Best practice
Best practice I
Title of the Practice: Empowering postgraduate students with knowledge and skills for clearing competitive examinations and for improving scientific communications
Objectives of the Practice
- To equip research and post graduate students with competence and confidence in answering competitive examinations
- To train research scholars and post graduate students in improving their scientific communication skills.
Human resource development is an important mandate of the institution. Recruitment of manpower in academic and research universities/institutes/colleges is based on clearing a competitive examination at the national or state level. Therefore, it is essential to prepare our students for competitive examinations in addition to their routine academic activities pertaining to the degree program. Outgoing post-graduate (PG) and research students need guidance and advice regarding the preparation for various competitive examinations, including CSIR/UGC-NET, ICMR etc.
Another important area that require extensive training is to develop their scientific communication skills as publications are mandatory requirements for obtaining PhD degree. Therefore, a value-added course on Scientific Communication Skills is very relevant for the postgraduate and research scholars. This value-added course is intended to familiarize the participants with the life-cycle of a publication; to introduce various modes of scientific communications; to outline the approaches and merits of each form of scientific communication, broadly classified as written and oral communication. The course curriculum includes detailed discussions and exercises on each topic that enable participants to analyze and assimilate good scientific communication practices, relevant for their fields of specialization
The Practice
NUCSER has taken the initiative to make the PG and research students competent for various national examinations by engaging them for about 4-6 months with one session per week, preferably after regular class hours, in addition to their regular class/practical/research. The practice is in place since the academic year 2019-20. For this academic year (2020-21), because of the access to online learning, we have included this activity in the academic timetable with designated hours per week. The primary goal is to groom, motivate, and help the interested students for competitive examinations through experience sharing, solving new or previous year questions, and peer discussion. On completion of these sessions, it is expected that some of the students will clear these examinations and make themselves eligible for enrolling themselves in premiere research and academic institutes.
The value-added course on Scientific communication skills has been designed for 18 contact hours, with one session per week for a maximum of one hour. The course contains lectures on life cycle of publication, ethics, anti-plagiarism concepts, written communication skills, non-linguistic scientific communication, oral-written scientific communication. It also deals with tenets and components of scientific language: synthesizing/debating/contradicting ideas and paraphrasing. The assessment is generally through group activity sessions where tasks are given to allow them practice the skills generated and the knowledge gained.
Evidence of Success
In the last two years, 80% of students have attempted at least one competitive examination upon completion of their master’s program. 4 students cleared the ICMR,1 K-SET,2 UGC NET,7 CSIR UGC NET, and 3 B.Sc. students cleared JAM exam. The increased interest in students to appear for various competitive examinations is a reflection of the positive impact of the practice undertaken by the institute. Although the success rate is very low at the moment, it is expected to increase gradually in the coming years.
The first batch of value added course had 40 participants including research scholars and faculty members. The outcome of the value added course is expected to increase the student research output in a couple of years.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
Time management is the primary challenge for both the training programs. The curriculum and the demands of research program, exerts time restriction and constrains on students who undertake the course and faculty who deliver the course. Maintaining steady attendance is a challenge.
Best practice II:
Title of the Practice: Conducting situation relevant research: Conducting research on COVID-19, availing grants and generating new knowledge supported by quality publications.
Objectives of the Practice:
- Development of a rapid and affordable diagnostic method for COVID-19 early detection
- To remain relevant to the current needs of the country and generate new knowledge for better management of the pandemic.
Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER) was established in 2013, as a teaching cum research institute for biomedical research. The new education policy proposes and encourages the formation of multidisciplinary institutions and to phase out universities and colleges offering single streams by 2030. The institute ensures the faculty work in relevant areas and to improve knowledge and skills in tune with the rapid advances in the fast-changing COVID scenario.
