With the advent of recombinant DNA technique and understanding at the cellular and molecular level of the structure and function, it is now possible to harness the genetic diversity in the living organisms for the manufacture of useful products and production of novel microbes, plants and animals with improved qualities. The Department of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1986 has promoted and accelerated the pace of development of biotechnology in the country. Through more than 900 R&D projects, demonstrations and creation of infrastructural facilities, the impact of the biotechnology related developments in agriculture, health care, environment and industry, has already been visible and the efforts are now culminating into products and processes. More than 5,000 research publications, 4,000 post-doctoral students, 22 technologies transferred to industries and 21 patents filed including two US patents can be considered as a modest  beginning. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has been interacting with more than 5,000 scientists per year in order to utilise the existing expertise of the universities

and other national laboratories. There has been close interaction with the state governments S and T Council for developing biotechnology application projects, demonstration of proven technologies, and training of human resource in states/UTs. Programmes with the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have been evolved. Biotechnology Application Centres in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have been started.

Crop BioTechnology

          Seven Centres for Plant Molecular Biology (CPMB) established with a thrust on R and D activities and training on modern areas of plant molecular biology have made significant progress. Two multi-institutional projects; (i) the development of transgenic cotton resistant to insect pests and  (ii) quality improvement in wheat, were also launched. The Indian Council Of Agricultural Research has been closely associated in prioritising and initiating all these programmes. Cloning and sequencing of at least six genes related to storage proteins, disease and pest resistance has been achieved. Transgenics of mustard, tobacco and chick pea are being evaluated for field demonstrations. A major break-through has been in wheat where high frequency   reproducible regeneration of plants from several cultivated varieties was achieved and more than 200 plants have been transferred to field conditions at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

          The Mission Mode Project on "Technology Development and Demonstration of Biofertilisers-Blue Green Algae (including Azolla) and Rhizobium" and 30 R and D projects have been supported; large scale production technologies have been developed and standardised for indoor and outdoor production of BGA. Alternate carrier materials like rice/wheat/maize straw, sugarcane waste, coir dust and rice husk have been successfully introduced. Polyalkene bio-reactors have been used for scaling up of genetically pure cultures. For popularising use of biofertilisers, 7,000 experimental demonstrations were conducted and about 6,000 farmers were trained in the use of blue green algae and rhizobium. About 250 training programmes have been conducted. The increase in paddy yield due to application of blue green algae ranged from 13- 16.67 per cent whereas in pluses and oil seeds, application of rhizobium resulted in yield increase in the range of 5-13.5 per cent. Mass production technology of Mycorrhiza, a biofertiliser developed by Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi has been transferred to M/s. Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited.

          Eight new bio-pesticides have been developed and two pilot plants are producing bio-control agents for use by the farmers, catering to the needs of about 0.224 million hectares. An area of 55,000 hectares has been covered in various field crops for demonstrating the use of bio-control agents. About 20,000 farmers benefitted by attending the on-sight training programmes and extension activities. The technologies for mass production of candidate biocontrol agents-baculovirus, parasites, predators, antagonistics, fungi and bacteria for economically important crops have been transferred to industries.

          The main emphasis in the health care system has been on early diagnosis, prophylaxis and therapeutics in relation to communicable and non-communicable diseases covering tuberculosis, malaria, filariasis, diarrhoeal diseases, viral hepatitis, cancer, genetic disorders neurosciences. A mission like approach to develop cholera vaccine by employing molecular biology and recombinant technologies has been a major breakthrough in development of candidate vaccine strain and validation of this vaccine in Phase-I trials in three different hospitals is in progress. The "LEPROVAC", a chemotherapeutic immuno-modulator, i.e., leprosy vaccine developed at National Institute of Immunology (NII) is now being produced commercially. Amphotercin B encapsulated liposomes for the treatment of systematic fungal infection has been transferred to industry. Indigenous AIDS diagnostics have been successfully developed, validated and transferred to indsutry. An ELISA system using synthetic

