NOTIFICATION

Brochure

• Application of Bioinformatics in wildlife Research, 31st March- 2nd April, 2011

Training on

• Bioinformatics: Current Approaches and Applications on 21st – 23rd March, 2011

Notice

• E-Journal access

Profile

The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Governmentt of India has been pleased to set up Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility (BIF) in Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam in February, 2008. The centre is a member of Northeastern Bioinformatics network (NEBInet) and Biotchnology Information System Network (BTISNet).

The Centre’s facilities include dedicated lease line Internet connectivity from BSNL, DELL servers with 12 nos. of DEL PCs with LINUX and Microsoft Windows operating system, HP Printers, Xerox etc. and major Bioinformatics tools.

Information retrieval facility

The Bioinformatics Centre, Gauhati University has fully utilized the DBT sponsored BIF facility for providing online Bioinformatics lectures, tutorials, study materials and also by organizing awareness camps, invited lectures, popular talk etc. for P.G. students of Life Sciences. The Departmental Research Scholars are very happy with the easily available online bibliographic database resources like PubMed, MedLine etc. through the Centre’s Internet facility.

BIF Library

The BIF library has a good collection of most of the latest books of modern Biology.

Human Resources Development

The Centre has been organizing training courses and workshops on different aspects of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology since the time of its inception. The objectives of the training courses are to train young Research Scholars and College/ University Teachers working in any area of Life sciences, to enable teaching and R&D activities in the field of in silico Biology. Faculty for the Training Courses were eminent guest speakers from Gauhati University and neighbouring institutions (DOEACC Society Guwahati, Institute of Advance Studies in Science and Technology, Assam Agricultural University, IOCL) working in the field of Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Biostatistics, Molecular Biology and Structural Biology.

Collaboration

The Research Scholars of the centre has collaboration with IISc Bangalore, IUCN Turtle survival Alliance and Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden for Bioinformatics and Conservation Biology Research.

Research Area

Molecular modeling, Docking, Phylogentetic analysis, DNA & Protein Sequence analysis, Functional annotation and Biodiversity database development.

Achievements in Bioinformatics

• The Bioinformatics Centre, Gauhati University has designed software for exploring the Turtles and Tortoises of Northeast India which has been communicated in IUCN Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter. The software is presently available in the form of CD, which will be upgraded as an online database resource very soon.
• Mr. Chittaranjan Baruah, a Research scholar associated with the Centre has presented Bioinformatics Research papers in the 19th All India Congress of Zoology held in Department of Zoology, Gauhati University (29th to 31st December,08) and in the 96th Indian Science Congress, NEHU, Shillong (3-7 January,09).
• Mr. Chittaranjan Baruah, Research Scholar of the centre has Modelled important proteins from different organisms like Silk worm (Antheraea assamensis and Bombyx mori), Turtles, Zebra fish, Common carp, Bacteria and viral proteins from silk and HIV-2. 6 Models were deposited to RCSB-Protein Data Bank (www.rcsb.org/pdb)and 24 structures were deposited to Protein Model Database at University of Rome.
• Sequence analyses (DNA, RNA &Proteins) of biologically important molecules.
• Molecular phylogeny and Phylogeography of freshwater turtles of India.

FUTURE PLAN

• Extension and promotion of online Bioinformatics information, education and applications.
• The Centre is planning to introduce an Advance P.G. Diploma course in Bioinformatics as a value added course to the existing courses in Zoology/Botany/Biotechnology.
• Publication of a Bioinformatics newsletter on current bioinformatics education and research activities.
• Awareness camps on “Bioinformatics and Modern Biology” for undergraduate and Post graduate students.
• The Centre is planning to establish Career guidance/information facility for Bioscience students.
• Collaboration for Biodiversity information and conservation, health related data collection and Data bank utilization.
• Strengthening and up-gradation of Bioinformatics centre with most modern techniques, software and library facilities for Ph.D. research work.