Course Catalog

Course description not available.

IPR, Patent Laws & Bioethics

Course description not available.

Research methodology

The students are advised to work under the supervision of any one of the faculty members in the department.

Concepts of immune response. Innate immunity – barriers and role of toll like receptors in innate immunity. Cells of the immune system , Adaptive immunity – organization and structure of lymphoid organs. Antigens –immunogenicity, antigenicity, factors influencing the immunogenicity, haptens, adjuvants and mitogens. Super antigens, B & T cell epitopes.   Types of B cells, BCR, developmental stages of B cells, regulation of immune response. Classification, fine structure and functions of antibodies. Antigenic determinants on immunoglobulins – isotypes, allotypes and idiotypes. The generation of antibody diversity. Effector cell mechanism of humoral response. T cell ontogeny – Types of T cells, T cell development. T-cell maturation and activation. Structure of TCR. T-cell differentiation, Effector cell mechanism. Cell death and T-cell populations, Types of cell mediated immunity.   Cytokines – classes and their biological activities. Therapeutic uses of cytokines and their receptors. Complement system– mode of activation, classical, alternate and mannose binding pathway, biological functions and regulation. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Human leukocyte antigens (HLA), MHC restriction. MHC and disease susceptibility, regulation of MHC expression. APC’s and antigen processing and presentation.   Immunological techniques: Principle concepts of antigen–antibody interactions: Agglutination, precipitation, gel diffusion: Ouchterlony double immuno diffusion and Mancini’s radial immuno diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis and complement fixation test. ELISA, RIA, Western Blot and FACS.   Recommended Books: Kuby Immunology (6th ed.), Kindt, T. J., Goldsby, R. A., Osborne, B. A., Pub: W. H. Freeman and Company. Roitt's Essential Immunology (12th ed.), Delves, P. J., Martin, S. J., Burton, D. R., Roitt, I. M., Pub: Wiley- Blackwell. Janeway's Immunobiology (8th ed.), Murphy, K., Pub: Garland Science. Fundamental Immunology (6th ed.), Paul, W. E., Pub: Lippincott Williams &Wilkins publishers.

Introduction: Definition of biophysics, why to study, examples. Thermodynamics: Entropy, Enthalpy, The free energy of a system, Chemical potential, Redox potential, Bioenergetics Biophysical properties: Surface tension, Diffusion & Brownian motion, Osmosis, Dialysis, Colloids. Application of Radiation to Biological system: Introduction, particles and radiations of significance, physical and biological half-lives, macroscopic absorption of radiation, activity and measurements, units of dose, relative biological effectiveness and action of radiation at molecular level. Experimental methods in biophysics: (a) Microscope: Light characteristics, microscopes- compound, phase contrast, polarization, fluorescent and electron microscopes – Transmission Electron Microscope, Scanning Electron Microscope, and Scanning tunneling electron microscope, Atomic Force Microscopy (b) Spectroscopy: Interaction of EM radiation with matter Ultraviolet & Visible spectroscopy-Beer Lamberts law- spectrophotometer. Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectra, Circular Dichroism, Fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy. Recommended books: Intermolecular and surface forces by J.  Israelachvilli (Elsevier, 2011) Molecular & Cellular Biophysics by M. B. Jackson Biophysics, V. Pattabhi & N. Gautham (Narosa Publishing House) Biophysics by R. Glaser (Springer, 2004)

