IGNOU@ KJC a Flexible Learning Path
Date: 10 April 2025
Department of Life Sciences, organized an orientation session on “IGNOU@ KJC a Flexible Learning Path” for the final year UG and PG Life Science students on 10/04/2025. The session was led by Dr. Lourdnathan, Faculty, Department of Commerce and Management who provided an in-depth overview of the IGNOU courses offered, including the objectives, fee structure and employability opportunities available for the respective courses. He emphasized the benefits of IGNOU include flexibility in learning, a wide range of programs, affordability, quality education, and nationwide reach. It was indeed an eye opener for the life science students since job opportunities come with qualified skill set courses in addition to the basic academic qualification.

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Awareness on Health and Hygiene for inmates of Home of Hope
Date: 28 March 2025
New Ark Mission of India” is a hope for the hopeless, a home for the homeless, and Dignity for the dying and destitute. Students of II semester M. Sc Biotechnology visited this old age home as a part of social outreach programme. Currently, the home accommodates 300 elderly women residents, offering them shelter, nutrition, and medical support.

The visit focused on distributing the grocery items collected during the Joy of Giving drive. The students handed over the donations to the institution, which included essentials such as rice, pulses, cooking oil, and other non-perishable food items ensuring that the contributions reached those in need.

The event extended beyond the donation, as student volunteers organized small interactive activities and informal talks with the residents. This activity encouraged the interaction of both the students and residents, fostering a sense of community, and providing opportunities for building friendships and emotional bonds. The interaction further empowered elderly residents to make decisions about their daily lives and activities, promoting a sense of autonomy while ensuring safety and well-being.

Thus this event marked a fruitful result by providing social support, companionship, and assistance, fostering a sense of purpose and community to the elderly residents and the students as well.

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Fermented Food Fiesta
Date: 13 March 2025
Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, beneficial microorganisms that help maintain a healthy gut so it can extract nutrients from food. Probiotics aid the immune system because the gut produces antibiotic, anti-tumour, anti-viral, and antifungal substances. First year M.Sc Microbiology students of the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru organized “FERMENTED FOOD FIESTA” on 13th March 2025 to spread awareness about the benefits of fermented foods and the role microorganisms play in enhancing the flavour of the food, preserving food and improving our overall well-being. Rev. Fr. Deepu Joy, Director Student Welfare Office inaugurated the festival along with Dr. Calistus Jude, Dean, Faculty of Sciences. Fr. Deepu Joy, appreciated the initiative of the department and highlighted the novelty and importance of festival that sets it apart from other food festivals. He congratulated the faculty coordinator Dr. Sangeetha Menon, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences in taking the step forward to raise awareness and spread insights on the importance of probiotics and fermented foods. He appreciated the efforts of the students and tasted various innovative and novel fermented foods The fermented food stalls displayed many taste-bud blowing spread of fermented foods from across the world that was explored by more than 200 students and faculty. Fermented foods such as Kombucha, Probiotic shots, fermented fruit soda, fermented vegetables and fruits, Tibetan rice wine (Chhaang), Tibetan butter tea, Lassis, Arabian Pudding, Wine and Indian dishes such as Ragi Kooh, Murabba, Kanji, Dhokla, Butter milk, Panner jamun, Curd rice, Nannari drinks and many more dishes wowed the visitors. The visitors expressed their happiness and satisfaction in tasting various dishes. Games at the festival were eye openers for the visitors where they were revealed about many unknown fermented foods. The festival highlighted the importance of fermented foods in maintaining a healthy gut.

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Bio-Quest 2025 Sci-Fi and AI
Date: 28 February 2025
Bio Quest was an electrifying quiz competition held in celebration of Science Day, blending the thrill of Sci-Fi, AI, and Life Science into an unforgettable intellectual battle. The event featured five dynamic rounds—MCQs to challenge scientific expertise, an Audio-Visual segment for keen observation, Riddles that twisted minds,and a Rapid Fire round to test quick thinking.Participants embarked on a journey through the mysteries of genetics, the marvels of artificial intelligence, and the futuristic possibilities of science, making every moment an exhilarating experience. With curiosity and competition at its peak, Bio Quest proved that science is not just about knowledge but about exploring the unknown.

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Vidwat Sammilan: Towards Sustainable Development in India: Role of Chemistry and Education
Date: 27 February 2025
The Life Sciences Department of Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous) hosted the 11th edition of its flagship program, Vidwat Sammilan, on 27th February 2025 at H-2 hall, Humanities block, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous)Bengaluru, Karnataka, On an interactive session designed to promote intellectual discourse and engagement with notable institution leader Prof. A.K. Bakhshi, Founding Vice-Chancellor of PDM University, Haryana was the chief guest and this year’s Vidwat Sammilan was centered on the theme “Towards Sustainable Development in India: Role of Chemistry and Education.” The event, held at the college campus, drew a large audience of faculty and students from life sciences and forensic sciences. Prof. Bakhshi highlighted the crucial role that both chemistry and education play in achieving sustainable development goals in India which not only broadened the understanding of green chemistry but also inspired the students and teachers to delve deeply into their role in creating awareness about making small changes via a transdisciplinary approach thereby developing a better tomorrow. Sir’s insights upon the various sustainable development goals and India’s performance in achieving these goals were truly detailed and enlightening. The interactive session that followed the keynote address provided a platform for attendees to engage in a lively discussion with Prof. Bakhshi, exploring various aspects of sustainable development and the challenges facing India. Dr. Bakhshi was honoured by Rev. Father Dr. Lijo.P.Thomas, Vice Principal and Chief Financial Officer, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous). The event underscored Kristu Jayanti College commitment to promoting academic excellence and social responsibility. The college continues to be a leading institution in fostering dialogues that address critical issues and real-world problems faced by the society.

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Orientation on Internship - PG
Date: 22 February 2025
A general internship orientation for postgraduate students serves as an essential introduction to the professional environment they are about to enter. This session typically covered different organisations available for internship while also outlining the roles and responsibilities students will take on. Postgraduates are introduced to with an overview of the specific projects, tasks, and expectations for their internship. The orientation also focused on professional conduct, communication protocols, and the practical skills needed for the role, including the use of relevant tools or software. Additionally, the session emphasized the importance of networking, continuous learning, and career development. The goal is to ensure that postgraduate students feel equipped, confident, and prepared to contribute meaningfully to their internship while further honing their skills and gaining valuable real-world experience.

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Orientation on Internship - UG
Date: 22 February 2025
Internship orientation for undergraduate students is an essential introduction to the professional world, offering them a comprehensive overview of what to expect during their internship experience. An orientation on the importance of internships emphasizes how they bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application, offering students the chance to develop valuable skills, build professional networks, and gain hands-on experience in their field. Students are made aware of the expectations placed upon them, such as punctuality, initiative, and a proactive approach to learning, along with the responsibility of contributing meaningfully to the organization. Additionally, they are introduced to the process of report making, which includes documenting their progress, reflecting on their experiences, and presenting their learning outcomes. This process is vital for assessing personal growth and ensuring that both the student and the organization benefit from the internship experience.

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Lab to Land Activity
Date: 13 February 2025
Eighteen M.Sc. Microbiology students from Kristu Jayanti College (KJC), Bengaluru, recently participated in a hands-on "Lab to Land" activity, bridging the gap between academic research and practical application in the field of agriculture. The initiative, organized by the Department of Life Sciences, provided a valuable opportunity for the students to witness the real-world impact of their laboratory work.

Accompanied by Dr. K. Frankline Noah, Faculty Member, the students visited the TREE (Training-Research-Education-Endeavour) Foundation at Kengeri Hobli, Bangalore, to follow up on an earlier project initiated on January 15, 2025. During that initial "Lab to Land" activity, the students meticulously developed a biofertilizer mixture in the KJC Microbiology Laboratory, combining three beneficial bacterial species: Azotobacter sp., Azospirillum sp., and Rhizobium sp.

The TREE Foundation provided the students with a plot of land for their experiment. The students meticulously divided this plot into two distinct areas: a "test" plot and a "control" plot. The students carefully applied their biofertilizer mixture exclusively to the test plot, leaving the control plot untreated.

February 13, 2025 marked a crucial stage of their research. During this follow-up activity, the students diligently documented the lengths of the shoots that had sprouted in both the test and control plots. This precise measurement allowed them to quantify the potential impact of their biofertilizer on plant growth. Furthermore, the students augmented the soil of the test area with a potent mixture of biofertilizer and vermicompost.

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Mind to Model Science Exhibition
Date: 13 February 2025
The "Mind to Model” Science Exhibition was organized by Department of Life Sciences, on 13th February, 2025 at Government High School, Kadusonnappanahalli, Bengaluru. I and II year BSc students actively participated in the exhibition and demonstrated their exhibits to school students to foster curiosity and creativity among high school students. The event aimed to provide a platform for showcasing innovative scientific models and projects, offering an opportunity for high school students to engage with hands-on learning experiences. The event was structured to encourage interaction between the undergraduate students and high school students, allowing the latter to ask questions and explore scientific concepts in an interactive and visual manner.

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Yoga for Wellbeing
Date: 05 February 2025
The Department of Life Sciences organized a session on “Yoga for Well-being” for first-year UG MGB & BBB batch students on 5th February, 2025, in the Yoga Hall, 5th Floor, P.G Block, at Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. The event began with a moment of silent prayer, followed by an introduction of the resource person, Dr. Saraswathi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous). The introduction was given by Dr. Vijayanand S., Head of the Department of Life Sciences. Dr. Saraswathi emphasized the significance of Yoga in promoting overall well-being by enhancing flexibility, strength, balance, and mental clarity in daily life. She demonstrated simple Yoga asanas such as Vrikshasana, Balasana, Makarasana, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, and others. Additionally, she explained different types of Pranayama, Yoga Mudras, and their importance in maintaining a harmonious balance between the body, mind, and spirit. Her insights deeply resonated with the audience, particularly as she highlighted the benefits of Yoga therapy in addressing modern health concerns such as stress, anxiety, and other chronic illnesses.

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Orientation on Study Abroad in USA
Date: 29 January 2025
The Study Abroad in the USA Orientation for Life Sciences and Forensic Science students is designed to provide valuable insights and guidance to students eager to expand their academic and professional horizons. Dr.Zachariah Mathew, Director of the Centre for Global Engagement and Senior International Officer, University of Michigan-Flint was the resource person for the event. During this orientation, students learned about the diverse range of opportunities available in top U.S. universities, which are renowned for cutting-edge research and innovation in fields such as biology, chemistry, environmental science, and forensic analysis. Students gained an understanding of the U.S. academic system, including the structure of coursework, research labs, and internship opportunities that will enhance their global perspective and career prospects. The session also covered essential details such as visa requirements, cultural adaptation, and tips for navigating life in the U.S., ensuring a smooth transition into this exciting academic journey. This orientation served as an essential first step in helping students make informed decisions and maximize their experience abroad, both academically and personally.

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Peer Mentorship Programme for GAT-B & CUET – Mentor’s Hub, Department of Life Sciences
Date: 21 January 2025
The Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College, has launched a Peer Mentorship Programme to guide and support final-year undergraduate students in their preparation for GAT-B and CUET exams. This initiative aims to equip students with effective study strategies, exam-specific insights, and mentorship from postgraduate students who have previously appeared for these competitive exams.

Programme Highlights
Structured Training & Guidance – Students receive mentorship from postgraduates who help them organize study schedules, subject-wise strategies, and time management techniques.

Interactive Learning Environment – Peer discussions, doubt-clearing sessions, and mock tests are incorporated to enhance exam readiness.

Tips & Tricks from Experienced Candidates – Mentors provide practical tips, common pitfalls to avoid, and subject-wise exam strategies. Pathway to Higher Education & Careers – Success in GAT-B and CUET opens doors to prestigious postgraduate programs and research opportunities.

Student Participation & Progress
A total of 26 final-year undergraduate students have enrolled in this mentorship programme and are actively undergoing rigorous training for the upcoming GAT-B and CUET exams. Through this structured initiative, students gain confidence, knowledge, and a competitive edge, ensuring they are well-prepared for these national-level entrance exams.

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Career Orientation Programme- 2025: Expert Lecture on Career Opportunities in Marine Biology- 2025
Date: 16 January 2025
The expert lecture on “Career Opportunities Marine Biology” was significant for IV semester Post- Graduate Biotechnology, Microbiology and Biochemistry students held on 16th January 2025 at M2 Auditorium, Main block, Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru. The programme was felicitated by Dr. Priya Josson, PG programme Coordinator of Life Sciences and the expert of the session was Dr. M. C. Remany, Principal Scientific Officer and Project in-charge of Aquatic Quarantine Facility, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture at Chennai initiated the talk on the importance of aquaculture in our country. Dr. M. C. Remany included the various schemes and projects belonging to the start- up category supervised under Govt. of India in her talk. The thrust of Marine Biology opportunities for the Post Graduate students were added up with the importance of competitive examinations and direct recruitment were well described by the expert. Moreover, the categorized official recruitment of aquaculture was also emphasized and the link of various government sectors were explained well by the expert. The role of internship and short- term projects for UG and PG students’ details were explored by Dr. M. C. Remany to the participants. The programme was concluded with the discussion and interaction by PG students with the resource person regarding the opportunities in not only aquaculture but also in Marine Biology.

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Lab to Land activity
Date: 15 January 2025
The Lab to Land activity organized by the Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru on January 15, 2025 provided 18 M.Sc. Microbiology students with a unique opportunity to apply their research work in a real-world setting. Accompanied by Dr. K. Frankline Noah, Faculty Member, the students visited the TREE (Training-Research-Education-Endeavour) Foundation at Kengeri Hobli, Bangalore, to test the efficacy of biofertilizers they had prepared as part of their academic coursework.

The students had developed a biofertilizer mixture composed of Azotobacter sp., Azospirillum sp., and Rhizobium sp. Prof. S. C. Sharma of Tree Foundation, who warmly welcomed the group, facilitated the hands-on experience by providing a plot of land for the lab-to-land activity. This plot was divided into two sections: one section received the biofertilizer along with seeds, while the other section was left untreated as a control.

This activity allowed the students to evaluate the practical efficacy of their biofertilizer by comparing plant growth in the treated section to the untreated control. Additionally, the students were able to observe and participate in various farm operations carried out at the TREE Foundation, broadening their understanding of agricultural practices and sustainable farming methods.

The students will conduct a follow-up visit in one month to assess the effectiveness of their biofertilizer product and gather data on plant growth and soil health. This experiential learning opportunity bridges the gap between laboratory research and field application, reinforcing the importance of innovative agricultural solutions.