The Practice:
The institute has MOUs with several international and national centres for collaborative research. The faculty are encouraged to conduct research relevant to changing time and conditions. The research wing of NUCSER was functional throughout the difficult period of COVID pandemic. The faculty are strongly encouraged to create new knowledge or disseminate knowledge in local languages of better science communication and outreach to regional communities. In this effort we have translated the handbook on COVID-19 code of conduct in regional language of Konkani, in collaboration with the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, IISER, Pune. We have written educative account on the ongoing COVID-19 Global Crisis and Scientific Challenges faced by scientific communities and general public. We are involved in studying the dynamics of COVID-19 in Karnataka by undertaking a preliminary study to generate evidence from a Cross-sectional Study on Epidemiology and Early Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 in Karnataka State of India. The recent trends of onset of mutations and their distribution in different Indian states is pursued by mutational analysis. Our report unveils the temporal and spatial distribution of G614 genotype of SARS-CoV-2 in different Indian states and its association with case fatality rate of COVID-19. We have reported a deletion in the C-terminal region of the envelope glycoprotein in some of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 genome. The faculty at the centre are working on detection and diagnosis technologies for detection and diagnosis of COVID-19 infection Isothermal amplification-based assays for rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2. A SERB funded project is under progress for developing a rapid and sensitive detection of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) using isothermal nucleic acid amplification. Two patents and 8 publications relevant to SARS-CoV-2 epidemic are published. The institute has also submitted 6 concept notes in response to the ICMR call for project applications.
vidence of Success:
Research Publications:
1. Kumar BK, Venkatraja B, Prithvisagar KS, Rai P, Rohit A, Hegde M N, Karunasagar I, Iddya Karunasagar I. Mutational analysis unveils the temporal and spatial distribution of G614 genotype of SARS-CoV-2 in different Indian states and its association with case fatality rate of COVID-19. bioRxiv. (in press)
2. Venkatraja B, Srilakshminarayana G, Kumar BK, Hegde MN, Kanchan J, Karuvaje G, Rai P. Preliminary Evidence from a Cross-sectional Study on Epidemiology and Early Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 in Karnataka State of India. Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU. 2021 May 11. https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0041-1726692
3. Rai P, Kumar BK, Deekshit VK, Karunasagar I, Karunasagar I. Detection technologies and recent developments in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2021 Jan 4:1-5. [I.F: 4.813; Q1] https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-020-11061-5
4. Rai, P., Kumar, B.K., Deekshit, V.K., Kumar, P., Anoop Kumar, A., Maiti, B. (2021) The evolution of COVID-19 diagnostics. In: COVID-19: From Bench to Bedside. Barh, D. and Lundstrom, K. (Eds). 1st edition. CRC press, Taylor & Francis Group, Florida. [Accepted] BOOK CHAPTER
5. Karunasagar I, Karunasagar, I. Ongoing COVID-19 Global Crisis and Scientific Challenges. Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU, 2020; 10(01): 01-02.
6. Davda LS, Mallya GR, Hegde KS, Hegde S, Understanding the coronavirus pandemic and staying protected against COVID-19, The Pandemic Notebook, A handy guide from “The Hindu” Online, Website of Indian Academy of Science, 2020
7. Biswajit Maiti, Karanth Padyana Anupama, Praveen Rai, Indrani Karunasagar and Iddya Karunasagar (2021). Isothermal amplification-based assays for rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2: Opportunities and recent developments. Reviews in Medical Virology (published online-Early View [Impact factor: 6.989; Quartile: Q1]. https://doi.org/10.1002/rmv.2274
8. Kumar BK, Rohit A, Prithvisagar KS, Rai P, Karunasagar I, Karunasagar I. Deletion in the C-terminal region of the envelope glycoprotein in some of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 genome. Virus Research. 2021 Jan 2; 291:198222.