Course Summary IT has changed the Biologists thought process, revolutionary processing speed and advancement in data storage and mining methods has completely changed the Biotechnology  and new branches emerged like “-Omics” technologies. The class is hands-on, project-oriented to give better understanding of IT applications in Biology. The course is designed to introduce the most important and basic computer concepts. It also involves case studies and applications in which Bioinformatics tools and algorithms can be used. The course will introduce students to altogether a new world of Biology which includes many new terminologies and concepts in Bioinformatics. This course will enable student aware of programming methods in Perl and linux which they can use in Bioinformatics analysis. Detailed Contents Introduction to computers:Overview and functions of a computer system, Computer generations with characteristic features, computer organization, CPU, ALU, memory hierarchy, registers, I/O devices, storage devices. Types of Processing: Batch, Real-Time, Online, Offline. Introduction to operating systems:  Operating System concept, Variants of Unix, Linux operating system and command line applications. Computer Networking: Introduction to networking: Associated hardware devices, gadgets (Router, Switch etc.), Network Topologies and Protocols LAN, WAN and MAN, World Wide Web (WWW) Network security: fire walls. Concepts in text-based searching Medline, bibliographic databases. Algorithms, Flowcharts & Programming concepts:  Algorithms: Concepts & definitions, Converting algorithms to flowcharts, Comparing algorithms, flowcharts & programs, Algorithms solving Biological problems, Basic PERL Programming. Computers in Biology: Nature of Biological data, Biological Databases, pubmed, Overview of Bioinformatics, sequence alignment, Major Bioinformatics Resources: NCBI, EBI & ExPASY. References Introduction to Bioinformatics- Attwood Bioinformatics -David Mount Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills- Cynthia Gibas Introduction to Bioinformatics- Arthur M Lesk Fundamentals of Computers, -V Rajaraman, PHI. Introduction to computers - Peter Norton Computer Fundamentals – P.K. Sinha  

Course Content Taxonomy: General principles of taxonomy, Hierarchy Systematics: Carolus Linnaeus Systematics. Outlines and relative studies on classification of angiosperms, Bentham & Hooker, Engler and Prantel and Hutchinson system. General characteristics of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi,  lichens, bryophytes and pteridophytes. Range of thallus structure, types of reproduction. Economic importance of thallophytes. General characteristics of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, classification distribution, morphological features, development and reproduction. Evolution of angiosperms and gymnosperms.   Recommended Books: Plant taxonomy and biosystematics, Stace, C. A., Pub: Cambridge University Press. Plant systematics: a phylogenetic approach, Judd, W. S., Pub: Sinauer Associates, Incorporated. Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Evolution and Ecology, Verma, P.S., Pub: S. Chand Limited.

Introduction to Vertebrates and Invertebrates: General characters, classification of up to different phyla from protozoa to echinoderms with special reference to protozoa and arthropod. Type study of human pathogens: Plasmodium vivax, Trypanosoma gambiense, Entamoeba histolytica, Faciola hepatica, Tenia solium and Ascaris lumbricoides. Introduction to model systems: C.elegans, Drosophila and zebra fish.   Recommended Books: Modern Text book of Zoology: Invertebrates, Kotpal, R.L., Pub: Rastogi. Invertebrate Zoology, Anderson, D. T., Pub: Oxford University Press.

Introduction to Ecology, Community and Ecosystem (Inter-relationships between living world and environment, Biosphere, ecosystem and its components (abiotic and biotic). Environment related concepts and laws (theory of tolerance, laws  of limiting factors). Community characteristics- organization and concept of habitats and niche.  Bioenergetics. Biogeochemical cycles, Hydrologic cycle. Concept of habitat and niche. Population and Community Ecology Population attributes, density, natality, mortality, age ratio, sex ratio, dispersal and dispersion of population, exponential and logistic growth, life history strategies, population interactions, predation-types, predator-prey system, functional and numerical response, host-parasite interactions, social parasitism, symbiosis. Biogeography Phytogeography, Phytogeographic realms, major plant communities of the world, Vegetation of India, Zoogeography: Zoogeographic realms, Threatened species of animals. Principles of wildlife management, wildlife sanctuaries, parks and biosphere reserves in India, endangered and threatened species of plants and animals in India, germplasm banks. Environmental Issues, Policies and Regulation.  Impact of urbanization and industrialization, EIA-Environmental Impact Assessment (Global, National and Local), restoration of degraded ecosystems, bioremediation, environmental pollution, global climatic change.   Recommended Books: Basics of Environmental Science, Allaby, M., Pub: Taylor and Francis group. Elements of Ecology (1st ed.) Smith, T. M., Smith, R. L., Pub:  Pearson Benjamin Cummings. Environmental Science (11th ed.), Miller, G. T., Pub: Brooks/Cole.