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Pre-event to International Trade Fair on Organics and Millets 2025
Date: 10 January 2025
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka, successfully organized a pre-event for the International Trade Fair on Organics and Millets on January 10, 2025. The event, held at the Silver Jubilee Auditorium, aimed to emphasize the significance of millets in sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and entrepreneurship.

The pre-event featured a variety of engaging activities, including the Millet Master Chef Cooking Competition, where participants showcased their culinary skills with millet-based dishes, and Millets Magic, an innovative display of ready-to-make millet products. An exhibition titled “Healthy Food Habits: Millets in My Diet” was also organized to create awareness about the nutritional benefits of millets. Additional highlights included an elocution competition, a quiz, and awards for the best exhibits promoting millet awareness.

The event was inaugurated by distinguished dignitaries, including Shri Y. S. Patil, IAS, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Dr. Tanay Joshy, Scientist and Country Coordinator, India & Tanzania. The presidential address was delivered by Rev. Dr. Augustine George, while the prelude was presented by Dr. Tanay Joshy. The inaugural address was given by Shri Y. S. Patil, IAS.

As part of the program, an expert session was conducted by Dr. Shreedevi Gothe from the Trans Disciplinary University, focusing on the global relevance of millets in nutrition, sustainability, and culinary innovation. Additionally, a panel discussion titled “Millets: The Supergrains for a Sustainable Future” brought together a diverse group of esteemed panelists, including a nutritionist, organic farmer, endocrinologist, celebrity chef, dietitian, and a classical dancer and actress, who shared their expertise on various aspects of millets.

The event concluded with a captivating theme dance performed by the Kristu Jayanti Dance Academy, symbolizing the resurgence of millets as a key to sustainable living. This collaborative initiative underscored the critical role of millets in promoting sustainable agriculture and healthy lifestyles.

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Vignana Vicintana Research Colloquium-2025
Date: 09 January 2025
The Research Colloquium, an event dedicated to inspiring and encouraging students to engage in research, commenced with an inaugural session on 9th January, 2025 at 9.30 am in M3 Auditorium. Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel, the convener of the program welcomed the gathering. The event proceeded with the Presidential Address by Principal Fr. Augustine George. Fr. highlighted the significance of building a robust research culture within the college. He spoke about the college's commitment to fostering an environment where research is encouraged and supported, noting that it plays a crucial role in academic excellence and societal development. He called for greater collaboration among students, faculty, and industry partners to enhance the scope and impact of research initiatives. His address was a reminder that a strong research culture is vital for the growth of both individuals and institutions. The inaugural address was delivered by Dr. Somnath Dutta, Associate Professor, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, a distinguished academic and researcher. In his address, Dr. Dutta emphasized the importance of research as an essential tool for personal and intellectual growth. He motivated students to embrace curiosity and critical thinking, explaining that research is not just about finding answers, but about questioning existing knowledge and pushing boundaries. He urged students to explore new ideas, be persistent in the face of challenges, and contribute meaningfully to their fields of study. His words were filled with encouragement, reminding students that research is a journey of discovery that could shape the future.

Following the inaugural session, Dr. Dutta delivered a keynote address on Cryo EM based Structural Analysis of Host Pathogen Interactions. The keynote address provided an in-depth exploration of how cryo-EM is revolutionizing our understanding of host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level. Dr. Dutta highlighted how cryo-EM has become a critical tool in studying the structural details of proteins, viruses, and other pathogens, providing insights into their interactions with host cells. Later Mr. Jobin Thomas, proud alumnus of the department, who is a Senior Research Fellow at Center for Nano Biotechnology, VIT, Vellore delivered a technical note on Cheminformatics and Drug Discovery. The technical session was a highly informative and engaging event, aimed at introducing students and faculty to the applications of cheminformatics in the field of drug discovery. Further Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru presented on the topic Sticky Solutions: Biofilm Technology Shaping Tomorrow. The research Colloquium concluded with the student’s presentation on In silico Drug Repurposing for Kyasanur Forest Virus: Targeting NS3 Helicase by Mr. Ajith Kumar K, IV sem M.Sc. Biotechnology, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. Overall the event was fruitful for the Post Graduate students of Life Sciences, throughout the session, students were emphasized on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, where chemists, biologists, and computer scientists work together to innovate and optimize discovery processes. The session was interactive, with students actively participating in discussions and posing questions about to pursue research and training in this interdisciplinary field.

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Student Panel Explores Nobel Prize-Winning Research
Date: 05 November 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, organized an insightful student panel discussion titled "Why Your Heart Doesn't Think But Your Brain Does? Micro RNA's in Gene Control" on November 5, 2024. The event focused on decoding the groundbreaking research that won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine, awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun.

The discussion was moderated by Maria Taitus, a third-semester MSc Biotechnology student. Six panelists, all pursuing their MSc in Biotechnology and Microbiology, participated in the academic discourse: Rishika Sai Yerramalli, Shreya Srivastava, Selva Priya S, Desamala Niveditha, Agna Rose John, and Stella Dass. The panel explored the intricate mechanisms of microRNAs in gene regulation, highlighting the revolutionary discoveries that enhanced our understanding of how genes are controlled. The discussion bridged the gap between complex molecular biology concepts and their practical implications in medical science.

This student-led initiative demonstrated the college's commitment to engaging students in contemporary scientific developments and fostering academic discourse about breakthrough research in life sciences.

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Orientation session on competitive exams
Date: 05 November 2024
The Life Science Club of Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College is organized an orientation session on competitive exams session for first year postgraduate students. This session was handled by Mr. Dennis Jose, UGC-NET trainer. An hour session, provided a brief overview of life sciences students to understand different competitive exams life students can prepare and qualify. The session also shared importance of preparation of Paper I for CSIR-NET exams can help to students to qualify placement interviews, state, central government job openings and other competitive exams. The resource person also shared few sample questions that are repeated and emphasized tips for quick solving of problems related to quantitative and qualitative reasoning.

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"Lab to Land" activity at Guanella Preethi Nivas Old Age
Date: 29 October 2024
Students from the M.Sc. Microbiology program at Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bangalore, recently carried out a "Lab to Land" activity at Guanella Preethi Nivas Old Age Home in Hennur Gardens, Karnataka. This initiative, guided by Dr. Nathiya T and Dr. K. Frankline Noah from the Department of Life Sciences, exemplifies one of the department's best practices, connecting academic learning with community service. In a dedicated garden space provided by the old age home, students planted various vegetable seeds—including tomato, brinjal, French beans, red chili, spinach, and palak—using biofertilizers (Acetobacter, Rhizobium, and Azospirillum) that they prepared in the laboratory. Prior to applying these biofertilizers, students collected soil samples to conduct nutrient analysis, ensuring compatibility and enhancing sustainable cultivation. This hands-on project enabled students to apply their microbiological knowledge practically, fostering a commitment to environmental stewardship while contributing fresh produce for the residents. Through this activity, students not only gained valuable experience in sustainable agriculture but also strengthened their understanding of community-oriented scientific practice.

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Cervam Private Limited: A New Era of Organic Wellness
Date: 18 October 2024
The Biopreneurship Club is thrilled to announce the official launch of Cervam Private Limited, a student-founded venture that promises to revolutionize the wellness industry by offering organic oils, herbal care, and vegan essentials. The launch took place on October 18, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the entrepreneurial journey of the founder, Mr. Udayaprakash, a second-year MSc Biotechnology student from the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College.

Cervam Private Limited is committed to providing products that promote a healthier lifestyle while staying true to nature. The company's range of offerings includes premium organic oils and herbal products, all designed to meet the growing demand for sustainable, vegan, and eco-friendly wellness solutions.

With a focus on quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, Cervam Private Limited aims to make a positive impact on the health and wellness sector, empowering individuals to embrace a healthier, more natural way of living.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Udayaprakash and the Cervam team, and we look forward to seeing their continued success and innovation in the wellness industry.

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Ayurveda Health Camp
Date: 18 October 2024
In celebration of National Ayurveda Day 2024, the Department of Life Sciences and the Kristu Jayanti Centre for Indian Knowledge System, in partnership with the University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), hosted a health camp to promote Ayurveda's holistic approach to well-being. The event was inaugurated by Vice Principal Dr. Lijo P. Thomas, along with distinguished guests from TDU, I-AIM, and faculty and students from Kristu Jayanti College. Fr. Lijo emphasized the relevance of Ayurveda in today’s fast-paced world, highlighting the importance of reconnecting with nature to achieve overall health and wellness. I-AIM Healthcare Centre, Bengaluru, an integrated healthcare facility, merges traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with modern medical science. Specializing in preventive and holistic healthcare, I-AIM provides personalized treatments based on Ayurvedic principles such as Nadi Pariksha (pulse diagnosis) and Prakriti (body constitution) analysis.

The camp featured free consultations with Ayurveda practitioners, along with stalls displaying Ayurvedic herbs, medicines, and wellness products. The event attracted over 150 participants and highlighted the enduring relevance of Ayurveda in modern health care, echoing the teachings of the Sushruta Samhita: “Swasthasya swasthya rakshanam, aaturasya vikara prashamanam cha”– "to maintain the health of the healthy and to alleviate the diseases of the sick." The camp also provided an educational platform for participants to explore the ancient science of Ayurveda and its practical applications in daily life.

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Placement Orientation
Date: 16 October 2024
Department of Life Sciences organized a placement orientation session for final year undergraduate students on 16th October, 2024. The session was led by Mr. Kumar C, Head of Unit Quality Assurance at Cipla Limited, who provided an in-depth overview of the pharmaceutical industry in India. He discussed key statistics related to market growth and employment opportunities, highlighting the industry's increasing significance on a global scale. Mr. Kumar emphasized the vital role of quality assurance in ensuring the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products, detailing the critical skills and qualities that employers seek, such as analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication. Additionally, he shared useful resources for students, including internships and networking opportunities, to help them prepare for their careers. The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, allowing students to ask questions and gain further insights into navigating their future careers in the pharmaceutical sector. Overall, the session equipped students with valuable knowledge and practical guidance as they prepare to enter the workforce.

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Biocon Biologics STEM Mentoring Programme
Date: 14 October 2024
Across the globe, enrolment of female students is lower in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics as compared to men. Due to gender biases and lack of representation, women are often unable to steer their way in the science and technology sector. Over the past 15 years, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science. To boost the involvement of women and to eradicate the biases that shroud the industry, it is important to address these issues and actively take steps to promote the participation of women. Department of Life Sciences organized a Biocon Biologics STEM Mentoring programme for the final year post graduate girl students of the department. Mr. Chella Pandian, Global Head, DEI, Biocon Biologics, Bengaluru interacted with the students and inspired them to develop “ASK – Attitude, Skill and Knowledge”. He also gave information on the Biocon Biologics mentoring programme that would encourage more women to choose STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – as a career. The session was an eye opener and motivating for the audience.

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National Intellectual Property Festival 2.0
Date: 20 September 2024
The program National Intellectual Property Festival 2.0 is a National wide Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) festival organized by NIPAM, New Delhi. The NIPAM targets various academic institutions and organizations to inculcate the IPR Awareness among the young students for innovative ideas protection. Our Kristu Jayanti College has been a part to celebrate the NIPAM festival organized by NIPAM, CSIR- IP, Pune. The program was held on 20th September 2024 in Online mode with the coordination of Dr. Nitin Tewari, IP Scientist and NIPAM Coordinator, CSIR- IP, Pune. The Department Coordinators The program was welcomed by the student Coordinator Mr. Raymond, I M. Sc. Microbiology. The chief guest was introduced by the NIPAM Coordinator Dr. Nitin Tewari, IP Scientist and NIPAM Coordinator, CSIR- IP. The IP Coordinator and the resource person were felicitated by Dr. Vijayanand S, Head, Department of Life Sciences. The introduction and significance of the IPR was briefed by Dr. Nitin Tewari and the technical session was started by Dr. Nirangan Yoele, Scientist in IP. The pivotal role of IPR in varied sectors and the components of IPR was discussed with the students. The significance of copyrights, trademarks, patents & its types and the geographical indications was explained by the expert. The types of conventions regarding the trade and the main hub WIPO were explained to the students. The interaction session was carried over with students with various examples on IPR. The program was concluded with the vote of thanks by Ms. Niranjana, I M. Sc. Microbiology.

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International Microorganism Day - Microart Photography Competition
Date: 17 September 2024
Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru commemorated International Microorganism Day on 17th September 2024 with a MicroArt Photography Competition for III B.Sc., (MBGE) students. The students were tasked with taking photos of bacterium under the microscope as well as agar art. Nine different teams participated in this event and 32 entries were received. There was active participation from all the participants. Participation Certificate was provided to all the participants . This activity enabled the students to actively carry out wet mount and staining methods as well as agar art using different media and bacteria.

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International Microorganism Day - Reel Making Competition
Date: 17 September 2024
On 17th September 2024, the Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, commemorated International Microorganism Day with a reel making competition with a theme on "Instrumentation in Life Sciences Lab”. The program was aimed to raise awareness about the various equipment utilized in Life Sciences Lab. The I year PG Microbiology students were tasked with creating reels about different equipment that are available for them in Life Science departments. A total of 32 students as 10 Teams participated in the competition. The participants enthusiastically took part in this event and the best reels were recognized by a panel of judges. Participation Certificate was provide to all the participants. This activity enabled the students to deeply understand the working principle, handling, and uses of different equipment in life sciences laboratory.

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International Microorganism Day Healthy Gut, Healthy You: The Science Behind Microbial Wellness
Date: 17 September 2024
On 17th September 2024, the Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, marked International Microorganism Day with an event centered on "Healthy Gut, Healthy You: The Science Behind Microbial Wellness." The program aimed to raise awareness about the significance of gut microbiota in maintaining health. Dr. Mukil Maruthamuthu, MD & CEO of GUT-iCARE Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore, was the keynote speaker, sharing insights on the role of a balanced gut microbiome in digestion, immunity, and mental well-being. He discussed cutting-edge research linking gut health to conditions like digestive disorders, obesity, and mental health issues. Dr. Mukil also explored how probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary changes impact gut microbiota, promoting wellness. He highlighted GUT-iCARE's innovations in microbiome-based products aimed at improving gut health. The session was particularly relevant to M.Sc. Microbiology students, offering them a glimpse into the practical applications of microbiology in healthcare and future research opportunities in microbial wellness. This event furthered Kristu Jayanti College's mission to integrate classroom learning with industry insights, inspiring students to pursue microbiome research while celebrating the vital contributions of microorganisms to human health.

