Vol. 02 NO 17
SCHOLARSHIP - PAGE 3
DBT INDIA BIOCARE
PROGRAMME FOR WOMEN SCIENTISTS
POST DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS
70 BANTING POSTDOCTORAL
FELLOWSHIPS @ GOVT. OF
CANADA |
140 AWARDS AVAILABLE
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
program provides funding to the very best
postdoctoral applicants, both nationally
and internationally, who will positively
contribute to the country’s economic, so-
cial and research-based growth.
The objective of the Banting Postdoctoral
Fellowships program is to:
• attract and retain top-tier postdoctoral
talent, both nationally and internation-
ally
• develop their leadership potential
• position them for success as research
leaders of tomorrow
Areas of research
• Health research
GET THIS NEWSPAPER e-copy VIA WHATSAPP every week
NEWS - PAGE 3
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU MEMORIAL FUND
SCHOLARSHIPS 2018 FOR PHD STUDY
• Natural sciences and/or engineering
• Social sciences and/or humanities
Eligibility Citizenship :
• Canadian citizens
• Permanent residents of Canada
• Foreign citizens
Number of Fellowships Available :
70 fellowships are awarded annually a total
of up to 140 awards are active at any time.
Fellowships are distributed equally among:
• the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research (CIHR)
• the Natural Sciences and Engineer-
ing Research Council (NSERC)
April 24th, 2018.
NEWS - PAGE 8 NEWS - PAGE 10
MYSTERIOUS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA NIH REPORTS SINGLE DOSE HIV-
WREAKS HAVOC IN AUSTRALIA RESISTING VACCINE SUCCESS
INTERNATIONAL
&
NATIONAL
BIOTECH
SCHOLARSHIPS
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships 2018
By Diluxy Arya Notification for International Candidates.
• the Social Sciences and Humanities al Fellowships program must complete
Research Council (SSHRC) their application in full collaboration
with the proposed host institution.
Fellowship Amount : $70,000 per year
(taxable) Eligibility
Duration : 2 years (non-renewable) Confirm that you and your proposed host
institution meet the criteria below before you
Features apply for a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship.
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships pro- Applications that do not meet all of the eli-
gram is unique in its emphasis on the synergy gibility criteria will not be accepted.
between the following:
• applicant – individual merit and poten-
tial to launch a successful research-in-
tensive career
• host institution – commitment to the
research program and alignment with
the institution’s strategic priorities
• An applicant to the Banting Postdoctor-
Next Page>>>>
GIVE MISSED CALL TO
080-395-34707
1
April 24th, 2018.
Applicant eligibility
Citizenship and location of host institution
Canadian citizens, permanent residents of
Canada and foreign citizens are eligible to
apply with the following stipulations:
• Applicants who are not Canadian citi-
zens or permanent residents of Canada
may only hold their Banting Postdoc-
toral Fellowship at a Canadian institu-
tion.
• Applicants who are Canadian citizens
or permanent residents of Canada and
who obtained their PhD, PhD-equiva-
lent or health professional degree from
a foreign university may only hold their
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at a
Canadian institution.
• Applicants who are Canadian citizens
or permanent residents of Canada and
who obtained their PhD, PhD-equiva-
lent or health professional degree from
a Canadian university may hold their
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at ei-
ther a Canadian institution or an insti-
tution outside of Canada.
Eligibility window for degree completion
Applicants to the 2018-19 Banting Post-
doctoral Fellowships program must fulfill or
have fulfilled all degree requirements for a
PhD, PhD-equivalent or health professional
degree:
• between September 15, 2015 and Sep-
tember 30, 2019 (inclusively), and
• before the start date of their award.
Applicants who have not fulfilled all re-
quirements for their degree at the time of
application must submit proof no later than
October 15, 2019.
Allowable extensions to eligibility window
The window of eligibility can be extended
by a cumulative maximum of two years if the
applicant had their career interrupted for the
following reasons:
• Parental leave
• Illness
• Health-related family responsibilities
2
• Mandatory military serviceAddition-
ally, for health professionals who have
engaged in post-degree non-research
related clinical training (e.g. residency)
– the eligibility window can be extend-
ed by the duration of this training.
“Career interruption” refers to a period of
time when the applicant was not working
(full-time or part-time) and when their re-
search output was completely interrupted.
Additionally, for health professionals who
have engaged in post-degree non-research-re-
lated clinical training (e.g., residency), the
eligibility window can be extended by the
duration of this training.
For other professions that require post-de-
gree, non-research-related training to be cer-
tified by a professional body, please consult
the Vanier-Banting Secretariat to confirm
whether an extension to the eligibility win-
dow is allowable.
No other exceptions will be allowed.
Interruptions used to extend the eligibili-
ty window for degree completion must have
occurred after the fulfilment of your degree
requirements and before the application
submission deadline.
Justification must be provided in the Spe-
cial circumstances attachment.
“Fulfilled all requirements of the degree”
refers to the date that the applicant completed
all the steps required for obtaining their de-
gree. Although these requirements may vary
by institution and degree type, they normally
include thesis defence corrections and thesis
deposition. Note that convocation is not con-
sidered a degree requirement.
Host institution eligibility
Institutions eligible to host a Banting Fel-
low include Canadian and foreign universi-
ties, affiliated research hospitals, colleges
and not-for-profit organizations with a strong
research mandate and capacity.
Canadian governments (federal, provincial,
municipal) and all for-profit organizations are
not eligible to participate as host institutions.
Questions regarding institutional eligibili-
ty should be directed to the Vanier-Banting
Secretariat well in advance of the submission
deadline.
Other eligibility restrictions
• Applicants who currently hold or have
held agency-specific (CIHR, NSERC,
SSHRC) awards at the postdoctoral
level are eligible to apply to the 2018-
19 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
program only if the term of that funding
officially ends on or before September
30, 2019 and prior to the start of the
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship. Ear-
ly termination of the agency-specific
postdoctoral award for the purpose of
application to the Banting Postdoctoral
Fellowships program is not permitted.
• Applicants can apply for both the Bant-
ing Postdoctoral Fellowships program
and other agency-specific postdoctoral
fellowships programs (whether to the
same or a different federal granting
agency) at the same time, provided that
the research proposed in each appli-
cation falls within the mandate of the
federal granting agency to which the
application is submitted. For more in-
formation, please refer to Identify area
of research.
• *Applicants who are successful in both
competitions will have to choose which
award to accept.
• Applicants must not hold a tenure-track
or tenured faculty position, nor can
they be on leave from such a position.
• Only in rare circumstances will a Bant-
ing Postdoctoral Fellowship be award-
ed to an applicant who is staying at the
Vol. 02 NO 17
same institution or within the same
research environment where they com-
pleted their PhD, PhD-equivalent or
health professional degree. If an appli-
cant chooses to apply in collaboration
with the same institution (or its affil-
iated hospitals, research centres and
other laboratories) or within the same
research environment from which they
obtained their PhD, PhD-equivalent or
health professional degree, a solid jus-
tification must be provided in the Spe-
cial circumstances attachment. Exam-
ples of valid justifications are scientific
reasons (e.g., availability of specialized
equipment/infrastructure or expertise),
family reasons (e.g., family obliga-
tions), health reasons (e.g., proximity
to health care facilities) and/or reasons
related to community or cultural re-
sponsibilities.
• Applicants can submit only one appli-
cation per competition year to the Bant-
ing Postdoctoral Fellowships program.
• Without exception, Banting Postdoc-
toral Fellowships:
1. are tenable only at the institution that
supported the original application for
the program;
2. must be taken up no earlier than April
1st and no later than October 1st fol-
lowing the year of application;
3. are for two years; and
4. can only be held once in a lifetime.
Vol. 02 NO 17
INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL
BIOTECH SCHOLARSHIPS
DBT India BioCARe
Programme for Women
Scientists
Great opportunity for women scientist
via DBT India. BioCARe Programme for
Women Scientists 2018 notification is out.
Applications are invited for Letter of In-
tent for DBT India BioCARe Programme
for Women Scientists.
Government Of India
The Department Of Biotechnology, Ministry
Of Science & Technology
Announces The Call For Letter Of Intent
Under
“Biotechnology Career Advancement And
Re-Orientation
Programme For Women Scientists”
BioCARe
To enhance the participation of Women Sci-
entists in Biotechnology Research, the De-
partment of Biotechnology invites the Letter
of Intents (LOIs) under the BioCARe scheme
for women scientists. The programme is tar-
getted towards Career Development of em-
ployed/unemployed women scientists. The
scheme is open for all areas of Life Science
/ Biotechnology (including agriculture, vet-
erinary science and medicine). Age limit for
application has been kept as 55 to ensure
maximum impact.
The programme aims at providing support
for Research project grants to women scien-
tists (employed & unemployed) for whom it
is the first extramural research grant (Wom-
en Scientists who have received any earlier
grant from any Government Funding Agen-
cy as Principal Investigator are not eligible).
The purpose is to build capacities for women
scientists so as to help them undertake inde-
pendent R&D projects. It would also be a
good opportunity for Women Scientists who
have had a Career Break to get into the main
stream of research.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates may submit a Let-
ter of Intent through e-PROMIS portal of
DBT (http://dbtepromis.gov.in). For further
assistance contact Dr. Suraksha S. Diwan,
Scientist ‘D’, Department of Biotechnolo-
gy, C.G.O. Complex, New Delhi – 110 003.
Email: biocare.dbt@nic.in
Details of the scheme -guidelines are at
DBT website www.dbtindia.nic.in and LOI is
at http://dbtepromis.gov.in.
Important Links:
• BioCare LOI Advt. 2018
• BioCARe Guidelines 2018
• LOI template Word/PDF
• Last Date for Submission of LOI – 31st
May, 2018.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Memorial Fund
