Question : BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SYSTEM



(a) whether the Government has established the Biotechnology Information System in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the objectives of such Biotechnology Information System?

Answer given by the minister


THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL):

(a) Yes Sir.

(b) 117 institutions have been covered as part of the Biotechnology Information System Network (BTISnet) established by the Department of Biotechnology. A list of these centres is enclosed as statement. The BTISnet centres include Five Centres of Excellence, Ten Distributed Information Centres, 50 Distributed Information Sub-Centres, Fifty Two Bioinformatics Facilities for Biology Teaching through Bioinformatics and an Apex Biotechnology Information Centre (BTIC) at DBT to coordinate the BTISnet activities. More details are available on official websites of DBT namely http://www.dbtindia.gov.in and htty/www.btisnet.gov.in.

(c) The broad objectives of Biotechnology Information System programme are:

(i) To provide infrastructural support for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics research, training of manpower in Bioinformatics.

(ii) To provide computational support for biological scientists in R and D institutions and universities.

(iii) To build information resources in the area of biotechnology and develop tools for knowledge extraction, data transfer, security etc.

(iv) To help the growth of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology industry and act as incubation centre for bioinformatics industry.

(v) To access information requirements, create necessary infrastructure and provide computer support services to national community of users working in the biotechnology and allied areas.

(vi) To evolve and implement programmes on education of users and training of information scientists responsible for handling of biotechnology informtion and its applications to biotechnology research and development.

(vii) To coordinate efforts to access Biotechnology information world-wide including establishing linkages with some of the international resources of Biotechnology information (e.g. Databanks on genetic materials, published literature, patents, and other information of scientific and commercial value).

(viii) To develop advanced computer-based information processing methods to analyze the Genome, structural-genome, proteins, microarray metabolism, system biology etc.

(ix) To promote international collaboration towards exchange of scientific information in biotech nology through the development of appropriate network arrangements.

(x) Training in various aspects of Bioinformatics and use of Bioinformatics to improve quality of research and development in life sciences and biotechnology.

(xi) Carry out research in BioinformaJics in association with experimental scientists in improving agricultural productivity, environment, health etc.