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Beyond the Jar: Turning Fermented Food Research into Marketable Products
Date: 13 September 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, in collaboration with the Biopreneurship Club, hosted a session titled "Beyond the Jar: Turning Fermented Food Research into Marketable Products" as part of the Biopreneurship Mentoring Series. Aimed at BioNova Programme students, the event bridged the gap between biotechnology research and entrepreneurship. Led by Dr. Sivamaruthi B.S. from Chiang Mai University, Thailand, the session explored the commercial potential of fermented food research. Dr. Sivamaruthi detailed the process of transforming scientific discoveries into market-ready products, emphasizing innovation, product development, and consumer awareness in the food industry. He presented successful case studies, showing how fermented food products can be scaled and marketed effectively. The interactive session provided students with practical entrepreneurial insights, encouraging them to apply their research in real-world business contexts.

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Incubation Insights: Lessons Learned from a Successful Incubatee
Date: 11 September 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, in collaboration with the Biopreneurship Club, is organizing "Incubation Insights: Lessons Learned from a Successful Incubatee" as part of the Biopreneurship Mentoring Series. The event will provide students insights into the incubation process in biotech and life sciences, focusing on how it helps transform ideas into successful businesses. Mr. Vaibhav Sai, founder of DiagnoBac Pvt. Ltd., will share his experiences as a successful incubatee, offering lessons from his journey of moving from ideation to business establishment. He will discuss the benefits and challenges of the incubation process, including mentorship, funding, and networking support provided by incubation centres. The session aims to deepen students' understanding of how to effectively leverage incubation resources to build and grow biotech startups. It also seeks to motivate aspiring biopreneurs to explore incubation opportunities and equip them with the practical knowledge needed for startup success. This programme is a valuable opportunity for students to learn firsthand from an experienced entrepreneur about the critical role of incubation in fostering innovation and driving entrepreneurial success in the bio-based economy.

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Sculpting the Entrepreneurial Mindset: Blue Print for Unstoppable Success
Date: 05 September 2024
The Biopreneurship Mentoring Series, hosted by the Department of Life Sciences Biopreneurship Club in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre at Kristu Jayanti College, conducted a session titled "Sculpting the Entrepreneurial Mindset: Blueprint for Unstoppable Success" on 5th September 2024. Led by Dr. Mohan Kumar R. from the Department of Commerce, the event targeted students of the BioNova Programme. The session focused on equipping students with the mindset and skills needed for success in biopreneurship. Dr. Kumar shared key insights on essential entrepreneurial traits, overcoming challenges, and the role of innovation in building sustainable ventures. The program highlighted critical thinking, adaptability, and a growth-oriented mindset as core elements for entrepreneurial success. This mentoring session aimed to inspire students to transform their ideas into viable businesses, guiding them on structuring their entrepreneurial journey, making informed decisions, and taking actionable steps toward creating startups in the biosciences sector.

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Bioproducts and Beyond: Ensuring Quality Through Certification
Date: 04 September 2024
The "Bioproducts and Beyond: Ensuring Quality Through Certification" program, organized by the Department of Life Sciences Biopreneurship Club with the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre at Kristu Jayanti College, aims to educate BioNova Programme students on the importance of certification in the bioproducts industry. Led by Dr. Frankline Noah K, an Assistant Professor from the Department of Life Sciences, the session highlights the role of certification in meeting industry standards, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building consumer trust in product safety, efficacy, and quality. Participants will gain insight into how certification enhances the market readiness and commercial viability of bioproducts. The session also explores quality assurance challenges and innovative opportunities within biopreneurship, guiding students toward successful commercialization of their own bioproducts under the BioNova Program.

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Endophytic Fungi: Insights from the Author’s Desk
Date: 04 September 2024
On September 4, 2024, the Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College held a research empowerment session on "Endophytic Fungi: Insights from the Author's Desk," led by Dr. Manon Mani V, Assistant Professor. Targeting first-year MSc Microbiology students, this session offered a deep dive into endophytic fungi—fungi living within plant tissues without causing harm. Dr. Manon Mani discussed her research, emphasizing the potential applications of endophytic fungi in agriculture, biotechnology, and medicine.

The session covered three key areas:
1. Endophytic Fungi's Role: Their contribution to plant health, ecological balance, and sustainable agriculture.
2. Research Methodologies: Insights into the challenges and approaches to studying endophytic fungi, based on Dr. Manon's research experience.
3. Authorship and Publication: Guidance on scientific writing and the publication process.
This session not only enriched students' knowledge of fungal biology but also inspired them to pursue research in microbiology. By discussing research techniques, data analysis, and the interdisciplinary nature of fungal studies, the event encouraged students to develop research ideas and a deeper interest in microbial research.

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Research Insights: Behind the Paper
Date: 04 September 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, organized a session titled "Research Insights: Behind the Paper" on September 4, 2024, for II Year M.Sc. Microbiology students. Part of the Research Empowerment Series, the session aimed to enhance students' understanding of research processes, from forming research questions to publishing scientific papers. Dr. P. Deepak, Assistant Professor, led the session, providing insights into finding journals, structuring papers, and navigating the submission, peer review, and publication stages. Using real-time examples and demonstrations, Dr. Deepak guided students on accessing reputed journals and preparing manuscripts. The interactive event encouraged student participation and offered practical tips for approaching research work. A QR code shared during the session gave access to published papers for reference. This initiative empowered students to pursue high-quality research, contributing to the scientific community while equipping them with the tools needed for academic success.

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Behind the Business: Real-Life Startup Success Story
Date: 02 September 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, through its Biopreneurship Club, presents "Behind the Business: Real-Life Startup Success Story" as part of the Biopreneurship Mentoring Series. This programme is tailored for BioNova students to gain insights into biopreneurship by showcasing a real-life success story. Featuring Mr. Mithun M S, founder of Agri Foods Pvt. Ltd. and a III Semester B.Sc. BTGE student, the session highlights his journey from student to entrepreneur. He will share his experiences, challenges, and successes in launching a startup in agriculture and biotechnology. The session will cover key entrepreneurial aspects such as transforming ideas into products, overcoming startup challenges, and implementing growth strategies. By exploring real-world experiences, students will gain practical knowledge and inspiration to pursue their ventures. The programme emphasizes innovation, perseverance, and the vast opportunities in biotechnology and agri-business. "Behind the Business" aims to encourage students to explore unconventional career paths and instill a spirit of entrepreneurship, supporting the Department’s goal of nurturing young talent in biopreneurship.

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Organic manure distribution to Local Farmers
Date: 24 September 2024
The Department of Life Sciences with the support of the management of Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru strives to promote entrepreneurship among students. In this regards, on 24th September 2024, Mr. Mithun, a second-year BSc Biotechnology & Genetics student from the Department of Life Sciences and founder of the agri-startup 'Agri Foods', donated his organic manure developed product to Mr. Basavaraj, Vice President of the Farmer’s Produce Organization, Karnataka as a part of “Kristu Jayanti Sarva Vikas” and Campus Farmers Market’ programme organized by Instituition Innovation council. This collaborative effort demonstrated the department’s commitment to sustainable practices and encouraging students to enter real world entrepreneurial experience.

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Biofertilizer Distribution to Local Farmers
Date: 24 September 2024
There is a direct correlation between population growth and food demand. There is a need to scale up food production to meet the food demand of the population. The arable land over time has lost its naturally endowed nutrients. Hence, alternative measures such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides are used to fortify the soil and scale up the production rate. As efforts are being made to meet this food demand and ensure food security, it is equally important to ensure food safety for consumption. Biofertilizers are ready to use live formulates of beneficial microorganisms, that are cost-effective and ecofriendly in nature and mobilize the availability of nutrients in the soil on application. Their continuous usage enhances soil fertility and crop yield by up to about 10–40%. On 24th September 2024, Department of Life Sciences distributed samples of biofertilizers to farmers who visited the college campus as a part of “Kristu Jayanti Sarva Vikas” and Campus Farmers Market’ programme organized by Instituition Innovation council as a part of the “Government of India's One District One Product (ODOP)” Scheme under ‘Make in India initiative’. The biofertilizer distribution has been started with the belief to be small contribution to the fulfillment of the dream of Viksit Bharat 2047. The biofertilizers were prepared by final year students of M.Sc Microbiology of the department of Life Sciences under the guidance of Dr. Sangeetha Menon, Assistant Professor. The different liquid biofertilizers distributed were Azotofert (Azotobacter bioferlilizer), RhizoNitroFix (Rhizobium Biofertilizer) and PhosphoBact (Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria Bioferlilizer). Stall was set up with free samples and the department received orders of bulk quantities of liquid and carrier based biofertilizers from farmers. Students and faculty also visited the stalls and gave their requirements to receive these biofertilizers.

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Awareness about Benefits of Biofertilizer
Date: 24 September 2024
As the global population continues to rise, there is a need to scale up food production to meet the food demand of the population. Biofertilizers are ready to use live formulates of beneficial microorganisms, that are cost-effective and ecofriendly in nature and mobilize the availability of nutrients in the soil on application. On 24th September 2024, Department of Life Sciences created awareness about biofertilizers and their benefits to farmers who visited the college campus as a part of “Kristu Jayanti Sarva Vikas” and Campus Farmers Market’ programme organized by Instituition Innovation council as a part of the “Government of India's One District One Product (ODOP)” Scheme under ‘Make in India initiative’ and also to the students and faculty members of the college. Students of final year M.Sc Microbiology of the department created posters and models and explained the visitors on application of biofertilizers to various crops. They also demonstrated the effect of biofertilizer on the effect of vegetables grown in the terrace garden of the campus. Dr. Sangeetha Menon, Assistant Professor who guided the students mentioned that this effort to raise awareness about the risks of using chemical fertilizers and the cost effective application of biofertilizers to any types of crops and plants among everyone is a step towards sustainable agriculture and development. The main concerns of the farmers were that whether biofertilizer contain chemicals or not but the components (bacterial cells) and the benefits of using those in the soil were explained to them. The information about the proper dosage per acre of the land was also given to them. In this way, through educating farmers regarding prospect of biofertilizers, not only has the society for sustainable environment has increased its awareness, but the way for better soil health, higher yield and more sustainable farming solutions has been paved. Thus the well-orchestrated effort to educate these farmers will create a sustainable positive impact to the productivity of agriculture within the region.

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Expert Lecture on “The IPR Bridge”
Date: 20 September 2024
The idea cannot be protected as such, however, when the outcome of an idea is put in a tangible form i.e Process or Product or Device; it can be protected under Patent or any other form of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The forms of IPR need to be properly judged and assessed before protection from an Expert body. To have a brief understanding on IP and Patents related ideas for the students of Life Sciences an expert lecture was organized and conducted for the PG students of Life Sciences. . The resource person for the event was Ms. Prajanya G P, Wise Program Coordinator, IPR-KSCST (Karnataka state council for Science and technology), IISc Campus, Bengaluru.

Ms. Prajanya shared her knowledge and provide invaluable perspectives on the importance of protecting intellectual property in our ever-evolving technological and creative environments on the Topic “THE IPR BRIDGE”. She also discussed the intricate concepts and address questions related to her field and provided a thorough knowledge and the students really had an enriching experience of how to navigate and protect intellectual property in today’s dynamic environment. The students were greatly benefited by the knowledge shared during the talk and gained the ability in helping everyone better manage and protect our intellectual assets.

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“Microbes in Daily Life”
Date: 20 September 2024
Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru in collaboration with Life Sciences Club organized an Exhibition on the theme “Microbes in Daily Life” as a part of the International Microorganisms Day 2024 on 20th September 2024. Rev. Dr. Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College appreciated the initiative of the department and efforts and creativity of the by final year students of M.Sc Microbiology to prepare the exhibits to highlight the world of microorganisms. Dr. Sangeetha Menon, Faculty Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Department of Life sciences mentioned that displayed exhibits are an eye opener to the visitors on how these microscopic organisms influence our daily life and are essential for existence of life. The exhibition provided a comprehensive overview of microbes, where more than 100 visitors explored 3D models of microbial cells and interacted with displays that illustrate microbial diversity and their roles in ecosystems. A key section of the exhibit focused on the crucial role microbes play in healthcare, from the production to the development of vaccines. Historical breakthroughs, including Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, were presented alongside modern research on probiotics. Another section emphasized the human microbiome, explaining how bacteria, viruses, and fungi live in and on the body, contributing to digestion, immune function, and pathogen defense. Visitors engaged with interactive displays that visualized the microbial balance in a healthy gut compared to one affected by diseases like irritable bowel syndrome. The exhibit creatively demonstrated examples of microbial art, coloured bacteria were grown in labs, creating living art. The exhibition dived into how microbes are essential for the production of many foods, beverages and in composting and organic farming practices. The exhibition ultimately highlights the importance of microbes in everyday life, revealing both their potential risks and immense benefits to humanity and the planet. The exhibition was well appreciated by all the visitors.

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Microbe Role Play Report: Microbes as Villains or Superheroes
Date: 18 September 2024
Microorganisms, commonly known as microbes, can be portrayed either as villains or superheroes, depending on their impact on humans, animals, and the environment. Microbes often play the role of villains in human health and ecology. These harmful microbes, often called pathogens, cause diseases and infections that can be life-threatening. Pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli can cause food poisoning, skin infections, and more serious diseases like pneumonia and sepsis. Viruses like HIV, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 have caused devastating global pandemics, leading to millions of deaths and widespread social disruption. Certain fungi, like Candida and Aspergillus, can cause severe infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. On the flip side, microbes are crucial to sustaining life on Earth and often play the role of unsung superheroes in various ways such as gut health, environmental cleanup, food production, medicine, sustainable agriculture. Creative role play performed by III semester MBGE students depicts the beneficial or pathogenic nature of a particular organism was incredible adding meaning to the theme of International microorganisms day “ Beyond the scope”. . Microbes, whether as villains or superheroes, are fundamental to life on Earth. Their dual roles in causing disease and fostering life processes make them fascinating subjects for study and exploration. In this role-play scenario, microbes can either threaten or save humanity, illustrating the delicate balance between their harmful and beneficial effects.

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International Microorganisms Day (Beyond the Scope) Spell Bee Competition in Microbiology
Date: 17 September 2024
Department of Life Sciences in collaboration with the Life Sciences Club conducted Spell Bee Competition for I year B.Sc. MBGE students on 17/09/2024 to commemorate International Microorganisms Day. It is a competition in which the participants were asked to write the words within a time duration of 300sec which was dictated by the faculty in charge. The competition was conducted by Dr.C.M.Reena Josephine, from Microbiology. There was an active participation from the students’ side since the words chosen were from the field of microbiology and they had a different and an exciting experience. Having such competitions boost the confidence of the students, enabling them to participate in many such events at higher levels.

