Department Of Biotechnology
A Brief History:
The department of biotechnology was established in the year 2004, with the view of offering courses in emerging branches of life sciences that have an orientation towards technology. It is a job oriented course offered along with chemistry, zoology, botany and microbiology.
Achievements:
The department has introduced minor and major changes since autonomy. The faculty has constantly striven to update knowledge and to keep abreast with the latest developments in the domain. A number of our students have represented the college and won prizes at various levels. They are motivated to take part in the college sports, cultural and extracurricular activities. Remedial classes are engaged to help students cope with challenges in learning. The class rooms are enabled with ICT facilities and the faculty utilizes smart options tom make teaching learning more effective. Animations, videos and photographs are employed to simulate facts in the class room. A two day National level workshop was conducted on 23rd and 24th April 2010. A similar two day seminar was held on upgrading the curriculum with the emerging trends in Biosciences on 28th and 1st March 2011 and on 21st January, 2012. On 19th Feb, 2013 the department convened a One Day Orientation programme on Research Methodology in Biosciences.
Future Plan of Action:
The department plans to upgrade its syllabus and to promote a scientific quest in students and to broaden their understanding, their research potential and employability. It aims to get integrated with some biotech companies in the years to come to carry out minor research projects. It has also an ambitious plan to offer certificate course in immunology and a diploma in plant biotechnology. The Department of Biotechnology of St. Philomena’s college hosted an informative poster presentation on April 4, 2014 in the chapel hall of the campus. Rev. Fr. Bernard Prakash, Vice- Principal of the college inaugurated this initiative taken by the students under the guidance of Mrs. Naziya Habeeb. The poster presentation was based on the theme “Life with Biotech” where they focused on the topics like DNA fingerprinting which is a technique used in forensic science, Gene therapy, a method or treatment used to cure different diseases such as SCIDS (Severe Combined Immuno Deficiency Syndrome), Edible vaccines which are genetically engineered consumable antigenic proteins and Stem Cell which is a scientific breakthrough because it has a generating capacity to develop into a new organ. “It was like a tiny encyclopedia based on the recent advancement in the of field biotechnology” commented a first year student. The main highlight of the poster presentation was that it communicated so effectively that everyone who attended it got a general idea about the world of biotechnology.
Present Faculty:
BOS Minutes of the Meeting.