Scholarships 2018 For
PhD Study
The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund
formally came into being when a Nation-
al Committee consisting of 110 members
was convened in New Delhi on 17 August
1964 under the Chairmanship of Dr S.
Radhakrishnan, then President of India.
This Committee unanimously adopted a
Deed of Declaration of Trust and nominat-
ed the first Trustees, Holding Trustees and
Members of the Executive Committee.
CATEGORIES OF SCHOLARSHIPS
The scholarships are available for Ph.D.
study in India to the following categories of
students:
• Indian Nationals
• Nationals of other Asian countries
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION/
SUBJECT
A candidate may apply for scholarship in
any one of the following areas of specialisa-
tion:
• Indian History and Civilization
• Sociology
• Comparative Studies in Religion &
Culture
• Economics
• Geography
• Philosophy
• Ecology & Environment
ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS
At the time of making the application for
scholarship, a candidate should
• Hold a FIRST Class Post-graduate de-
gree with a minimum 60% marks in
aggregate in both graduate and post
graduate level,
• Already be registered/admitted for
Ph.D. degree with a recognized Uni-
versity/Institution in India.
• Those who have applied for registra-
tion and have not yet been registered at
the time of submission of application,
are not eligible to apply,
• Not be above 35 years of age,
• Be a full-time Ph.D. Scholar
DURATION OF SCHOLARSHIP : up to
2 years.
VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIP FOR
BOTH THE CATEGORIES
• Maintenance allowance including Tui-
tion fee – Rs.18,000 per month
• Contingent expenses for study tours
within India, purchase of books, sta-
tionery, etc. – Rs.15,000 per annum
What you need to apply for a JNMF Schol-
arship
LAST DATE
Completed application form together with
all the necessary enclosures should reach
Administrative Secretary, Jawaharlal Neh-
ru Memorial Fund, Teen Murti House, New
Delhi-110011 on or before 31 May. The can-
didates are advised to send their applications
as soon as possible. The Fund will not be re-
sponsible for any postal delays in reaching
the application by the due date.
The Selection Committee’s decision to call
a candidate for interview or select a candi-
date for scholarship will be final and no rep-
resentation in this regard will be entertained.
ENCLOSURES
1) A passport size photograph of the appli-
cant to be pasted on the form.
2) A synopsis of the proposed project as per
the attached format.
3) Doctoral Monitoring Committee’s report
or Supervisor’s report/recommendations.
4) Postal Order/Demand Draft for Rs.100.
5) Ph.D registration certificate.
Incomplete and unsigned forms are liable to
be rejected.
Application Deadline – 31st May 2018
April 24th, 2018.
The Raman – Charpak Fel-
lowship Program – 2018 |
Official Notification
The official notification for Raman –
Charpak Fellowship Program – 2018 has
been announced. Raman-Charpak Fellow-
ship Program 2018 Notification. Indian
nationals are eligible to apply for this fel-
lowship program in areas of life sciences.
Check out all of the details on the same
below:
RAMAN–CHARPAK FELLOWSHIP 2018
Call for Applications
for
Indian & French PhD Students
The Raman–Charpak Fellowship program
is in honour of two Nobel Laureates in Phys-
ics, Prof C.V. Raman, Indian Nobel Laureate
(1930) and Prof Georges Charpak, French
Nobel Laureate (1992).
The Fellowship was launched during the
State visit of the President of France, H.E.
Mr. Francois Hollande, to India during Feb-
ruary 14-15th, 2013. The aim is to facilitate
the exchange of doctoral students between
the two countries, in order to broaden the
scope and depth of future engagements in
Science, Technology and Innovation.
The Raman-Charpak Fellowship is the only
Indo-French bilateral Fellowship programme
jointly funded by the Department of Science
and Technology (DST), Government of India
and the Sector for Science and Technology
(SST), French Embassy in India, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs & International Develop-
ment, Government of France.
This programme implemented by the Indo
French Centre for Promotion of Advanced
Research (IFCPAR/ CEFIPRA) aims at im-
proving the doctoral skills of Indian and
French students by providing them an oppor-
tunity to carry out part of their research work
in a University / Research & Development
Institute based in France or India respective-
ly.
The scheme also provides an exposure and
experience about the current research meth-
ods and trends in France/India, while discov-
ering each other’s cultural context.
Please note: Applicants must have a
pre-determined project proposal that has
been discussed and agreed upon by the
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3
April 24th, 2018.
student and the two supervisors (Indian
and French) before applying.
TARGET GROUP : This fellowship pro-
gramme is dedicated to highly qualified PhD
students registered in an Indian or French
Research Institute / University, to offer them
an excellent opportunity to carry out a part
of their research project in France / India, to
establish professional relationships, to pro-
mote new S&T cooperation, and to experi-
ence another cultural context.
DURATION : Students can avail the fel-
lowship for minimum of 2 months to maxi-
mum of 6 months
FIELDS OF RESEARCH :
• Atmospheric Sciences, Earth Sciences
and Environmental Sciences
• Chemical Sciences
• Engineering Sciences
• Biological Sciences, Life and Medical
Sciences
• Materials Science
• Mathematical and Computational
Sciences
• Physical Sciences
FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT
For Indian Fellow: Fellowship Support
of 1500 Euros per month for daily expenses,
local travel, accommodation charges plus So-
cial Security charges
• For French Fellow: Fellowship support
Rs. 40,000 per month for daily expens-
es, local travel etc. plus accommoda-
tion charges not exceeding Rs. 45,000
per month
• To and fro air ticket in economy class
between India and France
• Insurance coverage (travel & health)
wherever is required
• Any administrative costs for Visa and
Registration (if any)
• Carte de Sejour (if any)
• A Fellow may be provided with an ad-
ditional support (up to Euro 500 for In-
dian Fellows and equivalent support in
Indian Rupees for French Fellows) for
participating in a Seminar/Workshop
during their term of the fellowship and
stay in their host countries. The same
will be limited to registration fees (if
any) b) Air/Train tickets for travel in-
cluding TA/DA claim (if any) c) ac-
commodation charges (if any)
Please note that no support will be pro-
vided for the family members during the
fellowship period.
ELIGIBILITY :
• Applicants from India must be Indian
citizens residing in India and have reg-
istered for a PhD in a recognized uni-
versity or research institution in India
• Applicants from France must be resid-
ing in France and have registered for a
PhD in a recognized university or re-
search institution in France
• Age: Maximum 30 years as on 1st
April, 2018
• Students once supported by CEFIPRA,
also in the framework of CEFIPRA
projects, and students who have a per-
manent position in institutions/univer-
sities are not eligible
• Pre-authorization or prior consent from
his/her Institute / University to apply-
for a foreign fellowship program [No
objection certificate from Head of the
Institution] (Only for Indian Appli-
4
cants)
APPLICATION PROCEDURE & DOCU-
MENTS REQUIRED :
• Only online submission will be consid-
ered, candidates have to register and
apply at www.cefipra.org or log on to:
http://www.cefipra.org/raman-char-
pak2017/
• Detailed description of the research
plan/proposal (maximum up to 5 pag-
es) in the prescribed format (see link
below), which notably asks for: the title
and the research work plan, an expla-
nation of the expected benefit from his/
her stay in the proposed Research Insti-
tute / University in France / India etc.
• A CV (maximum up to 2 pages) in the
prescribed format (see link below) with
recent photograph including summary
of achievements and research interests,
list of relevant publications (maximum
5 most important ones), etc.
• A letter of recommendation from the
Ph.D. supervisor
• A letter of agreement from the pro-
posed host supervisor in the fellowship
lab (Foreign Research Institute / Uni-
versity)
• PhD synopsis or short summary of PhD
work (up to 2 pages only)
• Research experience letter or publi-
cations if any (first author or co-au-
thor);(kindly combine the first page
of all the publications and enclose as a
single PDF file)
• No Objection Certificate from Head of
the Institution. (Only for Indian Appli-
cants)
• A scan copy of passport (both front and
back)
• A recent photograph
Please note:
• The documents enclosed must respect the
lengths indicated above. It is strongly
encouraged to apply early for timely pro-
cessing rather than towards the end of the
deadline. Please ensure that you completely
fill the application form and then submit with
all the requested documents/attachments. In-
complete applications will not be considered
• The host institution/university of Indian
applicants must be in France and vice
versa for the French applicants.
• If the application is successfully submit-
ted, candidate should not apply again.
• Applications received through post or sub-
mitted after the deadline will not be consid-
ered
TIME LINE FOR APPLICATIONS :
• Launching : 12th April, 2018
• End of Deadline : 31st May, 2018
• Result : End of August, 2018 (Tenta-
tive)
• Starting date of fellowship : October,
2018 onwards
Guidelines & Important Instructions:
• Awarded fellows shall be invited to
submit a valid travel itinerary accord-
ing to their proposed duration of fel-
lowship stated in his/her application
form
• The travel itinerary for visit will be
valid only after the declaration of re-
sults and an awarded fellow shall start
his/her fellowship by 31st March, 2019
at the latest
• A request made by a fellow for reduc-
ing or increasing the duration of the fel-
lowship may be accepted on following
two conditions:
• An increase/decrease of maximum 30
days from the proposed duration and
within the
• guidelines of the programme.
• The fellow has to provide a justifica-
tion for such request along with the rec-
ommendation
• letters from their PhD & host super-
visors. Hence, it is advised that can-
didates must carefully submit their
proposed duration in their application
form after consulting and discussing
with their PhD and host supervisors.
Please note that in total, the overall du-
ration should not be less than 2 months
and should not exceed 6 months.
• A fellow may be supported to partici-
pate in a Seminar/Conference/Work-
shop during their stay in their host
countries. For this purpose, the fellow
should provide a proof of acceptance
regarding selection of their paper/post-
er or their participation. CEFIPRA will
consider providing support for their
registration, travel and stay during that
period.
For any queries regarding the Raman-Char-
pak Fellowship 2018, please contact us at
E-mail ID: ramancharpak@cefipra.org
For any further information please con-
tact:
Dr. Mukesh Kumar
Director,
Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of
Advanced Research (Centre Franco-Indien
pour la Promotion de la Recherche Avancée-
CEFIPRA)
Core 5B, Ground Floor, India Habitat Cen-
tre Lodhi Road,
New Delhi 110 003 (India)
(Attn: Mr. Kunal Kasariya, Scientific Pro-
gramme Associate, CEFIPRA; E-mail:
kunal@cefipra.org) Office Tel. No.+91 11
24682251, +91 11 24682252
ICMR CENTENARY – Post
Doctoral Research Fellow
With Rs. 50,000/-
Fellowship
INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RE-
SEARCH (I C M R)
DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCE
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
(HRD)
ICMR CENTENARY -Post Doctoral Re-
search Fellow (Scheme)
ICMR, with its 26 state-of-the-art Institutes/
Centers, is amongst the foremost research
organizations in the field of Bio Medical
Sciences. Over the years, the Council has
helped India user in a scientific milieu, cre-
ating and nurturing talent in many disciplines
Vol. 02 NO 17
such as communicable and non communica-
ble diseases, basic medical sciences, repro-
ductive health including nutrition, human
resource developments etc.
ICMR Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Scheme is being instituted to foster high qual-
ity research opportunities to promising fresh
PhD/ MD/MS holders in the cutting edge ar-
eas of basic science, communicable and non
communicable diseases, and reproductive
health including nutrition at ICMR Institutes
/Centers. Special focus will be on fundamen-
tal research in areas of science and other pri-
ority areas identified by ICMR from time to
time. ICMR intends to offer fifty (50) such
fellowships every year for working in ICMR
Institutes/Centers with state-of-art R&D fa-
cilities. These fellowships will be allocated
by Director General, ICMR, depending upon
the needs of the Institute /Centre.
Eligibility:
Fresh PhDs/MD/MS within three years of
completing their PhD/MD/MS and also those
who have submitted PhD/MD/MS thesis.
Postgraduate medical students are also
permitted to carry out ICMR’s PDF in MCI
recognized postgraduate medical colleges
wherein minimum of three batches have ob-
tained their postgraduate degree.
ICMR Postdoctoral Research Fellowship is
open to Indian nationals only.
Tenure:
Two years and extendable for maximum
one more year based on outstanding perfor-
mance and recommendations by the Director
/ Officer-in-Charge of the concerned ICMR
Institutes/ Centers.In the event of his/her
leaving before completing one year, he/she
may be required to refund the stipend drawn
by him/her from the date of joining to the
date of leaving the fellowship.
Maximum Age Limit:
32 years, relaxable upto 5 years in case of
SC/ST/OBC/PH and women candidates, as
on last date of application ( 30 June and 31
December ) . For deserving candidates age
can be relaxed maximum upto maximum of
3 years based on earlier work done, publi-
cations, awards etc. along with the request
by sponsoring Director /Director-in-charge.
Director General may consider and relax on
the recommendation of thee screening com-
mittee.
Remuneration:
ICMR Post Doctoral Fellows will be paid
a consolidated fellowship of Rs.50,000/- per
month plus House Rent Allowance (HRA),
Non Practicing allowance (NPA) as admissi-
ble and a contingency grant of Rs.3.0 lakhs
per annum. 25% of the contingency grant
can be used for travel including per diem
expenses.
Mode of Selection:
Selection of the “ICMR Centenary Post-
doctoral Research Fellows” will be made
through interview of short listed candidates
by specially constituted Committees by Di-
rector General based on their publications,
citation and its impact factor. The place of
interviews will be decided by the Director
Next Page>>>>
Vol. 02 NO 17
General, ICMR. Eligible candidates must
route their applications through the spon-
soring ICMR Institutes/ Centers. Applicants
coming abroad may also be considered in ab-
sentia, if eligible and found suitable by the
committee.
Accommodation and other benefits:
Accommodation may be provided by ICMR
Institutes/ Centers if available. However, in
such cases HRA will not be paid. ICMR
Postdoctoral Fellows will be entitled for
medical benefits and leave as per the ICMR
rules for JRF/Research Associates.
Other relevant information:
Fellowship amount will be paid to ICMR
institutes/Centre every six months including
contingency grant.
All other rules and regulations as applica-
ble to ICMR JRF/ Research Associate (can
be seen at www.icmr.org.in) will be applica-
ble to PDF’s. In all matters, the decision of
ICMR shall be final.
List of ICMR Institutes/ Centers and their
Niche Areas/R&D activities are available on
the ICMR web site. For more information
about institute/centre, please visit the web-
sites of the individual Institutes/ Centers.
All correspondence pertaining to “ICMR
CENTENARY -Postdoctoral Research Fel-
lowship” should be addressed to :
Dr N.C. Jain, Scientist-G & Head,
Division of Human Resource Planning and
Development,
Indian Council of Medical Research,
Ansari Nagar, Post Box No.4911,
New Delhi-110029
Email: drencejain@gmail.com
How to Apply:
Please read the instructions, given at ICMR
website carefully before filling the Applica-
tion Form (Annexure-I ). The Application
Proforma is also provided there (Annex-
ure II). List of ICMR Institutes/Centers are
available at ICMR web Page at icmr.org.in.
Applications complete in all respect must
reach on or before the closing date (twice
in a year). Candidates are advised to contact
the Director/ Officer-in Charge of ICMR In-
stitutes/Centers where they are interested to
pursue their PDF. Applicants can visit the
site at icmr.org.in to know the activities of
the Institutes/ centers and to know the their
mandates. Application received without the
recommendation of the Director /Officer-in
charge of the sponsoring ICMR institutes/
centers will not be entertained.
Where to Apply:
Applications duly filled in the prescribed
format and complete in all respect should be
sent to :
Director General
Attention: Dr N.C. Jain,
Scientist -G & Head,
Division of Human Resource Planning and
Development,
Indian Council of Medical Research
Ansari Nager
New Delhi-110029
“Application for ICMR CENTENARY
-Post- doctoral Research Fellowship”
should clearly be written on top of the enve-
lope containing application form.
Date’s for receiving application: Selection
will be made twice in a year and this will be
31st December and 30th June every year.
Biology International PhD
Scholarship @ Australia
National University
Research School of Biology International
PhD Scholarship
Overview:
Each year the ANU Research School of Bi-
ology (RSB) may offer one or more scholar-
ships known as the Research School of Biol-
ogy International PhD Scholarship to attract
the highest calibre international students to
pursue a PhD degree within the school.
Field of study : Biology
Value : $27,082 per annum 2018 rate
Payments made fortnightly
Payments made for 3 years
Eligibility:
The award will be available each year to a
prospective student who is:
• an International student
• enrolling full-time in a program of
study for the degree of Doctor of Phi-
losophy at ANU in RSB.
Selection:
Selection will be made on the basis of an
assessment of the student’s research poten-
tial. This will take into account a measure of
the applicant’s overall performance in under-
graduate and (if any) Master’s coursework
as well as an assessment of their most recent
graded research writing (thesis) and accom-
plishments (research publications, awards,
referee evaluation).
Benefits:
In addition to the fortnightly stipend, the
scholarship also provides the following ben-
efits:
• Dependant Child Allowance
• Relocation Allowance
• Thesis Reimbursement
How to Apply:
There is no separate application for this
scholarship. Students will be considered for
the scholarship based upon their application
for admission and on them meeting the eligi-
bility requirements.
CSIR Raman Research
Fellowships 2018-2019
COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND IN-
DUSTRIAL RESEARCH
Anusandhan Bhavan 2, Rafi Marg, New
Delhi – 110 001
Applications are invited from CSIR insti-
tutes for the award of Raman Research Fel-
lowships for the year 2018-2019. The Ra-
man Research Fellowships are granted to the
CSIR researchers for carrying out research in
the emerging / high priority technology are-
as. It is tenable at foreign institutions / R&D
Centres of Excellence. The entire cost is met
by CSIR HQs.
Salient Features of Raman Research Fel-
lowship (RRF)
Objective : The Fellowship is granted to
the CSIR Scientists for carrying out research
in the emerging/high priority areas in reputed
foreign institutions/R&D Centres of Excel-
lence to enhance their R&D skills/capabili-
ty. The Fellowship is tenable abroad at CSIR
cost.
Eligibility : Regular Scientists of CSIR
with high academic qualifications (Post grad-
uate in Engineering and PhD in Engineering)
and research experience, presently working
in high priority areas, (FTT / Mission mode
projects / NIMITLI projects / major pro-
grammes of Institute) who have completed
minimum 5 years of service in CSIR on the
last date for receipt of the applications. The
applicant must have made commendable
contribution to research / innovation in the
proposed area, which should be of interna-
tional level. Fellowship should not be sought
for training or to carry out tests, etc. using fa-
cilities in the host institute. The RRF must be
sought to further enhance the skills/capability
and fill in technological gaps. The candidate
should not be more than 45 year of age as on
May 8, 2018.
Fellowship tenure : Two to Six Months (in
one spell only)
Area : Applied research topics in the high
priority technology areas of the Laboratory/
CSIR and also any specific area under Basic
Science of relevance and immediate impor-
tance.
Terms : During the Fellowship period the
Scientist will be called “Raman Research
Fellow”. The Fellow will be sent abroad on
deputation terms.
Financial Terms :
• International air fare to & fro by cheap-
est Economy class
April 24th, 2018.
• Fellowship @ US $ 2500/- per month
• US$1000/- lump sum towards contin-
gency and preparatory expenses
• US$1000/- Supplementary grant for
participation in Conferences/visiting
institutions of excellence in country of
placement
Mode of Selection : Through interview by
a duly constituted Selection Committee to be
constituted by the DG CSIR. The candidate
must furnish at the time of interview, letter
of acceptance from the host-institution duly
approved by the Director of the Institutes in-
dicating the specific study work to be carried
out abroad. The candidate can make Power
point presentation (upto 5 slides) for 7 min-
utes, first four minutes for the present re-
search activities and remaining 3 minutes for
the proposed research work.
Bond : The selected candidates shall exe-
cute a bond before proceeding abroad on Fel-
lowship to serve the concerned Lab/Instt. for
three years on his/her return.
How to Apply :
The candidates are required to submit 6
(six) copies of their application form. In ad-
dition, an electronic copy of the nomination
summary as per Annexure-III may be sent to
the undersigned (kamlesh@csir.res.in).
The selection will be made through a mech-