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Life Science Club Logo Designing Competition
Date: 11 September 2024
The Life Science Club of Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College is excited to present the report on the Logo Designing Competition for undergraduate students. This event provides a platform for budding artists and science enthusiasts to channel their creativity into designing a logo that symbolizes the core values of life sciences. The competition encourages students to combine art with science, creating a visual identity that reflects innovation, research, and collaboration within the scientific community. Participants have submited original logo designs that highlight themes related to biology, biotechnology, sustainability, and scientific discovery through circulated google form. The winning design will be used as the official logo for the Life Science Club, offering the creator an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy. Judging criteria will include creativity, relevance to life sciences, and overall design impact. The competition aims not only to foster creative talent but also to build a stronger sense of community among life science students. Winners have been felicitated with exciting certificate and recognition during a special award ceremony at the Intercollegiate Fest, Connoisseur’24.

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Alumni Expert talk on Research Careers in Life Sciences
Date: 31 August 2024
Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College organized alumni expert talk on 31st August, 2024 to the final year UG students of Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Botany. Alumna, Ms. Sylvia, Senior Researcher from Indian Institute of Sciences from Bengaluru addressed the particpants. Her experience and knowledge have provided valuable guidance for the UG students. Her focus on various aspects such as career opportunities, essential skills for success, and preparation for competitive exams like CSIR NET, GATE, IIT JAM, JGEEBILS, ICMR, and DBT would certainly help students navigate their future academic and professional paths. Additionally, her insights into the Ph.D. application process, including writing SOPs and projects, are crucial for those considering advanced studies. It was great to see alumni giving back and helping current students with practical advice and guidance.

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Alumni Batch Meet
Date: 31 August 2024
Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College hosted alumni meet of batch 2019 – 2022 on 31st August, 2024 in M2 Auditorium, II Floor, Main Block, the alumni meet is to reconnect with the Alumni and celebrate their success and various achievements. The Alumni meet started with a welcome address by the Dr. S. Vijayanand, Head, Department of Life Sciences, followed by alumni interaction with the audience about their experience in Kristu Jayanti College during their period of study and their expertise of position. They also interacted with the students and gave motivational talk regarding preparing for higher studies and placements. Students asked many questions regarding placements and the alumni shared their views. At the end of the session, vote of thanks was given by Dr. Manikandan, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences. He thanked the organizers and alumni members of the event. He also thanked the management for the support and guidance which has made alumni meet a grand success.

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Orientation on Post Graduate Research Project
Date: 26 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, conducted a ‘Workshop on Scientific Writing’ on August 7, 2024, for III semester M.Sc. students from the Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Biotechnology programs. The workshop focused on equipping students with essential skills for scientific writing and research, covering topics such as general guidelines, project scheduling, identifying research gaps, preparing a research synopsis, and conducting effective literature reviews.

Dr. Vijayanand: Led the opening session, outlining research guidelines and project schedules while offering valuable insights into conducting research in premier institutes and in-house laboratories. Dr. Dileep Francis: Presented a session on formulating and structuring experimental designs professionally. Dr. Kushi Anand: Delivered an in-depth session on writing an effective research synopsis. Dr. Arun Kumar: Concluded the workshop with a discussion on scholarly writing fundamentals, emphasizing the importance of identifying research gaps and proper referencing to enhance research quality and credibility. By addressing critical aspects like literature review, ideation, and synopsis preparation, the event aimed to strengthen students' academic and research proficiency, nurturing a strong research culture.

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Biostart: Grooming Future Biopreneurs
Date: 26 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, in collaboration with the Biopreneurship Club and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre, presents "BioStart: Grooming Future Biopreneurs for Students of the BioNova Programme." This mentoring series aims to equip students with entrepreneurial skills and knowledge in life sciences, preparing them for successful biopreneurship careers. With the growing importance of sustainability and biotech innovation, BioStart helps bridge the gap between scientific ideas and business applications, fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs tackling global challenges with bio-based solutions. The programme will feature Ms. Nithya K V, founder of the ecom biofertilizer brand Orincer, who will share her entrepreneurial journey from ideation to business establishment. Her insights will guide students through the biotech business landscape, inspiring innovative thinking and encouraging them to pursue their ventures. Key topics include identifying biotech opportunities, understanding bio-entrepreneurship fundamentals, and developing sustainable solutions. BioStart aims to build student confidence and skills, enabling them to transform scientific knowledge into successful enterprises. This initiative aligns with Kristu Jayanti College's mission to provide holistic education and empower students to make meaningful societal contributions.

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“Role of Probiotics in Human Health: An Evidence based reveals”
Date: 27 August 2024
In Commemorating National Nutrition week on 27.08.2024 Dr. Sivamaruthi B. S., a prominent researcher from Chiang Mai University, Thailand, delivered an insightful lecture on the "Role of Probiotics on Human Health: An Evidence-Based Revelation" through Zoom for the final year postgraduate students of the Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore. Dr. Sivamaruthi began by introducing the concept of probiotics, emphasizing their definition as live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. He highlighted the historical evolution of probiotics, from their traditional use in fermented foods to their modern-day applications in health supplements. The session delved into the various health benefits of probiotics, supported by scientific evidence. Dr. Sivamaruthi discussed how probiotics play a crucial role in maintaining gut health by balancing the gut microbiota, which is essential for digestion, immune function, and overall well-being. He presented research findings demonstrating the effectiveness of probiotics in preventing and treating gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and diarrhea.

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Good Laboratory Practices - I Year M.Sc. Biotechnology, Microbiology & Biochemistry
Date: 21 August 2024
The Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) session for the I Semester M.Sc. students specializing in Biotechnology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry was conducted on the 21st of August 2024. The event took place in the M3 Auditorium, located on the Third Floor of the Main Block. The session aimed to provide comprehensive training on essential laboratory skills, etiquettes, and safety measures for postgraduate students embarking on advanced research projects. Dr. Vijayanand. S began the session by highlighting the importance of laboratory etiquette and discipline. He discussed critical aspects such as maintaining cleanliness, following lab protocols, accurate record-keeping, and the proper handling of laboratory instruments and equipment. He emphasized the significance of punctuality, organized workstations, and adherence to safety guidelines to prevent accidents and ensure smooth laboratory operations. Following this, Dr. Priya Josson took over the session, focusing on safe and efficient laboratory practices. She covered vital topics like handling chemicals safely, the correct use of protective equipment (lab coats, gloves, goggles), and waste disposal methods. She also demonstrated practical techniques to ensure precision in experimental procedures, such as pipetting, measuring reagents, and managing laboratory apparatus. Dr. Priya stressed the importance of understanding Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for chemicals and encouraged students to cultivate a habit of always working with caution and responsibility. The session was interactive, with students asking questions and engaging in discussions about various laboratory scenarios. Both trainers shared real-life experiences and tips to help students understand the importance of maintaining safety and discipline in their day-to-day laboratory work.

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BioNova Launch - Entrepreneurship Training for Life Science Students
Date: 21 August 2024
The Biopreneurship Cell of the Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College successfully launched BioNova: Entrepreneurship Training for Life Science Students on 21st August 2024. The program aims to bridge the gap between biosciences and business by equipping students with the necessary skills to develop bio-products and initiate start-ups. The launch event witnessed enthusiastic participation from both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as alumni.

The launch included an introduction to the program's objectives and structure, highlighting the importance of combining scientific research with entrepreneurial skills. Participants were given a detailed overview of the opportunities and support available through the program, including hands-on experience in bio-product development, support for start-up initiatives, and skill-building workshops.

The event marked the beginning of an exciting journey towards empowering life science students with research, business, and innovation skills. Participants expressed great interest in the entrepreneurial aspects of biosciences, and the program promises to pave the way for future biotech entrepreneurs.

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Value Added Course on Bio-entrepreneurship
Date: 08 to 14 August 2024
A value-added course on Bio-entrepreneurship was conducted for first-semester students of M.Sc. Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology by Dr. Esther Sobha R, Dr. Shinomol George, and Deepak P. The course aimed to provide students with an understanding of the intersection between biological sciences and entrepreneurship, equipping them with the skills necessary to translate scientific innovations into viable business ventures. The course began with an introduction to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship by Dr. Esther Sobha R, who covered essential concepts such as traits and behavioural; entrepreneurial challenges. She emphasized the importance of identifying market needs and aligning them with scientific research to create successful bio-based enterprises. Dr. Shinomol George focused on the specific challenges and opportunities within the biotechnology industry, discussing case studies of successful bio-startups and the regulatory landscape that governs this field. Her sessions provided insights into the commercialization of biotech innovations. Deepak P led interactive workshops that encouraged students to develop their own business ideas, focusing on creating value propositions, pitching, and networking. The course concluded with group presentations, where students showcased their business plans, receiving constructive feedback from the instructors. Overall, the course was highly beneficial, offering practical knowledge and inspiration for aspiring bio-entrepreneurs.

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Commemoration of “National Nutrition Week”-EAT RIGHT, BE BRIGHT
Date: 27 August 2024
"The Department of Life Sciences successfully commemorated National Nutrition Week, themed 'EAT RIGHT, BE BRIGHT', on 27 August 2024 at Government School, K Narayanapura, Bangalore. The event aimed to educate 140 students from grades 1 to 5 about the importance of proper nutrition for a healthy lifestyle. The program featured interactive sessions on nutrition and health, a quiz competition, poster presentations by BSc Life Sciences students (BTBO V & MGBE V), and the distribution of dry fruits. The event was a resounding success, with students showing keen interest and understanding of balanced nutrition. Our BSc Life Sciences students played a vital role in organizing and executing the event, demonstrating their commitment to community service. The commemoration of National Nutrition Week was a fruitful endeavor, promoting awareness about healthy eating habits among young minds, and we look forward to organizing more such events in the future."

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Training in Usage of Kristu Jayanti Data Centre
Date: 27 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences organised a Training session on “Training in the Usage of Kristu Jayanti Data Centre” for the faculty members of Life Sciences on 27th August 2024 at 3.45 pm. The training programme emphasised on the usage of the Data Centre with respect to Department Activity, Students File and Faculty File. The various file upload options in department activity file was given a demo. The advanced options of selecting book chapters, Ph.D examiner are included in the faculty file. The students file bulk upload, uploading of external participants are given a demo. This training helps us for the overall smooth entry of data in CMS.

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Inauguration of the Biopreneurship Club
Date: 21 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences proudly inaugurated the "Biopreneurship Club" on 21st August 2024. The event featured Mr. Jestin V. Thomas, an esteemed alumni entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of LEADS Clinical Research and Bio Services Pvt. Ltd., as the keynote speaker. The event commenced with a Presidential Address by Fr. Dr. Lijo P. Thomas, Vice Principal & Chief Finance Officer of Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru. In his address, Fr. Dr. Lijo emphasized the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset among students. Mr. Jestin V. Thomas delivered an inspiring Inaugural Address, encouraging participants to explore the field of biopreneurship. He advised students to start small and remain committed to continuous development. Feedback collected at the end of the session revealed that most participants found the content both informative and motivating.

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Good Laboratory Practices - I Year BSc BOBT, BTGE, MBGE, BTBC
Date: 16 August 2024
The Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) session for I Semester B.Sc. students of BGB, MGB, and BBB was conducted on the 16th of August 2024 at the A1 Auditorium, Second Floor, Administrative Block. The session was led by Dr. M. Sonia Angeline, who covered aspects of laboratory etiquette and discipline, ensuring students understand the importance of maintaining order and professionalism in a laboratory environment. Dr. Priya Josson then guided the students through safe and efficient laboratory practices, focusing on the essential safety protocols to be observed in any scientific work. The session was interactive, with students participating actively, and it provided them with foundational knowledge critical for their academic and practical work in laboratories. The training emphasized the significance of maintaining safety, accuracy, and discipline in their future experiments.

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Anti-Ragging Week
Date: 16 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences organised an awareness programme towards observing the anti-ragging week on 16.08.2024. The programme was a friendly interaction of seniors with the juniors under the banner ‘Amicabilis Rendezvous’. Ragging is a disturbing reality in the higher education system of our country. Despite the fact that over the years ragging has claimed hundreds of innocent lives and has ruined careers of thousands of bright students, the practice is still perceived by many as a way of ‘familiarization’ and an ‘initiation into the real world’ for young college-going students. UGC had started this new initiative of observing the anti-ragging week in all the higher education systems, hence based on the UGC guidelines the department had arranged an orientation programme for the I year UG students. The programme started with a session on legal aspects of ragging by Dr. S. Vijayanand, Head, Department of Life Sciences. After these sessions the III yr UG representatives shared their KJC campus life experience. The students were oriented about the Anti-ragging committee of Kristu Jayanti College.

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Capacity Building Training on Life Skills Education AY 2024-2025
Date: 12, 13 & 14 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences organised Capacity Building Training on Life Skills Education for I year PG Life Science students from 12th to 14th August 2024. The emphasis of the training programme was to inculcate the students through the ten pivotal life skills namely Self-awareness, Empathy, Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Communication, Interpersonal Relations, Coping with Emotions, and Coping with Stress. All the skills were activity based involving students’ participation through various games, discussion, skit, debates and other fun-filled ideas. These skills are essential for holistic development of the individual students. It also equips a person with professional competencies.

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Value Added Course (VAC) on Lifestyle and Diseases
Date: 05 to 12 August 2024
The Department of Life Sciences offered a value added course on Lifestyle and Diseases for I Semester B.Sc. BBB, MBG and BBG students for the academic year 2024 -2025.The course included topics on nutrition and nutritional deficiencies, life style disease and their management. The course aimed to appraise the student about the concept of health and wellness and its dimensions. The course also focused on prevention of lifestyle disorders. The faculty through their lectures necessitated the need for balanced diet and adopting healthy lifestyle for a better life. Students got to know the benefits of physical exercise and awareness on spiritual and mental health through yoga and meditation.

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Session on Civic Responsibilities
Date: 05 August 2024
On 5th August 2024, a session on civic responsibilities was conducted by the Department of Lifesciences. The primary objective of the session was to educate the final year UG students (BSc MBGE, BTGE, BTBO, and BTBC) about their civic duties and the importance of active citizenship in fostering a democratic and cohesive society. Resource person for the session was Prof. Mahesh S Betasur, Assisstnat Professor, Kristu Jayanti college of Law. The session began with a brief introduction to the concept of civic responsibilities and their significance in a democratic society. The presenter highlighted the aim of the session: to empower participants with knowledge and encourage active participation in civic duties. Explanation of the importance of following laws and regulations to maintain social order and protect individual rights was stressed on. Also emphasis was given on the significance of voting in democratic processes and how it allows citizens to influence government policies. Sir also encouraged the participants to engage in local governance, attend meetings, and stay informed about community issues. Role of education in fostering an informed and active citizenry was an important point. Participants asked questions about various aspects of civic responsibilities. Topics included the process of registering to vote, how to get involved in community service, and the impact of taxes on public services. The session saw active participation from attendees, who were eager to learn and discuss civic responsibilities. The interactive format, including group discussions and Q&A sessions, facilitated engagement and allowed participants to voice their opinions and concerns. Feedback collected at the end of the session indicated that most participants found the content informative and motivating.

