Research Projects

On completion of the Phase I of the Advanced Level Institutional Biotech Hub, the hub has been rated with ‘Excellent’ rank and promoted to Phase II with assignment of leadership role. The Phase II of the project aims at further capacity building in the area of Biotechnology and allied fields in its own as well as other neighboring institutes through hands on training, workshops and faculty development programmes. Emphasis will be given on entrepreneurship development programme with appropriate use of local bio-resources. It is also projected to take up a specific research plant on Organellar dynamics associated with stress response in the context of climate resilience taking C elegans and rice as the model species. Moreover, the hub will provide guidance and act as technical platform in specific niche areas viz., research on climate change adaptation, medicinal plant genetic resources and bioresources based entrepreneurship developments for other Biotech Hubs as assigned by the DBT.

The comparative analysis of mtDNA copy numbers in 70 rice genotypes under drought stress were performed. Genotypes viz., Pari Phou, Gin Phou, Ad Bao, Kholihoi Bao, Vandana and Ranga Sali exhibited a significant increase of mtDNA copy number under drought exposure as compared to control. No significant difference of mitochondrial DNA polymerase gene expression (Os08g0175300) was observed under drought stress compared to control. Mild mitochondrial disruption causes a significant increase of mtDNA copy numbers in C. elegns.