anism of interview by the duly constituted
Selection Committee. The interviews will be
held in CSIR HQs., New Delhi sometimes in
June / July 2018. The exact date and time of
the interview will be intimated to all the eli-
gible candidates about one month in advance.
Terms and conditions governing “RA-
MAN RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP”
• The individual availing this Fellowship
would be called ‘Raman Research Fel-
low’
• The Fellowship will be for a period
of b months on deputation terms. It is
awarded for research and training in
the specific areas of priority identi-
fied by the CSIR (FTT / Mission mode
projects / NIMITLI projects / major
programmes of Institute). The Fellow
should not deviate his research top-
ic during the tenure of the fellowship
from the proposed subject of work and
also should not change the place of
work without prior written approval of
CSIR.
• Extension of fellowship beyond the
period mentioned in para 2 above shall
not be generally considered unless
there are exceptional circumstances
justifying such extension which could
not be visualized at the time of sub-
mitting the final plan of work. Such
a request should be received in CSIR
from the Fellow through his/her guide
and Director, at least one month before
expiry of the sanctioned period, indi-
cating specific recommendation of his/
her host institute and the Director of the
Laboratory and confirming that the fel-
low has been submitting the quarterly
Progress Report regularly on schedule.
• Rules governing payment of salary,
leave, medical, gratuity, GPF, Pension,
etc. of the Laboratory/Institute to which
the Fellow belongs, would continue to
Next Page>>>>
5
April 24th, 2018.
be applicable during the fellowship
period and shall be the liability of the
Lab./Institute concerned.
• He/She will be entitled to air passage
in cheapest economy class both ways
by Air-India only from his/her present
place of duty to the place of training by
the direct route. No other air-lines can
be used for this purpose except in sec-
tors where Air-India does not operate.
In sectors where Air-India does not op-
erate, air passage should be got booked
through Air-India, and will be limited
to Air India fares.
• The fellow will be entitled to fellow-
ship in foreign exchange equivalent to
US$ 2500/- (US dollars Two thousand
and five hundred only) per month in
the country of study in the appropriate
currency depending on the place of the
training, subject to RBI regulations. In
addition to this he/she will be provided
a supplementary grant of US$1000/-
for participation in Conferences/visit-
ing institutions of excellence in country
of placement. He/She will also be enti-
tled to US$1000/- as lump sum contin-
gency to cover expenses which may be
directly related to his/her work. It will
also cover the commission charged by
the authorised Banks on the transfer of
the foreign exchange to the Fellow’s
account in foreign country, visa fee,
etc.
• The Fellow would be required to get
his medical insurance done from an
appropriate Indian Insurance Company
before proceeding abroad. The expend-
iture on the medical insurance will be
borne by the Fellow out of the Contin-
gency amount granted.
• The Institution in which the fellow will
work do not generally charge any fee.
The Director of the Institute presum-
ably must have ensured that no fee is
payable in this case.
• The Fellow is expected to take appro-
priate measures to protect the IPR like-
ly to be generated during his/her stay at
the host-institution.
• The Fellow shall be required to execute
a bond before proceeding on Fellow-
ship to serve the concerned institute for
Three years on return from fellowship.
• If the Fellow does not return to India
or gets job opportunities overseas on
completion of the fellowship, the In-
stitute will recover the entire expend-
iture from the fellow and remit it to
the CSIR. In addition, the matter shall
be taken up with host Institution and
concerned Government through Indian
mission abroad for suitable/legal action
as deemed fit.
• The Fellow will devote his/her whole
time on his/her chosen area of special-
ization during the tenure of his/her fel-
lowship, and will not seek gainful em-
ployment elsewhere without the prior
permission of CSIR.
• The Fellow shall submit a quarterly
Progress Report on his/her research
activities overseas during the fellow-
ship abroad within 15 days on expiry
of each quarter and a detailed Final
Report on his/her return from abroad
within a fortnight. The quarterly Pro-
gress Report or on the Final Report, as
the case may be, will be forwarded to
CSIR immediately alongwith `Critical
Appraisal’ of the same by the Director
of the Institute.
• The institute shall also send alongwith
the Final Report, a statement of ex-
penditure, duly certified by the F&AO
6
of the laboratory indicating inter-alia,
the name of the fellow, position held
in Instt., period of fellowship, name
of foreign Institute where fellowship
was availed, Title of research, details
of travel expenses to & fro, Fellowship
and Contingency expenses (in foreign
currency as well as Indian Rupees), sal-
ary paid in India and any other payment
made to him/her.
• The fellowship should commence
within the same financial year in which
it is awarded i.e. April 1, 2018 to March
31, 2019.
The last date for receipt of the duly filled
in applications, complete in all respects is
May 8, 2018 Applications received after
the last date will be summarily rejected.
Italian Government
Scholarship 2018-2019 –
Official Notification
Italian Government Scholarship 2018-
2019 official notification for three (3), six
(6) or nine (9) months duration. Biology
candidates are eligible to apply for Italian
Government Scholarship 2018-2019. Ital-
ian Government Scholarship 2018-2019
notification for indian nationals, with in-
terest in Master’s Degree programme,
Ph.D. Program and Research under aca-
demic supervision as per the details given
below:
No.F.13-1/2018-ES.5
Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Develop-
ment
(Department of Higher Education)
OFFER OF ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
SCHOLARSHIP 2018-2019
Last date of online application: 30.04.2018
by 2 pm (Central European Time)
Online applications are invited from Indi-
an nationals for 2018-19 Italian Government
Scholarships three (3), six (6) or nine (9)
months duration. The detailed information
about the scholarships is annexed and also
available on Ministry for Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation (MAECI), Gov-
ernment of Italy website https://studyinitaly.
esteri.it/en/call-forprocedure.
Applicants are required to apply online both
on the Ministry of Human Resource Devel-
opment portal http://proposal.sakshat.ac.in/
scholarship/ and also on the website of MAE-
CI (Government of Italy) https://studyinitaly.
esteri.it/registrazione . The last date for sub-
mission of online application is 30.04.2018
by 2 pm (Central European Time).
Note: The candidates who do not apply at
both the websites, would not be considered
for the scholarship.
The followings are the subject fields:
• (for 6 or 9 months duration)
i) Biology, ii) Architecture, iii) Physics, iv)
Mathematics, v) Electrical Engineering, vi)
Environmental Engineering, vii) Nanotech-
nologies and viii) Chemistry
• (for 3 months duration)
i) Italian Language and Cultural Course
The course-wise eligibility conditions are
as follows:
Academic qualifications and age : Appli-
cant must hold an appropriate academic
qualification required to enroll to the Ital-
ian University/Institute. The details may be
found at https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/en/Rec-
ognition-of-qualification.
i) Master’s Degree : Admission to the first
year of a Master’s Degree course in Italy
requires the completion of a Bachelor’s de-
gree in the applicants’ country of origin; ad-
mission to the second year is granted to appli-
cants upon evidence to be on track with their
first year studies. The age of the applicant
should not be over 28 years as on 30.04.2018.
ii) Ph.D. Program : To be admitted to a
PhD in Italy, applicants need to meet the en-
try requirements and academic qualifications
established by the University; they are also
required to provide a letter of acceptance on
behalf of the relevant Italian University. The
age of the applicant should not be over 30
years as on 30.04.2018.
iii) Research under academic supervision
: Applicants must submit a research project
and the letter of admission on behalf of the
host University/Institute; they are also re-
quired to provide the name and contacts
(e-mail address) of their supervisors. The age
of the applicant should not be over 40 years
as on 30.04.2018.
iv) Italian Language and Culture Cours-
es : Applicants must provide a certificate
of their proficiency in Italian language. The
minimum level required is A2 within the
Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages (CEFR).
Eligibility :
Applicants who will meet the following re-
quirements by the deadline of this call (April
30th, 2018) may apply for a grant.
Academic Qualifications:
Applications must only be submitted by
foreign students not residing in Italy and by
Italian citizens living abroad (IRE)* hold-
ing an appropriate academic qualification
required to enroll to the Italian University/
Institute. https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/en/Rec-
ognition-of-qualification
Other Conditions:
• Candidates who have already been
abroad for study/training/specialization
either on scholarship or on their own
for a period exceeding six months are
eligible to apply only if they have been
in India for at least two consecutive
years after returning from abroad as on
30.04.2018.
• Applications of candidates who are
abroad will not be considered.
The selected candidate would be provided
a stipend of 900 Euro per month by the Gov-
Vol. 02 NO 17
ernment of Italy. Please refer to the annexure
for details regarding enrolment and tuition
fee, university/institution etc. The travelling
expenses is to be borne by the scholar him-
self/herself.
Nomination and final selection:
• Only shortlisted candidates would be
called for interview and the Selection
Committee consisting of experts will
interview the candidates. Nominations
would be made purely on merit. The
nominations will be sent to Embassy of
Italy for the final selection.
• Nomination of a candidate by the Gov-
ernment of India does not, in any way,
guarantee final selection or placement.
The Government of Italy will make its
own selection from the list of recom-
mended candidates.
Important Notes for the Applicants:
• Candidates who do not possess the es-
sential eligibility criteria need not ap-
ply.
• Canvassing in any form will lead to
disqualification
• Employed candidates must obtain ‘No
Objection Certificate’ from their em-
ployer. In case of Government servant,
cadre clearance is a must.
• The applicant in employment (to which
he/she wishes to return) should have an
assurance from his/her employer that
he/she will be granted sufficient leave
during the scholarship period.
• All announcements will be available on
the Ministry of Human Resource De-
velopment website i.e. www.mhrd.gov.
in/scholarships.
• The shortlisted candidates will be in-
