CSIR News - Niscair

Volume 65 No. 15 & 16 August 2015website: http://www.csir.res.in

I n T h i s I s s u e

ISSN 0409-7467

Newsletter of the CouNCil of sCieNtifiC & iNdustrial researCh

THE true spirit of independence should imply working hard to contribute to the development of the nation so as to realize complete literacy, meet the technological needs and attain self-reliance, said Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR, in his Independence Day message at the CSIR Headquarters on 15 August 2015.

Celebrating the 69th Independence Day at Anusandhan Bhawan, Dr. Harsh Vardhan talked about ‘unity in diversity’ and the uniqueness of the country and the opportunities lying ahead. He took the opportunity to remember the contributions of legendary leaders of our great nation, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh,

In The News

CSIR Celebrates 69th Independence Day169In The News• CSIR Celebrates 69th

Independence Day• CSIR Successfully Foils Two

MNC Patents• Patent Granted to CSIR-

CSMCRI’s Iodising Agent• CSIR-IIP Develops Micro-

Channel Reactors for Hydro-processing of Vegetable Oils

• Electronic Nose for Environmental Monitoring jointly developed by CSIR-NEERI & C-DAC

Swami Vivekanand and many others. He then quoted the work of a girl and a rickshaw puller, both devoted to teaching in the slum areas as an inspiration for all to work with more rigor and dedication for the betterment of the common man.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that real happiness

lies in encouraging people to be educated properly. He also referred to the speech of the Hon’ble PM delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort and requested the audience to work hard with sincerity to realize the goals set. He believed that one could only be known by his/her good deeds towards other fellow beings.

Before the start of the celebrations, Dr. Harsh Vardhan was warmly welcomed by Dr. M.O. Garg, DG, CSIR, Dr. Anupama, Joint Secretary (Admin), CSIR, Dr. Sudeep Kumar, Head, PPD and other senior officers of CSIR. He was given a ceremonial salute by the CSIR security. The Hon’ble Minister unfurled the National Flag at the CSIR premises to the melodious tunes of the National Anthem.

Thereafter, the celebrations were held

176R&D Highlights

188CSIR-Serving the Nation• CSIR-CFTRI

185Meetings

186 Foundation Day Celebrations

192Appointments

179MoUs

179Workshops

192Forthcoming Events

182Training/Awareness Programmes

174Tribute• Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Great

Well-wisher of CSIR

CSIR News

CSIR NewsAUGUST 2015170

In The News in the Shanti Swar upBhatnagar Auditoriumwhich began with thereciting of the NationalSong ‘Vande Mataram’ bythe women staff of CSIR.To celebrate the spirit ofIndependence Day, a song‘Ae Mere Pyare Vatan’ wassung by anotherenthusiastic group.

Addressing thegathering, Dr. M.O. Garg, DG, CSIRrecalled the discussion held during CSIR’sDirectors Conference – “The ChintanShivir” – held at CSIR-IIP, Dehradunduring 12-13 June 2015 and expressed thecommitment of CSIR to live up to the“Dehradun Declaration” and theexpectations of the Government ofIndia. He touched upon the speech of

the Hon’ble PM delivered from theramparts of the Red Fort on the occasionof the 69th Independence Day andemhasised upon the role and commitmentof CSIR to provide the desired S&Tinterventions. He said that science andtechnology alone can help India to growfurther and become a global leader in theidentified technology domains.-

On the occasion, Dr. Harsh Vardhan,Vice President, CSIR gave a slogan:

The compere of the function, Dr.Hari Om Yadav, Sr. Scientist,summarized the address of the Hon’bleMinister aptly as, “Keep working withsincerity, keep contributing to the growthof the organization and keep giving tothe nation.”

The function concluded with thesinging of the National Anthem.

Dr. M.O. Garg addressing the gathering

Dr. Harsh Vardhan unfurling the National Flag

Independence Day Celebrations in the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Auditorium

CSIR News AUGUST 2015 171

The Council of Scientific and IndustrialResearch has recently successfully foiledattempts by two multinationals to patentmedicinal compositions that have beenused since long in the Indian systems ofmedicines like Ayurveda and Unani andwhich have been documented in theTraditional Knowledge Digital Library(TKDL), a unit of CSIR.

CSIR’s Innovation Protection Unitlocated the patent application for amedicinal composition containingturmeric, pine bark and green tea fortreating hair loss. The patent was filed byPangaea Laboratories at the EuropeanPatent Office in February 2011, and inJanuary 2014 a pre-grant opposition alongwith evidence material of use of theproducts in traditional Indian medicinewas registered. Finally, on 29th June thisyear, the UK-based company withdrewthe application.

CSIR also recently thwarted Colgate-Palmolive Co.’s bid to patent amouthwash formula containing herbextract used in Indian traditional systemsof medicine to cure oral diseases, at theEuropean Patent office. The TraditionalKnowledge Digital Library gavereferences from ancient books stating theherb and its extracts of Myristica fragranswere historically used for oral diseases inIndian systems of medicine. It informedthe EPO about references of the extractsin ‘Charaka Samhita’ – the ancient textof the traditional medicinal practices. Italso cited how the extracts are used indifferent traditional medicines like‘Raughan’, ‘Dantaprabha Churna Manjan’and ‘Sahakaravati’.

The Traditional Knowledge DigitalLibrary integrates diverse disciplines like

ayurveda, unani, siddha and yoga. It isbased on 359 books of Indian systemsof medicine. It acts as a bridge betweenthese books and international patentexaminers.

Till date, the CSIR has achievedsuccess in about 200 such cases wherethe patent applications have either beenwithdrawn/cancelled/declared dead/terminated or have the claims amendedby applicants or rejected by theexaminers on the basis of the TKDLsubmissions.

CSIR Successfully Foils Two MNC Patents


In The News

The Central Salt & Marine ChemicalsResearch Institute (CSMCRI), Bhavnagarrecently won a long-drawn patent battlethat saw its novel iodising agent findinguse in iodised salt finally being granted apatent.

The patent application related to anovel process for the preparation ofstable iodising agent, which can beeffectively used in the formulation ofiodised salt, wherein it offers stability toiodine. The CSIR had filed the patentapplication in June 2004. However, thepatent was opposed by the HindustanLever Limited on the grounds that theprocess put forward by CSIR was not newso the patent should be cancelled. In 2013,the Indian Patents Office rejected CSIR’s

Patent Granted to CSIR-CSMCRI’sIodising Agent

patent application.However, CSMCRI’s inventors

decided to pursue the matter further andapproached the Intellectual PropertyAppellate Board (IPAB) in Chennaiwhich has now upheld that thetechnology was “novel, inventive andnon-obvious” so the patent can begranted.

