Goa University Courses

M.Sc. (Biotechnology)

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Duration: 2 Years

Eligibility: Graduate or Equivalent

Course Structure

Course Code	Course Title
Semester - I
MBT 101	Fundamentals Of General And Marine Microbiology
MBT 102	Concepts In Biochemistry
MBT 103	Principles Of Genetics & Molecular Biology
MBT 104	Principles Of Oceanography
MBT 105	Biostatistics
MBL 101	Lab In Marine Microbiology
MBL 102	Lab In Biochemistry
MBL 103	Lab In Molecular Genetics
MBT 106	Communication Skills & Scientific Writing
Semester - II
MBT 111	The Marine Ecosystem
MBT 112	Introductory Immunology
MBT 211	Cell & Developmental Biology
MBT 113	Bioinformatics
MBT 212	Plant Tissue Culture Technology
MBL 111	Lab In Marine Biology & Chemistry
MBL 112	Lab In Immunology
MBL 113	Lab In Bioinformatics
MBL 114	Lab In Plant Tissue Culture
MBM 111	Seminar Presentations
Semester - III
MBT 221	Bioprocess & Industrial Biotechnology
MBT 222	Recombinant Dna Technology
MBT 223	Animal Cell Culture
MBT 224	Enzymology
MBT 225	Molecular Immunology
MBL 221	Lab In Fermentation Technology
MBL 222	Lab In Recombinant Dna Technology
MBL 121	Lab In Animal Cell Culture
MBL 223	Lab In Enzyme Characterization
MBM 221	Summer Training Presentation & Report
MBM 222	Dissertation (Marine Biotechnology) (Stage I)
Semester - IV
MBT 331	Potential Applications Of Marine Organisms
MBT 231	Aquaculture Technology & Marine Pharmacology
MBT 332	Applications Of Recombinant Dna Technology
MBT 232	Biosafety & Ipr
MBT 131	Cellular Biophysics
MBT 333	Genomics And Proteomics
MBM 231	Seminar Presentations
MBM 331	Dissertation (Marine Biotechnology) (Stage II)
MBM 131 2 100 E	Scuba Diving

  

Course Detail

Semester - I

MBT 101: Fundamentals Of General And Marine Microbiology

Module I

• A brief history of microbiology: discovery of the microbial world, controversy over spontaneous generation, role of microorganism in causation of disease, development of pure enrichment culture methods.
• Modern /contemporary microbiology in 21st century
• An overview of the organization and cell structure of prokaryotes and archaea:
  
  • cell wall
  • outer membrane
  • cytoplasmic membrane
  • flagella & specialized movements in microbes
  • cell inclusions
  • differences among the groups
• Characteristics of marine microorganisms.

Module II

• Microbial nutrition:
  
  • Autotrophic & heterotrophic modes,
  • Defining culture media to support growth,
  • Selective and differential culture media.
• Bacterial growth kinetics:
  
  • Growth curve, the mathematical expression of growth & measurement of growth
  • Synchronous growth
  • Factors affecting growth
  • Chemostat & turbidostat.
• Microbial taxonomy:
  
  • Nomenclature
  • Polyphasic identification, traditional & molecular,
  • Bergey’s manual & scheme for identification of marine bacteria.

Module III

• Structure & classification.
  • Algae
  • Fungi.
  • Cyanobacteria
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses:
  • Viroids & prions
• Specialized microorganisms
  • Extremophiles,
  • Barophiles,
  • Thermophiles,
  • Psychrophiles
  • Halophiles.
  • Anaerobes

 

MBT 102: Concepts in Biochemistry

Module I

• Biochemistry: the molecular logic of life.
• Biochemical evolution: principles and mechanisms.
• Buffering in biological systems.
• Enzymes: catalytic power and specificity
• Amino acids; structure and functional group properties.
• Peptides and covalent structure of proteins
• Levels of structural organization, sequencing, 3-D structure and functional diversity of proteins, the concept of the proteome.
  • Elucidation of primary and higher order structures
  • Structure-function relationships in model proteins

Module II

• Carbohydrates - structure and biological role.
• Basic concepts and design of metabolism - glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway; the TCA cycle.
• Structure and diversity of biological membranes; mechanisms of membrane transport.
• Bioenergetics – basic principles. Thermodynamic quantities and laws, equilibria and concept of free energy, ATP as the main carrier of free energy in biochemical systems.

Module III

• Lipids – Structure and biological role
• Fatty acid synthesis, _oxidation.
• Overview of amino acid biosynthesis.
• General principles of intermediary metabolism and regulation of pathways.
• De novo synthesis and salvage pathways in nucleotide metabolism.
• Electron transport
• Oxidative phosphorylation.
• Photosynthesis.
• Vitamins and hormones: chemistry and physiological role.

