Instructions to Applicants (Please read each of the instructions carefully before filling up the application) Please do not send hard copies of marks sheets or applications. The practice of allowing the candidates to suggest possible mentors has been discontinued with.
2) Its mandatory to upload the marks sheets from class X till the last examination. Please have the scanned versions of mark sheets (in JPEG format), before starting to fill up the application.
3) Only one application per candidate will be considered. If more than one application is submitted, none of the applications will be considered.
4) Answers to columns indicated by an asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be filled.
5) The last date for receipt of applications online is 30 November 2019.
B. Eligibility criteria Students
6a) Applicants should be studying in one of the following:
BS / BSc / BVSc (II year only)
BPharm (III and IV years only)
BE / BTech / BCA (II and III years only)
BArch (II, III and IV years only)
MS / MSc / MVSc / MPharm (I year only)
ME / MTech / MCA / MArch (I year only) (5-year integrated)
MS / MSc /MTech / MBBS (II, III, IV years only)
PharmD (III, IV years only) (dual degree)
BTech + MTech (II, III, IV years only) (dual degree)
BE + MSc (II, III, IV years only) (dual degree)
BS + MS (II, III, IV years only)
Integrated PhD (I, II years only)
MSc Tech (I, II years only) Teachers
6b) Teachers must be teaching in a College/University.
7) The minimum percentage of average marks in core subjects only (i.e. excluding languages) from X std. up to post-graduation (whichever years completed) should be 65% or above for students.The minimum Percentage of average marks does not apply for teachers.
8) PhD students are not eligible.
9) Applicants who have availed the Academies fellowship twice before are not eligible to apply. C. Contents
10) The applicant should include a write-up (about 150–250 words) as to the specific area of the applicant and indicate what he/she would like to learn and achieve through this fellowship. It can also include the specific experiment or theory that the applicant wants to work on but NOT a general description of the area. The write-up should not be a "copy and paste" job from any source.
11) Do not use special/scientific characters like Ø Ü etc...as the software will prevent you from uploading the application with such characters.
D. Enclosures to application
12) Both student and teacher applicants must upload scanned versions of mark sheets from class X till the last examination in JPEG Format (the size of each marks sheet should not exceed 700 kb).
13) Teacher applicants should upload their publications, if any. On selection, an authorization letter from the Principal/HoD that necessary permission/leave of absence will be granted should be sent by post to the Coordinator, SRFP 2020, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru 560 080. E. Other matters
14) Student applicants must upload the contact details of one of their present teachers or the Head of the Department (HoD). The Academy will get in touch with the teacher and obtain the recommendation letter.
15) All decisions regarding the selection of candidates will be at the sole discretion of the Academies. Any grievance or dispute concerning SRFP 2020 shall be addressed to the Academy whose decision thereon shall be final.
16) If a candidate is found at any point of time to have submitted false information, his/her fellowship will be cancelled, and he/she will be asked to pay back the fellowship amount/travel allowance etc. that has been paid to him/her. Further his/her guide and the Institution in which he/she is currently studying will be informed of the matter.
17) Without prejudice to 15) above, only the courts at Bengaluru city shall be the fora for seeking judicial remedy, if any, for any dispute or grievance.
F. Notes
18) Academy means Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru. Academies mean Indian Academy of Sciences (Bengaluru), Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi), and The National Academy of Sciences, India (Prayagraj).
19) Guide means a person from the list of scientists/faculty approved by the Academies as guides.
20) All correspondence should be addressed to:
Mr C S Ravi Kumar Coordinator,
Summer Research Fellowship Programme
Indian Academy of Sciences
CV Raman Avenue, near Mekhri Circle Sadashivanagar
Making maps available for the blind is
not easy and the world’s first fully mass-reproduced atlas for the blind
has been made in India. Using maps comes so very naturally to the
sighted but for the millions of blind people of the world, maps were
like a forbidden fruit.
To the sighted, looking up the location
of the nearest coffee shop or the metro station is easy with maps now
being an integral part of smartphones.
For the blind, maps were mostly
inaccessible but now that is changing for the 28 million
visually-handicapped people in India with the Department of Science and
Technology having released an atlas tailor-made for the blind.
For the first time, blind people can get a
feel of what India looks like. To the sighted, the map of India is no
surprise but to a person who can’t see, a map was totally inaccessible.
The solution was to make a map that could
be felt rather than be seen. In most blind people the tactile sensation
is accentuated to compensate for the loss of sight.
The National Atlas and Thematic Mapping
Organisation (NATMO) of Kolkata after years of effort made this unique
atlas. Here the map outlines are raised and embossed on paper using silk
screen printing so that the blind can feel them and it is called a
braille atlas.
According to Prithvish Nag, former
Surveyor General of India and currently Vice Chancellor of the Mahatma
Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, “This is the first full atlas for the
blind in the world.”
Speaking of other global initiatives, he
says most other efforts in the world have been to make
individual-tactile maps but to make a full atlas which can be mass
produced, this Indian effort that started under his leadership, is
really one-of-its-kind in the world.
On January 3, at the Indian Science
Congress held here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the director
of NATMO, Tapti Banerjee with the ‘National Award for Science and
Technology Intervention in Empowering the Physically Challenged’ in
recognition of this achievement.
Speaking to some 11,000 scientists here,
Modi said, “On the lines of Corporate Social Responsibility, the concept
of Scientific Social Responsibility needs to be inculcated to connect
our leading institutions to all stakeholders, including schools and
colleges. We must create an environment for sharing of ideas and
resources.”