peptides for HIV I and II, Chimeric monoclonal reagents to detect HIV I and II in a drop of blood and western immuno blot assay have been developed and are ready for commercialisation. In addition, immunoassays and molecular probes have been developed for typhoid, filaria, leishmaniasis, TB, hepatitis A,B, and C, rabies, toxoplasmosis, amoebiasis, cerebral malaria and aspergellosis. A diagnostic kit for leishmaniasis developed at the Central Drug Research Centre (CDRI), Lucknow is being marketed by M/s Span Diagnostics. A genetically modified candidate cholera organism has been used for development of cholera vaccine. The phase-1 human volunteer trails completed recording no side effects and reactogenecity. An anti IGm ELISA kit for a hepatitis A has been developed at National Institute of Virology, Pune and anti body detection kit for aspergelosis developed at Centre for Biochemical Technology, New Delhi. AIIMS, New Delhi; Tuberculosis Centre, New Delhi; CDRI, Lucknow and JALMA, Agra have jointly developed a PCR, based diagnosis systems for tuberculosis. Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL), a public sector company to manufacture 100 million doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and other immunobiologicals has implemented Phase-I activity and bottled many batches of OPV from imported bulk after the quality of the vaccine was tested at National Quality Control Laboratory at CRI, Kasauli. The 33 million doses have been supplied to the National Immunisation Programme. Phase-II activities i.e., indigenous production of OPV from primary cell culture have been initiated. Under Indo-US Vaccine Action Programme progress has been made under some of the projects implemented in the area of viral Hepatitis C and B, cholera, typhoid, polio, rotaviral diarrhoea, E. coli diarrhoea, and tuberculosis. Candidate vaccine strain against rotaviral diarrhoea has been patented and has received approval from FDA for development of prototype vaccine for field trials.

          Fourteen genetic clinics, established for molecular diagnosis and counselling for the common genetic disorders like beta-thalassemia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and other haemoglobinopathies prevalent in the country are providing prenatal diagnosis and counselling to the affected families. A major project on genome diversity to study the genetic variations among different population groups was initiated in the country. A programme on "Functional genomics" with an objective to develop technological capability and provide assistance to clinical scientists has been launched at Centre for Biochemical Technology, New Delhi. It aims at identifying novel mutations in Indian population in known genetic disorders like beta-thalassemia, Down syndrome and other mental retardations, DMD, myotonic dystrophy, spinocerebellar ataxia, etc. and develop novel diagnostics.

          The efforts have been devoted in two directions : conservation of the genetic wealth and improvement of medicinal plants/products through the intervention of biotechnology. Three National Gene Banks (NGBs) have been established at Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, and CIMAP, Lucknow for the conservation of our rich germplasm wealth in respect of medicinal and aromatic species. These are equipped with field banks, seed banks and in vitro/cryo-preservation facilities. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is the nodal agency for the establishment of a network of gene banks among G-15 countries; it is also co-ordinating the work of Asian Region and is the over all co-oridnator for the programme. The DBT published the first four numbers of the network newsletter. Besides, inventories of medicinal and aromatic plants of India and Indonesia have also been brought out. A study of the immunomodulatory agents from certain plants reputed in Ayurveda has resulted in the isolation and purification of biologically active compounds from Piper longum and Curcuma longa with distinct anti-bacterial activity. Chemical structure of these has been worked out. Using chemicals and irradiation, distinct mutant of Catharanthus with greater content of total alkaloids have been isolated. Hairy root induction on rhizome with Agro-bacterium rhizo-genes has shown promising leads

          Technology development for microbial enzymes active in extreme temperatures, novel antibiotics, bioactive proteins and other bio-molecules have been undertaken for industrial use. Emphasis has been on development of separation and purification technologies, automation, bio-process optimization, downstream processing and bioreactor design in food and allied industries. The demonstration projects on mine dumps and recovery of gold from refractory ore have been initiated.

          For detection of bacteria associated with food, dairy products and infected fish diagnostic kits have been developed. Immunostimulants useful in shrimp management are being evaluated. Mantle tissue culture technology has been developed to produce in vito marine pearls. Genomic library for Catla has been generated and screening of the library for useful genes is underway. Under the mission mode Prawn aquaculture project, a grow out operation carried out at a farm in Eastern M.P achieved one to 1.5 tons per hectare production in 6-7 months. Hatchery technology developed at National Institute of Oceanography, Goa is ready for technology transfer to industries.