Iodine deficiency is a recogniseddisorder that can be corrected by saltiodisation. It has been part of healthprogrammes of various internationalorganisations focusing on health.CSMCRI’s novel invention reduces thecost of purification of salt besidesmaintaining the iodising agent in thestable form.

The CSIR-Indian Institute ofPetroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun, hasdeveloped micro-channel reactors toconvert non-edible oil and biomass-derived oil (pyrolysis-oil), biomass-derived gases (syn-gas) and coal derivedgases (Coal gasification to syn-gas) intosecond and third generation biofuel.These reactors greatly increase theproduct yield and conversion in hydro-processing of vegetable oils.

The micro-channel reactors findimmediate applications as a tool tointensify the process at places wherethere is inadequate supply of rawmaterial (biomass); where trans-portation of (feedstock) fossil fuels is aproblem. All this is possible mainly dueto excellent mixing, controlled reaction

CSIR-IIP Develops Micro-Channel Reactorsfor Hydro-processing of Vegetable Oils

environment, and energy efficiencyenabled by these micro-channel reactors.

The micro-channel reactors arebetter than the conventional (fixed bedtubular reactors) reactors in terms of:hydrodynamics and heat and masstransfer. Due to better hydrodynamics,the wall effect channeling etc. inmicro-channel reactors is zero.Moreover, the high surface-to-volumeratio provides better heat control, whichin turn ensures proper productdistribution. The catalyst used in amicro-channel reactor is either coatedon the wall or packed inside the channel.The amount of material required formicro-channel reactor, the catalystcost and the operating cost are far lessthan that in case of conventionalreactors.


An Electronic Nose (E-Nose) to sniffout dangerous gases in the pulp and paperindustry has been jointly developed bythe Nagpur-based CSIR-NationalEnvironmental Engineering ResearchInstitute (NEERI) of CSIR and Centrefor Development of AdvancedComputing (C-DAC). The developmentwas announced by CSIR-NEERI and C-DAC on 8 July 2015.

The Electronic Nose, the first of itskind of technology to be developed inIndia that makes use of intelligentsoftware to identify odorous molecules,is a portable device that measures odourconcentration as well as odour intensityusing an array of sensors that functionon the principle similar to that of humanolfaction (sense of smell). The sensorarray generates a pattern based on thetype of aroma. The software can betrained by feeding information based onobservation of experts.

The E-Nose will find particularapplication in the pulp and paper industrythat emits a variety of gases like hydrogensulphide, methyl mercaptan, dimethylsulphide, and dimethyl disulphide all ofwhich beyond a certain concentrationsmay adversely affect the environment andhuman health. By continuouslymonitoring the concentration of thesegases, it is a boon for workers. Besides, italso overcomes all limitations of theavailable analytical instruments that areexpensive and time-consuming.

The E-Nose is currently functioningsuccessfully at the Mysore Paper MillsLimited at Bhadravati in Karnataka andTamil Nadu Paper Mill.

Electronic Nose for Environmental Monitoringjointly developed by CSIR-NEERI & C-DAC

As a next step, the researchers areworking on enabling the Electronic Noseto monitor gas emissions from any source,be it an industry or leakage of petroleumpipes.

Sensor array

For any further scientific detailson this development, pleasecontact: Dr. R.A. PandeyChief Investigator,CSIR-NEERIMob. No. 09975055593

Dr. (Ms.) Sharvari DeshmukhCSIR-SRF, CSIR-NEERIMob. No. 09890507711


Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a great well-wisher of CSIR and always hada word of advice for all the laboratories that he visited. Here is a pictorial account of

some of his visits to CSIR Laboratories.

President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam visited RRL-Jammu(now CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine) on

26 June 2003. He showed keen interest in the R&D workof the Laboratory and remarked, “Delighted to visit

RRL-Jammu. I can see excellence in many areas ofherbal plants (end to end solution).”

The silver jubilee function of CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, in 2003 was graced by the presence of President of IndiaDr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In his address on the occasion, President Kalam lauded the efforts of CIMAP in development and

transfer of mint and geranium technologies for social transformation in the country. He added that the herbal garden set up atRashtrapati Bhavan with participation of CIMAP had been visited by many children who are now inclined towards life sciences

and allied areas of biotechnology

In 2003, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, President of India,visiting the X-ray characterization laboratory at CSIR-NPL.

President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during his visit to CSIR-IMTECH on the occasion ofthe “Science Congress for School Children” in 2004; Interacting with school children (on right)

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)Great Well-wisher of CSIR

-

Tribute


Former President of India Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam dedicated the Laboratory for the Conservation ofEndangered Species (LaCONES) to the nation for the Cause of Conservation on 1 February 2007

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President,inspecting stalls set up by scientists at

CECRI in Karaikudi

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at CSIR-NAL in 2013

Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during his visit to CSIR-NML recorded, “I am indeed delighted to interact with Scientists andEngineers of National Metallurgical Laboratory. It is a competitive world where in we have to work hard and provide

inputs to our production institutions to gain technological advantages in product design and production"

Prof. Indranil Manna taking Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam,around the stalls during the exhibition at

CSIR-CGCRI

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam praised the work of CSIR-NISCAIR atits Diamond Jubilee celebrations on 17 October 2014


R&D HighlightsR&D Highlights

Bio-derived ZnO nanoflower: Highly efficientcatalyst for the synthesis of chalcone derivatives

Over the past several years, plants andother natural sources have come up aslow cost, energy efficient, eco-friendlyand non-toxic resources for the synthesisof nanomaterials. Musa balbisiana is amedicinal and economic plant fromNorth East India. The peel of the fruitis a food additive and helps withnormalizing digestive disorders of thestomach. It is widely used to producesoaps and detergents for washing clothesand shampooing hair.

Scientists at the CSIR-North EastInstitute of Science & Technology(NEIST), Jorhat have succeeded insynthesizing ZnO nanoparticles with agreen eco-friendly method using the peelof Musa balbisiana. ZnO nanoparticles

were then characterized by XRD, XPS,FTIR, SEM, BET and TEM techniques.The SEM images indicate the formationof flower like morphology of ZnO. Theflower-like morphology consists ofpetal- like small nanosheets. Theformation of flower-like structure ofnanoparticles may be due to synergiceffect of ions like K+, CO3

2-, Na+, Cl-etc which are available in the biomaterialduring synthesis of nanoparticles. So, itis a very simple eco-friendly method forsynthesis of ZnO nanoflower usingnatural resources. This biomaterial canbe used further for synthesis of othermetal oxides without using anyhazardous chemicals. So, it is one of bestsource of natural alkali.

The prepared ZnO-nanocatalyst wasthen utilized for the synthesis ofchalcone derivatives. The single stepcondensation of substituted arylcarbonyls is an attractive feature to obtainsubstituted chalcones by Claisen–Schmidt condensation reaction in 88–98% yields in less than 2 min undermicrowave irradiation in solvent freeconditions (Figure 1). The significantyields and very short period of time arethe novelty of our study on ZnO-nanocatalyst. We have tested thereusability of the ZnO catalyst in thecondensation reaction. Very significantyield was obtained after use 5th cycle ofthe catalyst.