 

MBT 103: Principles of Genetics & Molecular Biology

Module I

• DNA structure & topology; organelle genomes.
• DNA reassociation kinetics, DNA repetitive sequence
• DNA packaging in viruses, bacteria & eukaryotes.
• Epigenetics
• Mutation: spontaneous & induced mutation; types of mutagens
• DNA repair in prokaryotes & eukaryotes
• Transposon, retroposons

Module II

• Transcription
• Prokaryotic & eukaryotic promoters, mRNA, rRNA, tRNA, RNA polymerases
• Transcription initiation & termination, transcription factors, RNA processing
• Ribosomes
• Initiation, elongation & termination
• Translation factors
• Genetic code: genetic code is triplet, codon – anticodon
• Wobble hypothesis
• Characteristics of genetic code
• Operon: lac, Trp
• Genetic diseases

Module III

• Gene transfer in bacteria: transformation, conjugation, transduction
• Population genetics: Hardy Weinberg law
• Biology of _-bacteriophage
• Recombination
• DNA replication in prokaryotes & eukaryotes: DNA polymerases (prokaryotes & eukaryotes), replicon (prokaryotes & eukaryotes), model for DNA replication (prokaryotes & eukaryotes), termination, D-loop & rolling circle model for DNA replication
  

 

MBT 104 : Principles of Oceanography

Module I

• Discovering the oceans
• Scope of Oceanographic research and Premier world Institutes Temperature, salinity and density – horizontal, vertical and temporal variations. Introduction to tides and waves. Currents and water masses. Wind patterns and general oceanic circulation. ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation).Upwelling
• The Ocean Floor: Landforms, sediments and global plate tectonics

Module II

• Major and minor elements in the sea water.
• Importance of micronutrient elements and dissolved oxygen in the ocean.
• Biological productivity processes: primary, secondary & tertiary; marine food web dynamics.
• Properties of light: light penetration & distribution, euphotic zone, compensation depth & bioluminescence
• Remote Sensing: principles & techniques; applications of oceanremote sensing.
• Marine natural disasters.

 

MBT 105 : Biostatistics

Module I

• Scope of Biostatistics
• Brief description and tabulation of data and its graphical representation, frequency distributions
• Measures of Central Tendency and dispersion: mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, skewness, kurtosis
• Displaying data: Histograms, stem and leaf plots, box plots
• Probability analysis: axiomatic definition, axioms of probability : addition theorem, multiplication rule, conditional probability and applications in biology.

Module II

• Counting and probability, Bernoulli trials, Binomial distribution and its applications, Poisson distribution Normal distribution, z, t and chi square tests, levels of significance
• Testing of hypotheses: null and alternative hypothesis, Type I and Type II errors
• Simple linear regression and correlation
• Analysis of variance

MBL 101: Lab in Marine Microbiology

• Sterilization and disinfection.
• Preparation of solid & liquid media:
• Differential and Selective media
• Enumeration: serial dilution methods, plating.
• Isolation and maintenance of organisms:
• Streaking, slants and stabs cultures, storage of microorganisms.
• Isolation of bacteria from marine samples
• Study of morphology and cultural characteristics
• Gram staining.
• Motility
• Cell inclusion studies: metachromatic granules
• Spore staining
• Biochemical characterization and identification of marine bacteria
• Cultivation of fungi: Slide,chunk and coverslip techniques
• Culture of anaerobes.

 MBL 102: Lab in Biochemistry

• Principles of colorimetry
• Spectral characteristics of coloured solutions.
• Estimation of proteins by the Biuret method
• Estimation of proteins by the Lowry’s method
• UV absorption of proteins
• Estimation of sugars.
• Titration curves of amino acids
• Paper chromatography.
  

MBL 103: Lab in Molecular Genetics

• DNA isolation a) bacterial cell , b) bacteriophage.
• RNA isolation from bacterial cell.
• UV survival curve for E.coli.
• Chemical mutagenesis & isolation of auxotrophs by replica plating.
• Transformation.
• Conjugation & gene mapping by Transduction.
• Transposon mutagenesis.
• Transduction.
  

MBT 106: Communication Skills & Scientific Writing

Module I

• Process of communication
  • Concept of effective communication- Setting clear goals for communication; Determining outcomes and results; Initiating communication; Avoiding breakdowns while communicating; Creating value in conversation; Barriers to effective communication; Non verbal communication- Interpreting non verbal cues; Importance of body language, Power of effective listening; recognizing cultural differences
• Presentation skills
  • Formal presentation skills; Preparing and presenting, using Overhead Projector, Power Point; Defending Interrogation; Scientific communication skills, poster preparation & presentation; Participating in group discussions

Module II

• Technical Writing Skills
  • Types of reports; Layout of a formal report; Scientific writing skills:
  • Importance of communicating Science; Problems while writing a scientific document; Plagiarism; Scientific Publication Writing:
  • Elements of a Scientific paper including Abstract, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Discussion, References; Drafting titles and framing abstracts
• Computing Skills for Scientific Research
  • Web browsing for information search; search engines and their mechanism of searching; Hidden Web and its importance in Scientific research; Internet as a medium of interaction between scientists; Effective email strategy using the right tone and conciseness

 

Semester - II

MBT 111: The Marine Ecosystem

Module I

• The marine ecosystem and its functioning: intertidal, estuarine, salt marsh,mangrove, coral reef, coastal & deep sea ecosystems. Hydrothermal vents.
• Classification of marine organisms; living resources of the Indian sea;
• Marine Biodiversity: defining, measurement and conservation strategies.