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Good Laboratory Practices - II Year MSc MB, BT, BC
Date: 31 July to 01 August 2024
The Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) sessions for II Year MSc students were held on the 31st of July and 1st of August 2024. The first session commenced on 31st July 2024 in the M4 Auditorium, where Dr. Priya Josson and Dr. Elcey CD covered fundamental aspects of safe and efficient laboratory practices, emphasizing laboratory etiquettes and discipline. This was followed by specialized training for II Year MSc MB students in the PGMB, MB, and Botany Labs, conducted by Dr. Challaraj, Dr. Sangeetha, and Dr. Prasanna, who focused on microbiology lab practices. Concurrently, MSc BC students attended sessions in the PGBC and Gen Lab with Dr. Malathi and Dr. Manikandan guiding them through biochemistry lab practices. On the second day, 1st August, II Year MSc BT students participated in sessions held in the PGBT, BT, and Research Labs, where Dr. Esther, Dr. Dileep, and Dr. Kushi instructed them on advanced biotechnology lab practices. The program provided practical knowledge on maintaining a safe and organized lab environment and subject-specific techniques. The training was interactive and fostered a deeper understanding of GLP, ensuring that students are better prepared for independent research.

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Good Laboratory Practices - III Year BSc BOBT, BTGE, MBGE, BTBC
Date: 30 & 31 July 2024
The Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) sessions for III Year BSc students were conducted over two days, from 30th to 31st July 2024. The sessions began on 30th July with a combined lecture by Dr. Priya Josson and Dr. Sonia Angeline, focusing on safe and efficient laboratory practices and emphasizing laboratory etiquettes and discipline. Specialized training sessions followed for each class: MBGE students were guided by Dr. Sangeetha and Dr. Jagadish, who covered microbiology and genetics lab practices, while BTGE students received training on genetics and biotechnology lab practices from Dr. Arun and Dr. Nathiya. On 31st July, BOBT students attended sessions led by Dr. Sundari and Dr. Manikandan focusing on botany and biotechnology lab practices. Similarly, BTBC students were trained by Dr. Vijayanand and Dr. Arpita on biochemistry and biotechnology practices. The program was comprehensive, covering essential aspects of GLP, which were well received by students. These sessions provided hands-on learning experiences, reinforcing safe practices, and preparing students for advanced lab work in their respective fields.

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Good Laboratory Practices - II Year BSc BOBT, BTGE, MBGE, BTBC
Date: 29 to 31 July 2024
A series of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) sessions were conducted from 29th to 31st July 2024 for II Year BSc students from various departments. The first session was held on 29th July 2024, led by Dr. Priya Josson and Dr. Vijayanand S, focusing on safe and efficient laboratory practices. The following day, Dr. Shinomol conducted sessions for BTBC students, covering biochemistry and biotechnology lab practices. On 31st July, separate sessions were held for BTGE, MBGE, and BOBT students, where trainers like Dr. Ashok, Dr. Sriram, Ms. Kushbu, Dr. Roopa, and Dr. Indira covered various topics related to their respective subjects. The sessions emphasized proper lab etiquettes, discipline, and hands-on practices crucial for students' academic growth. The students were actively engaged, ensuring that the key principles of GLP were well understood. The trainers provided insights into subject-specific practices that are essential for working in genetics, microbiology, biochemistry, and botany labs. These sessions successfully created an awareness of safety and best practices in laboratory environments, benefiting all attendees.

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Value added course on Sustainable Practices in Mitigating Climate Change
Date: 26 to 30 July 2024
With the objective of providing an in-depth understanding of climate change and mitigating policies and strategies, the Department of Life Sciences conducted a value added course on ‘Sustainable Practices In Mitigating Climate Change’ for III semester M.Sc. BC, MB and BT from 26th to 30th July 2024. The course dealt with topics on global warming, carbon sequestration, environmental policies, risk assessment and green practices. The faculty stressed upon the impact of global warming and its adversity triggering climate change. The faculty through their lectures compelled the need for adopting green and sustainable practices for mitigating climate change. An awareness on carbon foot print and ways of carbon sequestration was created through a self-assessment activity. Recent global summits and ecological polies were discussed to understand the role of various countries in combating climate change. The importance of green building, and emerging green technologies were dealt with citing many case studies. The students actively participated in all the class sessions. They also made short presentations on the sustainable agricultural practices. The value added course was very informative, educative and imposed the necessity and role of every individual in minimizing and mitigating climate change

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Value Added Course (VAC) on Essentials Of Research in Science
Date: 24 to 29 July 2024
Department of Life Sciences offered a value added course on Essentials Of Research in Science for the academic year 2024-2025 from 24/07/2024 to 29/07/2024 for V semester B.Sc. Life science department students. Essentials of Research in Science, deals with research methodologies were the students were taught from the basics of research, research article writing, and interpretation of data, plagiarism and research ethics. There was an active participation from the students’ side since all the topics were related to their upcoming projects

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Value Added Course (VAC) on Biotechnological Applications In Forensic Science
Date: 24 July 2024
Department of Life Sciences offered a value added course on Biotechnological Applications in Forensic Science for the academic year 2024-2025 from 24/07/2024 to 29/07/2024 for V semester B.Sc. FS students. Biotechnological applications in forensic science represent a significant advancement in the field, enhancing the ability to solve crimes, ensure justice, and understand biological evidence. This course was introduced to students with the objective of correlating the application of biotechnological tools in the field of forensics. Forensics involves procedures like enhanced DNA profiling, RNA analysis, forensics genomics which is feasible only with the help of biotechnological techniques. The integration of biotechnology with forensics will significantly increase the investigative abilities, making it to solve the biological crimes with greater accuracy. There was an active participation from the students’ side since all techniques were related to real life case studies under investigation.

Orientation on NPTEL-Swayam Courses
Date: 15 June 2024
The Department of Life Sciences organized an orientation session focused on NPTEL courses for both undergraduate and postgraduate life sciences students. The primary aim of the orientation was to provide students with essential information on which courses to join during the academic year. During the session, students were introduced to their mentors, who will guide them throughout their coursework. The orientation also detailed the rules and regulations required to receive a certificate upon completion of the courses. Additionally, a comprehensive, step-by-step process of how to register for these courses was shared. This included important deadlines for registration to ensure that students do not miss out on any opportunities. Overall, the session was designed to help students navigate their academic journey with clarity and support.

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Knowledge Exchange Programme
Date: 19 June 2024
The Department of Lifesciences organized a Knowledge Exchange Program to further their collaboration with The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU) on 19th June 2024. TDU is a thriving hub for transdisciplinary research, in Bengaluru that promotes exploration of multi-cultural and trans-disciplinary perspectives on nature and society. The faculty of Life Sciences visited the multifaceted research centres. They visited the state of the art ‘FRLHT-TDU Herbarium and Raw drug Repository’ that houses the natural resources used in the Indian System of Medicine, in the form of herbarium and raw drug samples. They were briefed about the importance of herbaria, its techniques and crude drugs from plants. The staff also explained the digital herbaria maintained by them and the involvement of TDU in the preservation and conservation of rare and endangered plants. They also visited the sophisticated Functional Genomics and Bio-Informatics Laboratory. The integration of Biology with Ayurveda was well understood with their visit to the Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition laboratory. They were taken to the scientific kitchen where they were exposed to instruments customized for food processing. The faculty also visited the Institute of Ayurveda & Integrative Medicine which offers patients safe, effective and affordable treatments. IAM focuses on the applications of traditional health sciences judiciously integrated with modern sciences. They also visited the herbal and medicinal garden in the campus which housed a plethora of rare and indigenous plants. The staff of TDU cordially assisted the faculty in providing knowledge on the various research activities that TDU is involved in and were glad to collaborate with our faculty and assist students for their internship training. The knowledge Exchange Program was very enriching thus offering opportunities for faculty to broaden their horizon for imparting holistic and transdisciplinary approach towards their research interest and academic pursuit.

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Biograd Conclave – Season 2 (An Under Graduate and Post Graduate Research Symposium)
Date: 17 June 2024
The Department of Life Sciences organised ‘Biograd Conclave – Season 2, an Undergraduate and post graduate research symposium for final year B. Sc. and M.Sc. students. The research symposium was inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Jais V Thomas, Financial Administrator, Kristu Jayanti College. The keynote session speaker was Mr. Jibin Johny, Research Scholar, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia. The students enthusiastically presented their research findings in paper presentation competition and the abstract of the paper presentations will be complied and published as a book with ISBN number.

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Book Bliss- Reading Day
Date: 12 April 2024
The Library Resource Usage Optimization Committee along with the Department of Life Sciences and Department of Management organized a reading day for First Year B. Sc(BTBC) and students of First Year BBA on Friday,12th April, 2024. Students were introduced to various types of e-content available in library like the e-books, e-journals etc. to retrieve important information. Usage of such information gives fresh insight into the latest academic inventions and also available infrastructure of the organization. Students also get a scope of publishing research papers, thus enhancing their research skills.

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World Taxonomy Day and Biodiversity Conservation
Date: 13 March 2024
Centre for Environment and Sustainability in Collaboration with Department of Life sciences, Kristu Jayanti College commemorated World Taxonomy Day on March 13th 2024. This expert lecture was arranged to create an awareness among us about the sustainable practices of our daily resources without compromising our economic, environmental, and social needs, allowing prosperity for now and future generations. For exhaustive knowledge, Dr. Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, Senior Fellow from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment was invited. The event started with a welcome address by Ms. Hamsa, Student of IV semester B.Sc. Botany, followed by Dr. Sundari. introduced the distinguished speaker to the participants. Dr.Priyan, shared his expertise on the topic “Shaping the future: Sustainability and changing Paradigms of Conservation. His lecture furthered the students with profound knowledge on Biodiversity conservation for sustainable practices. Queries raised by the participants were clarified by the speaker. The lecture benefited the participants and the faculty members of Department of Life Sciences. The session ended with vote of thanks by MC.

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Orientation on Internship
Date: 12 March 2024
The Department of Life Sciences hosted an internship orientation for second-year undergraduate students on March 12th 2024. Dr. Malathi R. presented as the orientation's resource person. The students were informed and learned a lot about the application process and locations for internships during the orientation. Two credits were assigned to the internship for second-year undergraduate students. The internship was to be finished within the specified summer vacation and lasted at least 15 days. The resource person provided a clear explanation of the report's format. More than 150 companies, research centers, and diagnostic labs provide internships in and around Bangalore. The resource person went into great depth on the steps a student needed to do to apply for the internship. The orientation served as a teaching tool and a roadmap for the students for how to approach the internship.

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Session on Indian women in science and technology
Date: 07 March 2024
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College organized an empowering Women's Day seminar at the M4 Auditorium on March 7, 2024, by Dr. Priya Josson Akkara, PG Coordinator, and Dr. Nathiya T, Faculty of the Life Sciences department, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The event aimed to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Indian women in science and technology, inspiring students to pursue careers in these fields. Dr. Shashi Anand, Chief Advisor at Hydromet Technical Solutions Pvt Ltd and Chief Scientist at the Institute of Minerals and Technology, graced the seminar as Chief Guest, enriching the occasion with her vast expertise. The seminar commenced with a warm welcome by Dr. Priya Josson, highlighting the significance of Women's Day. Dr. Shashi Anand's keynote address covered diverse topics such as the basics of batteries, time management, and the history of women in science, inspiring attendees to break barriers and pursue their passions. Her insights into time management and motivation resonated deeply with the audience, leaving a lasting impression. The event concluded successfully, serving as a platform to celebrate women's achievements in different fields and foster a culture of empowerment and equality.

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National science day Celebration'2024
Date: 28 February 2024
National science day Celebration'2024, celebrated on February 28th at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir C.V. Raman in 1928. This day holds great significance as it aims to highlight the importance of science and its role in our daily lives. The purpose of celebrating National Science Day in college is multifaceted. Firstly, it serves as a platform to inspire and encourage students to pursue careers in science and technology. Through the Science Day Lecture on Anti-microbials, resistance, and countering the resistance and Intra-Departmental Quiz Competition with the theme: The Contributions of India to the Global Landscapes of Science and Technology for Undergraduate Students in Life Sciences. The Intra-Departmental Quiz Competition commenced at 01:30 PM, initiating with the first Prelims. The preliminary round took place through a Google Form, where teams answered quiz questions. Subsequently, the top 5 teams were selected on the number of correct answers provided by each team. The second segment of the event unfolded in the M1 Auditorium located in the Main Block of Kristu Jayanti College. Dr. Dileep Frances, Assistant Professor, from the Department of Life Sciences, served as the quiz master for this phase. The competition consisted of a total of 5 rounds, determining the top 3 teams that advanced to the final round (5th round) based on their cumulative scores. In the final round, conducted by Dr. Dileep Frances, the teams competed for the top positions. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners were declared based on their performance in the final round. Following the Intra-Departmental Quiz Competition, a Science Day Lecture ensued, featuring a discourse on "Anti-microbials, resistance, and countering the resistance" delivered by Dr. Deepak Kumar Saini, Professor, Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics/Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

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Orientation on Internship
Date: 17 February 2024
An orientation on internship was organised by the Department of Life sciences for the first-year postgraduate students on the 17th of February. The resource person for this orientation was Dr. Malathi R. The orientation gave us many insights of how and where to apply for internships. The internship for the 1st year postgraduate students had a weightage of 1 credit. The internship was for minimum of 15 days and must be completed with the given summer break. The format for the report was explained clearly by the resource person. We were introduced to over 100 plus companies and diagnostic labs offering internships in and outside of Bangalore. The resource person also explained in detail about the procedures that should be followed by a student to apply for the internship. On the whole the orientation was a informative session for us students and was a guiding path on how to go about with the internship. Students were extremely thankful and grateful to the Department and the resource person for the valuable and informative session.