ReferenceBio-derived ZnO nanoflower: a highlyefficient catalyst for the synthesis of chalconederivatives. Chandan Tamuly, IndranirekhaSaikia, Moushumi Hazarika, ManobjyotiBordoloi, Najrul Hussain, Manash R Das,Kaustavmoni Deka. RSC Advances, 2015, 5,8604-8608.

Fig. 1: Green, eco-friendly synthesis ofZnO nanoparticles using peel of

Musa balbisiana and its utility as nanocatalystin the synthesis of chalcone derivatives

Musa balbisiana

ZnO nanoflower

Zn(NO3)2

OO

O

R R

H+

CH3


In a programme directed at exploitationof microbial wealth of India, scientistsat the CSIR-Institute of MicrobialTechnology (IMTECH), Chandigarhhave isolated caerulomycin A (CaeA)from novel species of actinomycetes,Actinomycetes spintinesis and described itsuse as immunosuppressive agent (Singlaet al. US 8114895; EP 1942889).

Immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs)are crucial for long-term graft survivalfollowing organ transplantation. Inaddition, ISDs are prescribed for thetreatment of autoimmune diseases,inflammatory disorders, hypersensitivityto allergens, etc. Although currentlyused drugs in clinic have providedsignificant relief to patients, these sufferfrom one or the other drawback, suchas poor oral bioavailability, side effectslike nephrotoxicity and malignancy, non-specific mode of action, incompletesuppression of belligerent immune cells,unaffordable cost, etc. Thus the needremains for discovering efficacious,select ive and safer newimmunosuppressive drugs for improvedsustenance of organ transplants.

CaeA exhibited better immuno-suppression than clinically used drugcyclosporine A. CaeA suppresses theproliferation of naïve CD4+ T cells,effector T cells, Th1 cells, Th2 cells andB cells. Thus, CaeA can be used tosuppress cell-mediated immunity as wellas humoral immunity. In contrastCyclosporin A works only on T cells andthus suppresses only the cell mediatedimmunity. CaeA induces generation ofTregs, significantly suppresses T cellresponse and prolongs the survival ofallogeneic skin graft in mice (Singla etal. Transplantation 97, e57-59, 2014; J.

CSIR-IMTECH Scientists IsolateImmuno-suppressive Agent fromSpecies of Actinomycetes

Biol Chem 289, 17515-17528).At the molecular level, CaeA

(molecular weight 229.23) posses amuch simpler chemical str ucturecompared to Cyclosporin A (molecularweight 1202.61). In vitro studies haveshown that CaeA requires 10-fold lesseramount by weight compared tocyclosporin A for achieving similar levelof inhibition of lymphocytes. Thus, ifsuccessfully developed, CaeA isexpected to lead to a significant decreasein cost of immunosuppressive therapy.

Having described the activity ofCaeA as immunosuppressive agent, thenext step was to find its intracellulartarget and decipher its mechanism ofaction. The results described in thispaper established that CaeA exerts itseffect at cellular level by targeting iron.CaeA causes intracellular iron depletionby reduced uptake and increased releaseby cells. CaeA causes cell cycle arrestby (i) inhibit ing ribonucleotidereductase enzyme, which catalyses therate-limiting step in the synthesis ofDNA, (ii) stimulating MAPKs signallingtransduction pathways that playimportant role in cell growth,proliferation and differentiation and (iii)by targeting cell cycle control moleculessuch as cyclin D1, cdk4 and p21CIP1/WAF1.

Whereas in vitro 0.3M CaeA causedcomplete inhibition of T-cellproliferation, 0.6M CaeA showedinsignificant effect on the viability ofcells. Moreover, effect on proliferationof cells is reversible once CaeA iswithdrawn from the system. Theseunique properties of CaeA not onlymake it an attractive candidate fordevelopment as drug, but also indicatethat iron chelation can be used as a

In a programme

directed at

exploitation of

microbial wealth of

India, scientists at

the CSIR-Institute of

Microbial

Technology

(IMTECH),

Chandigarh have

isolated

caerulomycin A

(CaeA) from novel

species of

actinomycetes,

Actinomycetes

spintinesis and

described its use as

immunosuppressive

agent


R&D Highlightsrational approach to selectively suppressthe immune system; because comparedto normal cells, rapidly proliferating cellsrequire higher utilization of iron, whichis a central regulator for proliferation andfunction of immune cells.

Reference

Kaur, S.; Srivastava, G.; Sharma, R.N. andJolly, R.S. Immunosuppressive agentCaerulomycin A exerts its effect by depletingcellular iron content. Br. J. Pharmacol. 172(9),2286-2299, 2015.

Bhau et al. (2015) from CSIR-NEIST,Jorhat, have reported a suitable methodfor biosynthesis of Au nanoparticlesfrom Nepenthes khasiana plants. The useof plant material not only makes theprocess eco-friendly but also theabundance makes it more economical.

The aim of this study was toinvestigate the ability of this plant tosynthesise gold nanoparticles and studythe properties of the nanoparticles thus

CSIR-NEIST scientists develop new methodfor biosynthesis of Au nanoparticles fromNepenthes khasiana plants

produced. Antimicrobial activity andmedicinal values of Nepenthes khasianafascinated us to utilize it for biosynthesisof gold nanoparticles. The synthesizedgold nanoparticles were characterized byUV-Vis spectrophotometry, ScanningElectron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction,Fourier Transform Infra-redSpectroscopy and TransmissionElectron Microscopy.

Different time intervals for thereaction with aqueous chloroauric acidsolution increased in the absorbance withtime and became constant giving amaximum absorbance at 599.78 nm atthree hours of incubation. The resultsfrom XRD, TEM and SEM support thebiosynthesis of triangular and sphericalshaped Gold nanoparticles between 50nm to 80 nm. In this study, theantimicrobial property of the AuNPs wasexploited against human pathogenicmicro-organisms. The results of TEM,SEM, FT-IR, UV-VIS and XRD confirmthat the leaves extract of N. khasiana canbe used to produce Gold nanoparticleswith significant amount of antimicrobialactivity.

ReferenceBS Bhau, S Puri, S Ghosh, B Borah, DKSarmah & Raju Khan, Green synthesis ofGold nanoparticles from the leaf extract ofNepenthes khasiana and antimicrobial assay,Advance Material. Letters, 2015, 6(1), 55-58.

(a) SEM and (b) TEM images of gold nanoparticles afterbioreduction with Nepenthes khasiana leaf extract

(c) & (d) antimicrobial activity shown byAuNPs against bacterial and fungal species


The CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory(CSIR-NCL), Pune entered into aMemorandum of Understanding (MOU)with Security Printing and MintingCorporation of India Ltd. (SPMCIL)here recently.