formed through the mail and public
notice on the MHRD website. THE
DECISION OF THE SELECTION
COMMITTEE SHALL BE FINAL.
No correspondence will be entertained
in this regard.
• For applying at Ministry of Human
Resource Development portal http://
proposal.sakshat.ac.in/scholarship ,
candidates are required to upload doc-
uments. It must be ensured that the size
of a single document does not exceed
530 kb.
• No TA/DA would be provided for at-
tending the interview.
Submission of Applications:
Applicants must complete and submit the
online application form available upon regis-
tration at the following link:
https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/
Access the registration form : https://
studyinitaly.esteri.it/registrazione
Applications must be submitted by 2 pm
(Central European Time) April 30th, 2018.
Applications submitted after the deadline
will not be considered.
Vol. 02 NO 17
McDonald Fellowships
2018 @ MS International
Federation
McDonald Fellowship 2018 notification
is out. MS International Federation has
the McDonald Fellowships call announced
for international candidates. If you want
to know more details on the McDonald
Fellowships 2018, then check all of the de-
tails that have been given below:
McDonald Fellowships
The McDonald Fellowship marks the
memory of Professor Ian McDonald
The McDonald Fellowship enables young
researchers from emerging countries to work
in a research institution outside of their own
country. Following the award, we expect ap-
plicants will be able to use the newly devel-
oped expertise and networks, continuing to
undertake MS research and/or patient care in
emerging countries.
The fellowship consists of a two-year grant,
around UK £30,000 per year, to cover trav-
el and living costs, and an additional con-
tribution of UK £2,000 per year to the host
institution. We anticipate that part of the sec-
ond-year grant to the host institution will be
used to cover the expenses of the candidate
attending the annual congress of ECTRIMS,
the European Committee for Treatment and
Research in MS.
One fellowships is in partnership with
ECTRIMS and is known as the MSIF-EC-
TRIMS McDonald Fellowship.
One fellowships is in partnership with the
ARSEP, The Fondation pour l’Aide à la Re-
cherche sur la Sclérose En Plaques.
Who is eligible?
All candidates must:
• Be under 35 at the time of application
• Be educated to post graduate level in an
area relevant to multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Be citizens of an emerging country (all
countries with a low, lower middle or
upper middle income as defined by the
World Bank)
• Focus their research in an area relevant
to MS
Candidates must also be in one of the fol-
lowing situations:
• Working or studying in an emerging
country (all countries with a low, lower
middle or upper middle income as de-
fined by the World Bank) at the time of
nomination
• Working or studying in another country
on a project which started within the
six months prior to nomination
• Studying in another country on a pro-
ject supported by an MS International
Federation grant
This is a joint application from the applicant
and host. Before nomination, candidates need
to have identified a suitable project and host
supervisor at an institution outside of their
own country. Candidates are encouraged to
identify a suitable host institute and supervi-
sor, and to develop their project proposal.
Candidates are expected to return to their
own countries at the end of the study period
where they will contribute to advancing care
and research in MS.
The fellowship may also be used as a sup-
plement for work related to MS by a candi-
date who has been accepted for training in a
recognised institute (within the six months
prior to nomination) but who doesn’t have
enough money to cover the total cost.
Candidates need to provide the following
to apply:
• A joint McDonald Fellowship applica-
tion form from the applicant and host.
• Testimonies (references) from three
people, including one from the appli-
cant’s current supervisor or employer.
The McDonald Fellowship application form
can be downloaded by filling out the form at
the bottom of this page.
What is the deadline?
All completed McDonald application forms
should be attached to an email, along with
the required references, and submitted to re-
search@msif.org by the 30th of June.
Result will be announced in late September.
How are grants awarded?
MSIF’s McDonald Fellowship panel con-
siders and selects successful candidates.
What evidence of results is needed?
A short report must be submitted at the
end of the first year of the fellowship. Sec-
ond-year funding depends on the submis-
sion of this report. Upon completion of the
fellowship, a final report is required. Elec-
tronic copies of reports, papers, abstracts and
posters resulting from the visit should also
be submitted. Papers produced as a result
of or in connection with McDonald Fellow-
ship-funded research should acknowledge
the fellowship and include the address of the
MS International Federation’s website.
Fulbright-Nehru Academic
and Professional
Excellence Fellowships
2019-2020
Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Profes-
sional Excellence Fellowships 2019-2020
official notification is out. Indian nation-
als are encouraged to apply for the Ful-
bright-Nehru Academic and Professional
Excellence Fellowships 2019-2020 in areas
of Biosciences and Agricultural Sciences,
as per the details that are given below:
2019-2020 Fulbright-Nehru Academic
and Professional Excellence Fellowships
The Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Profes-
sional Excellence Fellowships aim to provide
Indian faculty, researchers, and professionals
the opportunity to teach, conduct research, or
carry out a combination of lecturing and re-
search at a U.S. institution. Depending on the
U.S. host institution, it is likely that the grant-
ee may contribute towards developing curric-
ulum and conducting workshops and semi-
nars. These fellowships are for four to nine
months. If you are applying for a Flex Award,
the minimum length of the total grant is four
months and the maximum is six months.
Applications are invited in the following
fields only: Agricultural Sciences; Anthro-
pology; Bioengineering; Climate Change
Sciences; Computer Science (including,
but not limited to, cyber security, digital
economy, quantum computing, artificial in-
telligence, machine learning and big data
analytics); Economics; Education Policy
and Planning; Energy Studies; History; In-
ternational Law; International Security and
Strategic Studies; Materials Science (with
emphasis on environmental applications);
Mathematical Sciences; Neurosciences;
Performing Arts; Physical Sciences; Public
Health; Public Policy; Sociology; Urban and
Regional Planning (with emphasis on smart
cities and waste management); Visual Arts;
and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Research
Applicants must demonstrate the relevance
of the proposed research to India and/or the
U.S., its benefit to the applicant’s institution,
the feasibility of accomplishing the research
goal within the stipulated period, and the
need to carry out the research in the U.S.
Lecturing
Indian academics and professionals contrib-
ute to the internationalization of the curric-
ulum at their U.S. host institutions and the
understanding of recent developments not
just in India but globally. The recipient will
be affiliated as a visiting scholar at a U.S. in-
stitution, and will teach courses individually
or team-teach.
Lecturing applications are especially wel-
come.
Research and Lecturing
Applicants will carry out a combination of
teaching and research activities at the U.S.
host institution. Please specify the percentage
of the grant for each activity and define this
in your project statement. For instance, if you
plan to spend 60% of your grant duration for
research and 40% for teaching, your project
statement should demonstrate this allocation.
Teaching could include courses (individually
or team-taught) or a series of seminars at the
U.S. institution.
Flex Awards are designed for scholars
who require multiple visits to the U.S. and
for those who find it difficult to leave their
home institutions during the academic year.
This option allows grants to be conducted
over short segments, preferably during the
fall and/or spring semesters. Interested appli-
cants should clearly indicate plans for Flex
in their project statement, including a project
timeline.
April 24th, 2018.
Flex grant parameters:
• Minimum length of the total grant is
four months and the maximum is six
months;
• The grant must have two segments.
Minimum length for any grant segment
is one month and the maximum is three
months;
• Applicants may propose one-month
segment only once;
• Grant segments may be spread over
two consecutive years;
• Grants may begin any time from Au-
gust 2019. Grants must begin by March
31, 2020;
• Grant activities must be completed by
August 31, 2021; and
• Only offered for research grants.
No more than 25% of the total Ful-
bright-Nehru Academic and Professional
Awards will be considered for the Flex op-
tion. USIEF will consider up to six Flex
Grants. A maximum of two round-trip econ-
omy class air tickets for the grantee only will
be provided (one ticket per trip).
In addition to their research activities, Flex
scholars agree to undertake activities recom-
mended by USIEF, including: engaging with
the host institution academic community,
participating in seminars, giving public talks,
and mentoring students. Applications that
propose grant periods during the host institu-
tion’s academic year are preferred. Scholars
who wish to visit the host institution outside
of the academic year will need to demon-
strate clearly how they will engage with the
host institution community.
Affiliation:
You will be affiliated to one U.S. host insti-
tution for your grant. USIEF strongly recom-
mends all applicants to identify institutions
with which they wish to be affiliated and to
correspond, in advance, with potential host
institutions. If you have secured a letter of
invitation from a U.S. institution, please in-
clude it as a part of your online application.
Grant Benefits:
The fellowships provide a J-1 visa support,
a monthly stipend, Accident and Sickness
Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government
guidelines, round-trip economy class air tick-
et (two round-trip economy class air tickets
for Flex), a modest settling-in allowance, and
a professional allowance. Subject to availa-
bility of funds, in case of grantees on eight
or nine month grants, a dependent allowance
and international travel may be provided for
one accompanying eligible dependent pro-
vided the dependent is with the grantee in
the U.S. for at least 80% of the grant period.
Flex grantees are not eligible for dependent
benefits.
Eligibility Requirements:
In addition to the General Prerequisites:
• Faculty/researchers should have a
Ph.D. degree or equivalent published
work with at least five years of relevant
teaching/research experience;
• professionals outside academe should
have a master’s degree or equivalent
published work with recognized pro-
fessional standing and at least five
Next Page>>>>
7
April 24th, 2018. Vol. 02 NO 17

