Press Release

India-South Africa to strengthen cooperation in Astronomy, RE, Advanced Materials & Indigenous Knowledge

India and South Africa agreed to strengthen cooperation in the area of Astronomy, Renewable energy, Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, and Indigenous Knowledge System at 12th Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology during February 17-20, 2020 at Pretoria, South Africa.

A 4 member scientific delegation from India led by Dr. S. K. Varshney, Advisor & Head of International Bilateral Cooperation participated the meeting at Pretoria, South Africa, and the South African delegation was led by Mr. Daan Du Toit, Deputy Director-General, International Cooperation and Resources, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Africa.

National Innovation Foundation (NIF) and DSI, South Africa finalized the Implementation Plan for Grassroot Innovation programme which was signed after the Joint Committee Meeting attended by Dr. Vipin Kumar, Director, NIF, and Ms. Nonhlanhla Mkhize Chief Director: Innovation for Inclusive Development DSI, South Africa.

This will provide a clear strategy to develop or deploy affordable grassroots technologies to address the common challenges of food, nutrition, and health of both countries. India is part of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) hosted by South Africa. An India South Africa Joint workshop in the area of Radio Astronomy has also been agreed upon to add value to the SKA (Square Kilometer Array) partnership.

The joint committee also appreciated the progress in the HIV-TB programme and agreed to organize a final project review meeting during the last quarter of 2020. Both sides applauded the good response for Joint Call for R & D Projects in the area of Renewable Energy, Biotechnology, and advanced materials. A total of 82 projects have been received from both sides. The joint committee agreed to support about 10 projects based on the basis of scientific merit.

The delegation also visited the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, National Institute on Communicable Diseases, Kleinskuur Boerdery Aquaponics Grassroots Innovation project Pretoria, and interacted with the scientists to explore further opportunities of cooperation.

Date:

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

First unit to examine DNA for mutations in genes set up at SCTIMST, Kerala

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has established a Molecular Genetics and Neuro-immunology Unit (MGNU) for genetic testing of selected cardiac and neurological inherited diseases.

This unit which will examine DNA for mutations in genes that may cause specific diseases has been set up with support from Department of Science and Technology (DST). The unit will start functioning from February 26, 2020.

SCTIMST is an advanced referral centre under DST, for neurological and cardiovascular diseases and patients are referred to the centre not only from all over Kerala but also other neighbouring states for the management of such genetic diseases.

This diagnostic platform will be available to patients from SCTIMST and hospitals outside specifically for multi-gene panels for diseases such as Neuromuscular diseases, Movement disorders (Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease), Neuro-developmental disorders, Epilepsy syndromes, Inherited metabolic diseases, Mitochondrial diseases and for identification of bacteria from body fluids.

Some genetic diseases run in the family, and others occur ‘de novo’ (start with the person who is affected). Besides diagnosis, advanced genetic testing also plays a vital role in determining the risk of developing certain diseases, screening of diseases and for guidance in instituting appropriate medical treatment. Testing the inheritance of diseases in a family can help the family in planning for the future and also encourage other members in the family to get tested. However, testing of unaffected family members will be offered only after proper counselling if necessary.

With the establishment of these advanced high- throughput sequencing technologies, it has become possible to sequence more genes and more samples in a single run. This will overcome the limitations in terms of costs, speed and scale, which will benefit clinicians and patients alike.

This diagnostic facility opens new avenues for extensive research and genomics and aids existing and new research projects, including the conduct of collaborative research work within and outside the country. The unit has been equipped with the most advanced facilities to perform the genetic diagnostic tests using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sanger sequencing and Next-Generation sequencing. This is the first centre with such an advanced sequencing platform in Kerala.

The long-term plan of the genetic diagnostic unit is to establish a robust bioinformatics platform to provide support for disease diagnosis and management, molecular characterization of diseases for personalised treatment, prenatal screening for fetal genomic disorders, population screening for disease risk, pharmacogenomics (study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs), identification of novel genetic biomarkers and genetic counselling.

Date:

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

76 new variable stars found in the Galactic open clusters can give us clues about the evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy

For more than 40 nights spanning over 3 years, a group of scientists at the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) huddled together peering into the Milky Way through the 1-m telescopes perched in the hills of Nainital and Devasthal.

The scientists Dr. Yogesh Joshi, Dr. Brijesh Kumar, and Dr. Santosh Joshi, along with research students Jayanand Maurya and Ancy Anna John, who have been tracking the mystery of the open star clusters in our galaxy have recently, found 76 new variable stars in one of the relatively young open cluster, NGC 1960, which was formed at about 27 Million year ago in the Milky Way Galaxy. The variable stars can give us critical clues about the evolutionary stages of various stars in our galaxy.

Open star clusters, which were either poorly studied in the past or completely unstudied so far, are an ensemble of many loosely bound stars having diverse characteristics. They are important objects to understand the star formation history and probe the Milky Way Galaxy a little further because it is believed that the majority of stars in our Galaxy are formed in the star clusters.

Among the 76 stars that show variations in brightness, 70 variables show periodic variations, and 20 periodic variables belong to the cluster itself while rest are either foreground or background stars in the direction of this cluster. With this, ARIES, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, takes the credit of spotting such a large number of variable stars in this young open star cluster. Most of these variables show only tiny variations in the brightness and complete their periodic variation in less than 24 hours.

