Biotechnology Human Resource
Development
Although Kerala is a leading State
in literacy and primary education in the country,
it still lags behind many other States in the “quality”
of education and “State of the Art” knowledge
especially in areas such as modern biology. Therefore
a major imperative in Kerala is building up and strengthening
of HRD in biotechnology for providing the knowledge-base
and knowledge cadre essential for industry and institutions.
Towards this end the existing leading State Institutions
in Biotechnology will be networked with advanced R&D
laboratories of the Central Government and Private
Institutions in the State. KSCSTE will evolve a scheme
to establish such a network and implement the same
so that personnel and facilities of the participating
institutions will be mobilized to train faculty and
mid-career scientists in research institutions to
enhance the capability in teaching and research.
Teaching and training will provide Biotech knowledge
base which are universal with special emphasis on
aspects which are relevant to Kerala. Fundamental
concepts and ideas of modern biology are the bedrock
on which such teaching and training will be based.
Elements of recombinant DNA technology, immunological
approaches structural biology, bioinformatics etc.,
will constitute the universal components.
The following institutions which already have significant
biotechnology programmes are identified to achieve
this goal:
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram
Sri Chitrathirunal Institute for Medical Sciences
& Technology, Thiruvananthapuram
Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
Rubber Research Institute of India, Kottayam
Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram
Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode
Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology,
Kerala Agricultural Unniversity.
Services of scientists from outside Kerala, the relevant
programmes of DBT, UGC and other central agencies
as well as the Science Academies, will also be harnessed
for human resource development.
There is a felt need for induction of young faculty
well-versed in modern biotechnology, in institutions
of higher learning and research. An empowered panel
of biotechnology experts, which will include some
from outside Kerala, will be set up, under the Biotechnology
Commission, to carry out the recruitment in this sector.
KSCSTE will set up a special post-doctoral Biotech
Career Development Programme whereby at least 10 (ten)
young faculty will be selected to undertake post-doctoral
work at leading biotech R&D labs in the country.
The eligibility will be limited to the faculty (below
35 years) working in the Universities and R&D
Institutions in Kerala. The empowered panel cited
above for recruiting young scientists/technologists
will also be assigned the responsibilities for selecting
career development awardees entirely on merit basis.
In order to motivate and retain creative professionals
and scientists, technical personnel and staff will
be given incentives by allowing them to retain a portion
of technology transfer fees and/or royalties earned
as a result of their R&D effort; to serve as Members
of Advisory Boards of Private companies; to take up
consultancy assignments. The guidelines evolved by
CSIR will be adopted to implement this initiative.
There is urgent need to inculcate patent literacy
and awareness of intellectual property rights and
their impact on R&D, Industry and the underfinnings
in relation to WTO. KSCSTE will organize special programmes
to foster IPR and Patent literacy.
Notwithstanding the emphasis on higher learning and
research, a basic overall need is to strengthen the
science education at high school and college levels.
While making special efforts to strengthen biology
education, the State will evolve means to prevent
the mushrooming of biotechnology and bio-informatics
programmes, especially in the private sector without
adequate professional expertise, facilities and basic
infrastructure. At the same time, the State will encourage
high quality professional and academic initiatives
in the private sector by implementing a discriminatory
policy favouring such Centres of Academic Excellence.
A major impact can be made by an Indian Institute
of Biotechnology (IIBT) established in Kerala which
could cater to the training of biotechnology professionals
who will be able to manage the biotech-initiatives
of Kerala and other States as well. Selection of students
to the IIBT will be through an open entrance examination
and the students thus selected could undergo a high
caliber integrated B.Sc.-M.Sc. course at the end of
which they will be free either to pursue a research
career or enter the biotech industry.
A substantial portion of the proposed Biotechnology
Development Fund will be earmarked for strengthening
the knowledge cadre and research facilities and in
implementing the above Biotechnology Policy Intiatives.
Agriculture
Kerala’s agricultural economy is driven by
the dominant commercial crops of the State viz. coconut,
rubber, spices (pepper, cardamom, ginger, vanilla),
tea, coffee, cocoa, cashew and tapioca, apart from
the horticultural crops such as pineapple and the
nendran banana variety. Orchids and Anthurium are
important cut flower crops of Kerala. The State is
also home to the “Njavara” rice, dietary
favourite of the diabetics and the salt tolerant Pokkali
variety. The State also harbours rare species of goat
and cow with valuable genetic traits for disease resistance.