years relevant experience;

• you should upload a recent significant
publication (copy of paper/article) in
your online application; and
• If employed, at the time of submitting
the application, please follow the in-
structions carefully regarding Letter
of Support from Home Institution. The
employer must indicate that leave will
be granted for the fellowship period.
Please obtain the endorsement from the
appropriate administrative authority on
the Letter of Support from Home Insti-
tution. You can download the Letter of
Support from Home Institution from
the USIEF website.

How to Apply:

• Applications must be submitted online

at: https://iie.embark.com/apply/visit-
ingscholars
• Please carefully review the FNAPE
Applicant Instructions before starting
your online application
• Please refer to FNAPE Applicant
Checklist before submitting the appli-
cation.
• In addition, you must complete and up-
load the following documents on your
online applicaiton:
1. FNAPE Applicant Annexure
2. FNAPE Letter of Support from Home
Institution

Application Due Date: July 16, 2018,

23:59:59 hrs (IST)

Mysterious Flesh-Eating
Bacteria Wreaks Havoc In
Australia
Buruli ulcer is caused by the bacteria My-
cobacterium ulcerans (M. ulcerans) and often
results in long-term disability and cosmetic
deformity. It starts out in form of a small,
painless lump- but within weeks, it’s eating
away the skin and tissue underneath, and un-
less treated with strong antibiotics, it could
grow into a gaping ulcerated wound that may
take a year to heal and even need surgical re-
construction.
A rare tropical disease caused by bacteria
related to leprosy and tuberculosis, it now, in
Australia’s temperate south eastern Victoria
state is neither rare nor tropical.
In 2016, there were 182 new cases in Victo-
ria, which, at the time was the highest num-
ber ever reported. But the number of cases
NEWS
because it’s unknown how people get the Bu-
ruli ulcer. However, some believe mosquitoes
may be to blame, as most ulcers are located
on people’s arms or legs.
“One possibility is that the disease is passed
to humans from some insects that are found
in water,” the CDC states, though that’s just
one theory.
The bacterium is a particularly “nasty
and clever” one, says Associate Professor
O’Brien. It produces a toxin that not only
kills the skin, it suppresses the immune sys-
tem and contains an anaesthetic that means
the initial infection is often painless and can By Disha Padmanabha
go unnoticed. A severe Buruli ulcer on the knee of an 11 year old boy, a visitor to the Mornington Peninsula. It took six months to heal, including plastic surgery. Picture: Medical
Journal of Australia

reported in 2017 (275) have further increased
by 51%, compared with 2016 (182). The cas-
es are also becoming more severe in nature
and occurring in new geographical areas.
In an article published in the Medical Jour-
nal of Australia (MJA) on Monday, authors
led by associate professor Daniel O’Brien
from Barwon Health said incidents of Buruli
ulcer were on the rise but researchers were
baffled as to why Victoria was being particu-
larly affected. There have been no reported
cases in New South Wales, South Australia
or Tasmania.
It’s a difficult diease to curb, experts say,
The good news is that it is readily treatable,
and the need for amputation in severe cases
is very rare. However, the cure and recov-
ery can be highly traumatic. The antibiotic
treatment takes two months and comes with
significant possible side effects such as in-
flammation of the liver, rashes, nausea and
diarrhoea. It can take six months to a year for
serious wounds to heal, and surgery and reha-
bilitation is needed in severe cases.
The team emphasizes that “efforts to con-
trol the disease have been severely ham-
pered because the environmental reservoir
and mode of transmission to humans remain people.
unknown.” This uncertainty is epitomized
by the World Health Organization (WHO), “The time to act is now, and we advocate
which notes that the type of people that are for local, regional and national governments
infected, and the fact the disease specifically to urgently commit to funding the research
manifests itself in a case-by-case way, “[var- needed to stop Buruli ulcer,” the authors
ies] considerably within and across different wrote in the conclusion of the study. “We
countries and settings.” … need an urgent response based on robust
scientific knowledge acquired by a thorough
The authors of the article called for urgent and exhaustive examination of the environ-
government funding to research the bacteria ment, local fauna, human behaviour and
and to carry out an exhaustive examination of characteristics, and the interactions between
the environments it is found, including look- them.”
ing at local animals and any interaction with

8
Vol. 02 NO 17 April 24th, 2018.

Algae-Forestry Could be
the Solution to Climate
Change
Bioenergy carbon capture and storage
(BECCS) has been proposed to reduce at-
mospheric CO2 concentrations, but concerns
remain about competition for arable land and
freshwater. Further, the synergistic integra-
tion of algae production, which does not re-
quire arable land or freshwater, with BECCS
(called “ABECCS”) can reduce CO2 emis-
sions without competing with agriculture.
Now, researchers from Cornell, Duke Uni-
versity, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo
have concocted a plan to help power and
provide food protein to large regions of the
world – and simultaneously remove a lot of
carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere.
ger and at the same time reduce the level
of greenhouse gases that are changing our
climate system,” Greene said. Based on an
idea first conceptualized by co-author Ian
Archibald of Cinglas Ltd., Chester, England,
the scientists call the new integrated system
ABECCS, or algae bioenergy with carbon
capture and storage.
The new system – which the paper’s authors
call ABECCS, or algae bioenergy with car-
bon capture and storage – integrates the pro-
tein- and biofuel-producing capabilities of By Disha Padmanabha
industrial-scale microalgae production with
the energy output of conventional bioenergy Algae, pictured here under a microscope, may be a key to unlocking an important negative-emission technology to combat climate change. Credit: CSIRO

“Algae may be the key to unlocking an
important negative-emissions technology to
combat climate change,” said Charles Greene,
Cornell professor of Earth and Atmospheric
Sciences and a co-author of new research re-
ported in Earth’s Future, published March 24
by the American Geophysical Union.
“Combining two technologies – BECCS
and microalgae production – may seem like
an odd couple, but it could provide enough
scientific synergy to help solve world hun-
systems that burn wood to generate electric-
ity and then capture and store the resulting
carbon dioxide underground.
“BECCS is proposed as a key technology
for the planets future and it will not work
unless something is done about reducing its
negative effects upon natural forests and ag-
ricultural land,” says Bruce Mathews, dean
of the UH Hilo College of Agriculture, For-
estry and Natural Resource Management
(CAFNRM), who served as the facilitating
principal investigator at UH Hilo. “And mi-
cro algae are crucial to the proposed poten-
tial solution. If the problems with BECCS can
be resolved then an important technology for
reaching climate change mitigation goals is
enabled while also offering the world a nutri-
tious new foodstuff.”
Their analysis showed that the experimen-
tal ABECCS facility could yield as much
high-quality protein as the original 7,000-
acre soybean field, while simultaneously
generating 17 million kilowatt hours of elec-
tricity and sequestering 30,000 tons of CO2
each year.
“In the future, as the price of carbon in-
creases, ABECCS will have even greater
potential to reduce carbon dioxide in the at-
mosphere in an environmentally sustainable
and profitable way,” says Charles Greene,
professor of earth and atmospheric sciences
at Cornell.

ANTIBIOTICS PERSISTING IN MANURE

LEACHING INTO ENVIRONMENT: STUDY

Manure treatment technologies are rapidly on poultry litter demonstrated that up to 70

developing to minimize eutrophication of
surrounding environments and potentially
decrease the introduction of antibiotics and
antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) into the en-
vironment.
While laboratory and pilot-scale manure
treatment systems boast promising results,
antibiotic and ARG removals in full-scale
systems receiving continuous manure input
have not been evaluated. The effect of treat-
ment on ARGs is similarly lacking.
Now, a new study reveals that even the
“elite” of the waste disposal treatments avail-
able today on farms do not fully remove
antibiotics from manure. Both technologies
— advanced anaerobic digestion and reverse
osmosis filtration — leave behind concern-
ing levels of antibiotic residues, which can
include both the drugs themselves and mole-
cules that the drugs break down into.
Researchers found that this solid matter
may contain higher concentrations of antibi-
otics than unprocessed manure, a discovery
that is particularly disturbing because this
material is often released into the environ-
ment when it’s used as animal bedding or
sold as fertilizer.
“We were hoping that these advanced treat-
ment technologies could remove antibiotics.
As it turns out, they were not as effective
as we thought they could be,” says Diana
Aga, PhD, Henry M. Woodburn Professor of
Chemistry in the University at Buffalo Col-
lege of Arts and Sciences.
She does offer some hope, however: “On
the positive side, I think that a multistep
process that also includes composting at the
end of the system could significantly reduce
the levels of antibiotics. Our earlier studies
percent reduction in antibiotics called ion-
ophores can be achieved after 150 days of
composting. Testing this hypothesis on dairy
farm manure is the next phase of our project,
and we are seeing some positive results.”
Specifically, researchers analyzed two
types of antibiotics: Tetracycline, which in
humans helps treat conditions ranging from
acne to chlamydia, is used to treat a variety
of ailments in livestock. Ionophores, which
promote growth in dairy cows and treat a
parasitic disease called coccidiosis, was also
analyzed. Both liquid and solid waste was
found to contain genes that showed resistance
to these antibiotics.
“Neither of the treatment systems we stud-
ied was designed to remove antibiotics from
waste as the primary goal,” Aga says. “Ad-
vanced anaerobic digestion is used to reduce
odors and produce biogas, and reverse os-
mosis is used to recycle water. They were not
meant to address removal of antibiotic com-
pounds.”
“This problem is not limited to agriculture:
Waste treatment systems today, including
those designed to handle municipal waste-
water, hospital wastes and even waste from
antibiotic manufacturing industries, do not
By Disha Padmanabha
have treatment of antibiotics in mind. This is
an extremely important global issue because
first step in reducing the spread of antibiot-
the rise of antibiotic resistance in the envi-
ics and potentially reduce resistance in the Aga points to composting as one area to ex-
ronment is unprecedented. We need to start
environment, but our study shows that more plore. The team further, wants to study how
thinking about this if we want to prevent the
must be done,” Aga says. “We need to look advanced anaerobic digestion can be used in
continued spread of resistance in the environ-
at different waste management practices conjunction with composting of solid materi-
ment.”
that, maybe in combination, could reduce the als to remove antibiotics and their breakdown
spread of antibiotic compounds and resist- products from manure.
“Both of the systems we studied are a good
ance in the environment.”

