Patna: Aryabhatta Knowledge University (AKU), a state public university fully supported by the Bihar government, has embarked on the mission to the centre of biotechnology for post-graduate level studies.
On Saturday, AKU vice-chancellor Sharad Kumar Yadav has set up an academic advisory committee, comprising ten reputed academician and medical experts, to frame ordinance and regulation for the centre and prepare syllabus of post-graduate/ research level courses on biotechnology and development of the associated laboratory.
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Ashok Kumar Tiwari, director of Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, Ravindra Sharma, former director of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Brahmadev Patnaik, dean, Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Bhubaneswar, Aniket Sanyal, director, National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, C Tosh, principal scientist, NIHSAD, AK Bhatia, former head of the department, department of biotechnology, Birendra Prasad, former head of biotechnology department, Patna University (PU), MP Trivedi, former head of botany department, PU, Ran Vikram Singh, head of Zoology department, Jayaprakash University (Chapra) and HN Diwakar, former director, LNJP Hospital, Patna, have been named the members of the academic advisory committee.
According to notification issued by AKU registrar Shankar Kumar, Diwakar has been tasked with the responsibility to coordinate with other members and identify supporting institutions and explore collaboration in the field stem-cell technology to facilitate an early start of the school of stem-cell technology in the university. The advisory panel will also guide the university on establishment of the centre of stem-cell for high-level research.
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The Bihar government had once thought of setting up the centre of stem-cell, but things did not move further for long. Now the AKU has taken up the task of setting the school of stem-cell to pave the way for research in the area of stem-cell therapy.
Presently, there is no institute in the state, which offering post-graduate courses in biotechnology and stem-cell. AKU though has a centre of nanosciences and nanotechnology, the department is not fully-functional for want of adequate and qualified faculty and resources.
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One of the senior AKU officials said that the university was striving to set up the centre of stem-cell as it has emerged as the most successful mode of treatment for many incurable diseases, including cancer. “Full-fledged centre of biotechnology and an advance lab are basic requirements for setting up the stem-cell centre,” said the official, adding that the centre of biotechnology could be launched in the 2024-25 academic session of the state government gave its nod to the AKU proposal.