This braille atlas is one such activity
which will help the Devyang, as the Prime Minister renamed the
handicapped people some time back.
According to estimates by the Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment, in 2015 there were over 16 million
blind and 28 million visually-impaired people in India and now for the
first time they can also ‘visualise’ maps. For people who have partial
vision NATMO makes maps with accentuated colours so they can see the
maps despite their low vision.
According to the World Health
Organisation, 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired
worldwide, of which 39 million are blind and 246 have low vision and
sadly about 90 per cent of the world’s visually impaired live in
low-income settings.
India is home to the largest number of
blind people in the world and it is an unfortunate situation since
according to experts about three quarters of these are cases of
avoidable blindness.
Making an atlas for the blind was very
challenging, says Banerjee since the map itself has to be uncluttered as
the blind feel the maps with their fingers. In addition all the names
and meta data of the maps had to be accommodated in braille.
The 84-page black-and-white atlas is made on oversized A-3 size paper so that all the information could be easily accommodated.
According to Banerjee the work on this
project started way back in 1997 and her team members had to first
master braille to make the atlas. She laments the work took so long
simply because the government cut the staff strength of NATMO from a
high of 500 to just 150. With an annual budget of Rs 6 crore NATMO has
made as many as 2000 different normal maps available on paper.
The atlas has been prepared not only in
English but also in Bengali, Gujarati and Telugu, there are 20 different
basic maps that range from the political map of India, to the physical
map of India to various soil types found in India.
NATMO has printed some 500 copies of the
braille atlas which cost them about Rs 1000 each and these are being
distributed free to all the blind schools of India.
The atlas made by NATMO is rather bulky
since high quality glazed paper has been used and then using a special
printing technique the raised embossing has been achieved, explains
Banerjee. In the upcoming edition light weight imported paper will be
used where embossing is easier to do, says Banerjee. This may make the
atlas for the blind light weight and more portable.
As NATMO embraces the digital environment
the next stage could be embed audio files in the braille atlas and
possibly make an app that speaks to the blind using the omnipresent
global positioning system or GPS signals, the hard part would be to make
smart phones get that raised tactile feel on their screens which makes
the blind feel and visualise the maps.
Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice
had remarked that the ‘visually impaired people in India are often
marginalised in terms of education opportunities, career opportunities
or social standing as compared to their sighted counterparts. Due to a
lack of access to information, they are often unable to lead fulfilling,
independent, economic and socially productive lives.’
This unique effort by NATMO at least
tries to fulfil one gap of a major social need with Indian science in
the service of the society.
Contributed by Pallava Bagla
India DST Blog
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, GOVT. OF INDIA
2) Its mandatory to upload the marks sheets from class X till the last
examination. Please have the scanned versions of mark sheets (in JPEG
format), before starting to fill up the application.
3) Only one application per candidate will be considered. If more than
one application is submitted, none of the applications will be
considered.
4) Answers to columns indicated by an asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be filled.
5) The last date for receipt of applications online is 30 November 2019.
B. Eligibility criteria
Students
6a) Applicants should be studying in one of the following:
BS / BSc / BVSc (II year only)
BPharm (III and IV years only)
BE / BTech / BCA (II and III years only)
BArch (II, III and IV years only)
MS / MSc / MVSc / MPharm (I year only)
ME / MTech / MCA / MArch (I year only)
(5-year integrated) MS / MSc /MTech / MBBS (II, III, IV years only)
PharmD (III, IV years only)
(dual degree) BTech + MTech (II, III, IV years only)
(dual degree) BE + MSc (II, III, IV years only)
(dual degree) BS + MS (II, III, IV years only)
Integrated PhD (I, II years only)
MSc Tech (I, II years only)
Teachers
6b) Teachers must be teaching in a College/University.
7) The minimum percentage of average marks in core subjects only (i.e. excluding languages)
from X std. up to post-graduation (whichever years completed) should be
65% or above for students.The minimum Percentage of average marks does
not apply for teachers.
8) PhD students are not eligible.
9) Applicants who have availed the Academies fellowship twice before are not eligible to apply.
C. Contents
10) The applicant should include a write-up (about 150–250 words) as to
the specific area of the applicant and indicate what he/she would like
to learn and achieve through this fellowship. It can also include the
specific experiment or theory that the applicant wants to work on but
NOT a general description of the area. The write-up should not be a
"copy and paste" job from any source.
11) Do not use special/scientific characters like Ø Ü etc...as the
software will prevent you from uploading the application with such
characters.
D. Enclosures to application
12) Both student and teacher applicants must upload scanned versions of
mark sheets from class X till the last examination in JPEG Format (the
size of each marks sheet should not exceed 700 kb).
13) Teacher applicants should upload their publications, if any. On
selection, an authorization letter from the Principal/HoD that necessary
permission/leave of absence will be granted should be sent by post to
the Coordinator, SRFP 2020, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru 560
080.
E. Other matters
14) Student applicants must upload the contact details of one of their present
teachers or the Head of the Department (HoD). The Academy will get in
touch with the teacher and obtain the recommendation letter.
15) All decisions regarding the selection of candidates will be at the
sole discretion of the Academies. Any grievance or dispute concerning
SRFP 2020 shall be addressed to the Academy whose decision thereon shall
be final.
16) If a candidate is found at any point of time to have submitted false
information, his/her fellowship will be cancelled, and he/she will be
asked to pay back the fellowship amount/travel allowance etc. that has
been paid to him/her. Further his/her guide and the Institution in which
he/she is currently studying will be informed of the matter.