The MoU will seek to fostercollaboration on research and exchangeof technical expertise in areas of materialsciences and testing capabilities for bank

MoUs

MoU Signed between CSIR-NCL and SecurityPrinting and Minting Corporation of India Ltd

A Workshop on “Indian Innovations inMaterials Research: New Materials andProcesses” (IIMR-15) was joint lyorganized by CSIR-Central Glass andCeramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), Kolkata, and the IndianAssociation for Productivity, Quality andReliability (IAPQR), Kolkata, during 25-27 June 2015.

Workshops

Workshop on “Indian Innovations in MaterialsResearch: New Materials and Processes” atCSIR-CGCRI

The Workshop was part of a pilotproject approved by the NSTMISDivision of the Department of Scienceand Technology (DST), GOI. Thebackdrop to IMMR-15 is the fact that thedecade 2010-2019 has been declared asthe “Decade of Innovation” by thegovernment of India, and a new Science,Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy

notes, security documents and coins. TheMoU was signed by Dr. Sourav Pal,Director, CSIR-NCL and Shri RakeshKumar, Additional General Manager,SPMCIL in the presence of Shri. P.N.Radkar, Director (Technical), SPMCIL.

The agreement ascertained theresearch projects within the focus areasof SPMCIL’s requirements and domainexpertise available at CSIR-NCL.

Shri Kamal Dasgupta, Acting Director, CSIR-CGCRI welcoming the delegates.


The Welcome Address was deliveredby Dr. R.N. Basu, Head, Fuel Cell andBattery Division, CSIR-CGCRI. Hespoke briefly about the scope of theworkshop and said that in all, about 40posters, 24 students oral presentations, 17contributory presentations, 29 Invitedtalks and 5 Plenary talks would be thehighlight of the workshop.

Shri Kamal Dasgupta, ActingDirector, CSIR-CGCRI also warmlywelcomed all delegates and guests. He saidthat IIMR-15 would help delegatesunderstand the changes in science policyin the context of the nuances ofinnovation involved. He exemplified thisby touching briefly upon the DehradunDeclaration. He said that any innovation

in sync with the stated objectives asoutlined in the Dehradun Declarationwould get support and thus help inmaking the nation’s dreams come true.

Prof. B. Das spoke about IAPQR’sactivities. Established in 1973, IAPQR isengaged in the pursuit, propagation andpromotion of concepts, methods andpractices to enhance productivity inmanufacturing and service organizationsthrough Quality and Reliability.

In his keynote address, Chief GuestDr. Srikumar Banerjee, DAE HomiBhabha Chair Professor, Bhabha AtomicResearch Centre, Mumbai, spoke aboutthe Innovation Ecosystem. He succinctlypointed out that the meaning ofInnovation did not lie in the wordspublished in a dictionary but more in itsapplication as evident in Google searchfor the same. He said Innovation isCompetition-driven; Knowledge isScholarship-driven and Deployment isMarket-driven and the two-way dynamicsamong these three impact societaldevelopment. Under innovation comesincremental innovation, radicalinnovation, large-system innovation, andinnovation for inclusive growth.Protection of IPR and the challenges oftechnology transfer have to be addressedin this context.

He spoke about the changing contextsof social challenges in India during 1950sto the 1990s during which period sciencedelivered solutions to situations arisingout of technology denial in the strategicsectors. Subsequently, Dr. Banerjeefocussed on self-reliance in the era oftechno-globalization and illustrated histalk with the story of nuclear reactordevelopment in India. In the followingyears, social challenges would includeproblems of Energy, Environment,Climate change, Water, Education,Affordable healthcare and Increased foodproduction to feed the burgeoningpopulation. Flow of solutions from

was spelt out by the Prime Minister inJanuary 2013.

The aim of the Workshop was toinvite experts in chosen scientific domainsto speak on identified issues related toInnovations in general and on NewMaterials in particular. The Workshopwas planned to cater to different segmentsof society which included seniorscientists, professionals, students andmembers of the lay public. The scope ofIIMR-15 also included the involvementof young researchers in an interactivesession on Innovation.

Workshops

Panel discussion: (From left to right)Prof. Dr. A.B. Mandal, Dr. K. Muraleedharan,

Prof. S.P. Mukherjee, Dr. S. Baherjee,Prof. B. S. Murty


science is therefore, global and wide-reaching.

The Vote of Thanks was deliveredby Dr. A.K. Ray, Convenor, IIMR-15.

Spread over three days, the IIMR-15comprised of Plenary lectures, Invitedtalks, Contributory presentations, Postersession and a Panel discussion. A galaxyof distinguished, delegates, guests andspeakers from across India participated.Their presence alongside the exuberantyoung researchers and Summer Internsat CSIR-CGCRI added great value toIIMR-15.

The Plenary talks were: Nano-structured functionalised nanocompositesdelivered by Prof. K.L. Chopra (IITDelhi); Innovations in the context ofSTI Policy–2013 by Prof. S.P. Mukherjee(IAPQR); Impacting ResearchInnovation and Technology - An MHRDInitiative for Self-Reliance in Engineeringand Technology by Prof. Indranil Manna(IIT Kanpur); Science, Technology andInnovations in Leather Research by Prof.Dr. A. B. Mandal (Formerly Director,CSIR-CLRI) and Sustainability and LifeCycle Assessment of Materials by Dr. S.Srikant (CSIR-NML).

Among the other dignitaries whodelivered talks were: Prof. Ajay Ray(IIEST, Shibpur), Dr. Ashish Lele(CSIR-NCL), Prof. Anindya J.Bhattacharya (IISc, Bangalore), Prof.Rabibrata Mukherjee (IIT-Kharagpur)Dr. G. Padmanabham (ARCI), Dr. S.K.Bhadra (CSIR-CGCRI), Prof. B. S. Murty(IIT-Madras), Dr. Goutam De (CSIR-CGCRI), Dr. R.N Basu (CSIR-CGCRI),Sitendu Mandal (CSIR-CGCRI), Prof.H.S. Ray (Former Director, CSIR-RRL,Bhubaneshwar) and Dr. B. B. Jha (CSIR-IMMT) to name a few.

Dr. Srikumar Banejee was Chairmanof the Panel discussion on 'The Role ofInnovations in Make in India'. The otherdistinguished Panelists were: Dr. K.Muraleedharan, Professor K.L. Chopra,

Prof. S.P. Mukherjee, Prof. B.S. Murty, andDr. A.B. Mandal.