Research Projects: ongoing
Title of the project: Rapid and sensitive detection of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)
using isothermal nucleic acid amplification
Funding Agency: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), DST
Approved budget: ₹ 17,45,920
Duration: 1 Year (2020-2021)
Role: PI: Dr. Biswajit Maiti
Co-PI: Dr. Praveen Rai
Current status: Ongoing
Patent: filed
1. Biswajit Maiti, Praveen Rai, Anupama Karanth Padyana. Unique molecular primers to detect SARS- CoV-2 by polymerase spiral reaction assay. Type: product, date of application: 22 June 2021. Application number: Temp/E-1/31372/2021-CHE
2. Biswajit Maiti, Praveen Rai, Karanth Padyana Anupama, Krishna Kumar Ballamoole. Unique primers for rapid detection test for SARS- CoV-2 using loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Type: product, date of application: 22 June 2021. Application number: Temp/E-1/31373/2021-CHE
Concept notes submitted to ICMR:
1. Title: The association of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility and severity to COVID-19 in Indian population and validation using zebrafish model system
PI: Dr Anirban Chakraborty,
Co-PIs: Dr Giridhar BH, HoD, Dept. of Pulmonology, KSHEMA and Dr Rathika Shenoy, HoD, Dept. of Pediatrics, KSHEMA.
2. Title: Effectiveness of vaccines in reducing transmissions in young adult nursing students.
PI: Prof. Dr. Fathima D’Silva, Principal, NUINS, Mangalore
Co PI: Dr. Smitha Hegde
3. Title: A prospective observational study to measure the COVID-19 vaccine-induced immune response in pregnant women vaccinated before or during pregnancy
PI: Dr. Shipra, KSHEMA
Co-PI: Dr. Krishna Kumar B, NUCSER
4. Title: Multifunctional nanoparticles as virus-mimics to decipher SARS-CoV-2 host interactions
PI-Dr. Akshath U. S, NUCSER
Co-PIs- Dr Praveena Rai, NUCSER, Prof Sabu Thomas, Vice-chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam Kerala, Prof Shailendra Saxena, KGMU, Lucknow
Dr Praveena Bhatt, Principal Scientist, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore
5. Title: Comparative assessment of fungal variants that cause opportunistic mycosis in diabetic patients infected with Sars-CoV2
PI: Dr Rajeshwari, HoD ENT Dept, KSHEMA
Co-PI: Dr. Juliet Roshini Mohanraj
6. Title: Immune profiling in COVID-19 recovered vaccine recipients and vaccine breakthrough infections: a community-based prospective study
PI: Dr Praveen Rai,
Co-PIs: Dr. RK Ratho, PGIMER, Chandigarh; Dr. Krishna Kumar B
Problems Encountered and Resources Required: Keeping pace with the rapid development in the area of COVID-19. Erratic working conditions and restrictions. The laboratory space is a major constrain to the ever-growing student numbers undertaking research.
7.3.1 Portray the performance of the Institution in one area distinctive to its priority and thrust within 1000 words
The institution is a premiere centre in southern region and is the only institute in Karnataka offering BSc and MSc Biomedical Science. The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art research equipment and advanced infrastructure generated from several extramural and intramural research grants. Besides faculty and research scholars, these facilities are availed by undergraduates and post graduates’ students as well. Institutional strength has grown in numbers from 21 students and 4 staff in 2013 to 242 students and 18 teaching staff and 8 non-teaching staff in 2021. Our post-graduation courses are having a higher rate of admissions in 2020-21 as compared to earlier years.
B.Sc. Biomedical Science (Hons) based on UGC guidelines has been instituted since 2017-18 and MSc programs in 2020. This program offers a Choice based credit system which not only provides academic flexibility but the credits are divided as Core courses, generic elective course, discipline specific elective course, ability enhancement course and skill enhancement course. The students can choose from a pool of specific, specialized, advanced courses to nurture their proficiency and skill. The focus of this curriculum is to only imbibe knowledge but also enhance skills in the student preparing them for employment and entrepreneurship. Non-credit courses on bioethics and biosafety have also been included in the curriculum to inculcate quality research ethics in undergraduate students.
Research grants from highly reputed national and international agencies amounting to close to 5 crores in under 5 years have been procured by faculty. Patents for many innovations have been applied from the center. Good laboratory practices in the form of standard operating protocols for equipment, maintaining log books for equipment and proper waste management have been implemented at teaching and research level.
Our thrust area and priority is preparedness for NEP2020.