17) Without prejudice to 15) above, only the courts at Bengaluru city
shall be the fora for seeking judicial remedy, if any, for any dispute
or grievance.
F. Notes
18) Academy means Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru. Academies mean
Indian Academy of Sciences (Bengaluru), Indian National Science Academy
(New Delhi), and The National Academy of Sciences, India (Prayagraj).
19) Guide means a person from the list of scientists/faculty approved by the Academies as guides.
20) All correspondence should be addressed to:
Mr C S Ravi Kumar
Coordinator, Summer Research Fellowship Programme
Indian Academy of Sciences
CV Raman Avenue, near Mekhri Circle
Sadashivanagar
Bengaluru 560 080
“Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research (AWSAR)” is an initiative of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. It endeavors to disseminate Indian research stories of Science, Technology & Innovation being pursued in the country in a format that is easy to understand and interesting for all the stakeholders. DST invites lucid stories from PhD scholars and Post Doctor Fellows (PDF) with an aim to strengthen the ecosystem of science communication and inculcate scientific temperament in society.
Who can apply Indian citizen pursuing PhD or PDF in any stream of Science and Technology (S&T),within the tenancy period of her/his research, can submit the entry. The story must relate to research being persued by him/her.
Researchers
at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, have
identified that plant defence chemicals can help build immunity of the
attacking insect herbivore. These results have been published in the
Journal of Chemical Ecology on the 06th of August 2019, with their story grabbing the Journal’s cover page.
Upon
herbivory, plants release a specific blend of volatile chemicals that
attract natural enemies of the herbivores such as parasitoids wasps.
The wasps parasitise the insect larvae and thus, the volatile chemicals
function as an indirect defence strategy of plants. But do these plant
volatiles trigger any response in the herbivore itself? This unexplored
aspect of the tritrophic interaction between the plants, herbivores and
their natural enemies has been unravelled in this study.
The Bangalore based researchers analyzed the response of common cutworm (Spodoptera litura)
to various herbivore-induced plant volatiles. This insect is known to
infest at least 120 plant species and is a major pest in agriculture.
Interestingly, upon exposure to specific plant volatiles, the cutworm
larva showed a heightened immune response and volatile exposed larvae
survived better against bacterial infection and parasitization than
those without any prior volatile exposure. These results, for the first
time, demonstrate that herbivorous insects can upregulate their immunity
by sensing the volatile chemicals released by plants. These findings
bring to light a novel ecological adaptation, which could now prompt
agriculturists to rethink pest management strategies.
This study
was supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST, Early
career award, Ramanujan Fellowship), Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
and Max-Planck Society (DST- Max-Planck partner group program).
The Journal of Chemical Ecology paper can be accessed here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10886-019-01091-3 For more information, please contact the corresponding author: radhika@ncbs.res.in
Bluebird Bio has been granted the go-ahead to market its gene therapy for the blood disorder β-thalassemia. Zynteglo gained conditional market approval from the European Commission in June to treat transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia in patients 12 years and older who have no other treatment options.
In people with the inherited disorder β-thalassemia, the oxygen-transport protein hemoglobin in red blood cells is defective.Credit: nobeastsofierce Science / Alamy Stock Photo.
The therapy adds a corrective gene whose product combines with α-globin to produce functional hemoglobin, thereby reversing the ineffective red blood cell production seen in β-thalassemia. This potentially curative treatment sped through the regulatory agency to approval, but the steep price tag—€1.6 million ($1.8 million) for a treatment course—could prove burdensome for payers and national healthcare providers seeking options for this relatively common recessive disorder. For patients, however, a one-off, potentially curative treatment could be life changing.
The β-hemoglobinopathies, which include β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease, are caused by mutations in the β-globin gene. These gene mutations, of which there are >200 known in the population, result in either abnormal hemoglobin structure or reduced or absent β-globin chains. The clinical manifestations appear several months after birth when gene expression switches from the fetal γ-globin chain to the adult γ-chain that forms hemoglobin A (HbA). The β-thalassemias vary in severity, but patients with the most severe form, β-thalassemia major, rely on monthly red blood cell transfusions to survive. Repeated transfusions, however, eventually result in multi-organ damage due to iron overload, which needs daily chelation therapy. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative option for β-thalassemia major, when a suitable donor is available. An approach like gene therapy that obviates the need for a matched donor represents a milestone for the field.
Zynteglo is an ex vivo gene therapy that requires the harvesting of a patient’s bone marrow stem cells by apheresis (at least 12 × 106 CD34+ cells per kilogram body weight). CD34+ cells are then transduced ex vivo with the gene encoding βA-T87Q-globin via a BB305 lentiviral vector pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein G. After patients undergo myeloablative preconditioning with busulfan, the transduced CD34+ cells containing the βA-T87Q-globin gene are given in a single injection (minimum dose 5.0 × 106 cells per kilogram), after which they engraft in the bone marrow and differentiate into red blood cells that produce a therapeutic hemoglobin called HbAT87Q.
The European Commission based its conditional approval on clinical data from 32 adults and adolescents with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia treated with Zynteglo. In two trials now completed, 11 out of 14 patients reached the primary endpoint of transfusion independence. From two trials that are ongoing, 4 out of 5 evaluable patients no longer needed transfusions. “Becoming transfusion-independent and stopping iron chelation is really a life-changing treatment for patients,” says trial physician Marina Cavazzana, a hematologist at the Necker Children’s Hospital and INSERM, Paris, France. “For example, after the therapy, patients were able to take part in physical activity that would have been impossible before therapy.”