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Alumni Batch Meet of PG (2015-2017)
Date: 10 February 2024
Department of Life Sciences hosted the MSc Biotechnology & Microbiology Batch of 2015-2017. The event took place on February 10, 2024. Dr. S. Vijayanand, associate professor and alumni faculty in charge of the department of life sciences at Kristu Jayanti College, convened the Alumni Batch meet. Dr. Calistus Jude, dean of the science faculty of Kristu Jayanti College, gave the opening comments for the meeting. Dr. Elcey CD, Head of the Department of Life Sciences, gives a briefing on the Department Profile and Infrastructure Facilities at the start of the interactive Alumni Meet session. The session helped the alumni participants to understand the departments and the institution's overall progress. The focus of the session also included developing one's own career. The Alumni Batch also express their willingness to collaborate and organise the Alumni expert talk, Internship and academic Project. The interactive session was a priceless and an incredible educational experience.

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Interaction With Alumni Expert
Date: 07 February 2024
Resource person was Dr .Chiran Jib Mondal, Professor, Scientist B (Non medical), Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal. Session was exclusively on enriching the young minds in the field of research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Sir as a senior emphasized on the importance of communication skills, hands on experiences, creative thinking and importance of being passionate towards the subject. Also guided the students regarding the basic opportunities in life sciences, various opportunities, designations and vacancies in life sciences. The motive of the talk was to inculcate the sportiveness towards research. Various national institutes were mentioned by him and possibilities to get in was discussed. The key to be recruited is the tireless preparation for the entrance examination was stress on. At last he concluded on how jayantian decorum has influenced his life to be a much disciplined and oriented person.

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Expert Lecture on Cancer Awareness
Date: 05 February 2024
World Cancer Day-4th February, aims to prevent millions of deaths each year by raising awareness about cancer, and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease. World Cancer Day is more than a day on the calendar. That’s why the campaign is built to inspire change and mobilise action long after the day itself. A multi-year campaign means more exposure and engagement, more opportunities to build global awareness and ultimately more impact.

 

To commemorate the World Cancer Day, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru in association with Indian Cancer Society organized a lecture on Cancer Awareness. The resource person for the event was Dr. Bharat Shankar, Surgical Oncologist and Consultant, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Bengaluru. The doctor addressed that the Day let us focus on examining the socioeconomic factors that lead to disparities in cancer prevention, incidence and survival, such as cultural and gender norms, income and education levels, and biases based on age, gender, ethnicity, disability and lifestyle. He also added on the colorectal cancer and its prevalence among Indians. Insisted all womenfolk to have a mammogram and Pap smear test compulsorily who are above 40 years of age. Student from the Life sciences were greatly enlightened by the talk and got benefitted.

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Orientation on Consultancy opportunities
Date: 03 February 2024
Dr. Baba Gnanakumar introduced the diverse landscape of consultancy opportunities within the Life Sciences sector, shedding light on avenues for collaboration with organizations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). During his discourse, he elucidated the advantages tied to the Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) fundings and stressed the significance of enrollment with NITI Aayog.

A significant portion of Dr. Gnanakumar's discussion centered around funding agencies, each with its unique criteria for project approval. He underscored the potential ramifications on success rates when inaccuracies or mismatches occur in specifying domain expertise. Drawing attention to the Central Government's 'One Nation One Data' initiative, he highlighted the importance of updating VIDWAN profiles for researchersFurthermore, Dr. Gnanakumar outlined the opportunities and financial rewards associated with the development of SWAYAM courses, National Digital Library (NLTM), and securing grants for seminars, conferences, and travel. He elucidated on collaborative research grants, such as the Indo-French Collaborative Scientific Research Programme (CSRP), emphasizing the need for aligning projects with the approval criteria set by entities like the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and maintaining a robust academic foundation. In conclusion, Dr. Baba Gnanakumar provided valuable insights into navigating the intricate landscape of consultancy in Life Sciences, shedding light on funding opportunities, collaborative initiatives, and the critical importance of accurate representation in project proposals and academic profiles

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Research Funding Ideation
Date: 25 January 2024
A follow-up workshop for Research Project Ideation was conducted on 25th January 2024 by the Centre for Research in collaboration with the Deanery of Sciences in ZOOM. Dr.Mohd Aslam, the former advisor to DBT was the resource person. He interacted with the faculty members who shared the concept note and gave his suggestions and input to improve the proposals. The interaction was attended by Dr.Calistus Jude, Dean Sciences, and Dr.Justin Nelson Michael, Director Centre for Research. Dr.Aslam suggested three faculty members to determine which proposal demonstrated sufficient merit for advancing to the stage of drafting a comprehensive proposal to be submitted to the DBT.

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Alumni Batch Meet of PG (2003-2005, 2004- 2006 And 2005- 2007)
Date: 13 January 2024
Kristu Jayanti College started the first batch of PG Biotechnology in the Department of Life Sciences in the year 2003 with two students followed by the second batch in the same domain in 2004 with 35 students. The consecutive batches (MSc Biotechnology 2003-2005, 2004- 2006, and MSc Biotechnology & Microbiology 2005- 2007) have joined the meeting. The Department is always looking forward to updating the achievements of our Alumni members of the department. In this regard we have conducted an Alumni meet on 13th January 2024. Since over 90% of Alumni members are working overseas and outside Karnataka the meeting was conducted on the Zoom platform. The head of the department welcomed the alumni members. Dr Vijayanand presented an overview of the Department and the College. All the attended alumni members were enthusiastic about meeting each other as well as the progress of the department and the college.

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Vignana Vicintana (The Research Colloquium)
Date: 10 January 2024
Research Colloquium is being organized by the Department of Life Sciences and it has been given the title ‘Vignana Vicintana’ meaning ‘Scientific Thought’. This forum is a platform that offers its members the possibility to "workshop" their research work, and the projects-in-progress. This is the fifth edition conducted with an objective to inculcate research ideas and promote knowledge to empower students in the field of research. The program was aimed at providing opportunity to gain public speaking experience, learn from each other research academic discipline, and experience judging methods. It is a blend of research experience from a renowned scientist, our own faculty member, an alumni and a student. This program was conducted exclusively for our students on 10th January, 2024 between 9.30 am and 3.00 pm. The event was presided over by Rev.Fr. Dr. Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. Dr. Dasaradhi Palakodeti, Associate Investigator, Scientist-F, InStem, Bengaluru was the chief guest of the inaugural ceremony and delivered the address insisting the importance of research and come out with a research with curiosity and openness. He insisted students to come out with ideas which are ultimately useful for the mankind. Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel E S, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jyanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, convener of the event welcomed the gathering, and Mr.Subramani, student coordinator formally thanked the gathering during the inauguration and proposed the Vote of Thanks. Followed by four sessions were delivered by the resource persons were “Masters of Regeneration: The Planaria Paradigm Unveiled" by Dr. Dasaradhi Palakodeti, “Designed nano modulators targeting neuro degenerative diseases” by Dr. Nibedita Pradhan, “Anti-cancer Drug Discovery and Development; Conventional Techniques to Machine Learning” (Zoom cloud meeting- Video conference) by Dr. Cijo George Vazhappilly and “Anticoagulant, Antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of Baliospermum montanum” by Ms. Devi Vaishanvi

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OBE 2.0 Practices
Date: 21 December 2023
The session began at 9.30 am with a silent prayer, Dr. M. Sonia Angeline, UG Coordinator & Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru welcomed the gathering. Dr. Sriram Thiruvengadam have introduced overview of the historical and scientific perspectives surrounding OBEs was provided to establish a foundational understanding about OBE.

Dr. Arun Kumar S have highlighted the session on the correlation of the Programme Specific Outcome (PSO) with the Course Outcomes (CO’s) with the real examples. Experts in the field of consciousness studies and OBEs shared their understanding about OBE and practical experiences, fostering a deeper appreciation for the diversity of perspectives within the academic community.

Finally the session was ended by delivering the vote thanks by Dr. Priya Josson Akkara, PG Coordinator, Department of Life Sciences.

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ConnectED: Season II Interaction with an Academic Luminary
Date: 28 November 2023
Dr Aslam, former advisor of DBT, interacted with the Department of Life Sciences faculty members. He elaborated on the requirements for framing an effective research proposal and convincing the funding agency to accept the proposal. He stressed the importance of the proposal falling in line with the expertise of the principal investigator and having preliminary data in favor of the proposed hypothesis. Dr. Aslam emphasized on conceiving research that will meet the requirement of the society and bring a difference in the lives of people. He urged faculty members to understand the national and regional priorities and to frame their research goals to address them.

The interaction turned out to be highly informative and helpful for the faculty. It inspired the faculty members to give a try at extramural grant writing. For people who are actively writing grants, the interaction paved way to providing with new insights and a practical approach to doing it.

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World Diabetes Day
Date: 11 November 2023
To commemorate the World Diabetes Day, the Department of Life Sciences organised an expert talk on Diabetes and Prevention Healthcare on 10th November, 2023. Three eminent speakers, Dr.Sujay Ramprasad, Director, Dr.Ajith.K.N, Physician and Dr.Sunitha, Physician from Neuberg Anand Academy of Laboratory Medicine – NAALM, were invited to give an expert talk on Diabetes and Preventive Healthcare. Dr. Sujay Prasad gave us insights on the importance of controlling our mind, emphasizing on the principle that our thoughts lead to destiny. Dr. Sunitha empowered us about the various effects of hormonal imbalance and gynaecological problems faced by adolescent women. Dr. Ajith.K.N illuminated us on the different types of diabetes, its causes and the necessary precautions to be taken in order to control diabetes. He also emphasized on the importance of spreading awareness about diabetes among the people. On the whole, the expert talk influenced us to maintain a healthy body and mind.

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Connected – Fostering International Research Collaborations Interaction with an Academic Luminary
Date: 09 November 2023
Collaboration plays a pivotal role in augmenting the research capabilities of both individuals and institutions. It facilitates the exchange of ideas, expertise, and resources, fostering more productive, impactful, and multidisciplinary research endeavours. 'ConnectED' is a series of events organized by the Deanery of Sciences aimed at nurturing such collaborations and fostering research acumen.

The first session in the series was an interactive session highlighting potential overlaps in research areas and opportunities for collaborations, led by Dr Joseph Ajay Pathakamuri. Faculty members from the Deanery of Science attended this session. Dr Pathakamuri articulated his current research pursuits, spanning viral replication, viral diagnosis, and antibacterial substances. He emphasized the significance of research with translational value. 'For researchers involved in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students, it's crucial to engage in simple yet impactful short-term research projects that involve students,' he emphasized.

According to Dr Pathakamuri, exploring multidisciplinary aspects within a broader research domain enhances the potential for fruitful collaborations. In a motivating gesture he gifted a Franz diffusion cell to the Life Science laboratory to be used by faculty members for their research.

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Interaction with Alumnus “Mushrooms: A treasure trove of Medicinal Agents”
Date: 04 November 2023
The session began at 9.30 am with a silent prayer, Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru welcomed the gathering. Ms. Treesa Benny from II year M.Sc. Microbiology, introduced the resource person Mr. Joshua Khumlianlal, who is a proud alumnus of 2013-15 batch of M.Sc, Microbiology, currently serves as a Research Scholar, at Institute of Bioresources and sustainable development, Imphal, Manipur. He explained about his experience in fungal collection, preservation, tissue culturing and identification. He briefed on Collection, sequencing and identification of 96 wild mushroom samples based on ITS sequencing which belongs to 32 genus and 8 orders. Also highlighted on the bioactive compounds and the nutraceuticals that can be extracted from variety of mushrooms. He elaborated on the mushroom nutrient analysis and bioactive profiling.

He explained about the isolation and purification of antimicrobial compound from Macrolepiota sp. based on semi-preparative HPLC separation. Also touched on the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of crude extracts and purified compounds from medicinal mushroom against pathogens. He highlighted the significant importance of mushrooms in the pharmaceutical industry. He insisted the students to have adequate knowledge and experience in performing anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-viral assays using Mushrooms. Adding to that he explained how mushrooms showed anti-viral activity of medicinal mushroom extracts and purified compounds against CHIKV and SARS-Cov2.

The active, interactive participation of students led to the resounding success of the talk. The students were immensely happy to participate and thanked Mr.Joshua for his time and valuable inputs on Mushrooms.

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Cell-Fie
Date: 26 to 31 October 2023
To honor Sir Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek's 391st birth anniversary, the Department of Life Sciences introduced 'Cell-Fie,' an exclusive platform celebrating the artistry of light microscopy in life sciences. The competition welcomed B.Sc. and M.Sc. Life Science students, receiving an overwhelming response of 43 light microscopy submissions. Each Cell-Fie entry underwent meticulous evaluation by an independent panel of experts, assessing criteria including originality, scientific depth, technical excellence, and visual impact. Pheba Paulose Abraham (III Sem B.Sc. Biotechnology & Genetics), Parvathi Soman (I Sem M.Sc. Microbiology), and Sandhya Laxmi Pathak (I Sem M.Sc. Biotechnology) secured first, second, and third place, respectively.

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Expert Lecture on “The ABC of Idea, Innovation and Intellectual Property”
Date: 21 October 2023
Intellectual property rights are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time. The definition of intellectual property rights is any and all rights associated with intangible assets owned by a person or company and protected against use without consent. Intangible assets refer to non-physical property, including right of ownership in intellectual property. In this context a programme was arranged for the Post Graduate students of Department of Life Sciences to give them insights on IPR and related ideas on 21st October, 2023 at 9.30 am in the college premises.

The session began at 9:30am with a silent prayer, Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru welcomed the gathering. Ms. Chaitra from III semester M.Sc. Biochemistry introduced the resource person to the audience. The session started with an interaction on ideas and inventions, the resource person was jovial and enthusiastic, made the session interactive, meticulous and informative in his own beguiling way. Dr. Harish who is A registered Indian patent agent with a Ph.D. in biology and work experience at the patent office and in the industry highlighted the four main types of intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Owners of intellectual property frequently use more than one of these types of intellectual property law to protect the same intangible assets. He pointed out that some create and oversee strategies to protect intellectual property internationally and domestically. He continued that Intellectual property is an umbrella term for a set of intangible assets or assets that are not physical in nature. Also added that Intellectual property is owned and legally protected by a person or company from outside use or implementation without consent. Intellectual property infringement occurs when a third party engages in the unauthorized use of the asset. Legal protections for most intellectual property expire after some time but last forever for others. He insisted students to promote their research and come out with a product that could be patented. The active, interactive participation of students led to the resounding success of the talk. The crowd applauded and thanked Dr. Harish for his time and valuable inputs for the talk.