9
April 24th, 2018.
CRISPR Undergoes
Dramatic Improvement by
Guide Molecule
Replacement
More than ever, we can view the genomes of
humans and other organisms as drafts—not
final and canonical texts, but rough copies to
be tweaked and refined. Although scientists
have been able to edit genomes for many
decades, the tools were often cumbersome
to work with, expensive to hire, or sloppy in
their efforts. Eventhough CRISPR is far su-
perior in comparison to its predecessors, sci-
entists are racing to improve it even further.
“We’ve discovered a way to greatly improve
the accuracy of gene-editing technology by
replacing the natural guide molecule it uses
with a synthetic one called a bridged nucleic
acid, or BNA,” said Basil Hubbard, Canada
Research Chair in Molecular Therapeutics
and an assistant professor in the University
NIH Reports Single Dose
HIV-Resisting Vaccine
Success
In the absence of an effective and safe vac-
cine against HIV-1, the administration of
broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) rep-
resents a logical alternative approach to pre-
vent virus transmission.
And now a team of researchers working
with new, lab-mutated versions of these an-
tibodies has reported that a single injection
of their altered antibody protected monkeys
from HIV infection for an average of more
than six months — and in some cases as long
as 8.5 months.
Two genetically modified broadly neutraliz-
ing antibodies(link is external) (bNAbs) pro-
tected rhesus macaques from an HIV-like vi-
rus, report scientists at the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID),
part of the National Institutes of Health.
“We think this approach might be an impor-
tant way to prevent transmission in humans,
particularly in regions of the world where
HIV is endemic,” says Malcolm Martin, chief
of the viral pathogenesis and viral section
of the National Institute of Allergies and In-
fectious Diseases and a senior author of the
paper. “This is not a vaccine but a way to
prevention.”
Emilio Emini, director of the Gates Foun-
dation’s HIV program, a funder of the new
research, agrees the approach is worth push-
ing. “The potential is there for the develop-
ment of a neutralizing antibody cocktail that
could be injected to provide many months
of protection against HIV infection,” Emini
says.
10
of Alberta’s Department of Pharmacology,
who led the study.
“It allows bacteria to store information
about previous infections and then use it to
seek out and destroy the DNA of new invad-
ers by cutting it,” Hubbard explained.
“What researchers have realised is that this
system can be programmed to cut a specific
DNA sequence in a human cell also, allowing
us to edit our genes. One of the main issues,
however, is that the system is not perfectly
specific — sometimes it cuts a similar but in-
correct gene.”
“However, given that there are trillions of
cells in the human body, even one percentage
off is quite significant, especially because
gene editing is permanent. One wrong cut
After introducing genetic mutations into
two potent HIV bNAbs, researchers prepared
intravenous infusions of two bNAbs known
as 3BNC117-LS and 10-1074-LS.
Single infusions of each modified bNAb
protected two groups of six monkeys each
against weekly exposures to simian-human
immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) for up to
37 weeks, compared with a median of three
weeks in 12 monkeys receiving no antibody.
SHIV is a manmade virus commonly used in
HIV nonhuman primate studies.
One of these bNAbs, a strain called VRC01,
is already being tested on humans as part of
a Phase 2 clinical trial that includes partic-
ipants in five sub-Saharan African nations,
where 70 percent of the world’s current
HIV-positive population is found.
If bNAbs effectively block HIV in people,
they could provide a life-saving prophylac-
tic treatment in the absence of a permanent
vaccine. However, one of the drawbacks of
prophylactic injections with VRC01 is that
the protection only lasts for eight weeks, after
which you need a new injection to keep the
antibodies in the bloodstream.
This approach joins other candidate drugs
and biomedical technologies that aim to pro-
vide long-term protection against HIV in the
absence of an HIV vaccine. Among ongoing
studies are two large Phase 3 trials in Africa
and the Americas known as the AMP Studies,
for antibody-mediated prevention.
By Disha Padmanabha
and a patient could end up with a serious
condition, like cancer.”
The approach uses synthetic guide mole-
cules known as bridged nucleic acids (BNAs)
in place of the system’s native guide RNAs
(gRNAs) to direct the Cas9 enzyme to its
target DNA sequence, and so reduce off-tar-
get DNA cleavage. The Alberta team’s BNA
guide molecule was more stable and strin-
gent seeking the right DNA to cut.”Our re-
search shows that the use of bridged nucleic
acids to guide Cas9 can improve its specific-
ity by over 10,000 times in certain instances
– a dramatic improvement,” Hubbard said.
“Overall, these findings unveil a strategy
for improving the specificity of the CRIS-
MINIMALLY INVASIVE MICROBIOPSY COULD
REVOLUTIONISE SKIN TESTS
Skin biopsy is one of the most essential tech-
niques in dermatology for accurate diagnosis
of neoplastic or inflammatory skin diseases
through histopathological assessment. The
technique is performed under local anaesthet-
ic by trained medical personnel, normally a
dermatologist, to remove a skin sample 2–4
mm in diameter that is then preferably sent
to a dermatopathologist for histopathological
diagnosis.
With at least two in three Australians diag-
nosed with skin cancer before the age of 70,
monitoring moles and skin is vital in detect-
ing skin cancer early for a generation of peo-
ple who spent much of their upbringing in the
sun (often with little to no protection).
To meet the massive unmet need in this
area, Research Professor at UniSA’s Future
Industries Institute, Professor Tarl Prow led
the team that has created a new needle de-
vice that will revolutionise how doctors test
patients for rashes and diseases.
“The innovation for this device comes from
the idea of a diabetic test. We can easily take
small skin samples which makes it much eas-
ier to use on children and allows us to take
multiple samples over time to monitor a pa-
tient’s situation,” Prof Prow says. “Given a
Vol. 02 NO 17
By Disha Padmanabha
PR-Cas9 system and illustrate the applica-
tion of recently developed synthetic nucleic
acid technologies to solving problems in en-
zyme specificity,” the researchers conclude.
“We anticipate that these findings will direct-
ly contribute to the ongoing goal of improv-
ing the specificity and safety of genome-edit-
ing agents for a wide variety of experimental
and clinical applications.…In addition to
describing a robust technique for improving
the precision of CRISPR/Cas9-based gene
editing, this study illuminates an application
of synthetic nucleic acids.”
Hubbard and his team have now filed a
patent on their discovery and further hope to
partner with the pharmaceutical industry to
incorporate it into a therapeutic.
standard biopsy is a significant procedure,
we wanted to help make that process easier.”
“With many parasitic diseases in Africa,
where people don’t have access to a hospital,
researchers at Hebrew University undertook
a study in northern Ethiopia testing hundreds
of children and adults using the device,” he
says.
Skin cancer being more prevalent in Aus-
tralia, doctors can spend up a significant
amount of time checking a patient’s skin (in-
cluding moles and pink spots). The team aims
to develop cancer biomarkers, so the device
can take samples and evaluate (and reveal)
the results instantly. With clinical trials (un-
related to skin cancer) in the final stages, the
team is monitoring feedback with thousands
of devices already sold worldwide and is pat-
ented in the US, Australia and Europe.
“We are planning to test the efficacy and
safety for microbiopsy in skin cancer diagno-
sis that will start in early 2019 so some pa-
tients may be asked to be a part of this study.
We hope to launch the approved diagnostic
test in 2023,” Dr Prow says.
By Disha Padmanabha
Vol. 02 NO 17
Study Finds Yeast Genome
Evolution through
Sequencing
Since their origin of an alpha-proteobacte-
rial endosymbiont, mitochondrial genomes
(mitogenomes) have undergone substantial
reduction in gene content, but adopted radi-
cally different shapes and sizes with highly
variable intronic and intergenic sequences.
Studies on these radically different mitoge-
nomes are important for mitochondrial genet-
ics and evolutionary biology, but also impor-
tant for the understanding of mitochondrial
DNA mutation and maintenance, which are
crucial in areas such as pathogenicity, ageing,
and diseases.
The budding yeast S. cerevisiae is a pow-
erful model system for understanding eukar-
yotic biology at the cellular, molecular and
genomic levels. S. cerevisiae has recently
emerged as a model in population genomics,
because it can be found worldwide in a broad
array of human-associated (for example,
wine, sake, beer and other fermented bever-
Estonia Launches First
State-Sponsored Genetic
Testing for Residents
The Estonian government has now chalked
up plans to provide free DNA-based lifestyle
advice for 100,000 of its 1.3 million res-
idents. It will be the first nation to provide
a state-sponsored personal genetic informa-
tion service – but some have warned that
this might cause unnecessary worry for those
who find out they have an elevated risk for
certain diseases.
Lili Milani, a researcher with the Estoni-
an Genome Center at the University of Tar-
tu, has now issued a statement saying the
scheme kicked off in March and will initially
cover some 100,000 volunteers in the Baltic
country of 1.3 million.
Participants are required to donate DNA
samples from blood and give consent to stor-
ing their data to the Estonian Biobank, which
has collected health records and biological
samples from Estonians since 2000.
“Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1
killer in Estonia,” Milani said, adding that
authorities and scientists were hoping that
the genetic screening data could answer
questions on living habits and diet for better
health care prevention.
“Lifestyle always outweighs genes,” she
told The Associated Press.
“Today we have enough knowledge about
both the genetic risk of complex diseases and
the interindividual variability of the effects
of medicines in order to start using this in-
formation systematically in everyday health-
