Introduction
Department of Biotechnology was established in June 2010 with the aim of providing the facility of higher education to the youth in a vibrant and growing field of biotechnology. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as “Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use”. Biotechnology draws on the pure biological sciences (Genetics, Microbiology, Animal Cell Culture, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Cell Biology etc.) and in many instances on knowledge and methods from outside the sphere of Biology (Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Information Technology and Biorobotics). Modern biological sciences are intimately entwined and dependent on the methods developed through biotechnology and what is commonly thought of as the life science industry.
The focus of research is the recombinant production of industrially important enzymes, genetic diversity related to adaptation in biotic and a biotic stress, health and medicine. Presently we have successfully amplified and cloned alpha amylase and cellulose genes from locally isolated Bacillus subtlis for the recombinant enzyme production as both enzymes have vast applications in industry like ethanol production, laundry detergents, pulp and paper industry, pharmaceutical industry and in the fermentation of biomass into biofuels. In health and medicinal biotechnology, therapeutic potential of natural products extracted from plants for diseases like liver fibrosis and diabetes is being studied. Research on antibiotic resistance and susceptibility against uropathogenes and encapsulation of different pharmaceutical drugs is also being done.
In view of market acceptability of the graduating students the course contents of the degree Programs have been developed in accordance with the HEC recommended syllabi and courses. Department of Biotechnology offers a broad range of topics in basic sciences that apply to biotechnology including Molecular biology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Metabolomics. The graduates will have job opportunities in national and international research organizations.