Module II

• Nutrients cycling: carbon , nitrogen sulphur & phosphorus.
• Global climate changes: impact on species diversity & productivity, oceans as a carbon sink, effects on corals bleaching.
• Biological rhythms.
  

 

MBT 112: Introductory Immunology

Module I

• Introduction – History and scope of immunology
• Phylogeny of immune system
• Innate and acquired immunity:- factors, features, processes
• Clonal nature of immune response
• Organization and structure of lymphoid organs
• Cells of the immune system: Hematopoiesis and differentiation, lymphocyte trafficking,B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer andlymphokine active killer cells, eosinophils and mast cells, lymphocyte subpopulationsand CD markers.
• Nature and biology of antigens and superantigens: haptens, adjuvants, carriers, epitopes,T dependant and T independent antigens.

Module II

• Theories of antibody formation.
• Humoral immunity: cells, antibody formation, primary and secondary response.
• Immunoglobulins – structure, distribution and function.
• Antigen – Antibody interactions: forces, affinity, avidity, valency and kinetics.
• Immuno-diagnostics

Module III

• Major histocompatibility complex.
• Complement system: mode of activation, classical and alternate pathway.
• Cell mediated immune responses: cell activation, cell-cell interaction and cytokines.
• Cell-mediated cytoxicity: Mechanism of T cell and NK cell mediated lysis, antibodydependant cell-mediated cytoxicity, and macrophage-mediated cytoxicity.
• Hypersensitivity: An introduction to the different types.
• Hybridoma technology and monoclonal antibodies.
• Introduction to autoimmune diseases.

 

MBT 211 : Cell and Developmental Biology

Module I

• Biochemical organization of the cell; diversity of cell size and shape; cell theory, the emergence of modern Cell Biology.
• Principles underlying microscopic techniques for study of cells : Light, phase contrast and interference, Fluorescence, Confocal, Electron (TEM and SEM), Electron tunneling and Atomic Force Microscopy.
• Cellular junctions and adhesions; structure and functional significance of plasmodesmata.
• Membrane assembly
• Structure and function of cellular organelles; subcellular fractionation; organization of cytoskeleton and nucleus; the plant cell wall.

Module II

• The eukaryotic cell cycle and its regulation.
• Molecular aspects of cell division.
• Cell signaling
• Cell fusion.
• Apoptosis.
• Protein localization – synthesis of secretory and membrane proteins, import into nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplast and peroxisomes, receptor-mediated endocytosis.
  • Chaperones.
  • Proteosomes.

Module III

• Germ cells and fertilization; embryogenesis.
• Laying of body axis planes; cellular polarity: differentiation of germ layers.
• Morphogens, gradients, concept of compartmentalization and fate mappingwith particular reference to development in Drosophila, Caenorhabditisand mammalian systems.
• Stem cells and cell differentiation. Nuclear–cytoplasmic interactions.
• Differentiation of cancerous cells and role of proto-oncogenes.
• Oncogenes and theories regarding tumour formation Ageing.

 

MBT 113 : Bioinformatics

Module I

• Databases - Definition, data mining methods and analysis tools
• Biological Database- Primary, secondary and composite
• Various types of databases
  • Nucleic acid sequence database
  • Protein sequence database.
  • Protein structure database
  • Taxonomic database.
  • Genomic database.
  • Protein families, domains and functional sites
  • Enzyme/metabolic pathway database (EMP and Brenda),
  • Regulatory pathway (KEGG)
• Tools for similarity searches and sequence alignments.
• Alignment of pair sequences- methods and scoring alignments (Global Alignments
• Needleman Wunsch Algorithm and Local Alignments - Smith Waterman Algorithm)
• Scoring matrices: PAM and BLOSSUM
• Alignment of multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis- method ofevaluation of multiple alignment. Phylogenetic analysis and tree evaluationmethods.
• Profiles and Hidden Markow model. Artificial neural networks, support vector machines (supervised machine learning)

Module II

• Gene identification and prediction: pattern recognition and gene prediction methods
• Protein structure prediction- primary and secondary structure analysis and prediction,motifs, profiles, patterns and fingerprint search, comparative protein model for proteinprediction, methods of 2-D structure prediction, protein function prediction from a DNAsequence.
• Pharmacogenetics- high throughput screening for drug discovery- identification of drug targets; Drug development.
• Functional Genomics-global gene expression analysis; Micro-array; comparative transcriptomics; Differential gene expression
• Proteomics: definition; identification and analysis of protein by 2D analysis; techniques for studying proteome.