Prof. Chopra initiated the discussionin his characteristic straightforwardmanner. He said that, we are a scientificcivilization and health and wealth dependon Knowledge, on Science andTechnology, which must be translated forthe benefit of the citizens. He said thatthe Decade of Innovation as launchedby the GOI calls for support at all levelsand that Innovation andEntrepreneurship go together. Accordingto him, the University system mustrecognize this and teach the art ofentrepreneurship to its students as partof its curriculum. Universities andeducational institutions must havebusiness incubator and/or Technologyparks. The ecosystem in an educationalinstitute must support entrepreneurship.

Dr. K. Muraleedharan said that thelack of innovation in recent times mustbe addressed but not through slogansalone. He said that Make in India is anopportunity and all should play a role tomake it a success. Make in India will usherin an era of resources, he said. He gavethe example of Warship-grade steel thatIndia used to procure from Russia. Whenlaboratory scale production wassuccessful as a result of indigenousresearch, his team approached SteelAuthority of India (SAI) which took upthe challenge of production. Today, thissteel is used to manufacture the firstaircraft carrier at the Hazira plant. Thiswas possible only because SAI had theskillsets for manufacturing, which callsfor different tools and doctrines ascompared to laboratory-scale production.

Prof. Mukherjee emphasized thatMake in India included design in India,develop in India and deliver in India (andglobally!). He stressed the fact thatdesigning in India was integral to the taskof Make in India; it was not enough tosimply develop and deliver using the

Prof. Chopra

initiated the

discussion in his

characteristic

straightforward

manner. He said

that, we are a

scientific civilization

and health and

wealth depend on

Knowledge, on

Science and

Technology, which

must be translated

for the benefit of the

citizens. He said

that the Decade of

Innovation as

launched by the GOI

calls for support at

all levels and that

Innovation and

Entrepreneurship go

together.


Training Programmesabundant and cheap labour-force in thecountry. The word design too should notbe taken in the narrow sense of assembly/manufacture in India. Goods and servicesmust be designed to meet current, futureand also, unmet needs. We need to designnewer and better products/processes/controls he said. We must use ourinnovative minds for creativity; for usingour knowledge of S&T for better designand services.

Prof. Murty focused on the peoplewho innovate and how to educate them.He said that with the mushrooming ofengineering colleges there are many withdegrees in Engineering but they are notall, necessarily good engineers. There is alack of various levels of strongeducational backgrounds. Good qualityeducation must reach all. There must alsobe a faculty development programme. He

discussed the difficulties inherent inreaching a large group of students andresearchers spread over the country butinsisted that with innovative thinking andnovel use of technology, this could bemade possible. He gave an example ofhow he was planning to set up a facilityfor a very expensive Atom Probemachine. Because it is so expensive,funding is not easy to come by. However,he has designed the facility to be capableof being remotely operated so that everycontributor, no matter wheregeographically, is a partner with equalaccess to the machine. He said this was anew model. Such innovative models canbe used to reach a large part of thepopulation.

Prof. Dr. A. B. Mandal also spokeabout the encouragement and supportthat researchers, scientists andentrepreneurs need at all levels.

CSIR-Central Food TechnologicalResearch Institute (CFTRI), Mysore incollaboration with Confederation ofIndian Industry (CII), Mysore Chapterorganized the MSME meet on ‘Valueadded Agriculture & Food Processing’at CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore on 29 May 2015.The programme was coordinated underthe banner of CSIR-MSME Initiativesupported by Department of MSME,Govt. of India, New Delhi.

The focus of the meet was to providea wider platform for interaction ofentrepreneurs with scientists who areworking in the areas of food processingsuch as spices, grains, fruit & vegetables,

Training Programmes/Science Awareness Programmes

CSIR-CFTRI organisesAwareness-cum-Workshop for MSMEsunder CSIR-MSME Initiatives

packaging and food safety. A total of 124participants attended this workshop.

Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director,CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore delivered thekeynote address. Mr. M.I. Ganagi, ChiefGeneral Manager, NABARD talkedabout the scope of Agro & Foodprocessing industry in Karnataka.Experts from CSIR-CFTRI madepresentations on various topics relatedto food processing industry. Thetechnology for production of turmericpowder from fresh turmeric rhizomesand table-top mult ipurpose rot i-processing machines were demonstratedto the participants.


It is envisaged that this hand-holdingwould transform the food processingindustry to be more competitive andresponsive to meet the global anddomestic challenges in the marketplace.During the meet, an MoU was signed

A view of the audience in the MSME meet 2015 at CSIR-CFTRI

A one-day program on socioeconomicempowerment of tribal women throughTassar sericulture was held at Mahadevpurof Karimnagar, District, Telangana on 8July 2015. This project was sanctionedby the Department of Science andTechnology (DST) and CSIR-IndianInstitute of Chemical Technology(IICT), Hyderabad to promote tasarculture as well as to increase qualitativeand quantitative cocoon production.

Dignitaries present during theprogram were Mr. A. Narsimha Reddy,Joint Director of Sericulture,Government of Telangana, Mr.Satyanarayana Rao, Scientist RTRS, CSB,Warangal, Mr. K.V. Mallikarjun, AssistantDirector of Sericulture Karimnagar, Ms.Haseena Bano, ZPTC, Mr. K. Rajababu,Sarpanch, Mr. Sripathi Bapu, SingleWindow Chairman from Mahadevpur,Dr. Sunil Misra, Scientist, Mr. K. Sriram,

Program on Socio-Economic Empowerment ofTribal Women through Tasar Sericulture

Sr. Technical officer and Dr. K.Madhusudhan Rao, Sr. TechnicalAssistant, from CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad.

Addressing the gathering of Tasarsericulture farmers and the dignitaries Dr.

Dignitaries during inauguration ofthe workshop

between CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore and CII,Mysore. Under this MoU, CII, Mysore andCSIR-CFTRI, Mysore will jointly engagein activities towards promotion of bestagriculture practices and food processingin Mysore district.


Training Programmes/Meetings

Sunil Misra, Scientist, CSIR-IICT,Hyderabad gave a vivid description ofthe project and its essence in promotingTassar sericulture and the necessity torender a helping hand to the Tasarfarmers. He said that the aim of theproject was to promote Tasar sericulture

He urged the farmers to make use of thisopportunity and produce better qualitycocoons so as to improve their economiccondition.

In his address the Joint Director,Warangal, Mr. A. Narsimha Reddythanked profusely the Department ofScience and Technology (DST),Government of India and CSIR-IICT,Hyderabad for taking up such a noblecause of supplying the chemicals andimplements for the benefit of Tasarfarmers of Karimnagar District. Headvised the farmers to adopt scientificmethods to enhance their produce sothat they can have better economicstatus. He wished that such a facilityshould be extended to other districts alsowhere Tasar is being reared.