Structural organization of flower, initiation and differentiation of floral organs, structure and development of anther, microsporogenesis, structure and type of ovule, megasporogenesis, types of embryo sac. Plant water relationship, mineral nutrition, Solute transport, Role of growth regulators. Photosynthesis-light and dark phases of photosynthesis. Role of ATP and NADPH in carbon dioxide assimilation, factors influencing photosynthesis, photosynthesis of CAM plants. Role of plants in converting radiant energy into chemical energy. Respiration of chlorophyllous tissues in C3 and C4 plants. Regulation of photorespiration, photo periodism and flowering. Plant development: structure of plant body; fundamental differences between animal and plant development; embryogenesis – classical and modern views using Fucus and Arabidopsis as models; axis specification and pattern formation in angiosperm embryos; organization and homeostasis in the shoot and root meristems; patterning in vegetative and flower meristems; growth and tissue differentiation in plants; evolution of developmental mechanisms in plants.

Chordate classification up to phyla, with special reference to pisces, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Comparative development of heart and respiratory organs in chordates. Composition of blood, coagulation of blood and fibrinolysis. Physiology of heart and neurohumoral regulation of cardiovascular function. Gastrointestinal system –digestion and absorption of foods in GIT. Physiology of kidney and its role in the regulation of electrolyte, water and acid base balance in the body. Structure and organization of muscle cells. Biochemical changes associated with muscle contraction and relaxation. Structure of nerve cell, origin of membrane potential, mechanism of propagation of nerve impulse in unmyelinated and myelinated nerve fibres. Neurotransmitters. Reproductive physiology-male and female reproductive systems and sex hormones. Spermotogenesis, oogenesis, menstrul cycle. Placenta and its functions. Pregnancy and lactation. Animal development: Introduction, history and concepts of developmental biology; the current understanding on the mechanisms of development of organisms using vertebrate (mouse, chick, frog, fish) and invertebrate (fly, worm) models; how does a complex, multicellular organism arise from a single cell; the beginning of a new organism (fertilization), the creation of multicellularity (cellularization, cleavage), reorganization into germ layers (gastrulation), cell type determination; creation of specific organs (organogenesis); molecular mechanisms underlying morphogenesis and differentiation during development; stem cells and regeneration; evolution of developmental mechanisms. Drosophila Development, Development of Other Invertebrates, Plant Development, Model Organisms and the Human Connection, Signal Transduction, Germ Cells and Sex, Regeneration  and Growth, Post-Embryonic Development, Evolution and Development.   Recommended books: Text book of Medical Physiology (11th ed.), Ed: Guyton, A.G., Harcourt, J. E., Pub: Elsevier Saunders. Essentials of Medical Physiology, Shambulingam, K., Shambulingam, P., Pub: Jaypee Brothers, Medical Publishers. Harper’s Biochemistry, Murray, R. K., Harper, H. A., Pub: Appleton and Lange.

Unit I: Basic Cell, Molecular Biology and Genetics Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes, Introduction to Microbiology, Cell organelles, Biochemistry of macro molecules (Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and Nucleic acids), Principles of Genetics (mendelian inheritance, concept of gene, Mutation, chromosomal abberations), Cell cycle, Cell division. Central Dogma of Molecular Biology (Replication,Transcription,Translation and Gene expression), Introduction to Genomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics, Basics of cloning, Cancer, Biosensors, Bio artificial organs. Applications of engineering in biology. Instrumental techniques: Microscopy, Centrifugation, PCR, Gel Electrophoresis