 

MBT 212: Plant Tissue Culture Technology

Module I

• Laboratory requirement and general techniques.
• Tissue culture media.
• Cellular totipotency, somaclonal variation, micropropagation techniques
• Somatic embryogenesis.
• Haploid production.
• Protoplast isolation and culture.
• Production of pathogen-free plants.

Module II

• Axenic culture of seaweed and tissue culture.
• Germplasm storage.
• Embryo culture
• Ovule and seed culture.

 

MBL 111 : Lab in Marine Biology & Chemistry

• Samplers : water samplers, dredges, grabs, snappers.
• Sampling (Field trips) and identification:
  • Phytoplankton
  • Zooplankton
  • Nekton
  • Benthos
• Estimations:
  • Nutrients
  • Nitrate
  • Phosphate
  • Silicate
  • Dissolved oxygen
  • PH & alkalinity
  • Salinity
  • Chlorophyll
  • Primary productivity

 

MBL 112: Lab in Immunology

• Blood grouping
• Single and double immunodiffusion
• Assessment of antigen similarity using Ouchterlony double diffusion test.
• Determination of antibody titre using double diffusion
• Estimation of Ag/Ab using radial immunodiffusion
• Quantitative precipitin assay
• DOT ELISA test
• Immunoelectrophoresis
• Antibody – HRP conjugation
• Latex Agglutination test
• Counter current immunoelectrophoresis
• Immunoblotting
• Rocket immunoelectrophoresis

 

MBL 113: Lab in Bioinformatics

• Search engines for bibliographic search
• Construction of plasmid map.
• Database search engines (Entrez/SRS) and submission of DNA/protein sequence.
• Exploring protein structure using RASMOL/Discovery studio/view
• Designing PCR primers and probes.
• Fundamentals in C-programming and construction of small programs in Bioinformatics .
• Reconstruction of phylogenetic tree using molecular data (Distance-based method or Neighbor-joining).
• Tools for Genomic Data Mining
  • Basic of Genome Annotation
  • Special tools for searching genomic data
  • Prediction of ORFs and Genes
  • Prediction of Signal sequences (Promoters, splice sites, UTRs etc. sequence
  • analysis tools (Bioedit/MEGA)

• Browsing & viewing genome data
  • Ensembl@EBI
  • MapViewer@NCBI
• Drug designing.
• Immunoinformatics

---Prediction of B and T cell epitopes for vaccine drug design

• Comparative and structural genomics.
• Proteomics (Expasy) and Interprotein Scan- pattern/motiof detection in proteins
• Protein-Protein interaction

 

MBL 114: Lab in Plant Tissue Culture

• Sterilization of explants and callus induction.
• Regeneration of plantlet from callus.
• Single cell suspension and protoplast isolation.
• Axenic culture & tissue culture of seaweeds.
• Somatic embryogenesis.
• Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer.
  

 

Semester III

MBT 221 : Bioprocess & Industrial Biotechnology

Module I

Basic Principles of Biochemical Engineering and Fermentation Processes:

• Isolation, screening, and preservation of industrially important microbes
• Bioreactor designs
• Types of fermenters
• Concepts of basic modes of fermentation: batch, fed-batch and continuous
• Scale up fermentation processes
• Media formulation
• Air and media sterilization.
• Aeration & agitation in bioprocess.
• Measurement and control of bioprocess parameters.

Module II

Industrial production of chemicals :

• Strain improvement for increased field & other desirable characteristics
•  Acohol (beer)
•  Organic acids (citric acid)
•  Antibiotics (Penicillin)
•  Amino acids (lysine)
•  Application of microbes in food processing: manufacture of cheese and monosodium glutamate

Module III

• Downstream Processing:
  • introduction, removal of microbal cells & solids
  • bioseparation, filtration, centrifugation sedimentation.
  • flocculation, cell disruption, liquid-liquid extraction,
  • Purification by chromatographic techniques
  • Drying, crystallization.
  • Storage & Packaging
• Effluent treatment & disposal.
  • Immobilization of microbial cells & their applications
  • Bioprocess for the production of biomass: yeast and mushrooms
  • Single cell proteins

 

MBT 222 : Recombinant DNA Technology

Module I

DNA modifying enzymes and their uses in Molecular Biology

• Restriction enzymes
• DNA Polymerases
  • Klenow
  • DNA polymerase I
  • T4/T7 DNA polymerase
• Reverse Transcriptase
• Terminal Transferases
• T4 Polynucleotide Kinases & Alkaline phosphatases
• DNA dependent RNA polymerases.
• DNA ligases
• Nucleases:- Bal 31, Sl nucleases, DNase I, mungbean nucleases, Ribonucleases, Exo III. Thermostable DNA polymerases used in PCR.

Module II

Cloning vectors and their applications

• Plasmids of Gram +ve & Gram –ve bacteria
• Phages – Lambda and M13 vectors
• Cosmids
• Phagemids

Specialized vectors & their uses

• Expression vectors for prokaryotes & Eukaryotes
• Gene fusion vectors
• Yeast vector.
• Drosophila genetic element based vectors. DNA cloning
  • Sticky ends
  • Blunt ends
  • Homopolymeric tailing
  • Use of adapters & linkers.

