Under the “Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life Science Departments for Education and Research (BUILDER)” the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) provides support to establish inter- and multi-disciplinary School of Life Sciences for advanced research and education at the postgraduate level. The main objective of DBT-BUILDER programs is to upgrade the teaching and training laboratories by: enabling interdisciplinary advanced research and teaching capacity emphasizing discovery and innovation in proposed research areas; addressing emerging technologies with inter-disciplinary cross talk to realize their full potential; increasing number of postgraduate students at MSc, PhD and Post-doctoral levels with quality education, skills and research temperament; and Collaborate and invoke industry through public-private partnership in advanced research and education. P.E.S.’s Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Ganeshkhind, Pune is one of the very few colleges in the country selected and supported under the DBT-BUILDER program “DBT-BUILDER Modern College Pune Interdisciplinary Life Science Programme for Advanced Research and Education”, at Level-I. This project has been sanctioned for the duration of five years (2022-27) with a total sanctioned grant of Rs. 2.4 Crores. Faculty members working in the Department of Biotechnology and Zoology along with Microbiology are collaborating with each other to carry out the objectives under this program. Three project assistants are appointed under this program, who are assisting the coordinator and investigators in conducting research and proposed training and other activities. The primary goal of the program is to enhance the research capabilities via providing critical support in selected thematic research areas. This includes renovating the existing lab facilities, creating state- of-the-art laboratories, equipping them with advanced scientific instruments, and expanding learning resources. The program aims to cultivate a research-ecosystem and research-driven mind-set among students, to organize hands-on training programs in cutting-edge techniques and methodologies, conducting interdisciplinary projects, engaging students in innovative research at the postgraduate and doctoral levels. Eventually, through this project we seek transforming the life science department and college as a whole into a hub for interdisciplinary research. The project and support under it is helping us in fostering an environment conducive for students, faculty, and researchers to work together on projects with cross-cutting reach and contemporary relevance with aims to provide solutions to pressing issues in agriculture, fisheries and human health.

Dr. Vinay Kumar Dr. Sanjay Kharat

Nodal Officer/ Coordinator Principal