Value Added Courses

The Department of Biotechnology, GIET University has several Value-Added Courses. The goal of these courses is to provide a learner-centric technical program. These courses provide students with an awareness of the expectations of the job industry and improve the employability skills of the students. The courses also bridge the skill gaps and the students become industry-ready. The courses focus on skill development and the emphasis of these courses is on providing students with practical training and improving their problem-solving skills. The following are the various value-added courses that the Department of Biotechnology offers:

• Advanced Biomolecular technique
• Purification of immunoglobulin G
• Importance of IPR in biotechnology
• Somatic embryogenesis technique
• Mushroom cultivation

Advanced Bimolecular technique

The advanced bio-molecular techniques course is designed in a manner so that students learn about different types of molecular biology techniques used in Biotechnology. The course includes content on techniques that are involved in molecular study, its mechanism, mode of application, and future aspects. The course covers a wide range of research areas such as molecular biology, immunology, cell biology, genetics, animal/plant biotechnology, and so on. After studying the course, students will become familiar with the techniques employed in bio-molecular sciences. They will also learn about the advances that have taken place in the field. As well as learn about the instruments that are used in these advanced techniques like HPLC, Fermenter, RT PCR, etc.

Purification of Immunoglobulin G

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is a type of antibody. It is the most common type of antibody found in blood circulation. They are the smallest but most common antibodies found in the human body. They are very important in fighting bacterial and viral infections.

Antibody purification involves selective enrichment or specific isolation of antibodies from serum (polyclonal antibodies), ascites fluid or cell culture supernatant of a hybridoma cell line (monoclonal antibodies). Students shall learn about different methods to purify Immunoglobulin G that range from very crude to highly specific.

Importance of IPR in Biotechnology

Individuals are granted rights over their original works known as intellectual property rights. For a predetermined amount of time, they often provide the inventor the sole right to utilize their invention. In the context of biotechnology, intellectual property rights refer to the exclusive right of ownership and legal ownership of patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. Intellectual property, particularly patents and intellectual property rights (IPRs), is a crucial source of power for biotechnology and pharmaceutical enterprises of all sorts. This is because well-executed intellectual property protection attracts investors, positions your business for financial gain, and protects your most valuable assets.  Biotechnology is a discipline where the scope for innovation is limitless. So, a form of protection is required by the discipline to keep the different innovations and knowledge safe and secure. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) does exactly that, it provides that shield to Biotechnology. It protects the inventions and other discoveries of biotechnologists from being stolen and being used without permission. Students in this course learn about the different forms of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) like Patents, Planter Breeder’s Rights and Farmer’s Variety Act, Trademark, Copyrights, Trade Secrets, etc., and their importance in the discipline of Biotechnology.

Somatic Embryogenesis technique

The process that transforms somatic cells into somatic embryos is known as somatic embryogenesis. An embryo or plant is created artificially from a single somatic cell; this is not a naturally occurring process. Plant cells, which are often not involved in embryonic development, give rise to somatic embryos. Applications for this process include the development of synthetic seed technology, the clonal propagation of genetically homogeneous plant material, the removal of viruses, the provision of source tissue for genetic transformation, and the creation of entire plants from single cells known as protoplasts. Other practical uses of somatic embryogenesis in agroforestry include virus removal, germplasm preservation, in vitro metabolite synthesis, in vitro mycorrhiza initiation, and crop enhancement (cell selection, genetic transformation, somatic hybrid, and polyploidy plant development). Here, students learn about the fundamentals of plant tissue culture, preparation of plant tissue culture media, the role of hormones in cyto-differention, and preparation of artificial seed.

Mushroom Cultivation

A farmer must plant a variety of crops in order to achieve agricultural diversity, which is necessary to guarantee the farmer a steady income each year. Growing mushrooms, which may be done on straw and other agricultural wastes, is one of the solutions. Mushroom farming is an indoor activity, as opposed to plant agriculture. In natural settings, mushrooms can be grown at a certain season. Under regulated conditions, mushrooms may be grown all year round. Another benefit is that mushroom cultivation requires relatively little land. The fruiting bodies of fungus are called mushrooms. However, a significant portion of a mushroom’s existence takes the shape of minuscule threads that resemble wood, earth, etc. This course designed on how to produce mushroom seed, production of mushroom and different products of mushroom. It leads to an understanding of mushrooms as delicious food and a weapon against malnutrition. The course also teaches students about the application of biotechnology on improvement of strain of mushroom, and so on.