Construction of genomic libraries (shotgun cloning) Construction of cDNA libraries. Preparation of radiolabelled/non radiolabelled DNA & RNA probes.

Module III

Screening of genomic libraries with oligoprobe & antibodies. Technique of DNA and plasmid isolation with special reference to commercial kits, Equilibrium density gradient centrifugation, DNA finger printing, Foot printing, Northern/Southern/Western blot, dot/zoo blot Chromosome jumping, Chromosome walking, DNA sequencing. Site directed mutagenesis.

 

MBT 223: Animal Cell Culture

Module I

Introduction

• Introduction to tissue culture
• History and concepts of Animal cell culture
• Applications and limitations

Designing And Equipping The Tissue Culture Lab :

• Laboratory design
• Equipment needed and used
• Glassware and plasticware - tissue culture vessels

Aseptic Techniques

Types of Tissue Culture

• Primary Cultures : explant culture
• Cell cultures: sources, types-adherent/suspension, kinetics of cell growth, rodent and human cell cultures, techniques for isolation , methods for cell separation
• Organ cultures – techniques for organ culture, histotypic, organotypic, organoids and 3D cultures.
• Stem cell cultures
• Embryo cultures and IVF.

Module II

• Culture Of Cell Lines
  • Basic techniques of culturing mammalian cells, initiation, selection and evolution of cell lines, maintenance of cell lines, phases of cell cycle, growth curve of cells, protocols for subculturing of cells: monolayer and suspension cultures, setting up replicate cultures, established cell lines. Large scale culturing of animal cells.
• Culture Environment
  • Atmosphere, media- types, components, natural and artificial substrate material
• Preservation and Characterisation Of The Animal Cell
  • Maintenance, cryopreservation and storage of cell cultures, culture banks, sources for seed cultures.
• Biology Of The Cultured Cell And Cell Counting
  • Transformation, differentiation, deadaptation and dedifferentiation Cell Counting: hemocytometer, coulter counter, Flow cytometry and Cytofluorometry
• Applications Of Animal Cell Cultures

 

MBT 224 : Enzymology

Module I

• Classification and nomenclature of enzymes.
• Effect of pH, temperature, ions, etc. on enzyme activity.
• Enzyme extraction and assay.
• Enzyme purification: principles and techniques of salting in and out, molecular sieving, ion exchange and affinity chromatography, gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, 2-D electrophoresis.

Module II

• Isozymes ; in situ localization of enzymes in gels.
• Catalytic mechanisms: mechanism of action of lysozyme, chymotrypsin etc.
• Cofactors and Coenzymes.
• Allosteric enzymes.
• Reaction kinetics, order and molecularity; steady state kinetics; analysis of kinetic data; enzyme inhibition.
• Multisubstrate reactions.
• Enzyme activation.
• Biological regulation of enzyme activity.

Module III

• Enzyme modification.
• Clinical and industrial applications of enzymes; enzyme immobilization.
• Ribozymes, catalytic antibodies and their applications.
• Enzyme fusion.
• Biosensors.

 

MBT 225 : Molecular Immunology

Module I

Recognition of antigens

• The major histocompatibility complex:
  • Discovery and its role in immune response
  • Structure of MHC molecules
  • Binding of peptides to MHC molecules
  • Genomic organization of the MHC
• Recognition of antigens by T Lymphocytes
  • Antigen processing and presentation to CD4+ and CD8+ T Lymphocytes.
  • Antigen receptors and accessory molecules of T Lymphocytes
  • Effector molecules of T lymphocytes

Maturation, activation and regulation of Lymphocytes

• Maturation of Lymphocytes
  • General features of Lymphocyte maturation
  • Formation of functional antigen receptor genes in B & T lymphocytes.
  • Maturation of B lymphocytes.
  • Maturation of T lymphocytes.

Module II

• Activation of T lymphocytes
  • Signal transduction by the T lymphocyte receptor complex – Ras and Rac, Calcineurin and Protein Kinase C signaling.
  • Activation of transcription factors in T cells
• Activation of B cells
  • Signal transduction by the B cell antigen receptor complex
  • CD40 and its role in T-B cooperation
  • Bidirectional molecular interactions between T-B cells
• Immunologic tolerance
  • General features & mechanisms of immunologic tolerance
  • T Lymphocyte tolerance
  • B Lymphocyte tolerance
  • Homeostasis in the immune system: termination of normal immune response
• Effector mechanisms of immune responses
  • Cytokines – regulating innate and adaptive immunity and stimulate hematopoiesis
  • Cell mediated immunity
  • Humoral immunity