The tools of biotechnology such as molecular genetics
and breeding, including the use of molecular markers
and descriptors as well as r-DNA technologies and
bio-informatics need to be harnessed in conjunction
with tissue culture techniques and conventional breeding
to not only combat biotic (insects, fungal, bacterial
and viral pathogens) and abiotic (drought, salinity)
stresses, but also to enhance value of these commercial
crops in the domestic and international market, while
sustaining and improving the genetic pool.
The areas of focus will include :
Biotic stresses – Root wilt of coconut; phytophthora
foot rot in black pepper; soft rot in ginger, khatte
and thripp virus in cardamom; vanilla bean virus;
sandalwood spike disease.
Coconut red mite; tea mosquito in cashew; coffee
berry borer; teak defoliator caterpillar;
Abiotic stresses – Drought tolerance in black
pepper, rubber; pokkali rice as a genetic resource
for engineering/breeding salt tolerance.
Crop and animal stock improvement - Kerala’s
rich biodiversity in black pepper, cardamom, ginger,
rice and rare species of goat and cow as genetic pool
for improvement; combating viral hepatitis on ducks.
The potential of the extensive infrastructure available
at Palode for promoting livestock vaccine production
to be fully utilized by net-working with concerned
State institutions with RGCB as the co-ordinating
nodal Centre.
Gene discovery and designer plants - Identification
and characterization of speciality genes and their
patenting; tissue specific gene expression; metabolic
pathway engineering, lateciferous cell specific promoters
in rubber; designer forest trees to yield wood with
less lignin and more cellulose for paper industry.
Bioinformatics, database and website - on Kerala’s
agri-gene pool; pests and diseases; resistance markers
and profiles; agronomic features; rare, endangered
and threatened species; Website for farmer access
for biotech solutions to enhance quality and productivity.
Value adition by post-harvest technology and processing
- Technologies in the value chain of harvesting, handling,
preservation and processing of crop products from
the farmers fields to the factory / market.
Illustrative example : Malaysian acreage in rubber
fell by 50% in the last decades but earnings increased
by product improvement and value addition. For instance,
processing technology for specialty products in the
manufacture of super luxury vehicles (BMW, Mercedes
Benz) rubber bearings in earth-quake proofing of buildings;
removal of allergenic proteins for high quality gloves/personal
care products.
Fermentation and down-stream processing in cocoa,
vanilla; oil and oleoresins in black pepper, capsicum,
ginger, cardamom, turmeric, garlic; enhancement of
colour in cardamom; starch, ethanol and bioplastics
from tapioca; application of enzymes in tea and coffee
pulp processing; bio-composting of agricultural wastes;
cocopith as high value replacement of peatmoss in
the high tech green houses and fertigation farms of
the multi-billion dollar horticulture and floriculture
industry.
HRD in Agri-biotech - There is specific need to focus
on HRD in Agribiotech especially in evolving post-graduate
and Ph.D. programmes. KAU as nodal agency will initiate
and co-ordinate agribiotech HRD schemes by net-working
with the institutions cited earlier in the section
on “Biotechnology Human Resource Development”.
Marine Resources
Sea food export is not only one of the highest revenue
earner for the State, but also provides directly and
indirectly employment to hundreds of thousands of
people. Application of biotechnology especially in
quality enhancement is a major need and will enhance
the State’s export competence dramatically.
The initiative will include:
Diagnosis and prevention of viral and microbial pathogens
by PCR and ELISA based techniques to counter white
spot syndrome virus as well as the yellow head virus.
Upgrading of facilities and creation of new ones
for testing and certification for microbial and viral
loads and antibiotic, hormone and chemical pesticide
residues will have priority.
Commercialisation of hatchery production protocols
for variety of sea foods as well as marine ornamental
fishes; Establishment of onshore and sea farms for
not only shrimps, crabs and related sea foods, but
also for fin fish, shell fish, sea weeds and micro
algae for the production of agar agar, algins as well
as anti oxidants and neutraceuticals; seafood waste
utilization and development of byproducts.
Environmentally sustainable harvesting of fisheries
wealth in the Indian EEZ as well as monitoring environmental
health in the coastal ecosystems will have priority.