It’s still early days, though. The approval trials followed patients for only 2 years, and individuals were considered transfusion independent if they did not need transfusions for 12 months or more and were still independent by the end of the study. “Although these are very successful results, we need to better understand the long-term sustainability of the response,” says Maria Domenica Cappellini, a clinician at the University of Milan and the Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy. Most clinicians, including Cappellini, expect that a patient who has been transfusion-free for 12 months will remain this way for many years; to confirm this, Bluebird is following patients from the trial for another 13 years.
Zynteglo is not approved for the most severe type of β-thalassemia. This is because, according to data that were not included in the approval package, five out of eight patients with the severest form (the β0/β0 genotype) treated with Zynteglo had to return to blood transfusions. When this information became public, Bluebird’s share price crashed. Since then, the company has refined its approach. “The trials really helped the field understand some of the limitations of gene addition therapy,” says Stefano Rivella, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania. For the benefit to manifest in β0/β0 patients with the most severe disease, a higher percentage of blood cells carrying the transgene sequences was required. Bluebird also had to improve the expression levels and ensure more than one vector integrated per genome.
Bluebird has used this improved vector design and transduction process for the two ongoing trials, which include patients with the most severe genotype. To date, the one evaluable patient achieved transfusion independence. Bluebird intends to use data from these trials to provide the more comprehensive benefit–risk data that are needed to switch the European Union conditional approval to standard marketing authorization, and for a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filing anticipated in 2020.
Another β-globin gene therapy in clinical trials is Orchard Therapeutics’ OTL-300, which uses the GLOBE lentiviral vector encoding wild-type β-globin that is administered by intrabone injection. In its trial of OTL-300, transfusion requirements were reduced in the three adult participants, and three out of four pediatric participants stopped transfusions. Investigators noted that a younger age and a higher copy number were linked with a better outcome. Despite the improvements, clinicians expect more. “Gene therapy must be a cure,” says Cappellini. “Transfusion reduction could be achieved with other therapeutic approaches for β-thalassemia that are in ongoing trials.”
The prospect of disease correction is alluring, but gene therapy carries its own risks. Before administration of gene therapy, patients undergo grueling chemotherapy with busulfan to wipe out their own mutant cells and ensure that a high proportion of the gene-modified CD34+ cells engraft in their bone marrow. Myeloablation can cause infertility, and the longer term effects are unknown. New vectors can help reduce some of the risks and side effects and improve therapeutic safety. “A stronger vector that expresses higher levels of hemoglobin per integration site might be able cure the disorder without the need for complete myeloablation,” says Rivella.
Manufacturing this type of product for roll-out in the clinic remains a major challenge, something that became apparent the trials leading up to the approval. Once patient cells were harvested, they were sent to a central manufacturing facility for enrichment and modification with Zynteglo before being sent back to the clinical trial site.“The requirement for centralizing the process is a huge obstacle to the wider use of this gene therapy,” says Cavazzana. To try to circumvent this issue, she is working with industrial partners to develop an on-site automated closed system that does not require good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant facilities. “The need for GMP production is really the bottleneck in the whole process,” she adds.
Zynteglo is also in trials for sickle cell disease. Like β-thalassemia, sickle cell disease is a monogenic disorder, characterized by a single mutation in the β-globin gene, the β S mutation, that results in a single amino acid substitution at codon 6. The amino acid substitution prompts the modified β-globin chains to form polymers, which make the red blood cells rigid and prone to occluding vasculature. Gene-addition therapies in sickle cell disease aim to dilute out the defective protein that distorts the red blood cells into a sickled shape. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a matched donor is the only curative therapy, but again is not an option for the majority of patients.
Early results from Zynteglo in sickle cell trials are promising. In the four patients with at least 12 months of follow-up, βA-T87Q-derived hemoglobin production increased to ≥50% of total hemoglobin, and symptoms such as acute chest syndrome and serious vaso-occlusive crisis were eliminated. Another way of diluting out defective hemoglobin is to use fetal γ-hemoglobin—which has anti-sickling properties. Aruvant Sciences’ gene therapy RVT-1801, which uses an ex vivo lentiviral vector to deliver a modified fetal γ-hemoglobin gene to a patient’s purified CD34+ cells, reduced vaso-occlusive crises in two treated patients with sickle cell disease.
Another genome editing approach is to reactivate fetal hemoglobin. This can be achieved by suppressing the expression of the BCL11a gene, which encodes a protein involved in the switch from γ- to β-globin in erythroid progenitor cells. CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex use CRISPR–Cas9 technology to repress BCL11a in their investigational therapy CTX-001 for sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, whereas Sangamo uses gene editing with zinc-finger nuclease technology to make the genetic changes in ST400, a therapy in development for β-thalassemia. The first patient treated with ST400, who had a β0/β0 genotype, did not need transfusions during 5 weeks of follow-up. Bluebird is using another method to silence BCL11a: a lentiviral vector containing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) as an RNA interference gene therapy. With this method, Bluebird reduced BCL11A expression by about 90% and eliminated irreversibly sickled cells in one patient, according to data presented at the American Society of Hematology in 2018.
Pharmacological approaches to raise hemoglobin levels are also forging ahead. Fusion proteins known as ACEs, which contain the extracellular domain of the activin receptor linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1, are under also investigation. These ligand traps act on the transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) superfamily to increase late-stage erythropoiesis. Acceleron Pharma’s fusion sotatercept improved hemoglobin levels and reduced transfusion requirements in an open-label dose-finding study in β-thalassemia. And in June, the FDA accepted a biologics license application from Celgene and Acceleron for luspatercept, a ligand-trap drug to treat β-thalassemia and myelodysplastic syndrome–associated anemias.