Cell as a basic unit of living systems, broad classification of cell types: bacteria, eukaryotic microbes, plant and animal cells; cell, tissue, organ and organisms, Cell organelles: Ultrastructure of cell membrane and function, Chromosomes: Structural organisation of chromosomes, nucleosome organization, euchromatin and heterochromatin. Cell division and cell cycle, Cell–cell interaction, apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy, Cell differentiation.  History, scope and significance of Genetics. Mendelian laws of inheritance. Lethality and interaction of genes. Linkage and crossing over. Mapping of genes. Basic microbial genetics, Genetic mapping. Classical and modern concept of gene, Mutations, Chromosomal aberrations. Genetic disorders in humans. Sex determination in plants and animals. Non disjunction as a proof of chromosomal theory of inheritance. Sex linked, sex influenced and sex limited inheritance. Extra chromosomal inheritance; cytoplasmic inheritance, Mitochondrial and Chloroplast inheritance. Principles of Population genetics; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium law, Gene and genotype frequencies. Recommended Books: An Introduction to the Molecular Biology of the Cell, Alberts, B., Bray, D., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Roff, M., Robert, K.,  Walter, P., Roberts, K., Pub: Garland Publishing Company. Cell and Molecular Biology, Sheelar, P., Bianchi, D. E., Pub: John Wiley. Molecular Cell Biology, Lodish, H., Berk, A., Zipursky, S.L., Matsudaura, P.,   Baltimore, D., Danell, J., pub; W.H. Preeman and Company. Principles of Genetics, Gardner, E. J., Pub; John Wiley & Sons Inc.

History, evolution and development of microbiology. Diversity of microorganisms- scope and importance. Characterization and identification of bacteria based on morphology, physiology, biochemistry, ecology, chemotaxonomy and molecular systematics. Bergey’s manual – classification of bacteria, fungi, algae and archea.   The study of microbial structure by use of light, phase, fluorescent and electron microscopy. Preparation and staining of specimens. Microbial nutrition, nutritional types, requirements, design and types of nutrient media, microbial growth- principles, kinetics and methods. The influence of environmental factors on growth. Microbial control- definition, methods of sterilization, physical methods and chemical agents. Isolation of pure cultures- spread plate, streak plate and pour plate.   Classification of general features of cyanobacteria and importance of Spirulina, Rickettsia, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, Archaebacteria. Methanogenic and Halophilic bacteria. General account and economic importance of algae and fungi. Clinically important bacteria and protozoans. Distribution of microbes in nature.   History and development of viruses. Nature, origin and evolution of viruses. Nomenclature, recent classification (ICTV) structure and characteristics of viruses. Isolation, cultivation and identification of viruses. Biological and chemical properties of viruses. Animal, plant and bacterial viruses and their interactions with hosts. Virus replication and genome expression. Process of infection- animal, plant and bacterial cells. Molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis with respect to poliovirus, rotavirus, herpes virus, retroviruses.   Transmission of viruses (Direct and Indirect) persistence of viruses and their mechanism. Purification and inactivation of viruses- physical and chemical methods. Virus ecology and epidemiology, scope and concepts of epidemiology. Bacterial recombination, transformation, conjugation and transduction. Mapping of prokaryotic genome and tetrad analysis, insertion sequences, transposons and mechanism of transposition, retro transposons, plasmids.   Recommended Books: Microbiology: Concepts and Applications, Pelczar, M. J., Chan, E. C. S., Krieg, N. R., Pub: Mcgraw hill International Book Company. Brock Biology of Microorganisms (9th edition), Brock, T. D., Madigan, M. T., Pub: Prentice Hall International.  Introduction to Microbiology, Ross, Pub: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers. Prescot’s Microbiology, Willey, J., Sherwood, L., Woolverton, C., Pub: MacGraw Hill. Microbiology: An Introduction, Oortora, G. J., Funke, B. R., Case, C. L., Pub: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.