Mr. Satyanarayana Rao, Scientist“C” of RTRS, Warangal, spoke in detailabout the activities of his parentorganisation and requested the farmersto adopt scientific methods to rear thesilkworms. He wanted the farmers tomake use of the given implements in anappropriate way so that they get goodyield. He stressed that if nets are usedproperly during the chawki rearing of theworms the farmers would be benefittedwith 40% more yield.

Speaking on the occasion Mr.Mallikarjun, Assistant Director,Karimnagar insisted that to make a verygood profit the farmers should strive to

Distribution of kits to farmers

A woman farmer interacting withexperts

Cocoons at Tasar centre for sale

to improve the socio economic conditionsof the tribal farmers, particularly women.He said that during this one-day programsome important items required formanagement of food plant as well asduring the silkwor m rearing like(1) Bleaching Powder (5 kg), (2) LimePowder (20 kg), (3) Secature,(4) Tarpaulin, (5) Bio-fertiliser (1 litre),(6) Chlorine dioxide (5 liters) and (7) 200DFLs (Disease free layings supplied bystate department) are required by theTassar farmers for better cocoon yield.


Farmers during the workshop

get 45 to 50 cocoons per DFLs. He laudedthe role of CSIR-IICT and DST fortaking up such a wonderful program. Hewanted that the Tasar yield should be onpar with mulberry, so that the Tasarfarmers will make huge profits and willbe financially sound and economically

developed.All the political representatives

present on the dais lauded the efforts ofCSIR-IICT and DST and said more suchprograms should be taken up for thebenefit of the farmers. The dignitariesdistributed farming kits to 150 farmers.

A three-day meeting on the Bay of BengalOceanography was jointly organized bythe CSIR-National Institute ofOceanography (CSIR-NIO), India andthe Department of Oceanography, DhakaUniversity (DU) at Dhaka, Bangladeshduring 11-13 May 2015.

The inaugural function, held atNabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury SenateBhaban Auditorium of the DhakaUniversity (DU) on 11 May 2015, waspresided over by Dr. A.A.M.S. ArefinSiddique, Vice Chancellor, DhakaUniversity. The special guests at theinaugural function included Dr. S.W.ANaqvi, Director, CSIR-NIO; Mr.Sandeep Chakravorty, Deputy HighCommissioner of India; Prof. Md.

Meetings

CSIR-NIO and Dhaka University, BangladeshJoint Meeting on “Bay of Bengal Oceanography”

From left to right: Prof. A.S.M. Maksud Kamal,Dean, Earth and Environmental Sciences, DU;

Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty, Deputy HighCommissioner of India; Dr. A.A.M.S. Arefin

Siddique, Vice Chancellor of DU;Dr. S.W.A Naqvi, Director CSIR-NIO;Prof. Md. Kawser Ahmed, Chairman,Department of Oceanography, DU.


Foundation DayCelebrations

Kawser Ahmed, Chairman, Departmentof Oceanography, DU and Prof. A.S.M.Maksud Kamal, Dean, Earth andEnvironmental Sciences, DU. Thefunction was attended by a six-memberteam from CSIR-NIO, India led by Dr.S.W.A. Naqvi, Director, CSIR-NIO andseveral leading experts from both thecountries.

The objective of the meeting wasmulti-fold: (1) to identify mutuallyinteresting scientific topics andquestions on the Bay of Bengal

Oceanography that could be studiedthrough mutual collaboration, (2) todeliberate on the Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) between CSIR-NIO and Department of Oceanography,DU and (3) to discuss about thepossibilities of organizing a joint cruiseto collect oceanographic data from thedata-sparse Bangladeshi-shelf sloperegions and also regions beyond theslope but within the exclusive economiczone (EEZ) of Bangladesh.

The technical session hadpresentations by CSIR-NIOexperts and students and facultyfrom Dhaka University and waswell attended by over 50participants. The meeting alsorecommended expediting the MoU,preparation of joint cruiseproposal and its submission torelevant competent authorities intheir respective countries by boththe parties in run-up to the jointcruise. Each party agreed to dotheir best to achieve desired results.The meeting concluded with boththe CSIR-NIO and DU teamsexpressing happiness in achievingthe meeting objectives thathopefully would pave the way forfuture collaboration on Bay ofBengal Oceanography.

CSIR-NIO Team (standing left to right: Dr. V. Ramaswamy,Dr. P.S. Rao, Dr. N. Ramaiah, Dr. S. Prasanna Kumar,Dr. Rajiv Nigam) with (sitting) Vice Chancellor of DU,

Dr. A.A.M.S. Arefin Siddique (centre), Prof. Kawser (right),Chairman, Department of Oceanography, DU and

Dr. S.W.A. Naqvi (left), Director CSIR-NIO

The 68th Foundation Day of CSIR-Central Electrochemical ResearchInstitute, Karaikudi was celebrated withfervour on 24th July 2015. Prof. S.Vasudevan, Department of Inorganic andPhysical Chemistry, Indian Institute ofScience, Bangalore graced the occasionas Chief Guest. His foundation daylecture dwelt upon aqueous dispersions

Foundation Day Celebrations

CSIR-CECRI Celebrates Foundation Day-2015

of 2-dimensional nanosheets for deviceapplications. Functionalization byanchoring with organic molecules can beextended to nanomaterials to obtain newhybrid materials that can expressenhancement in desired properties, hesaid. He elaborately dealt with themanoeuverability of graphene andgraphene oxide borne of 2D nanosheets.


Stable aqueous dispersions of 2Dnanomaterials, graphene and grapheneanalogues, are an important considerationfor applications that require largeconcentrations. He focused on the factorsresponsible for the dispersibility of thesematerials by considering two classes ofmaterials: graphene oxide/reducedgraphene oxide and MoS2. He highlightedhow a molecular level understanding ofthe factors responsible for aqueousdispersibility helps in understanding avariety of associated phenomena and intailoring the properties of materials. Inthe case of graphene oxide, theidentification of the oxygenfunctionalities responsible for its aqueousdispersibility also provides anunderstanding of its intriguing photo-physical properties and an explanation forthe different states of aggregation of thedispersions. It also provides a clue toengineering water-dispersible andelectrically conducting reduced grapheneoxide. Stable aqueous dispersions ofatomically-thin layered MoS2 nanosheetscan similarly be obtained by sonication,in the presence of ionic surfactants. Thedispersions are stabilized by electrostaticrepulsion between the sheets. The signof the charge on the MoS2 nanosheets,either positive or negative, can becontrolled by the choice of the surfactant.Finally, he explained how simple physicalchemistry measurements andspectroscopy can contribute, byproviding a molecularperspective, to macroscopicphenomena.

Earlier, Dr. VijayamohananK. Pillai, Director, CSIR-CECRI welcomed andintroduced the guest of honouras a renowned inorganic andphysical chemist. He added thatthe foundation day was anoccasion to introspect and tolook forward. According to

him, the way forward was to strive forhigher goals and to persevere intranslating the research findings tobenefit common people.