“The fact that there are both gene therapy and pharmacological drugs is really important,” says Rivella. Drugs such as luspatercept could be enough to stop transfusions in patients who have a less severe type of β-thalassemia, known as thalassemia intermedia, who still have some expression of β-globin.
Drugs in the pipeline for sickle cell disease include Global Blood Therapeutics’ voxelotor, an oral small-molecule therapy that inhibits hemoglobin polymerization, which is in phase 3 trials. Novartis submitted a biologics license application to the FDA for crizanlizumab, a humanized IgG2 monoclonal antibody against CD62 (also known as P-selectin) that reduces cell–cell interactions, which is hoped to reduce vaso-occlusion. Rivipansel from GlycoMimetics and Pfizer, a small-molecule pan-selectin inhibitor based on sialyl Lewis X, however, failed phase 3 trials in August.
Pharmacological therapies may benefit patients in lower-income countries or lower-income populations. Even in higher-income countries, gene therapies are a financial challenge. Bluebird intends to use a pay-for-performance plan (Nat. Biotechnol. 37, 697, 2019), with initial payment of €315,000 ($348,000) and four additional annual payments, each of that amount, provided the therapy continues to be effective—for a total of €1.58 million ($1.8 million) per patient. Karl Claxton, Professor of Economics at the University of York and former member of the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Committee, believes this is pricing is overly optimistic. “The company are going to offer some pretty substantial discounts and rebates over and above their pay-for-performance model for the therapy to be deemed cost-effective by government-provided healthcare systems,” he says.
James Allison and Tasuku Honjo jointly
took this year’s Nobel prize in physiology or medicine for ‘their
discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune
regulation’. But what does this mean, how does it work and what makes it
a cut above the rest?
What is immune regulation and what’s it got to do with cancer?
Tight control of our body’s natural defences is just as fundamental
as the immune response itself – it means any foreign or damaged cells
(including tumour cells) can be destroyed while ensuring healthy cells
aren’t attacked. Key to this control are T cells, a type of white blood
cell, that recognise ‘non-self’ entities such as bacteria and viruses,
as well as the body’s healthy cells, using receptor proteins on their
surface. ‘Brakes’ on the surface of T cells essentially halt activation
of the immune response when it’s not needed. The foundation of Allison
and Honjo’s Nobel-winning work rests upon the concept of harnessing the
immune system to attack tumour cells by inhibiting two specific brakes –
called CTLA-4 and PD-1 – to switch on our immune response. It’s been
the most successful attempt yet to rid cancer patients of
life-threatening tumours and, ultimately, the disease itself.
So why hasn’t this been achieved before?
What makes cancer so difficult to target and treat is its ability to
outsmart the immune system in different ways. The fact Allison and Honjo
have managed to overcome these tactics makes their feat all the more
impressive.
How exactly does cancer fool the immune system?
Tumour cells are master manipulators of the body’s control
mechanisms, allowing them to bypass cell death and continue to
proliferate and spread. They can stop certain cells from maturing which
in turn means that killer T cells are unaware that tumorous cells are in
the body.
What is a checkpoint inhibitor?
This is the name given to the class of cancer drug that works by
unleashing the immune system to attack tumours. In this case, they’re
antibodies manufactured to bind to and block the function of CTLA-4 and
PD-1. They’re called checkpoint inhibitors because they can turn these
key proteins that control the immune response on or off.
What effect do they have on cancers?
The binding of the antibodies to their respective T cell brake is the
molecular equivalent of letting the foot off the brake pedal – it
releases the inhibition on T cells so they can target tumour cells. This
process of attack is highly efficient and, for PD-1 targets in
particular, led to long-term remission of metastatic cancer in some
human clinical trials.
What did the laureates do?
Allison is credited with early work on CTLA-4 and using an antibody
to block inhibition of T cells – in effect taking the foot off the brake
so they can kill tumour cells. Honjo is credited with discovering PD-1
and also recognising the importance of blocking its function as a
potential cancer treatment. Rather than targeting the activation of the
immune system or the tumour cell itself, both focused on removing
inhibitors of the immune response – a potential reason why this
treatment has succeeded where so many others have failed.
Are any checkpoint inhibitor drugs already approved?
Yes, the CTLA-4 antibody inhibitor ipilimumab and PD-1 inhibitors
pembrolizumab and nivolumab have all been approved as therapies for
treating melanoma in combination with cancer vaccines. Three other
antibodies have been developed that target a third protein, PD-L1 The
success of these immune checkpoint therapies in reducing tumour size and
spread has been unprecedented: both animal and human trials showed
dramatic results for all the drugs tested. Though this turbocharged
immune response can cause side-effects, they aren’t usually too serious
and the therapy has been hailed as revolutionary for cancer treatment.
Approval of these three drugs for other types of cancer, including lung
and prostate, is expected in the coming years.
Why did this work win the Nobel prize?
In short, because it’s the closest anyone has come to finding a cure
for cancer. Allison and Honjo will now each receive a Nobel prize medal
coated in 24-karat gold and a joint share of the SEK9 million (£771,000)
prize money at a ceremony in Sweden.
Information Post by- Ms Unnati Chaudhary, Student at FRI.