Structural organization of flower, initiation and differentiation of floral organs, structure and development of anther, microsporogenesis, structure and type of ovule, megasporogenesis, types of embryo sac. Plant water relationship, mineral nutrition, Solute transport, Role of growth regulators. Photosynthesis-light and dark phases of photosynthesis. Role of ATP and NADPH in carbon dioxide assimilation, factors influencing photosynthesis, photosynthesis of CAM plants. Role of plants in converting radiant energy into chemical energy. Respiration of chlorophyllous tissues in C3 and C4 plants. Regulation of photorespiration, photo periodism and flowering. Plant development: structure of plant body; fundamental differences between animal and plant development; embryogenesis – classical and modern views using Fucus and Arabidopsis as models; axis specification and pattern formation in angiosperm embryos; organization and homeostasis in the shoot and root meristems; patterning in vegetative and flower meristems; growth and tissue differentiation in plants; evolution of developmental mechanisms in plants. Recommended books: Introduction to Plant Physiology, Hopkins, W. G., Huner, N.P.A., pub: Wiley. Integrative Plant Anatomy, Dickinson, W. C., Pub: Academic press. Principles of Developmental Biology, Hake, S., Wilt, F., Pub: WW. Norton and company Inc.

Properties and importance of water, intra and intermolecular forces, non-covalent interactions- electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, Vander Waals interactions, hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions. Disulphide bridges. pH, pK, acid base reactions and buffers. Carbohydrates: Different carbohydrates and with examples of glucose, galactose, sucrose, starch and glycogen. Carbohydrates metabolism: Glycolysis, Kreb’s Cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Gluconeogenesis, Pentose phosphate pathway, Glyoxylate cycle. Proteins: Classification and properties of amino acids, Classification based on structure and functions, structural organization of proteins (primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures), biosynthesis of protein. Enzymes and enzyme kinetics. Michaelis-Menten equation, significance of Km , Vmax and Kcat. Lineweaver – Burk plot. Biosynthesis and degradation of aromatic and branched chain amino acids. Nucleic acids: Structure and properties of nucleic acids. Different forms of DNA-A, B, Z. Circular DNA and DNA supercoiling. Different types of RNA- mRNA, and non coding RNA – tRNA, rRNA, snRNA, miRNA and siRNA. Synthesis and regulation of purine nucleotides by de novo pathway. Salvage of purine nucleotides. Synthesis and regulation of pyramidine nucleotides. Formation of deoxyribonucleotides and their regulation. Degradation of purines and pyrimidine nucleotides, disorders of nucleotide metabolism Lipids: Classification, structure, properties and functions of fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol and eicosanoids- prostaglandlins. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids - synthesis, β-oxidation and regulation. Ketone bodies. Synthesis of triacylglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol. Vitamins: Source, structure, biological role and deficiency disorders of vitamins . Recommended Books: Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (5th ed.), Nelson, D., Cox, D., Pub: Macmillan Pub. Biochemistry (6th ed.), Stryer, L., Pub: Freeman-Tappan. Text Book of Biochemistry by West, E. S., Todd, W. R., Bruggen, J. T V., Pub: Mac Milan. Principles of Biochemistry by White, A., Handler, P., Smith, E. L., Pub: McGraw Hill. Harper's Biochemistry, Murray, R. K., et al., 27 ed., Pub: Langeman Biochemistry (3rd ed.), Voet, D., Voet, J. G., Pub: John Wiley. Biochemistry, Mathews, et. al., Pub: Pearson         

Cancer Biology

Environment Science

Analytical Methodology

Cancer And Its Therapies

Bioinformatics Essentials

Machine Learning

Bio-Ethics, Bio-Regulatory Affairs and IPR

Comparative Genomics, Proteomics and Metabolomics

Systems Biology and Molecular Networks

Internal Project Dissertation