How to apply for Indian Biological Engineering Competition (iBEC)-2020 by DBT India

Department of Biotechnology (DBT) India has released the notification for the iBEC-2020 (Indian Biological Engineering Competition). In this article, interested applicants can get all the details regarding the eligibility criteria, inclusion, exclusion criteria, application procedure and selection procedure of i-BEC.

About iBEC

Indian Biological Engineering Competition (iBEC) is a national PREiGEM Competition which was launched in 2016 by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. This program was started to select, support and prepare the best Indian students to participate in international contest iGEM competition (International Genetic Engineered Machine). iGEM competition is held every year in Boston, USA. This program allows UG and PG students, researchers to work in teams and solve real-world challenges by building genetically engineered biological systems.

Aim of the iBEC

iBEC was started to promote the student teams from India to participate in the iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machine), the worldwide synthetic biology competition. iBEC also supports the Indian Students team to participate in iGEM Competition. In this program novel research ideas are invited from Indian students to make genetically engineered systems using standard interchangeable parts like promoters, terminators, plasmid backbone, reporter elements etc. and operate them in a living system. They should have potential applications.

Eligibility Criteria

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can submit the concepts with a mentor from their own Institution. The team of a maximum of ten students applying from a particular institute would be encouraged. They should have good experience in synthetic biology.
The program is open to Indian Nationals only.

Subject Areas

Students can submit their concepts in the subject areas including Biotechnology, Life Science and Biology. However, some broad parameters define a certain work as synthetic biology. Rational design of biological components that consist of construction of standard parts like DNA, RNA, Protein etc., devices like modules e.g. operon, transcription factor complex and circuits (pathways/ networks) areas of the synthesis biology are included and will be considered while standard molecular biology studies that do not map to the rational design approach will not be considered.

Application Criteria

Applications must be sent out by a mentor who must be a regular faculty of an institute.
Proposal should be based on pre-existing iGEM parts.

Teams Members

Maximum of 5 member team including a mentor will be selected and supported to register their research concept for submission to the iGEM competition.

Funding

Funding will be given to the team of 5 members only. However, in case of an additional member, extra funds, if required need to be arranged from other sources/institute.

How to Apply

Soft copy of the proposal required must be sent to the concerned officer of DBT at the e-mail address: sangita.kasture@nic.in. Further, the hard copy of the original application is to be sent to at below-mentioned address of Department of Biotechnology.

Selection Process

Teams will be welcomed to send full proposals. Work proposed on the extent of non-obviousness and also potential applications will be considered.

Deadline for Proposal Submission

30th March 2020

For Queries and clarifications

Dr. Sangita M. Kasture
Scientist 'F'
Department of Biotechnology
Ministry of Science & Technology Government of India
Room No. 812, Block -2, C.G.O. Complex
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003, INDIA
Email: sangita.kasture@nic.in

For more information candidates can check official website of DBT India.