Course description Molecular biology pertains to studying the synthesis, regulation, and interaction of biomolecules like DNA, RNA, and protein. Techniques in molecular biology require the integration of genetics and biochemistry. Knowledge of molecular biology techniques is crucial to understand cell biology, functional genomics, and plant biotechnology. Advancement in omics tools and the development of newer technologies such as gene editing has increased the demand for technically skilled human resources in biological sciences. This training course aims to provide basic theoretical and practical skills required for working in a molecular biology laboratory. This course will take the participants through the basic steps and principles of primer design, gene cloning, RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, gene expression (qPCR), in silico characterization of putative promoter regions, protein expression by Western blot, and ELISA. In addition, participants will also have the opportunity to use and familiarize themselves with essential laboratory equipment used in this field.

BioNcube is a BIRAC- Bio incubator supporting Ag-biotech innovation, development, and applications of broad range of biotechnological solutions spreading across various domains from basic research to product translation. Agribiotech start-ups incubated in BioNcube, have access to the scientific knowledge of ICRISAT, biotechnology laboratories with state-of- the-art equipment, and infrastructure such as plant genotyping, phenotyping and transgenic facilities, glasshouses, plug-and-play modular labs, molecular biology lab, analytical lab, transformation facility, contained fields etc. The value proposition of the BIRAC- Bio incubator is to link business incubation to translation and support ag-biotech start-ups from proof-of-concept stage through to technology translation and commercialization that will further benefit farming communities.

Objectives

• Understand basic principle and provide hands on training on basic tools used in understanding gene expression
• Interpret results generated using molecular biology tools and available datasets in functional genomics

A glimpse of molecular biology, functional genomics facilities such as genetic transformation, gene cloning, gene expression, metabolite protein profiling, analytical estimation and the P2 level biosafety greenhouse facility of BioNcube.