetic engineering
helps scientists to insert into an
organism a single gene, and the
desirable trait it produces, without
transferring other genes and their
desirable traits.
Bioinformatics is the
convergence of biotechnology and
IT. It deals with the creation and
maintenance of databases. of
biological information such as
nucleic acid sequences and protein
sequences. Bioinformatics is an
Jayanti Ghose
emerging discipline and has
applications in frontline areas of
biotechnology like drug design,
gene therapy, diagnostics, crop
improvement biochemical
processes, etc. It refers to
applications ofIT in data analysis,
mainly in the creation of extensive
electronic databases on genomes
and protein molecules, and in
three-dimensional modelling of
biomolecules and biologic systems.
Right now the field that is driving
bioinformatics is the drug
discovery process that includes
data mining, scientific
visualisation,. information storage
and retrieval of special structure
data and simulation fvery long
DNA sequences. '.
Education and Training
Basic groundwork preparation
for entry into these fields of study
would be the Science stream at the
PlusTwolevel.From here one could
follow-upthrough variouspaths.
A degree in agriculture,
veterinary science and animal
husbandry, mediCine, life science,
genetics, pharmacy, microbiology,
botany,zoology,chemistry,chemiCal
e ngi n e eri n g/ te c h nolo gy
agricultural engineering food
technology, human biology and
allied subjects.Then proceed with a
master's degree in biotechnology.
Often an admission test is involved
in the selection process.
One could also start off with
biotechnology / genetics as a
su bsidiary /.applie d/ applie d
component/subject at the
graduation level after a Plus Two
in the science group. Someone
aspiring for careers in the field of
genetics/ genetic engineering/
biotechnology should preferably
studymaths, chemistry and physics.
in Plus Two in addition to biology.
Mter Plus Two science (PCMB)
choices .are to apply for:
* 5 years Integrated M. Tech in
'Biochemical Engg. and
Biotechnology at IIT Delhi;'
* 5 1 / 2 years IntegratedM. Tech
Biotechnology & Biochemicals
Engg at TIT Kharagpur
Admission is through IIT:JEE.
>Ii 4-year B Tech Industrial
Biotechnology at Anna
University, Chennai-600025
admits through a national level
admission test after Plus Two
with physics, chemistry and
Mathematics. "
Genetics at the undergraduate
level is offered in very few
universities presently, but is
sometimes a component of the
biological sciences and interdisciplinary
c.ours,es such, as
microbiology. Post-graduate in
genetics or biotechnology or an.
allied 'subject among those
mentioned above is a must.
B Tech in Biotechnology /
Bioinformatics after 12th Science
(PCB/M) at:.
• Vellore Institute of
Technology, (Deemed
University) Vellore-632044
• Jaypee Institute ofInformation
MsJayanti Chose is a Career Counsellor based in Mumbai. Her e-mailisjayantighose@yahoo.co.in
40
Click here to unlock PDFKit.NET
YOJANAJuly2002