Module III

Immunity in defense and disease

• Immunity to Microbes –
  • Immunity to extracellular and intracellular bacteria: Innate and adaptive response, evasion of mechanisms by bacteria
  • Immunity to fungi, viruses and parasites
  • Strategies for vaccine development
• Immunity to tumors
  • Tumor antigens
  • Immune responses to tumors
  • Evasion of immune responses by tumors
  • Immunotherapy for tumours
• Diseases caused by immune responses: hypersensitivity and autoimmunity
  • Mechanisms of autoimmunity
  • Types of hypersensitivity diseases
  • Therapeutic approaches for immunologic diseases
  • Immunosuppression
  • Bone marrow transplantation immunology

 

MBL 221: Lab in Fermentation Technology

• Microbial production of ethanol using yeast sp.
• Estimating ethanol concentration by Cerric Ammonium nitrate method.
• Microbial production and estimation of organic acids: Citric acid using Aspergillus sp.
• Microbial production of antibiotics.
• Immobilization of microbial cells: use of alginate.
• Use of fermenter with special reference to scale-up operations.
• Batch and continuous culture.
• Manufacture of ginger ale.
• Mushroom cultivation.

 

MBL 222: Lab in Recombinant Dna Technology

Plasmid isolation by alkaline lysis and boiling method. Ethidium bromide/CsCl density gradient centrifugation. Transformation of plasmid using competent bacterial cells. Restriction mapping.  Cloning a) Restriction of plasmid and alkaline phosphatase treatment. b) Ligation of insert. c) Selection/screening for recombinant. Transfection and preparation of ssDNA. PCR. RT-PCR. Western blotting. Southern blotting. DNA sequencing.

 

MBL 121: Lab in Animal Cell Culture

• Sterilization and preparation of glassware, preparation of tissue culture medium and membrane filtration.
• Preparation of single cell suspension from spleen or thymus
• Cell counting and cell viability
• Setting up of macrophage monolayer and use of inverted microscope
• Preparation of goat serum
• Setting up monolayer of tilapia hepatocytes
• Staining and preparation of permanent slides

 

MBL 223 : Lab in Enzyme Characterization

• Enzyme isolation – preparation of cell-free lysates
• Ammonium sulphate precipitation
• Dialysis
• Gel filtration
• Ion exchange chromatography
• Affinity chromatography
• Enzyme kinetic parameters
• Assessing protein purity by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
• Molecular weight determination by SDS-PAGE

 

Semester - IV

MBT 331 : Potential Applications Of Marine Organisms

Module I

• Microorganisms :
  • Marine viruses Bacteria and their significance : unculturable bacteria : occurrence,characteristics and exploitation, chemosynthetic and giant bacteria, the Superbug
• Macroorganisms :
  • Hydrothermal vents : biodiversity of organisms
  • Barophilic organisms & their applications

Module II

• Important Marine Products:
  • Bioactive compounds from marine organisms
  • GFP, RFP characteristics and their applications
  • Green mussel adhesive protein
  • Chitosan and its applications

Module III

• Marine Processes and control:
  • Biofouling ,biofilms, corrosion and antifouling treatment
  • Ballast water : consequences & management
  • Red tides : causative organisms and control
  • Marine pollution & its control ; Seaweeds for removal of metal pollutants
    • Techniques for identification of bacterial & viral pathogens in aquaculture and remedies
  • Probiotic bacteria and their importance in aquaculture
    • Vaccines in aquaculture: Fish ,shrimps & prawns
    • Marine food analysis-spoilage, quality control
    • ISO standards taking export into consideration

 

MBT 231 : Aquaculture Technology & Marine Pharmacology

Module I

Culture systems and Hatchery techniques

Importance of coastal aquaculture; Aqua farms; Design and construction; Criteria for selecting cultivable species; Culture systems and management practices – extensive, semi intensive and intensive culture practices Seed production in controlled condition; Types; Design and management of hatchery –induced spawning; Mass production of seeds; Live feed culture technique and feed formulation; Artificial insemination - in vitro fertilization.

Module II

• Introduction to marine pharmacology
  • Terms and definitions; Medicinal compounds from marine flora and fauna - marine toxins, antiviral and antimicrobial agents.
• Manipulation Techniques
  • Chromosome manipulation in aquaculture – hybridization; Ploidy induction; Gynogenesis, Androgenesis and sex reversal in commercially important fishes.

Module III

• Microbial techniques
  • Application of microbial biotechnology in culture ponds; Bioaugmentation; Bioremediation for soil and water quality improvement - nutrient cycling; bio-fertilization;
• Diseases diagnosis
  • Tools for disease diagnosis in cultivable organisms; Enzyme immunoassays; Dot immunebinding assay; Western blotting; Latex agglutination test; Monoclonal antibodies; DNA based diagnosis; Cryopreservation.

 

MBT 332 : Applications Of Recombinant Dna Technology

Module I

PCR, types and their applications in clinical diagnosis, mutagenesis, monitoring of GEMS phylogenetic analysis, genetic markers assisted screening, pathogen detection and biodiversity. Metagenomic studies, Studying large genomes: Plasmid/marker rescue techniques & Tn-tagging for isolation of genes., Physical maps by PFGE., Ordering cosmids., Binary finger printing using oligo probes., Linking cosmids with cosmid contigs., Ordering cosmids & YACS along chromosome using in situ hybridization.

