Biology & Biotechnology:

Nurturing Life

CSIR conducts research in frontier and multidisciplinary areas of modern biology

and translates these concepts into commercially viable technologies.

Significant Developments

New Genes for Diabetes



Pioneered DNA fingerprinting in the country

Cybrids facility for the study of

neurodegenerative diseases, with
special reference to Parkinson's disease
Created for the first time in this part of
the world

Advanced facility for safety evaluation

of genetically engineered drugs

Isolation of active compounds from native

plants for the treatment of chronic myeloid
leukemia and peptic ulcer

First GWAS for Diabetes and other metabolic

traits from India

2q21 a new locus for Diabetes

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The genotype 'CIM-Arogya' of Artemisia

annua for higher artemisinin yield
Use of recombinant viruses harbouring an
RNAi construct as sensor to screen the
function of each open reading frame (ORF)
of viral genome

An efficient method to isolate and prepare

large quantities of RNAsin An enzyme
inhibitor from discarded human placenta

CSIR Mapping genetic landscape of India

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CSIR

Thrust Areas


Public-Private Partnership

Commercially viable products/

CDRI-IITR-Lupin

technologies by carrying out

Lupin is a leading pharmaceutical

research in genomics and

company, with a global presence in

biomolecules

the area of tuberculosis (TB)

r DNA technology, proteomics,

medication. The scientists from CSIR-

protein engineering, drug

CDRI Lucknow, have prepared and

development, biomarkers,

evaluated a formulation intended for

nanobiotechnology, DNA and

inhalation by TB patients. The group at Lupin has

immuno diagnostics

demonstrated that inhalation dosing completely

Synthetic chemistry, in-silico biology,

clears TB bacilli from the lungs of mice within four

structural biology, molecular

weeks of treatment. The CSIR-CDRI and CSIR-IITR

biology, toxicology, fermentation

group has demonstrated the safety of the inhaled

technology, analytical biochemistry

formulation in mice and monkeys.

and environmental sciences



Bioprospecting, novel agrotechnologies, transgenic crops and

IMTECH-NOSTRUM

conserving biodiversity

CSIR-IMTECH, Chandigarh and

NOSTRUM Pharmaceuticals LLC,
Edison NJ, USA, have partnered to
develop a novel thrombolytic with improved target
specificity.

IICT-Evolva

IGV Consortium

The public-private partnership

involving CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad

The Indian Genome Variation (IGV) Consortium,

and Evolva Biotech, Singapore, is

comprising seven institutions (six CSIR institutes and

aimed at enabling drug discovery

ISI, Kolkata) has created a databank that contains

research

samples from up to 15,0000 unrelated individuals

cardiovascular,

representing various subpopulations in India, on the

immunomodulatory segmentsThe first

basis of their different geographical zone and

of its kind in Biotech-SME segment in India. Evolva

linguistic categories. The first large-scale database

uses genetic chemistry technology while CSIR-IICT

of genomic diversity in Indian population will

specializes in creating NCEs. Evolva would screen

facilitate research on disease predisposition,

CSIR-IICT compounds and take them forward

adverse drug reactions and population migration.

through different stages of drug discovery.

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