Department of Biotechnology
Ministry of Science and Technology
Government of India

CALL FOR PROGRAMME SUPPORT PROPOSALS IN MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY & HEALTHCARE AREAS

APPLICATION FORMAT  MS WORD OR   PDF
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The Department of Biotechnology is soliciting research and development proposals for providing Programme Support to interdisciplinary groups with demonstrated research capacity working in a defined priority domain. The purpose of programme support is to create centres or research groups of excellence. The research groups are expected to be involved in coordinated research activities with the participation of basic scientists, applied scientists, biomedical scientists and clinicians from relevant disciplines. Preference would be given to the application oriented programmes that are likely to lead to new ways to detect diseases early, identify target groups that may benefit for specific therapies, develop new therapeutics or preventive strategies with essential health and economic gain. Ideally the collaborative methods would involve and link investigators within the same institute or across basic science or medical institutes.

 Priority Areas :

1. Infectious Diseases & Vaccinology - Development of vaccine candidates, defining protective immunity, biomarkers, novel adjuvants, delivery systems and molecular epidemiology.

2. Diagnostics using new innovative technologies resulting in tests that are easy to perform, rapid, affordable, including those that detect multiple diseases through syndrome approach, or select (target groups for therapeutics). Focus is on diagnostics that influence medical practice or are useful in public health programmes.

3. Stem Cell Research on basic and applied aspects with potential applications leading to therapy of spinal cord injury, Ischemic heart disease, cardiac failures, neurological, cutaneous, occular and joint diseases.

4. Molecular Cardiology with emphasis on molecular pathogenesis of major cardiac, disorders including genomics and proteomics to identify marker from early detection or targets for therapy, tests for screening in high risk groups.

5. Pharmacogenomics including drug metabolism, identification of drug target, drug design, genotype analysis etc.

6. Diabetes & other Metabolic Disorders

7. Cancer Biology and Biology of Metastasis programmes leading to early detection and new therapies.

8. Molecular Pathogenesis of Chronic Neurological Diseases/ Disorders.

9. Nanobiotechnology – applications for medical and healthcare areas.

 The Terms for the Proposal :

The proposed Programme Support will be highly competitive. The group leaders should have proven track record. The groups, within or across the institutes should collectively have strength in basic research, technology and medicine. Initially the Programme Support would be considered for a period of three years with flexible support extending up to five years or longer in the programmes demonstrating significant progress.  In addition for one or more related specific research projects, equipment and training support will be considered. Clinical trials, if appropriate would be taken up.

The Department of Biotechnology is considering instituting 3-4 programmes during this financial year. However, other programmes of merit eligible for funding, which do not get funded this year, would be considered for financial support in the next financial year.

Application Format (To be obtained from the DBT websites: http://www.dbtindia.nic.in OR  http://www.dbtindia.org ).

Twenty five copies of the Programme Support proposal(s) as per above format should reach the Adviser (Medical), Department of Biotechnology, Block-2, C.G.O. Complex, Lodi Road, and New Delhi – 110003 by September 30, 2004. Any additional enquiry may be addressed at Telephone:  2436 0984, Telefax : 2436 0984, e-mail : gandhi@dbt.nic.in

Note: The Department would entertain receiving a Letter of Intent (LoI), if desired, describing programme grant which will be responded within a week.