Module II

DNA microarrays and applications. Gene therapy, viral and non-viral strategies and application.

Transgenic plants: Terminator gene technology, RNAi, Metabolic Engineering – Modification of plant Nutritional content – Amino acids and lipids as Bioreactor- polymers and foreign proteins in seeds. Selectable Markers, reporter genes- Promoters used in Plant vectors genetic engineering for- heat, drought and saline tolerance (Osmogenes)- Virus resistance.- Pest resistance- Herbicide resistance- Herbicide tolerance- Delayed fruit ripening- Fungal and bacterial resistance- Secondary metabolite production., Production of therapeutic proteins- antibodiesvaccines edible Vaccines- hormones- Golden Rice- Biolistic in transgenic plants. Marker free transgenic plants. Co-transformation-Transgenic silencing & their applications, Transgenic animals and their applications. Genetic engineering & pharmaceutical proteins, Restriction enzymes, Bioplastic and other commercial products.

Module III

Molecular markers: use of nucleic acid probes and antibodies, In clinical diagnosis and tissue typing - Mapping of human genome-RFLP and applications. Animal cloning. Biotechnology of silkworms, transgenic silk production -Baculo viruses vector and foreign gene expression. Microbes in oil recovery & mining. Management and Commercialization aspects of Biotechnology & Enterpreneurship in Biotechnology.

 

MBT 232 : Biosafety and IPR

Module I

Introduction to Intellectual Property

Types of IP: Patents, Trademarks, Copyright & Related Rights, Industrial Design, Traditional Knowledge, Geographical Indications, Protection of New GMOs; International framework for the protection of IP

IP as a factor in R&D; IPs of relevance to Biotechnology and few Case Studies; Introduction to History of GATT, WTO, WIPO and TRIPS

Invention in context of “prior art”; Patent databases; Searching International Databases; Countrywise patent searches (USPTO, EPO, India etc.);

Module II

Basics of Patents

Types of patents; Indian Patent Act 1970; Recent Amendments; Filing of a patent application; Precautions before patenting-disclosure/non-disclosure; WIPO Treaties; Budapest Treaty; PCT and Implications; Role of a Country Patent Office; Procedure for filing a PCT application

Patent filing and Infringement

Patent application- forms and guidelines, fee structure, time frames; Types of patent applications: provisional and complete specifications; PCT and convention patent applications; International patenting-requirement, procedures and costs; Financial assistance for patenting-introduction to existing schemes; Publication of patents-gazette of India, status in Europe and US Patenting by research students, lecturers and scientists-University/organizational rules in India and abroad, credit sharing by workers, financial incentives Patent infringement- meaning, scope, litigation, case studies and examples

Module III

Biosafety

Introduction; Historical Backround; Introduction to Biological Safety Cabinets; Primary Containment for Biohazards; Biosafety Levels; Biosafety Levels of Specific Microorganisms; Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents and Infected Animals; Biosafety guidelines – Government of India; Definition of GMOs & LMOs; Roles of Institutional Biosafety Committee, RCGM, GEAC etc. for GMO applications in food and agriculture; Environmental release of GMOs; Risk Analysis; Risk Assessment; Risk management and communication; Overview of National Regulations and relevant International Agreements including Cartagena Protocol.

 

MBT 131: Cellular Biophysics

Module I

Ohm's law, diffusion, electric fields, potentials and charge

• Overview of the Cellular organization of the nervous system:
  • Typical nerve cell
  • Types of cells: Neuronal, Glial cells, ependymal cells and Schwann cells.
  • Role of meninges and CSF.
  • Classification and types of neurons , cytons and axons
  • function of nerve cells
• Ion Channels
  • Sodium channels
  • Potassium channels
  • Calcium channels
  • Chlorine channels
  • Ligand-gated channels
  • Ionic basis of resting membrane potential: Donann’s equilibrium experiments,
  • Nernst’s potential ,Goldman’s equation, Sodium –Potassium pump.
• Biophysics of neurons
  • Electrical properties of the axon, ion fluxes, potentials of nerve cell membrane
  • Resting membrane potential
  • Chemical –to- electrical transduction
  • Signal summation
  • Action Potential and propagation
    • Hodgkin and Huxley’s model, voltage
  • clamp experiment and the derivation and propagation of Action Potential
  • Compound Action potential
  • Sodium and Potassium ionic currents
• Electrical- to- chemical Transduction
  
  • Graded potential
  • Synaptic potential and synaptic integration [Electrical and Chemical Synaptic Potential, Excitatory Post Synaptic Potential (EPSP) Inhibitory Post Synaptic Potential (IPSP), Neuro-muscular junctions
• Transmission of nerve impulse