Marine bio-prospecting will be a major theme of the
Biotech Policy. A number of novel marine biotechnology
initiatives are feasible and the policy will emphasise
such emerging areas. Examples are novel anti tumour
and immuno modulatory agents from marine organisms
such as sponges and blue green algae, e.g., Lyngbya
majasculata; marine microbes and saline fermentation
for therapeutic and industrial applications; biologically
active substances from amphibians and arthropods;
combinatorial genomics which allows integration of
DNA from non-culturable microbes into genomes of easily
culturable host microbe organisms. The institutions
involved in marine research with CMFRI as the nodal
Centre will co-ordinate the R&D and create natural
product database for the State’s marine wealth.
Healthcare
Kerala being the most health conscious State in the
country, emphasis should be on “forecastive
medicine” and “preventive therapies”
for physiological and genetic diseases such as cancer,
diabetes and mental disorders. The area of focus will
be on early, sensitive and accurate diagnosis of the
diseases (e.g. PCR based diagnostics; immuno diagnostics)
and development of vaccines. The State will encourage
the establishment of diagnostic service centers at
District headquarters for infectious diseases such
as tuberculosis and other pulmonary, parasitic and
gastro intestinal infections and AIDS. Sree Chitra
Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology
is already involved in ELISA and DNA based diagnostics
for cardio vascular infections and genetic diseases.
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology is active in
PCR based diagnostics for entero, rota, hepatitis
A and E viruses. Pharmacogenomics work at RGCB on
software development for detection and identification
of metabolic errors (e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms)
will complement this effort. SCTI and RGCB along with
Regional Cancer Centre will jointly spearhead the
initiative with SCTI as the nodal institution.
Tissue Engineering has immense potential to be a
niche area in medical biotechnology. Tissue Engineering
is expected to revolutionise the technologies leading
to organ replacement and the substitution of damaged
tissues, e.g., in vitro regeneration of tissue including
nerve, liver, bone and heart valves. The effort will
involve the participation of biotechnologists and
material scientists. Groups working at SCTI in the
areas of polymer science and bioceramics will be encouraged
to initiate the major programmes in this area.
Ayurveda and traditional medicines : Kerala is the
cradle of Ayurveda and the traditional system of medicine
is an integral part of the health regime of most Keralites.
The Ayurvedic manufacturing sector in the State comprises
nearly 760 units with 75 units having GMP certification
(report by Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Association).
Total export earnings of the Ayurvedic medicines in
2001-2002 was Rs.750 crores and is expected to increase
by Rs.5000 crores by 2005.
Medical tourism is a thriving activity in the State
with huge employment potential. A leading Ayurveda
company, for instance, has 322 formulations, 19 Ayur-clinics
in and outside Kerala apart from a multi crore health
resort in Bangalore and 60 franchise clinics. The
Company markets nearly 300 classic formulations out
of which 22 are patented drugs. A 40 acre herbal plantation
near Bangalore as well as new ones in Orissa and U.P.
cater to the company’s requirements. The above
illustrative example is indicative of the tremendous
potential for Ayurvedic medicine and medical tourism.
The State Policy will encourage the synthesis of the
traditional and modern in upgrading the quality and
the content of the Ayurvedic medicines and services.
Creation of an advanced multi purpose analytical
testing and standardization laboratory approved by
the National Accreditation Board For Testing and Calibration
of Laboratories, will cater to the needs of the Ayurvedic
and Pharmaceutical industry for meeting international
specifications.
Discovering new medicines from Nature : Nearly 40
% of the new drugs approved by the Food and Drugs
Administration, USA in the period 1983-1994 were either
directly or indirectly derived from natural products.
Kerala’s biodiversity treasure and rich tradition
of Ayurveda provides an ideal combination for discovery
and patenting of new drugs. A consortium approach
with leading industry partners and the State’s
major medical R&D institutions such as SCTI, RGCB,
RCC, TBGRI and CUSAT will be encouraged by KSCSTE
with special emphasis on collaboration with National
Chemical Laboratory, Pune in utilizing NCL’s
multicrore high throughput robotic facility for screening,
combinatorial synthesis, structure elucidation and
profiling of bio-molecules for drug development.
Neutraceuticals, functional foods that are used in
preventive health care such as weight regulation,
stress management, antioxidants, are another class
of health care products having rich potential and
will be an additional focus of the inter-institutional
collaboration cited above.
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Biotechnology
Policy 