This museum contains about 3,000 exhibits representing the various stages of insect pests and the nature of damage caused by them to seed, seedlings, standing trees, felled timbers, bamboos and also finished products. Exhibits are arranged alphabetically according to plant genera. Important forestry pests like sal heart-wood borer, teak defoliator, Meliaceae shoot borer, poplar defoliators, deodar defoliator, sissoo defoliator, babul stem and root borer, their biology, life history and nature of damage have been depicted along with methods to control them.
Some of the insecticides and their application equipments are also exhibited. A depiction of the life history of termites and their control makes a very educative piece. Various commercial timbers have been graded according to their termite resistance property.
There are several govt. and non-govt. agencies which provide scholarships, fellowships and Interest free loan to desirous and talented students aspiring for or doing undergraduate, post graduate and PhD degree courses.
Following are theScholarships/Fellowships for College, University and Higher level studies for Indian students and researchers generally in the field of science and particularly in biotech or advanced life science branches:
A.M.M. Arunachalam–Lakshmi Achi Overseas Loan Scholarship :Interest Free Loan Scholarship for pursuing Post Graduate / Doctoral overseas studies in Engineering Science and Medicine. Application invited approx. in:May. Contact: The Secretary, A.M.M. Educational Foundation, “Parry House”, 43, Moore Street, Chennai - 600 001, Phone: 044 - 25306663 / 6665
Aga Khan Foundation International Fellowship Program:For PG studies to financially needy students from developing country. Scholarships are awarded on a 50% grant: 50% loan basis.Application invited approx. in: June or July. Visit: www.akdn.org/akfisp/HTML/index.html
Bharat Petroleum - Scholarship for higher studies:For PG studies in India and Abroad; Prior admission in any institute is compulsory; announced every year: Application invited approx. in May.
Cambridge-Nehru Scholarships: To pursue Doctoral programme. University Fee, air fare, Maintenance allowance provided: Application invited approx. in: July. Contact: Nehru Trust for Cambridge University, Teen Murti House, New Delhi – 11.
Chinese government scholarship:for higher studies/research/specialized training in subjects - Zoology, Plant Breeding, Genetics, Environmental Science, Fisheries, Agronomy, Sericulture and Botany. Application invited approx. in: Announced around April.
CSIR- Junior Research Fellowship: Via conducting all India National Eligibility Test (NET), Twice a year- June and December last Sunday. Fellowship Rs. 8000 pm plus a contingency grant of 20000 p.a. for the first two years; and for the next three years Rs.10000 pm + contingency grant of Rs.20000 pa. Visit: http://csirhrdg.nic.in/srf.htm.
Czech Government Scholarship:For PhD program in Agriculture. Eligibility: 60% marks in M.Sc.; age below 30yrs. 6000 Czech Crowns per month: No tuition fee and free medical care provided.
DBT (Department of Biotechnology)– Junior Research Fellowships: Granted Via conducting a exam called -Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET) for M.Sc biotech students with 60% marks; fellowship can be taken in any University/Institute in India where the candidate get him/herself registered for PhD; Fellowship is for 3 years extendable for 2 more years based on performance. By the end of second year, JRF is upgraded to SRF after assessment. JRF and SRF are Rs. 8, 000/-and 9000/- per month respectively + HRA as per host Institute, plus research contingency of Rs.30,000/- pa. Visit: http://dbtindia.nic.in/research/DBTJRF.htm.
DBT– Post Doctoral fellowship in Biotechnology and Life Sciences:For candidates having PhD/MD/MS in Biomedical Sciences/Life Sciences. Selection via interview conducted at IISc Bangalore. Fellowship is 12,000 pm and contingency grant of 50,000 pa for two years. Application invited approx. in: March and October. Visit: http://dbtindia.nic.in/research/researchfmain.html, or Contact: Prof. K. Muniyappa, Deptt. of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore—560 012 (Karnataka), Tel No. 080—3600278 & 3942235 (O), Fax No. 080—3600814, 3600683 or mail to: kmbc@biochem.iisc.ernet.in.
DBT’sBiotech Consortium India Ltd conducts BITP - Biotech Industrial Training Programme: For B.Tech (Biotechnology), M.Sc. Biotech/Applied life science/Agriculture. Around 30 candidates are selected and provided practical training in biotech companies. Stipend of Rs.6,500/- p.m: Applcation invited in: June; Contact-Mr. Manoj Gupta, Asst. Manager, Biotech Consortium India Limited, 5th Floor, Anuvrat Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadyaya Marg, New Delhi –002; Fax: 011 – 23219063; Email: bcildelhi@vsnl.com; www.bcil.nic.in.
DBT- various collaborative fellowships: DBT announces from time to time various foreign collaborative fellowships for Indian students etc. Fellowships amount varies. Announced every year. For latest detail click: http://dbtindia.nic.in/.
Developing Solutions Joint Chevening Scholarships: Around 30 students selected from the developing Commonwealth countries including India in the areas of Environment, Food, Health & Technology. Award includes- Full tuition fees and maintenance. Duration: 1 year; For latest detail click www.nottingham.ac.uk.
Developing Solutions Taught Masters Scholarship for India:For Masters degree programmes at The University of Nottingham, in the areas related to biology, Environment, Food, Health and Technology. A small number of 100% Tuition Fee Scholarships, plus an additional 54 Tuition Fee Scholarships – normally 20% to 30%, are available for new students from India. Application invited approx. in: May. For detailed information on forms & types of courses available click: www.nottingham.ac.uk/international/scholarshipsandfinance/scholarships/scholarships_a-z.php.