care,” said Jevgeni Ossinovski, Minister of
Health and Labour. “In cooperation with the
National Institute for Health Development
and the University of Tartu, we will enable
another 100,000 people to join the Estonian
biobank, in order to boost the development
of personalized medicine in Estonia and thus
contribute to the advancement of preventive
ages) and wild (for example, plant, soil and
insect) biotopes.
However, the number of available se-
quenced genomes from natural isolates re-
mains limited and stands in contrast to the
wealth of data on Arabidopsis thaliana and
humans; this small sample size for yeast ge-
nomes has not fully captured the global evo-
lutionary processes relevant to the species.
Now, researchers, in order to better under-
stand them sequenced over 1,000 yeast ge-
nomes, ranging from the usual sources such
as baker’s or brewer’s yeast to those found
in sewage, oil-contaminated asphalt, termite
mounds, sea water, one infected nail from a
4-year-old Australian girl.
Taking a genomic global survey of yeast
allowed the researchers to create a map of
the evolution of the fungus. The work con-
sisted of performing whole-genome sequenc-
ing on 1,011 samples of yeast which yield-
healthcare.”
Andres Metspalu, Director of the Estonian
Genome Center at the University of Tartu,
welcomes the initiative of the Ministry of
Social Affairs to increase the number of bi-
obank participants. “We are glad that with
the support of this project the results of the
long-term work of the Genome Center will
be transferred into practical medicine, and it
will also give a further boost for our future
research. The university will also contribute
to the creation of a feedback system for the
biobank participants, and to training health-
care professionals to give patients feedback
based on genetic information.”
Milani said DNA samples will be analyzed
for more than 600,000 genetic variants linked
to common diseases such as heart diseases,
diabetes and cancer. Family doctors will then
tell participants about the results. However,
participants can choose in advance how much
information they wish to receive to avoid un-
necessary anxiety.
The Estonian government has allocated 5
million euros ($6.2 million) for the project
this year.
ed 1,625,809 high-quality reference-based
SNPs.
The researchers report that theories of an
out-of-China migration of the yeast appears
to be true. They also found that yeast has un-
dergone extensive change due to human in-
tervention related to fermentation for making
beer, wine and sake. They noted also that the
number of chromosome sets (ploidy) in the
yeast cells had an impact on fitness across all
of those species tested.
In order to trace the origins of variable
ORFs, the team inspected the evolution of
each individual ORF. Defining 1,380 ances-
tral segregating ORFs with sequencing-sim-
ilarity levels, the researchers identified 913
introgressed ORFs linked to a Saccharomy-
ces paradoxus origin. In addition, they saw
that 183 ORFS were likely caused by hori-
zontal gene transfer in highly divergent yeast
species, but were restricted to species present
in domestic fermentative environments.
While domesticated isolates exhibited high
variation in ploidy, aneuploidy, and genome
content, the researchers believe that genome
evolution in wild isolates occurred through
addition of single nucleotide polymorphisms.
The researchers found that among the 1,011
genomes, there was higher SNP density and
lower genome content frequency in wild ver-
sus domesticated clades. The largest num-
SCIENTISTS ENCOUNTER IMMUNE SYSTEM’S
“SECRET WEAPON”
The immune system, as a result of biolog-
ical evolution, protects higher organisms
against a multitude of possible invaders. To
do this, it develops remarkable abilities dur-
ing the lifetime of an individual.
For the last three decades health authorities
thought that antibodies known as B cells- a
type of immune cell- had no purpose and
were actually dangerous, causing autoim-
mune disorders. They were considered “Bad
Apples” of the immune system.
And guess what? Turns out this couldn’t be
any further from the truth.
Australian scientists from the Institute of
medical research Garvan, through their study
have now suggested that these immune cells
can become a weapon against microorgan-
isms that can “trick” the immune system.
Usually autoreactive lymphocytes are
“sleep mode”, but no useful role they have
not been able to find, so for scientists it re-
mains a mystery why the body does not get
rid of these cells completely. The authors of
the new scientific work in experiments on
mice concluded that the DNA of these cells
can be slightly modified, thus opening their
unexpected potential.
Far from remaining silent, the cells can be
rapidly ‘redeemed’ ­– and then activated to at-
tack – when the body is faced with a disease
threat that other immune cells cannot tackle.
In the process of this ‘redemption’, each
cell rapidly acquires changes to the antibody
gene it carries. Together, the changes mean
that the cells can produce antibodies that no
longer threaten the body – but instead be-
April 24th, 2018.
bers of variants identified by genome-wide
association included copy-number changes,
which have a greater effect on phenotype
than SNPs.
The team noted that the study has estab-
lished the foundation for genome-wide
association studies in S. cerevisiae. In ad-
dition, the study revealed a previously un-
described evolutionary history as well as the
driving forces of genome evolution for the
yeast species. They believe that the collec-
tion of genetic and phenotypic variants will
guide future population genomics and geno-
type-phenotype studies.
By Disha Padmanabha
come highly potent weapons to fight disease.
Importantly, antibodies from the redeemed
cells are equipped to attack some of the trick-
iest microbes that the immune system fac-
es: those that evade detection by disguising
themselves to look like normal body tissue.
Campylobacter, HIV and other microbes
disguise themselves as ‘self’, and are prob-
lematic targets for the immune system, which
systematically avoids attacking ‘self’.
Professor Chris Goodnow, who co-led the
new research, says the new findings will fun-
damentally change thinking about how the
immune system protects us.
“We once thought that harmful immune
cells were discarded by the body – like a few
bad apples in the barrel. Likewise, no one
had any idea that you could start with a ‘bad’
antibody and make it good. From these new
findings, we now know that every immune
cell is precious when it comes to fighting in-
vading microbes – and we’ve learned that the
immune system recycles, conserves, and pol-
ishes up its ‘bad apples’ instead of throwing
them away.”
“We’re excited about the impact of this new
understanding on vaccine development,”
adds A/Prof Christ. “Our findings indicate
that there’s a whole class of B cells out there
– the silenced B cells – that might be acces-
sible for vaccine development, and that have
so far largely been ignored.”
By Disha Padmanabha
11
April 24th, 2018.
ALGORITHM-AIDED SYNTHESIS OF SUPERIOR
ANTIMICROBIALS
Hospital-acquired infections are a major
global health concern and represent the sixth
leading cause of death in the United States,
with an estimated cost of ~$10 billion annu-
ally.
Infections caused by Gram-negative bac-
teria have been associated with more than
60% of pneumonia cases and more than 70%
of urinary tract infections in intensive care
units. Besides, such bacteria are highly effi-
cient in generating mutants and sharing genes
that encode for mechanisms of antibiotic re-
sistance.
It has been recently estimated that 30 mil-
lion sepsis cases occur worldwide each year,
and potentially 5 million deaths occur as a
result of antibiotic-resistant infections. Un-
fortunately, in the past two decades only two
classes of antibiotics have reached the mar-
ket, oxazolidinones and cyclic lipopeptides,
and both of these drugs are limited as they
only target Gram-positive bacteria.
12
Now, scientists at the MIT and Catholic
University of Brasilia have come up with a
streamlined approach to developing antimi-
crobial peptides as potential drugs to fight
antibiotic-resistant bacteria. “We can use
computers to do a lot of the work for us, as
a discovery tool of new antimicrobial peptide
sequences,” says Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez,
an MIT postdoc and Areces Foundation Fel-
low. “This computational approach is much
more cost-effective and much more time-ef-
fective.”
The researchers applied Charles Darwin’s
theory of natural selection to their algorithm,
which then generated thousands of variants
from a peptide sequence and tested the var-
iants for desired traits specified by the re-
searchers.
The team began with an antimicrobial
peptide found in the seeds of a guava plant,
known as Pg-AMP1, and asked the algorithm
to produce peptide sequences which tend to
form alpha helices and have a particular lev-
el of hydrophobicity, both features that help
peptides penetrate bacterial membranes.
The algorithm can start with any peptide
sequence, generate thousands of variants,
and test them for the desired traits that the
researchers have specified. “By using this
approach, we were able to explore many,
many more peptides than if we had done this
manually. Then we only had to screen a tiny
fraction of the entirety of the sequences that
the computer was able to browse through,”
De la Fuente-Nunez says.
The algorithm then generated and tested
tens of thousands of peptide sequences, and
human scientists tested the top 100 candi-
dates against bacteria grown in lab dishes.
The best performer, guavanin 2, contains 20
amino acids and is rich in arginine, features
Vol. 02 NO 17
By Disha Padmanabha
that make the peptide much more potent, es-
pecially against Gram-negative bacteria, a
category which includes species responsible
for pneumonia and urinary tract infections.
The team then tested this out by employ-
ing animal models- testing guavanin 2 in
mice with a skin infection caused by a type
of Gram-negative bacteria known as Pseu-
domonas aeruginosa, and found that it
cleared the infections much more effectively
than the original Pg-AMP1 peptide.
De la Fuente-Nunez and his colleagues now
plan to further develop guavanin 2 for poten-
tial human use, and they also plan to use their
algorithm to seek other potent antimicrobi-
al peptides. There are currently no artificial
antimicrobial peptides approved for use in
human patients.