Dr. M. Jayachandran, Chief Scientist,CSIR-CECRI delivering the welcome address

Dr. Vijayamohanan K. Pillai, Director,CSIR-CECRI delivering the presidential

address

Professor S. Vasudevan, IISc, Bangalore delivering theFoundation Day Lecture

Dr. M. Jayachandran, Chief Scientistdelivered the welcome address andrecalled the contributions ofphilanthropist Dr. R.M. AlagappaChettiar. Mr. R. Meenakshisundaram,Senior Principal Scientist, proposed thevote of thanks.


CFTRI’s efforts in the area of foodtechnology helped the nat ion toconsolidate the gains accruing from thepromising high crop and horticultureyields after the Green Revolution. Thepremier national institute has also alwaysbeen in the forefront at times of nationalcalamities such as tsunami or earthquakes.

The Institute that gave to the nationAmul Baby Food—the first infant fooddeveloped from buffalo milk—wasinstrumental in promoting foodconservation, food protection andnutrit ional enhancement of foodproducts in independent India makingthe country one of the largest food

producers in theworld. Whether it isfood crops—grains,pulses, oilseeds,spices, plantationproduce, fruits &vegetables—or evenmeat, fish andpoultry, CFTRI hasplayed a major role inorchestrating thevalue addit ion toagri-food sources.

It is the onlyinstitute in theSouth Asian regionwhere research iscarried out in everyconceivable aspect ofFood Science andTechnology startingfrom food chemistry,

quality analysis, food safety, proteinengineering, design of food machineries,sensory evaluation of food and so on.

CFTRI’s endeavours have always hada strong public interface. Some of itsbroad-based achievements in the area offood science and technology are discussedhere briefly.

Nutritional InterventionThe technology to manufacture spray-dried infant food from buffalo milk –marketed as Amul – helped in establish-ing a network of dairies for utilizationof surplus buffalo milk paving the wayfor the White Revolution which hasplaced India as the leading milk produc-ing country. Other notable products toroll out from the precincts of the CFTRIinclude lactose-free infant foods, multi-purpose food, composite protein food,weaning foods and low-cost nutrientsupplements.

Scientists at CFTRI have over theyears developed several food formula-tions to supplement the diet of children.As part of the nutrition interventionprogramme, CFTRI released energy foodformulations, high protein biscuits andSuruchi Meetha targeted at school children.Energy foods also had large impact onthe wellbeing of mother and child underthe Integrative Child Development Ser-vices (ICDS) scheme. Fortification ofwheat flour with iron, calcium, thiamine,riboflavin and niacin was also taken upto combat nutritional deficiencies prevail-ing in large sections of the population.

CSIR —Serving The Nation

Central Food Technological Research Institute(CFTRI), Mysore

CSIR News is profiling all the CSIR laboratories throwing light onthe significant areas they work in and their achievements.

CSIR – SERVING THE NATION

Food supplements

High-protein biscuit


processes for fumigation to protect grainsfrom insect pests and prevents freshinfestation.

Although India is a major producerof fruits and vegetables, almost 10-30%of the crop is lost due to spoilage everyyear. Scientists at the Institute havedeveloped a complete package oftechnologies, right from the harvestingstage to the packing stage, to minimisesuch losses. These include the optimumtime for harvesting fruits like bananas,mangoes, oranges and guavas; applyingan antifungal formulation on the cut endsof banana bunches, and techniques ofdehydration of bananas, grapes, carrot,potato and onion.

One such technology protocol, calledControlled Atmosphere Storage, haspaved the way for the successful exportof Indian Alphonso, Banganapalli andKesar varieties of mangoes by sea todistant foreign markets, cutting down theformidable air cargo fares. This includesstandardization of harvest maturity,handling, transportation, pre-packagingtreatments, packing in specially designedcorrugated material boxes andrefrigerated containers for shipment witha shelf-life of 35-40 days. A similartechnology package for export of bananashas also been developed.

Development of food flavours andcolours has also been a CFTRIstronghold. Asafoetida in both powderand tablet forms; natural colours fromsafflower petals, blue grapes, Kokumfruits and beetroot for use in syrups, jams,

Energy foods, protein isolates and veg-etable toned milk, ‘Miltone’, are some ofthe other nutrition foods that have foundwidespread use in community feedingprogrammes of various State Govern-ments.

In the area of nutraceuticals andprobiotics, there are many leads alreadyfrom the laboratory. Preparation of oilblends with balanced fatty acidcomposition as a health oil and cardio-protective functional foods andprobiotics beneficial to human health arein the pipeline. The Institute also cameup with many products targeted at thehealth-conscious and diabetic population,which include low-fat, sugar-free andhigh-fibre biscuits.

Value Addition to Agri-resourcesScientists at the CFTRI have vastlyimproved the performance of the hullersin which more than 30% of the paddy ismilled in the country. The improvementshave helped to achieve higher rice yields,reduced brokens and enhanced value forby-product such as rice bran.

A mini dal mill developed at theInstitute can dehusk 100-150 kg of pulsesin one hour, and is thus a boon to therural sector where about three milliontonnes of pulses are processed. More than230 of the CFTRI designed mini dhalmills have been installed in rural andsemi-urban areas directly contributing torural economy. One tonne/hour capacitydry maize mill plant and gota separatorare the other ventures that found usefulapplications in the agri-food processingsector.

CFTRI’s other contributions to foodgrain processing include improvedparboiling methods for manufacture ofparboiled paddy overcoming the colourand smell problem, technology forimproved flaking and puffing method,and a mini grain mil for processing coarsegrains. CFTRI has also developed

The Institute that

gave to the nation

Amul Baby Food—

the first infant food

developed from

buffalo milk— was

instrumental in

promoting food

conservation, food

protection and

nutritional

enhancement of

food products in

independent India

making the country

one of the largest

food producers in

the world. Whether

it is food crops—

grains, pulses,

oilseeds, spices,

plantation produce,

fruits &

vegetables— or even

meat, fish and

poultry, CFTRI has

played a major role

in orchestrating the

value addition to

agri-food sources.

Variety fruit products


CSIR—Serving The Nationjellies, sauces, soft drinks, beverages anddairy products; and flavour blends forcarbonated beverages like orange andlime-lemon have found ready markets.The institute also has technologies forfruit-based products like clarified juices,beverages, fruit bars, fruited cereal flakesand juice powders.

CFTRI has also developed andtransferred technology for themanufacture of Spirulina platensis, thefresh-water blue-green algae which hasemerged in world markets as a muchsought after health food source, which isin great demand by pharmaceuticalindustries.