Module II

• Communication between neurons :
  • Types of synapses and synaptic transmission (electrical and chemical )
  • Synaptic transmission at central synapse (Type of receptors)
  • Synaptic transmission through second messenger (including mechanism of signal
  • transduction, Neuromodulation and synaptic inhibition
  • Neurotransmitter –physiological role, pharmacological significance, (example of one agonist and one antagonist for a neurotransmitter) Acetylcholine (Nicotinic and muscarinic receptors)
• Muscle- structure and electro-physiology of contraction.
•  Sensory system :
• Introduction – sensory systems and mediation of 4 attributes of a stimulus
  • modality;
  • Location;
  • Intensity;
  • Timing.
• Common plan of sensory system. General idea of a receptor and transduction of specific types of energy into electrical signals.
• Visual system: Vertebrate eye and retina.
• Morphology and arrangement of photoreceptors.
• Electrical response to light.
• Concept of receptive fields.
• Colour vision.
• Visual pathway, lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex.
• Visul perception as a creative process.
• Perception of motion, depth, form and colour.
• Visual attention and conscious awareness.

Module III

• Organisation of the nervous system in Marine organisms:
• Structure of nerve net, neural plexus, an ganglionated nervous system e.g. hydra, starfish, aplysia and Zebrafish
• Development of behavioral paradigms :
• Type study of behavior of Aplysia: elementary behavior, neuroendocrine reflexes,
• complex behavior; higher grade and learned behavior.
• Molecular basis of neuronal development and degeneration:
• Type model: Zebrafish

 

MBT 333: Genomics and Proteomics

Module I

Introduction

Structural organization of genome in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes; Organelle DNAmitochondrial, chloroplast; DNA sequencing-principles and translation to large scale projects; Recognition of coding and non-coding sequences and gene annotation; Tools for genome analysis-RFLP, DNA fingerprinting, RAPD, PCR, Linkage and Pedigree analysis-physical and genetic mapping.

Module II

Genome sequencing projects

Microbes, plants and animals; Accessing and retrieving genome project information from web; Comparative genomics, Identification and classification using molecular markers-16S rRNA typing/sequencing, ESTs and SNPs.

Pharmacogenetics

High throughput screening in genome for drug discovery-identification of gene targets, Pharmacogenetics and drug development

Module III

Proteomics

Protein analysis (includes measurement of concentration, amino-acid composition, N-terminal sequencing); 2-D electrophoresis of proteins; Micro-scale solution isoelectric-focusing; Peptide fingerprinting; LC/MS-MS for identification of proteins and modified proteins; MALDI-TOF; SAGE and Differential display proteomics, Protein-protein interactions, Yeast two hybrid system.

Functional genomics and proteomics

Analysis of microarray data; Protein and peptide microarray-based technology; PCR-directed  protein in situ arrays; Structural proteomics

 

MBM 131 : Scuba Diving

(This is an entry-level to give students the necessary skills to conduct open water dives in conditions similar to their training).

The course includes underwater environment, physics and physiology, Scuba equipment, skill development, dive planning, safety & first aid, CPR/AED/oxygen first aid, self and buddy assists rescues. (This course is a prerequisite for Research Diving.)

This will provide the theoretical aspects and practical training to assess the biological, physical,  geological and archaeological characteristics of the near shore marine environment. Lectures will focus on data gathering techniques, collecting common biota, installation of scientific apparatus, site location, scientific dive planning, etc. These will provide the theoretical aspects and practical training to assess the biological, physical, geological and archaeological characteristics of the near shore marine environment.

Prerequisites: Diving medical clearance, and successful completion of a water proficiency test consisting of the following skills:

• Swim underwater without swim aids for a distance of 25 yards without surfacing;
• Swim 400 yards in less than 12 minutes without swim aids;
• Tread water for 10 minutes, or 2 minutes without the use of hands, without swim aids;
• Without the use of swim aids, transport another person of equal size a distance of 25 yards in the water.

Required Equipment:

• Students to purchase: Mask, snorkel, fins, gloves, hood, booties, dive bag, weights & belt
• Students to rent: Cylinder; BCD; regulator with 2 secondary stages, pressure gauge, depth gauge & compass; and wetsuit.

General Objectives: Educate and train students with minimal entry knowledge and skills, in Scuba Diving, First Aid, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, Automatic External Defibrillation and Oxygen First Aid. Knowledge, skill performance and safety awareness levels will be equal to or exceed national training standards. Students are instructed using a multi-media approach, which includes: lectures, discussions, small group activities, guided and individual practice on mannequins and with classmates, DVD and live demonstrations, text readings and discussions, written assignments and self-quizzes. Evaluations will be accomplished through instructor, peer and self-assessments and standardized tests and other activities.

Practical :

Once the student completes, he/she must proceed to Gulf of mannar or Lakshadweep for practicals, combined with theory or validation classes. Here following can be demonstrated.

• Coral reef status survey methods (Two days)
• Health of corals (One day)
• Diseases of corals (One day)
• Biodiversity & Symbiosis (One day)
• Sample collection for the microbial associations (one day). Six days are planned because one dive is planned for a diver per day. Here the expenses to travel to GoM or Lakshadweep has to be borne by the student (Rs 10,000 for a week).