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Commemoration of World Alzheimer’s Day 2023
Date: 21 September 2023
World Alzheimer's Day, which takes place every September 21st, is a global effort to raise awareness and challenge the stigma around Alzheimer's disease and other dementia. The Department of Life Sciences commemorated the World Alzheimer's Day 2023, ‘Reminisce’ by organizing two invited lecture for the I PG students. One International lecture by Dr. Brijesh K Singh, Postdoctoral Scientist, Centre for Neural Sciences and Medicine, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Neurology, Cedars-Sinai, USA. He spoke about ‘Age related disease modelling using induced pluripotent stem cells’. One National lecture by Dr. Dileep Vijayan, Scientist D, Jubilee Centre for Medical Research, Jubilee Mission Medical College & Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India, he spoke about ‘Translational Research in Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery’. The Brain Quiz was organised for the UG students of B. Sc. Life Sciences BTGE, MBGE, BTBO, BTBC. The Quiz was conducted by the Final year PG students of the department. A total of 22 team’s participated and 3 best teams were selected. The commemoration provided awareness about the Alzheimer's disease.

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WWF-India's Echo Boot Camp
Date: 22 & 23 September 2023
Diversity ecosystems in nature provide ecological space to all biotic forms on earth. There has been a continuous change in the urban environment due to population explosion and pollution thus bringing about a change in the climate. ‘ECHO—Building Environment Conservation Heroes’ is a model program of WWF to engage youth to design, develop and provide sustainable solutions against the most persistent environmental issues through innovation. With this motive, ECHO conducted a two days boot camp for college students based on the theme SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities for the year 2023. With a core team consisting of four students along with faculty coordinator Dr. Indira M.N. from the Department of Life Sciences, attended the ECHO boot camp at Christ University on 22nd and 23rd September 2023. The focus and objective of the boot camp was to familiarize the participants on the activities undertaken by WWF’s ECHO program in conserving the environment. Ms. Neha and Ms. Umbreen, representatives of WWF, India elaborated on the initiatives and objectives of ECHO. The boot camp focused on the objectives of SDG 11 laid down by United Nations on the theme Innovate to create resilient cities and urban communities. A brief introduction to floral and faunal diversity was emphasized by Ms. Priya, a member of ‘The Naturalist’. She spoke on ‘Embracing urban Biodiversity’. Dr. Padmakumar and Dr. Saji Verghese, faculty at Christ University motivated students and shared their experiences on how to identify a problem and take measurable steps to mitigate it. The students were exposed to an insightful talk on ‘Climate Resilience’ by Dr. Neeti from Azim Premji University. The talks were coupled with several group activities and the students actively participated. A brain storming activity on developing business models was conducted. The ideas for developing sustainable community projects was instilled in them. Sessions on both days were very inspiring and informative. The boot camp instilled a sense of environment consciousness in the youth. Such programs are required to awaken the young generation so that they work towards the conservation of biodiversity, urban development and ecosystem at large.

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Value Added Course (VAC) on Bio-entrepreneurship
Date:18/08/2023 to 23/08/2023
The course "Bio-entrepreneurship" was crafted to emphasize the significance of entrepreneurship and to guide students in exploring new horizons within the Life Sciences field. The curriculum encompassed discussions on establishing start-ups, the considerations involved in initiating a company, and intricate aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship. Students gained insights into comprehending market dynamics, overcoming challenges, managing timelines, adhering to regulations, and securing investments for success. The course also delved into the realm of technology transfer, offering insights from accelerator and incubator managers, government policymakers, investors, startup advisors, and consultants. Participants were introduced to the nuances of acquiring funding and attracting venture capitalists. The importance of cultivating an optimal working environment from the outset and implementing strategies for maximum productivity was conveyed. Moreover, the necessity of a well-equipped laboratory space to facilitate diverse clinical trials and testing was underscored. The role of sustainability in shaping a Life Science enterprise took center stage, emphasizing the creation of businesses with enduring viability. As a part of the curriculum, an expert lecture titled "Bio Entrepreneurship" was arranged to provide additional insights into the digital landscape of entrepreneurship.

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Anti-Ragging Week - Amicabilis Rendezvous
Date:18 August 2023
The Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru, observed Anti-Ragging week with the event "AMICABILIS RENDEZVOUS" on August 18th at 11 A.M. The event aimed to foster a friendly interaction between junior and senior students and raise awareness about the significance of preventing ragging. The event commenced with speeches from Dr. Calistrous Jude, Dean of Sciences; Dr. Elcey C. Daniel, Head of Department; Dr. Priya Josson and Dr. M. Sonia Angeline, Programme Coordinators for PG and UG respectively. The event highlighted the adverse effects of ragging and the legal consequences associated with it. Senior Class Representatives from various courses (MBGE, BTGE, BOBT, BTBC) shared their positive experiences with the college's anti-ragging measures. Second-year students presented short films and skits emphasizing the value of senior support, the college environment at KJC, and the role of anti-ragging in promoting mental well-being. An introduction to the Karnataka Civil Defence Corps was given to acquaint first-year students with the Jayantian Extension Services. The session covered volunteer services and training opportunities. An interactive session allowed juniors and seniors to engage. Third-year students distributed chocolates to first-years, while second-years offered handmade gifts and tokens of encouragement. Overall, this crucial session educated students about the consequences of ragging and the necessity of preventing it. It facilitated comfortable and effective peer interactions for first-year students.

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Orientation Session On “Café Curiex”
Date:08 August 2023
The Department of Life Sciences supported by DBT Star college scheme organised orientation session on “Café Curiex” on 10/08/2023 for first year UG students. The session introduced the activities planned for first year UG students as a part of DBT Star college scheme. The students enthusiastically participated and interacted with the speaker and expressed their active participation.

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Orientation Session On “Work Flow Training”
Date:08 August 2023
The Department of Life Sciences supported by DBT Star college scheme organised orientation session on “Work Flow Training” on 10/08/2023 for third year UG students. The session introduced the activities planned for third year UG students as a part of DBT Star college scheme. The students enthusiastically participated and interacted with the speaker and expressed their active participation.

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Orientation Session On “Café Curiex”
Date:08 August 2023
The Department of Life Sciences supported by DBT Star college scheme organised orientation session on “Café Curiex” on 10/08/2023 for first year UG students. The session introduced the activities planned for first year UG students as a part of DBT Star college scheme. The students enthusiastically participated and interacted with the speaker and expressed their active participation.

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Value Added Course - 2023 -2024 Lifestyle and Diseases
Date: 02/08/2023 – 08/08/2023
The Department of Life Sciences offered a value added course on Lifestyle and Diseases for I Semester B.Sc. BTGN, MBGN, BTBO and BTBC students for the academic year 2023 -2024. The course included topics on nutrition and nutritional deficiencies, life style disease and their management. The course aimed to appraise the student about the concept of health and wellness and its dimensions. The course also focused on prevention of lifestyle disorders. The faculty through their lectures necessitated the need for balanced diet and adopting healthy lifestyle for a better life. Students got to know the benefits of physical exercise and awareness on spiritual and mental health through yoga and meditation.

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Value Added Course - 2023 -2024 Green Technology and Sustainable Practices
Date: 26 July to 01 August 2023
The objective of green technology is to protect the environment, repair damage done to the environment in the past, and conserve the Earth's natural resources. Green technology has also become a flourishing industry that has attracted enormous amounts of investment capital. With the objectives to understand the eco-friendly approaches, create awareness on cleaner development mechanisms and to develop concepts on various energy efficient systems and green buildings, the Department of Life Sciences offered a value added course on Green Technology and Sustainable Practices for III semester B.Sc. III Sem BTGN, MBGN, BTBO and BTBC for the academic year 2023 -2024. The course contained topics on green chemistry, sustainable and green practices, Cleaner Production and green buildings. The faculty through their lectures necessitated the need for conservation of natural resources and adopting green technologies for a sustainable living. The faculty educated the students about the effective utilization of renewable natural resources and their management. The importance of waste management, carbon sequestration, green plastics, eco labelling and emerging green technologies were dealt with citing many case studies. Students got to know the benefit of green buildings and the importance of green building certification. The students actively participated in the class activity sessions and made presentation on the sustainable practices and green initiatives adopted in Kristu Jayanti College. The value added course was an eye opener on the green technologies and its impact on human environment and mankind.

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Shubh Aarambh - Inuaguration of Academic Year & Orientation Sessions
Date: 31 July 2023
The inauguration of the new academic year ‘Shubh Arambh’ for the first year BSc students was conducted at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore ON 31st July at the SKE auditorium. Organized and conducted by the Literary and Cultural Association along with the support of the entire teaching faculty of Life Sciences and Forensic Sciences, the orientation programme provided the students with a renewed understanding of the Jayantian code of conduct, Examination system, and the CMI vision by Dr. Priya Josson Akkara and Dr.Sonia Angeline.

The prayer and inaugural session for the batches was followed by Principal Rev. Fr. Dr. Augustine’s address in which he heartily welcomed the students to the institution. While highlighting the accomplishments as we begin the new academic year of the KJC NIRF ranking, Fr. Principal urged the students to keep carrying forward the banner of Kristu Jayanti to greater heights. He highlighted the need to be confident, responsible for your choices and respectful in order to achieve success so that they may strive forward with courage and make themselves and the college proud. The Shubh Arambh at Kristu Jayanti ensured that the new academic year began on a positive note for all.

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Training in Good Laboratory Practices and Instrumentation
Date: 25 July 2023
On the 25th of July, the Department of Life Sciences organized a one -day training on “Good Laboratory practices and instrumentation” for the II year and III year UG students at A1 auditorium, Admin block from 9 am to 4: 30 pm. The training was organized to enrich the student's knowledge of the basic laboratory practices and handling of different instruments to generate high-quality, reliable and accurate data to enhance their technical skills. The event was brainstormed and successfully executed under the guidance of the Head of the Department, Dr. Elcey C Daniel. Faculty from various academic profiles convened as resource persons for the sessions.

The training commenced at 9:00 am with the opening session on Basic Laboratory practices by Dr. Priya Josson, the PG program coordinator. Having years of research experience in the area of Biochemistry she discussed safe laboratory practices, etiquette, and effective Bio waste disposal methods. In addition to that, she also explained common student errors made in the lab and the measures to correct them.

The session was followed by a presentation by Dr. Elcey C Daniel, Head of the department of Life Sciences, on Laboratory Discipline, a topic often overlooked but imperative for professional and personal success of research enthusiasts. Later the sessions on Basic Laboratory Instrumentation were handled by Dr. Roopa P. and Dr. Jyothi Ramojwar, specializing in the fields of Biotechnology and Biochemistry respectively. The second session on Basic Laboratory Instrumentation was presented by Dr. Sangeetha Menon and Dr. Deepak P. who have expertise in Microbiology and Biotechnology respectively. The third session of Basic Laboratory instrumentation was handled by Dr. Shinomol George, an enthusiastic researcher in the field of Biochemistry. This session was followed by Dr. Nibedita Pradhan who expertises primarily in Nanosciences. The next session was handled by Lt. Kushbu R, faculty of Microbiology. The last session was held by Dr. Malathi R and Dr. Saraswathi who specialize in Biochemistry and Biotechnology, respectively. Post all the sessions, an assessment was conducted to gauge the understanding of all the students who were a part of this training session. This was followed by a feedback session wherein student representatives from each class were required to give their opinions and feedback on the session.

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Shubh Aarambh - Inuaguration of Academic Year & Orientation Sessions
Date: 24 July 2023
The inauguration of the new academic year ‘Shubh Arambh’ for the final year and second year BSc students was conducted at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore on 24th July at the SKE auditorium. Organized and conducted by the Literary and Cultural Association along with the support of the entire teaching faculty of Life Sciences and Forensic Sciences, the orientation programme provided the students with a renewed understanding of the Jayantian code of conduct, Examination system, optimal usage of the exclusive Learning Management System at KJC and the CMI vision by Dr. S Vijayanand.

The prayer and inaugural session for the batches was followed by Principal Rev. Fr. Dr. Augustine’s address in which he heartily welcomed the students to the new semester and academic year. While highlighting the accomplishments as we begin the new academic year of the KJC NIRF ranking, Fr. Principal urged the students to keep carrying forward the banner of Kristu Jayanti to greater heights. He highlighted the need to be confident, responsible for your choices, and respectful in order to achieve success so that they may strive forward with courage and make themselves and the college proud. The Shubh Arambh at Kristu Jayanti ensured that the new academic year began on a positive note for all.

Hands-on training in Bioinformatics tools
Date: 31 March 2023
The Department of Life Sciences organized a hands-on training program in Bioinformatics tools as a part of the Skill enrichment course Bioinformatics for the second-semester postgraduate students of Biotechnology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry on 31st March 2023 at 9. 00 am – 12.30 pm in P4 computer Lab –PG Block-IV floor. The resource person for the program was Dr. Dileep Francis, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Science, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.

This workshop mainly aimed at improving basic bioinformatics skills such as structural molecular biology and computer-assisted drug creation, molecular docking is a crucial tool. Predicting the dominant binding mode of a ligand with a protein having a known three-dimensional structure is the aim of ligand-protein docking. Students were introduced to viewing the crystal structure of the C-ABL kinase domain in complex with STI-571, using Pymol which is a cross-platform molecular graphics tool, that has been widely used for three-dimensional visualization of proteins, nucleic acids, small molecules, electron densities, surfaces, and trajectories. Students had hands-on experience with these tools and software along with the directions given by the resource person.

Students were able to visualize the proteins with ligand and substrate separate visualization focusing on the topic of targeted cancer drugs. The session summed up with successful completion in docking, with efficiently executed bioinformatics techniques.

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Panel Discussion on “Building A Biotech Startup – From Ideation to Execution
Date: 24 March 2023
The Department of Life Sciences supported by the DBT Star college scheme organised the 1st season of Empresario talks panel discussion on “Building a Biotech Startup – from Ideation to Execution on 24/03/2023. The discussion with the Entrepreneurs was in context to the importance of innovation, financial freedom, and economic mobility. The panelists also shared their expertise on how to initiate a start up’s, governmental organizations available for funding, cost estimation, and other related areas. The students enthusiastically participated and interacted with the panelists and clarified their doubts and interests relevant to new product ventures.

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National Science Day - Global Science for Global Wellbeing
Date: 28 February 2023
National Science Day in India is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’, which led to Sir C.V. Raman winning the Noble Prize. The theme of NSD-2023 is "Global Science for Global Wellbeing". As part of National Science Day celebrations from the Deanary of Sciences a ‘Science Litigants’ (quiz competition) and Biothon (Idea presentation) events were conducted for first-year UG students. All the students participated and the final round was held on 27th Feb 2023. Biothon finals were held on 28th Feb 2023 and on the same day, the winners were awarded in the valedictory session.

