The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has envisioned an active role in dealing with new directions and concerns emerging from various day to day environmental problems. To give a actual shape to this visualization, IIT Guwahati established full-fledged Centre for the Environment, in May 2004.

Biotech Hub

The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology initiated the establishment of Biotech Hubs under the special programme for the north - eastern states in 2009.

The broad purpose of the programme is to promote education and research in Biology/Life Science/Biotechnology/Environment and to attract brilliant young students to build their career in these fields.

The fund sanctioned under this programme is to be utilized for providing the following facilities to each Biotech Hub.
1. A biotechnology lab with basic set of equipments.
2. Support for site preparation/renovation.
3. A bioinformatics centre with minimum of 5 computers with Internet connectivity.
4. Biotechnology electronic journal access facility.
5. Recurring budget for procurement of chemicals, glassware and for maintenance of Internet connectivity.
6. Support for Organizing Trainings/Workshops for teachers.
7. Travel Support for Conference allowance, short term training in any Institute in India, Student Fellowships etc.

IITG Biotech Hub
Sanction for IITG Biotech Hub was granted in 2010 and funds arrived in February 2011. The Biotech Hub is established in I- Block of Centre for the Environment, IITG with three rooms.

A BSL 3 facility, an environmental biology laboratory with basic facilities like BOD incubators, Bacteriological incubators, laminar flow, water baths, pH meter, autoclaves, hot air ovens, muffle furnace, serological water bath, melting point apparatus and FTIR are been procured.

Currently the purchase of computers is complete and the informatics facility is being developed within the existing Centre for the Environment Computational Laboratory.

People involved

The IITG Biotech Hub has one Junior Research Fellow. The Hub is being run by the involvement of faculty members drawn from multiple disciplines as listed below.

(1) Dr. A. K. Sarma, Physics.
(2) Dr. B.R. Boruah, Physics.
(3) Dr. M. Sarma, Chemistry.
(4) Dr. V.V. Dasu, Biotechnology.
(5) Prof. C. Mahanta, Civil Engineering (Chairman, IITG Biotech Hub steering committee)
(6) Dr. R. Tamuli, Biotechnology (Co-coordinator)
(7) Dr. U. Bora, Biotechnology (Coordinator)

The core group is exploring the possibility of expanding the involvement of additional faculty members in the near future as soon as the laboratory facilities are in place.

Contact Detail:
Centre for the Environment
Academic Complex, I Block,
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Guwahati-781039
Assam, India
Telephone: +91-361-2583050 (O)
Email: env_off@iitg.ernet.in