About
Mission & Vision
This knowledge generation community of motivated scholars and skilled mentors aim to produce new knowledge in the field of computational biology, bioinformatics and allied areas to further scientific advancement, and address problems of potential social relevance. The academic excellence for which the department strives is underpinned by creativity and participation in every conceivable form. The philosophy of the department is reflected in its architecture - the window that opens to the sky and the lush green creeper that flows down to touch the earth. The balance between academic and co-curricular activities is maintained in a planned manner in the Department. The teams Haritha, Sarga, Kayika, Drisya, Madhyama, Vanitha, FOSS and Karunya instill the core values and offer a rainbow of coordinated activities enriching the life in the department. Consistent progress in academic standing in terms of impactful publications, contribution to international bio-databases, launching of on-line tools, international MOOC in curriculum and fostering scholarly ambiance through visits of erudite scholars including Nobel Laureates are ensured. In 2019, the Department reached a major milestone of research, that of publishing the genome sequence of Arogyapacha, a plant endemic to Thiruvananthapuram and handed over to society by the Kani Tribe. In 2020, DCB researchers’ publication based on Covid 19 research got listed in world Covid literature of WHO with id ‘covidwho-759734’. We now aim to set our targets higher, reboot our operating system and attempt to enhance excellence, relevance and international visibility. We welcome prospective scholars to the vibrant academic environment of the department, to contribute to its growth and thereby grow themselves.
Current Profile
Evolution
The Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics (DCB) has made modest and steady progress since its establishment as Centre for Bioinformatics in 2005.The centre admitted 15 MPhil students in February 2005. UGC provided support for starting an innovative MSc Computational Biology programme in 2007. Meanwhile, the first batch of MPhil students made local history by launching a start-up company within the campus under the Industry Incubation scheme.
The Dept. of Biotechnology granted the BIF status to the centre and a consequent annual funding. A separate building for the centre began with the foundation stone being laid by the Minister for Education Sri. E.T. Mohammed Basheer. The building was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Sri. M.A. Baby, on Jan 13, 2007. The centre was upgraded into a State Inter- University Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics in 2010, with a grant of Rs. 3 crores. On May 27, 2011, the Chancellor of the University of Kerala gave assent to amendment No. 199 in University Statutes paving way for the department status which came into force on Nov 1st 2011, with Dr. Achuthsankar S. Nair in charge as Head of the Department. Research is the top priority activity of the department and the academic programmes of the Department are a blend of computational and life science areas. Department’s doctoral programme has so far produced 25 PhDs since 2010. Consultancy services to clients such as Microsoft, Biothera Health Care Group, Saxon Systems & Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Govt. Ayurveda Medical College, Trivandrum etc. have been successfully delivered, in addition to many minor consultancies on computational drug design. 2012 saw the launching of a new MPhil in Computer Aided Drug Design. Centre of Excellence status in Computational Drug Discovery & Ayur-informatics under a scheme of Ministry of Human Resources Department, Govt. of India, was granted to this department in 2012. The first floor of the department building was completed in 2013, and the second floor in 2017. In 2017, the second startup from the Dept was launched. In 2019, seven permanent teaching posts have been sanctioned to the Department.
DCB Centres
The DCB Centres are set up with specific focus that gels well with DCB initiatives and they seamlessly coexist with the Department. Three of them are externally funded by MHRD (Govt. of India), DBT (Govt. of India) and Higher Education Department (Govt. of India). The activities of DCB are organized under the joint auspices of DCB, SIUCEB, AiCADD and DBT-BIF.
State Inter-University Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics (SIUCEB)
State Inter-University Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics (SIUCEB) was established in 2009 by upgrading DCB (Centre for Bioinformatics at that time). The Centre was established by the Government of Kerala to utilize the synergy of all universities in Kerala and also to cater to all universities in Kerala. The SIUCEB was inaugurated on December 1, 2009 by eminent scientist Dr. Pawan K. Dhar of Riken Genomic Sciences Centre, Japan (presently Dean, JNU). The Centre is governed by an Executive Committee chaired by the Vice Chancellor. The major feature of SIUCEB is that students and faculty from other universities get attached for a short period or whole semester, on prior arrangement. SIUCEB has adjunct professor scheme to attach professors from other universities. Centre of Excellence in Ayur-informatics and Computed Aided Drug Design (AiCADD) The Centre is a project funded by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India. DCB was chosen as one of the 16 institutes in India to set up Centre for Excellence in Frontier Areas of Science and Technology (FAST). The centre was launched in 2013. The area in which the centre has been sanctioned to DCB is Ayur-informatics and Computer Aided Drug Design (AiCADD). The funding is 6.9 crores. AiCADD aims to launch a chase for a drug derived Kerala’s biodiversity, in a mission mode.
DBT-BIF
The Department of Biotechnology, Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility (BIF) has the Head of the Department, is the principal investigator of the project. DBT-BIF project provides funds for the Research and Developmental activities of the Department. A number of training programmes and workshops were conducted under the auspices of DBT-BIF.
Centre for Venom Informatics (CVI)
The Centre for Venom Informatics, established under the honorary directorship of Dr. Oommen V. Oommen, is a unique research centre for venomous systems. The Department has been working on a very novel area of knowledge which we have christened as Venom Informatics. It deals with research into snake venom with an aim of bettering treatment for victims of snakebite and also aims to exploit the novel molecules in snake venom for therapeutic purposes, with the use of science, informatics and technology. A better understanding of the venom composition and toxins from the stand point of biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology and molecular biology is essential for this. Establishing repositories for venomics, transcriptomics and proteomics studies, to trigger high quality R&D in the area, is under way. The centre is concentrating on research in conservation, metabolomics and taxonomy of snakes. Research on plant derived antidotes against snake venom and snake venom characterization are also going on under the supervision of Dr. Oommen V. Oommen.