DFID Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS): For graduate students from the developing Commonwealth countries including India to pursue Masters course. Number of awards: approx 3. Subject areas include Agriculture and related subjects at University of Oxford. Award includes fees, maintenance and air fare per annum. Duration : maximum 2 years. Application invited approx. in: Feb 2008. For latest detail click http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/funding/csss.shtml.
Fair & Lovely Foundation Scholarships: Project Saraswati, for graduate course in India. 60% marks in 10th and 12th standard. Rs.100000.00 p.a. Introduced first time; Application invited approx. in: September. visit: www.fairandlovely.in.
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (a centre of TATA INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH), Research Scholarships: For Research work Rs.8,000/-p.m. (increased to Rs.9500 after registration for PhD). Application invited approx. in: April. Contact: Sr. Administrative Officer, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, TIFR, V.N.Purav Marg, Mankhurd, Mumbai - 400 088; or Visit: www.hbcse.tifr.res.in.
ICMR – Short Term Research Studentship For Medical Students: MBBS. For familiarizing students with research techniques, methodology. Visit: http://www.icmr.nic.in/shortr.htm.
India Undergraduate High Achiever Scholarships: For students from India registering on Undergraduate Degree programmes at The University of Nottingham – in Science subject, excluding Medicine and Veterinary Science. No. of Tuition Fee Scholarships: 5; each with £3,000. The scholarships are for the first year only. Application invited approx. in: June. visit:www.nottingham.ac.uk/international/scholarshipsandfinance/scholarships/scholarships_a-z.php.
ICAR’s (Indian Council for Agriculture Research) Junior Research Fellowships (JRF): Granted via entrance examination for admission to 100% seats of Master’s degree program at IARI, IVRI, CIFE, NDRI and 25% seats at all the SAUs, CAU and Central Universities in the field of Agriculture, Veterinary & Allied Sciences. No. of scholarships: 500. Scholarship amount: Rs. 8,000 p.m. for graduates of veterinary science and Rs. 5000 p.m. for graduates in other disciplines. Contingent grant of Rs. 6,000 pa. Duration: 2 yrs.
ICAR Senior Research Fellowship (SRF): Offered to all Ph.D Animal Genetics and Breeding students who are admitted to in NDRI/IVRI. Duration: 3 years. Fellowship amount: Rs. 9500/- per month in 1st and 2nd year and Rs. 10,000/- per month in 3rd year; and a contingent grant of Rs. 10,000/- per annum.
Indira Gandhi PG Scholarship for Single Girl Child: Girls who are only child of their parents for Postgraduate studies in India in any discipline. Visit: www.ugc.ac.in/. contact: Joint Secretary (sa), University Grants Commission, UGC block, Delhi University, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi- 100 021.
Inlaks Foundation: For MS/PhD studies both in India and Abroad. Applicant must have confirmed admission. Selection through screening of application and interview. Visit:http://www.inlaksfoundation.org/. Inlaks Scholarships P.O. Box 2108. Delhi 110007.
INSA-COSTA-CSIR Travel grants: Applicable for Indian Researcher/Students under 35years age. Provide travel grants to present their papers at international seminars, symposia and meetings. Announced every year. Contact: Scientific secretary COSTED, COSTED secretariat, 24 Gandhi Mandap Road, Chennai-600025.
Japanese Government Scholarships: For Research studies (Not for Post Doctoral research) in Bio-technology, Biological Oceanography, Fisheries, Environmental Science.; age below 35yrs. Allowance includes: Maintenance allowance of 1,75,000 Yen pm, arrival allowance of 25,000 Yen, free to and fro air ticket, No tuition fee, free medical. Duration: 18-24 months. Application invited approx. in: May. Contact: The Section officer, ES.3 Section, Department of Secondary & Higher education, A.1/W.3 Curzon Road Barracks, kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi - 110 001; Visit: www.education.nic.in.
K.C. Mahindra Education Trust Scholarship: For graduate in science and technology. Interest free loan scholarships given for two years. Contact: The Managing Trustee, K C Mahindra Education Trust, Cecil court, Mahakavi Bhusan Marg, Mumbai-39.
Kishor Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana: For students studying in XI, XII, B.Sc., M.Sc. B.E., B.Tech, B.Arch, M.B.B.S. courses. Scholarships provided up to the pre-PhD. level. Visit: http://www.iisc.ernet.in/kvpy/. Contact: The Convener, Kishor Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore 560012.
Lady Tata Memorial Trust Research Fellowship: For doctoral studies in India in the field of biomedical/medical sciences. Eligibility MBBS/MD/M.Sc. life sciences. Duration: For three years. Monthly stipend of Rs.8000 and contingency grant of 20000 per year. Application invited approx. in: December: Contact: The Director, Lady Tata Memorial Trust, Bombay house, 24, Homi Modi Street, Fort Mumbai – 400001.
National Brain Research Centre, Scholarships and Fellowships: For M.Sc., Ph.D., and PDF programs in Science. Monthly Scholarships for- M.Sc.-Rs. 1,000; Ph.D - Rs. 8,000, and for Post Doctoral Fellow-Rs. 10,500. Contact: Administrative Officer , National Brain Research Centre , NH - 8, Manesar, 122050 latest by 15th April ,2004. Visit: www.nbrc.ac.in.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP): It is for students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue biomedical science careers at the NIH. Number of scholarships: Approx. 15. Scholarships amount: up to $20,000 per year to pay for tuition, educational expenses and reasonable living expenses. Duration: Up to 4 years. Visit: www.ugsp.nih.gov/overview_faqs/overview_faqs.asp?m=01&s=01.