Technologies for the extraction ofspice oils and oleoresins from indigenousspices that contribute to a large chunkof India’s import earnings have beendeveloped at CFTRI. Majority of thepepper oleoresin and pepper oil extractingplants in the country utilize the Institute’sprocesses. CFTRI has a cryogenic processfor pepper powder and white pepper.Processes for extracting the medicinal

component of pepper(piperine), turmeric, andginger have also beendeveloped here.

Automation &Convenience FoodsModernisation of thetraditional food sector isone of the challenges

undertaken by CFTRI. Scientists atCFTRI have successfully designedmachineries for the bulk manufacturingof popular cuisines like idli, dosa andchapati. Some of the other machineriesthe institute has devised include vadafrying, coffee roaster, infrared drying ofcashew nuts, continuous poppingmachine, laddu making and chikki makingmachineries. Bioplates from agri-hortiwastes, sunflower dehuller and papadmaking units have become popular withthe farming community and Small ScaleIndustrial units.

Convenience foods like dosa, idli,vada, gulab jamun and many othercrispies and snacks are very popular today.They have not only reduced drudgery, buthave also made working in the kitchen apleasurable chore. It was CFTRI thatconceived and developed convenientmixes for these popular Indian dishesmore than two decades ago. Today, 90%of the annual production of conveniencefood products worth several millions ofrupees is based on CFTRI technologies.Processes for the large-scale manufactureof pickles from various vegetables, jams,and jellies from Indian fruits, dehydratedvegetables and soup mixes from nativevegetables have ensured better utilizationof these farm produce in the country.

BiotechnologyCFTRI has standardized variousprocesses for the extraction of naturalcolorants from plant, microbial and algae

sources for use infood, which includep h y c o c y a - n i n ,betalin, annatto dye,and so on.Technologies havebeen developed forthe micropropaga-tion of Vanilla,Gardenia andDecalepis hamiltoniiDry maize mill Dosa-making machine

Convenience foods


plants. Biodegradable packaging materialssuch as Polyhydro-xyalkanoates (PHA)and Chitosans as environmentallyfriendly packaging materials are undervarious stages of technology absorption.

CFTRI also undertakes qualitytesting of food products. Microbialcontamination, pesticide residues andheavy metal contamination, which arepotential health hazards, are analysed inthe Institute. The Institute has a fullcomplement of analytical techniquesbacked by the most moderninstrumentation. A variety of analyticalmethods have been devised to detect foodcontamination. The use of biosensors,ELISA test for pesticide residues andPCR probes for food pathogens arerecent additions to ensure food safety.

Work on probiotics in the Institutehas been aimed at primarily developingfood supplements based on lactic acidbacteria, which can inhibit many harmfulbacteria detrimental to human health.Transformation of coffee for low caffeinecontent, nutritional improve-ment ofeggplant, enzymatic regulation andidentification of Capsaicin biosynthesiswere also pursued by different groups.

Centers of Futuristic StudiesCFTRI has promoted several state-of-the-art facilities with sophisticated analyticalequipments as the backbone of thecompetitive research in the field of foodscience and technology. Notable amongthem are:

Nodal Codex Food Laboratory: Thisis a referral food analysis center for thecountry. This laboratory is an informationcenter for national and international FoodStandards, and food legislations. Thelaboratory closely interacts with FAO/WHO on safety evaluation of foodadditives and monitoring andsurveillance of contaminants. Analyticalservices are offered to industries for the

evaluation of food proximatecomposition, mycotoxins, pesticideresidues, trace metals, food additives,minerals and vitamins, microbialcontaminants, water analysis, andnutritional labelling. A GM Food Referralcentre is also taking shape to help thenation formulate mandatory and legalrequirements in the case of geneticallymodified organisms in processed foods.The center will also devise analyticalmethods and protocols for the detectionand quantification of GMOs in foodmaterials and processed foods derivedfrom cereals, pulses and dairy products.

GM Laboratory

Cell Culture Facility: A sophisticatedCell Culture Facility has been set up atCFTRI for culture of plant and animalcells. The cell culture facility is to evolvemechanisms to reap health benefits ofdietary constituents; mechanism of actionof nutraceuticals; functional role of anti-diabetic, anti-cardiovascular and anti-cancer dietary constituents; toxicitystudies on diet ingredients; and evaluationand understanding of health foodformulations.

For further details contact:

DirectorCSIR-Central Food TechnologicalResearch Institute (CFTRI)Mysore-570020Website: www.cftri.com


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AppointmentsDr. Madhu Dikshit Appointed Directorof CSIR-CDRI

Dr. Madhu Diskhit has been appointedas the Director of the CSIR-Central DrugResearch Institute (CDRI), Lucknow.

Dr. Diskhit’s area of specializationis Molecular and CardiovascularPharmacology. She is currently Co-ordinator of the National Project on“Development of Potential Drugs fromthe Ocean” sponsored by the Ministryof Earth Sciences.

She has received several awardsincluding Young Scientist Award(Medical Sciences) , INSA (1989);Shakuntala Amir Chand Prize, ICMR(1994); National Bioscience Award, DBT,Ministry of Science & Technology(2000); Vigyan Ratna, UP-CST (2010) andVasvik Award 2012.

She is a Fellow of the Indian

Academy of Sciences, National Academyof Sciences, India and Indian NationalScience Academy and also ElectedMember of the National Academy ofMedical Sciences, India.

An anti-ulcer compound (protonpump inhibitor) developed by Dr. Diskhitwas selected for joint development byCadila Pharmaceuticals. Two anti-plateletcompounds of CDRI are also underdevelopment mode under her leadership.

Dr. Dikshit has supervised 27 PhDtheses and seven students are currentlyworking for their PhD under her. She has158 Research Publications, 9 BookChapters and 9 Patents to her credit. Sheis also member of the editorial boards inthe Indian Journal of Pharmacology, CytometryPart A, and Redox Biology.

Appointments

Indian Ocean Sea Level Science Workshop and Fourteenth session ofthe Group of Experts for the Global Sea Level Observing SystemThe fourteenth session of the Group of Experts for the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS) will be heldat the CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (Goa, India) during the week of 19-23 October 2015. The session isbeing organised by the CSIR-NIO and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.

A workshop dedicated to Indian Ocean Sea Level Science would be organised during 19-21 October 2015. Theworkshop will have presentations covering many aspects of global and regional sea level variability including: Global sea level change Indian Ocean Sea Level changes, Mean sea level changes and Climate variability Extreme sea level changes, storm surges, tsunamis Sea level measurements (tsunami/ sea level network), continuous GNSS Impacts (Low-lying areas, mangroves, coral reefs) and Paleo sea level (Holocene), Archeological studies Special session on SARAL/AltiKa satellite altimetry data analysis for sea level studies

The GLOSS GE meeting will follow on Wednesday, 21 October (afternoon) to Friday, 23 October.For more information: http://ioc-unesco.org/gloss-ge-14 and http://www.nio.org/

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