Department of Biotechnology

Introduction
Facilities
Academic Programs
Faculty

INTRODUCTION

Biotechnology is the dynamic branch of biological sciences, which connect biology with the revolutionary technologies including machine learning, robotics, quantum mechanics, electrical engineering, and biosensing devices, materials designing, agriculture, industrial enzymology, genetic engineering, computational biology, digital health care and many more.

Biotechnologists have captured the market nationally and internationally especially in the fields of Agriculture, industries, health sector and to overcome the environmental problems. Socially it has both benefits and risks, and the main theme is to use knowledge for the benefits of mankind and nature. e.g., researchers were able to track the 2014 Ebola epidemic and now COVID-19 pandemic in real-time using DNA sequencing. Pharmaceutical companies are designing new anti-cancer drugs targeted at people with a specific DNA mutation. Entire new fields, such as personalized medicine, owe their existence to DNA sequencing technology. There are job opportunities in the fields of academics(teaching), Research organizations, environmental projects, tissue culture and genetic engineering labs, production of new varieties both in plants and animals, production of vaccines, vitamins, hormones, drugs etc.

Liabrary

The UMW central Library has a rich and updated collection of books. The Library holds extensive literature on various subjects like Plant Biotechnology, Genetics, Genetic Engineering, Crop Improvement and Environmental Studies, etc.

Laboratories

Soon we will establish research Labs i.e. Plant Biotechnology lab and plant tissue culture Lab.

Career Scope

Department of Biotechnology is eminent and provides quality education both academically and research based. Our Research work focuses on different aspects like:

Molecular Cloning and Gene transformation in different species (plants and animals)
Plant stress physiology
Establishment and optimization of plant transformation and plant tissue culturing
Biotic and Abiotic stress in various crops (like rice, soybean and maize)
Plant hormones studies (abscisic acid (ABA), Salicylic acid (SA), gibberellins (GA), cytokinins (CK), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), jasmonates (JA), brassinosteroids (BR) and Auxin)
Plant environmental stresses
Heat, Salt, ABA, drought and osmotic stress in Arabidopsis thaliana and other crop plants.
Gene function and genome editing (CRISPR-CAS9 gene editing technology)
Seed longevity and Germination
Transgenes

Future Plan

1.Establishment of Plant transformation Lab

The establishment of the plant transformation Lab will help both students and teachers in plant biotechnology and gene transformation. A green house, experimental field, plant breeding enclosures and culture room will be the part of plant Biotechnology Lab to facilitate research activities.

2.Gene bank

Various transgenic genetically modified plants seeds, gene overexpression lines, mutant lines, wild types, Plant specimens, crop plants and model plants seeds will be available in gene bank.

3.Establishment of model animal center (Animal Biotechnology)

Model animal will be established for researcher working on animals especially mouse.

4.Establishment of Culture room

Plant growth will be facilitated by using various In-vitro plant tissue culture techniques for research purposes.

BS Biotechnology

Duration
The duration required to complete this degree is 4 years.

Semesters
Students are required to pass 8 semesters for the completion of this degree.

Credit Hours
Students must complete 136 credit hours for this degree.

Eligibility
At least 45% marks in Intermediate with Biology as an elective subject or Equivalent qualification. English compulsory of 200 is mandatory for candidates from FATA.

M. Phil Biotechnology (Upcoming)

Duration
The duration required to complete this degree is 2 years.

Department of Biotechnology