National Overseas Scholarships/ Passage Grant for SC and Backward castes/tribes/ Minorities:For P.G./PhD/Research and Training abroad. Total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians shall not exceed Rs.25,000/-. Visit: www.socialjustice.nic.in/events/welcome.htm.
National Talent Scholarship Examination by ICAR for 10+2 students: having Physics, Chemistry and Agriculture/ Biology / Mathematics as full subjects; Student will be eligible for graduate courses in Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Forestry, Sericulture, Agricultural engineering, Dairy Technology, Food Science & Technology and Agriculture Marketing banking & Co-Operation. Rs.800/- per month shall be awarded to first 230 meritorious candidates in this Examination in each of the subjects given provided a candidate takes admission in any Institution not falling in his /her own home state. Exam in -May. Contact: The Controller of Examination (Education Division), Room No.226, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan-II, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC) Scholarships to SC/ST Students:Eligibility: 60% marks in 10+2 and should be already admitted to 1st yr graduation; For higher studies in Engineering, MBA. For engineering students year wise scholarships are: I year Rs.12,000; II year Rs.12,000; III year Rs.18,000; IV year Rs.18,000.
Post Graduate Scholarships for professional Courses for SC/ST candidates.: For Post-Graduate Level studies in professional subjects at Indian Universities and Colleges. Fellowship tenure up to PG completion. Scholarship-Rs. 5,000 p.m. with the Contingency grant of Rs.15,000 p.a for professional courses; and for other courses Rs. 3,000 p.m. with the contingency of Rs.10,000 p.a. Visit: www.ugc.ac.in/. Contact: Joint secretary (SA), University Grants Commission, UGC block, Delhi University, south campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi- 100 021.
Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Scheme (RGNFS) for SC/ST Candidates :For M.Phil and Ph.D. work in Indian Universities & Colleges. Fellowship amount is 8000 pm + contingency grant of 10000 pa. Contact: Joint Secretary, (SA), University Grants Commission, University Of Delhi, South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi-110 021. Click for Original Notice:http://www.ugc.ac.in/notices/advertiesrgnfsscst.pdf
RD Birla Smarak Kosh Grants:For training in the field of medicine, science and technology. Contact: The Director, R D Birla Smarak Kosh medical research center, Bombay Hospital trust, Hospital Avenue, Mumbai – 400020.
RD Sethna Scholarship Fund: Given in the field of Science and technology: Contact: The Chief Executive, R D Sethna Scholarship Fund, Esplanade House, 29, Waudby Road, Mumbai – 400001.
Research Associateship for SC/ST Candidates: For postdoctoral research and research in Indian Universities and Colleges. Duration: 5 years. Associateship is Rs.12,000 p.m.+ H.R.A.+ annual contingency of Rs. 30,000 and Departmental Assistance @ 10% of Associateship to the host Institute. Visit: www.ugc.ac.in/. Contact: Joint Secretary (Sa), University Grants Commission, UGC Block, Delhi University, South Campus Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi- 100 021.
Rhodes Scholarship :Granted to 6 Indian Students for PhD studies at Oxford University. Visit: www.rhodesscholarships-india.com/. Contact: The Office of Indian Secretary, Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee, PO Box 2108, Delhi 110007.
Sahu Jain Trust Scholarships: Given in the field of Science and technology. Duration: 2 years. Contact: The Secretary, Sahu Jain Trust, 18 Institutional area, Lodi road, New Delhi-03.
Scholarship scheme for higher education for students of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes- approved by The Union Cabinet:Applicable for XII passed students. Family income should not exceed Rs.2 lakh pa. It includes all teaching expenses, grant for computer, stationary, books. Rs.2,220 a month as living expenses.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Fellowship:Granted to top 20% candidates who qualify the NET, CSIR examination. Fellowship amount: Rs. 10,000 Rs. 15000 for 1st and 2nd year respectively and HRA. Contingency grant Rs. 50,000.
SOPHIA MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS Inc:For pursuing bachelor's degree in Engineering and in Medicine; Admission in Ist year in college compulsory. Visit: www.sophiascholarship.org.
TATA Innovation Fellowship sponsored by DBT:PhD in life sciences with innovative work and publications. Duration: 3 years, extendable to 2 more years. Scholarship amount: Rs.20,000 per month excluding salary from host institute. Rs. 5 lakh contingency grant per year. Application invited approx. in: December. Contact: Dr. Meenakshi Munshi, Principal Scientific Officer, Department of Biotechnology, Block-2, 6-8th Floor, CGO Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi – 110 003. Visit: www.dbtindia.gov.in.
Tata Memorial Centre & Tata Memorial Hospital- Junior Research Scholarships For Cancer Biology: Eligibility: M.Sc. in Applied Biology/ Zoology/ Biophysics/Life sciences/ Molecular biology/ Microbiology/ Biochemistry/ Biotechnology or MBBS/MVSc/M Pharma with at least 55 per cent marks. Candidates are admitted to PhD programme. Scholarship: Rs 8,000 per month + HRA. ‘Objective type' written examination takes place in: July in Mumbai. Contact: Tata Memorial Centre, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai -- 410 208. e-mail: office@actrec.res.in.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarships:Number of scholarships: more than 100 excluding USA students. Graduate students from outside the United Kingdom are eligible to study any Graduate to PhD course at the University of Cambridge. Prior admission at Cambridge is compulsory. Scholarships cover the full cost of study at Cambridge including tuition and fees and a maintenance allowance. Application invited approx. in: December for M.Phil. & PhD. Visit: www.gates.scholarships.cam.ac.uk/