Some of the observed variables are a rare class of pulsators, which drives the small amplitude pulsations in the stars as massive as our own Sun. Their research work has been published in the journal “Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,” one of the leading astronomical journals published by OXFORD University Press in the UK.

The scientists at ARIES are further aiming to do an in-depth analysis of many more star clusters in the near future, including the data from space missions. They believe their study will not only vital to understanding the pulsation mechanism but also to identify the cause of variation in some stars among a large number of cluster members.

Date:

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

President to award science communicators & women scientists on National Science Day

National Science Day (NSD) will be celebrated at Vigyan Bhawan this time with President Ram Nath Kovind presenting several awards for science communication and popularization as well as for women scientists. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences and Smriti Irani, Cabinet Minister for Textiles and Women & Child Development, will also grace the occasion.

NSD is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect.’ The Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day (NSD) in 1986. On this day, Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the 'Raman Effect' for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. On this occasion, theme-based science communication activities are carried out all over the country.

The theme of NSD-2020 is ‘Women in Science.’ The occasion will include a lecture of eminent scientist Prof Gagandeep Kang, Director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, who is the first woman FRS of India to talk on the theme of the NSD-2020.

NSD Theme has been chosen for the purpose of increasing public appreciation of the scientific issues involved. Celebrations of important Scientific Days with associated events bring scientific awareness in the community. Many institutions organize an open house for their laboratories and appraise students about career opportunities available in a particular research laboratory/institution.

National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology (DST) acts as a nodal agency to support, catalyze and coordinate the celebration of the National Science Day throughout the country in scientific institutions, research laboratories and autonomous scientific institutions associated with the Department of Science and Technology. NCSTC has supported various programs countrywide by supporting its State S&T Councils & Departments for the organization of lectures, quizzes, open houses, etc.

DST instituted National Awards for Science Popularization in February 1987 to stimulate, encourage, and recognize outstanding efforts in the area of science and technology for popularization, communication, and promoting scientific temper. These awards are presented every year on National Science Day.

Date:

Monday, February 24, 2020

New smart polymeric coating can increase performance of photovoltaic devices

Researchers from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Mohali, an autonomous institute under Department of Science and Technology (DST), have designed a synthetic polymer that can mend its own cracks when exposed to ultraviolet light.

The polymer can be used as a smart coating for photovoltaic devices to prevent damages, thereby increasing the performances of such devices. The research supported by DST-SERB has been published in the journal Soft Matter.

The low temperature mending synthetic polymer designed by the research team led by Dr. Asish Pal from INST undergoes photo-crosslinking (photo-induced formation of a covalent bond between two macromolecules), upon UVB light exposure. This results in making the otherwise flexible polymeric network rigid enough to tune the glass transition temperature. Any crack formation on the polymer-coated surface then can be repaired by UVc light irradiation that renders consequent photo-decrosslinking (photo-induced destruction of a covalent bond) mediated low glass transition temperature Tg polymers.

The approach employs interesting photo-responsive healing that mends damages in specific local sports at ambient conditions, unlike many other self-healing systems that require a higher temperature and are rather challenging to operate within a specific local area.

Nature has an uncanny ability to produce intelligent self-repairing biomaterials that get actively engaged in natural processes like blood clotting, tissue regeneration, and so on. Hence, the design of smart and adaptable stimuli-responsive systems in nanoscience owes its fascination in making self-healing materials that autonomically mend in situ at the microscopic level as a response to macroscopic damages. Such materials are potentially envisaged as sustainable and long-lasting materials for applications in electronics, energy, transportation, and coatings.

The approach of the photo-modulated self-healing system demonstrates both inherent and stimuli-responsive self-healing pathways and finds its application in designing smart coating of photovoltaic devices to prevent damages thereby, increasing the performances of the devices for a longer time.

Date:

Monday, February 24, 2020

DSTs R&D centre sets an example of solar energy implementation

International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous R&D Centre of Department of Science and Technology (DST), has set up a rooftop solar (RTS) photovoltaic plant of 500-kilowatt' (KWp) capacity. The move is expected to promote best practices of clean energy implementation in scientific institutions.

The total plant capacity of 500 KWp has been connected to power grid provided by Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL). Established across three shadow-free building rooftops, it covers an approximate area of 5000 Sq.m with 300 KWp of monocrystalline silicon and 200 KWp of polycrystalline silicon solar panels.

When connected to the grid, only the load that exceeds the plant capacity will be drawn from the Electricity Board, thus reducing the energy consumption. Similarly, the power produced by the plant is also synchronized with the diesel generators available in the centre, which will minimize the diesel consumption.

The annual energy generation of the plant is estimated to be 9 lakh units, and the surplus will be to a tune of 30%, which can be returned back to TSSPDCL as per the mutual agreement. The cost of the project is Rs 3.45 crore, and the plant is in operation since 2019.

By harnessing renewable energy sources, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous R&D Centre of Department of Science and Technology (DST) has not only aimed at reduction of expenditure on energy but also joined the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

Date:

Monday, February 24, 2020

SCTIMST receives UK-MRC grant to study management of patients with multi-morbidity in Indian PHCs