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Orientation on Post Gradation in Kristu Jayanti College
Date: 04 February 2023
The Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College organised the orientation program for final year UG students of the department from the combinations of Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Genetics (BBG), Microbiology, Biochemistry and Genetics (MBG) and Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Botany (BBB) on 04.02.2023 from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm in M1 Auditorium, main block. The students were oriented on the need for higher studies. Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel briefed the students on the importance of perusing post-graduation in the field of Life Sciences. He also oriented the students on the available opportunities and better career growth after completion of post-graduation. Dr. Sonia Angeline oriented the students on pursuing post-graduation at Kristu Jayanti College. She briefed the students about the awards and achievements of the college. She also emphasized why the students should prefer KJC over other institutions. She mentioned all the facilities available in the college and the Department of Life Sciences. Ms. Christeena of IV M. Sc. Biotechnology and Ms. Srijanee of IV M. Sc. Microbiology shared their experience on perusing post-graduation from Kristu Jayanti College.

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Experiential Learning through Minor Research Projects- An Orientation
Date: 19 January 2023
The Department of Life Sciences organised an orientation session on strategies to effectively plan and execute minor research projects for the students of VI Semester undergraduate programmes. Minor research projects are embedded in the curriculum of the final semester of UG programmes to cultivate an interest in research at an early stage in young minds and to provide an opportunity for experiential learning. The beneficiaries of the orientation session had undergone training in specific experimental modules (dubbed as workflows) as part of the Inspire, Train, implement (ITI) programme, a flagship component of the DBT star college scheme currently implemented at the Department.

During the orientation, Dr. Dileep Francis, the resource person, discussed strategies to link the workflows to the project topics and shared insights on framing a simple, feasible, and constructive project idea. The orientation elaborated on the components of research methodology and discussed strategies to produce a technically sound dissertation. The session concluded with a Question & Answer session where Dr. Dileep addressed students' questions.

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Orientation on Internship
Date: 21 January 2023
An orientation on internship was organised by the Department of Life sciences for the first-year postgraduate students on the 21st of January. The resource person for this orientation was Dr. Malathi R. The orientation gave us many insights of how and where to apply for internships. The internship for the 1st year postgraduate students had a weightage of 1 credit. The internship was for minimum of 15 days and must be completed with the given summer break. The format for the report was explained clearly by the resource person. We were introduced to over 100+ companies and diagnostic labs offering internships in and outside of Bangalore. The resource person also explained in detail about the procedures that should be followed by a student to apply for the internship. On the whole the orientation was a informative session for us students and was a guiding path on how to go about with the internship. Extremely thankful and grateful to the Department and the resource person for the valuable and informative session.

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Workshop on Developing Effective Bioinformatics Programming Skills
Date: 28 January 2023
The second-semester PG students of the Department of Life Sciences have Bioinformatics as an SEC paper in their curriculum. The first two units of this paper include Basic fundamentals of Computers, C, and Perl programming. To impart this knowledge transfer the department conducted a crash course and workshop was conducted in association with the Department of Computer Science (PG) of Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru for the students on 28th January 2023.

Objective:
The program was designed with the objective to describe the general organization and architecture of computers. Identify the computer’s major components and study their functions, Introduce hardware design issues of modern computer architectures, Build the required skills to read and research the current literature in computer architecture and learn assembly language programming.

Session-1: 9.30 am – 11.30 pm
Resource Person: Dr. R.Velmurugan, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science (PG), Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru
Topic: “Computer fundamentals, Architecture and Software”
Dr. R.Velmurugan, during his talk, explained the basic architecture of computers and elaborated on hardware and software. He also touched upon the functionalities and advantages of computers. Sir explained the logic gates, number system, time division, and multiplexing. He elaborated on Object Oriented Programming and C programming. During his talk, he explained C programming, C-Compilers, and Data types in accordance with C language. He shared his ideas on how to compile a C program and the application of the looping concept. Sir dealt with the programming languages such as C-Language and provided some sample programs for better understanding. Besides that emphasis was laid on topics such as Array, While loop and Do while loop, the format of programming, etc.

Session 2: 11.30 am – 1.30 pm
Resource Person: Dr. A.Muruganantham, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science (PG), Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru
Topic: “Introduction to Perl and Scripting”
Dr. Muruganantham enlightened the students on Perl; Practical Extraction and Reporting Language. In Continuation of the programming language learned on the previous day. Sir gave a quick summary and started off with Perl- Language. He explained Perl basics, Data types, Variable types, Scalars, and their operations. He briefed on the use of Perl language in Bioinformatics. Also added that advances in biology have generated an ocean of data. Careful computational analysis is needed to extract useful information, involving computers and mathematics. To interpret such biological data of DNA sequence, protein sequence, or three-dimensional structures. These modules highly depend on the ability to integrate data of various types. He also gave his insights on the various available Bioinformatics tools, Common tools in the bioinformatics platform for Linux to help with: Nucleic acid conversions, Antibody drug discovery. The application helps with protein and RNA analysis for Psort II and WOLF-PSORT. Sir also gave some sample programs and showed their results on Perl editor.

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Vignana Vicintana (The Research Colloquium) 2023
Date: 20 January 2023
Research Colloquium is being organized by the Department of Life Sciences and it has been given the title ‘Vignana Vicintana’ meaning ‘Scientific Thought’. This forum is a platform that offers its members the possibility to "workshop" their research work, and the projects in progress. This is the fourth edition and was conducted for the very first time in the physical mode. The main objective of the program is to inculcate research ideas and promote knowledge to empower students in the field of research. The program was aimed at providing an opportunity to gain public speaking experience, learn from each other in research academic discipline, and experience judging methods. It is a blend of research experience from a renowned scientist, our own faculty member, an alumni, and a student. This program was conducted exclusively for our students on 20th January 2023 between 9.30 am and 3.00 pm.

Objective:
The Research Colloquium is to provide a universally accessible and adaptable pedagogy that they can deploy in their own disciplinary settings. This helps to reinforce and extend awareness of the student’s own disciplinary research practices and offers an opportunity to connect personally with renowned scientists.

The event was presided over by Rev. Fr. Lijo P. Thomas, Vice Principal & CFO, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. Dr. Praveen Kumar, Associate Professor, InStem, Bengaluru was the chief guest of the inaugural ceremony and delivered the address insisting on the importance of research and coming out with research based on the that must be useful to the society. Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel E S, Associate Professor& Programme Coordinator (PG), Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, convener of the event welcomed the gathering, and Mr.Gaurav Santhosh, student representative formally thanked the gathering during the inauguration and proposed the Vote of Thanks.

Session-1 : 10.00 am – 11.00 am
Resource Person: Dr. Praveen Kumar Vemula, Associate Professor, Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Bengaluru
Topic: “Biomaterials and Chemical Biology Approaches for Solving Unmet Clinical Needs"
In his keynote address, he focussed on harnessing the potential of self-assembled or polymeric nanomaterials as ‘next-generation biomaterials’ in the field of translational research to solve unmet biomedical needs. He described the research on the development of a skin gel to protect farmers from pesticide-induced lethality. Farmers get exposed to toxic pesticides while spraying in the field. Dermal and inhalation are major routes of exposure. Acute exposure leads to huge toxicity and lethality. We have developed one technology to prevent pesticide exposure. A topical skin gel that can chemically deactivate toxic pesticides upon contact. This work has been published in Science Advance journal, and widely received applause worldwide. He also briefed about the approach of their laboratory in achieving this goal through interactive and collaborative research with biologists, engineers, material scientists, clinicians, and entrepreneurs. During his address, he insisted on students the importance of research culture, publication of research articles, and realizing the potential to develop scientific thoughts. He also emphasized the opportunities for students to carry out independent work and research.

Session-2 : 11.00 am – 12.00 noon
Resource Person: Ms. Apoorva Udayashankar, Assistant Professor, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru
Topic: “Controlling the small talks between the cells to prevent dental plaque formation”
The talk aimed at the adverse effects caused by the chemicals used in oral care and multi-drug resistance, screening, and developing therapeutic anti-virulence agents to control dental plaque is the focus of the study over finding potent antimicrobial agents as the latter drives selection pressure on microbial communities to attain resistance. She explained that her study focused on how to inhibit the pathogenic traits rather than kill or prevent the growth of the plaque-associated bacteria, by blocking their communication. The bioactive compound in the methanol leaf extract of Citrus maxima possessing antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans MTCC 497 were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy and LC-MS/MS analysis. The compound was characterized as naringin. The MIC and MBC of the identified bioactive compound naringin were tested against bacteria using a micro-dilution assay. She also added that to screen the anti-quorum sensing activity, the concentration of the purified compound was tested at a sub-lethal concentration of MIC so that they do not kill the test bacteria and only attenuate the targeted virulence factor. The effect of naringin on growth, motility, pigment production, and biofilm formation was tested. Finally proved that their extracted bioactive compound naringin was able to effectively inhibit multiple virulence factors by blocking intracellular communication and the outcomes of cytotoxic studies proved naringin to be the safer alternative to chlorohexidine – the gold standard for treating plaque. After suitable in vivo studies, naringin may be considered as an additive in products used to maintain oral hygiene or prevent dental plaque. The talk was instructive and informative to the audience.

Session 3: 12.00 noon– 1.00 pm
Resource Person: Ms. Gopika V H, IV Semester, M.Sc. (Biotechnology), Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru
Topic: “Bacteriocidal and Antibiofilm activity of biologically synthesized Zinc Oxide nanoparticles against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae"
As a part of her PG project, she is carrying out the proposed work on Bacteriocidal and Antibiofilm activity of biologically synthesized Zinc Oxide nanoparticles against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae". In her address, she stressed Klebsiella pneumoniae_ as one among the group of gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. The treatment of these bacterial infections is difficult due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Here an attempt was made to create an alternative measure against the resistant strains of _Klebsiella pneumoni._ Antibiotic susceptibility test (ABST) was done using various antibiotic discs (disc diffusion method) followed by DNA isolation and amplification of the genes TEM and SHV that are responsible for antibiotic resistance using PCR. Different plant extracts were used to test its antimicrobial properties and the extracts that showed zone of inhibition (Lantana camara_ and Annona squamosa) were used for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles that worked well against the resistant strains of _Klebsiella pneumoniae_ that gave larger zone of inhibition. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The minimum inhibitory concentration of the synthesized nanoparticle was determined using the broth macro dilution method. These nanoparticles were further used to study their anti-biofilm activity. She also added on the clinical significance of the ZnO nanoparticles and their activity in inhibiting bacterial infections

Session-3: 2.00 pm– 3.00 pm
Resource Person: Dr. Abitha Thomas, Scientific Manager, Tree of Life Program, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton Cambridge, UK
Topic: “Tree of Life: Sequencing everything under the sky"
Dr. Abitha Thomas, an alumnus of Kristu Jayanti College virtually addressed the gathering on the Zoom cloud platform. She did her bachelor’s in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Genetics in the year 2003 to 2006. She completed her Ph.D. from the Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, and has more than 10 years of research in biological sciences. She has received multiple awards for her scientific work and has publications in international journals. She is currently working as a Scientific Manager at Wellcome Sanger Institute. The U.K. Currently, she is associated with the Tree of Life program which investigates the diversity of complex organisms such as eukaryotes through sequencing and cellular technologies. The program generates and uses high-quality genome sequences to explore the evolution of life, provide the raw materials for new biotechnology and deliver tools and understanding for biodiversity conservation. She explained about liaising with partners and sample collectors, establishing good working relationships with them, and supporting them throughout the entire process of sample submission: from onboarding and manifest completion through to sample shipment to the Sanger Institute. She explained the interaction and maintenance of internal databases such as the Sample Tracking System (STS), ensuring that sample metadata is always recorded accurately and appropriately for all stakeholders. She also briefed on the project management that supports faculty and the delivery and operations, leadership team by translating ideas into deliverables and implementing strategy. This means managing some of our most high-profile projects – including our Sample Tracking System, Darwin tree of life, and aquatic symbiosis genomics – and delivering their objectives within budget, scope, on time, and to a high quality.

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Vidwat Sammilan - 'Why to be proud of our Science'
Date: 07 September 2022
The program was presided over by Rev. Fr. Lijo P. Thomas, Vice- Principal & CFO, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. Dr. Calistus Jude, Dean, Faculty of Sciences, welcomed the gathering and the program initiated with lighting the lamp ceremony. Professor Gurmeet Singh Hon'ble Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry in his address to the students spoke on various aspects as to why we should be proud of our Science. Since independence India has slowly and gradually made giant strides in practically every field. Ours is the youngest democracy and also the best one. If you look at the statistical data the number of colleges we had in 1947 were 496 which is now more than 42,000, a significant number. We have always given importance to learning which has not taken a back seat. More and more people should venture into business or entrepreneurship, instead of the regular job, the leading example being Mr Narayan Murthy or even Kiran Mazumdar Shaw who treaded on the path created all by themselves. You have to dream big and follow the dream to its fulfillment. People from India have lots of potential, innovativeness. Even in the pandemic which created a major catastrophe all over the world, we were constantly finding solutions to cope up with it, be it vaccines or PPE kits. The entire world was in awe of the steps taken to combat the pandemic. Newer drugs were developed. India has made a strong foray into Generic Drugs, which are now available everywhere at a reduced cost.We are slowly developing things indigenously marching towards self-sufficiency. There is no harm people going abroad for studies. One thing that they must remember that they have to come back to their roots and serve our motherland and strive zealously to make it the leading light showing the way to the entire world. We must be truly proud of our Science which has made India a leading player on the global map. Mr. Gaurav Santhosh, the student representative from II year M.Sc. Microbiology, proposed the Vote of Thanks.

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Project Orientation-PG
Date: 17.09.2022
Project is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific goals and objectives. A project is a temporary endeavor, having a defined beginning and end, and which is undertaken to meet unique results. The management of the two types is typically very different, and requires distinct technical skills. In order to clarify this the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru organized a session on “Project Orientation” exclusively for the Post Graduate students, who will be undertaking the project in the next semester. The session was conducted by Dr. Dileep Francis, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College on 17th September, 2022 in Room Number A-410, Admin Block, 3rd Floor in the college premises.

Dr. Dileep briefed the students about the introduction to method of science and added on the differences between basic and applied research. He discussed on the start with a hypothesis followed by selection of guide and topic. He insisted on choosing topics that are relevant to the field and interest, checking for feasibility and selecting the guide having knowledge in that defined field.He also gave an outline of how to write the project report -introduction, review of literature, material and methods, result, discussion. Further elaborated on running an experiment in triplicates and interpretation of statistical results with graphical representations mentioning standard errors. Finally briefed on how to mention reference using the APA format and zotero application to write the reference. He also threw light on the selection of journals for publication and pointed out the concept of predatory journals.

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Value Added Course on Principles of Seed Technology
Department of Life Sciences offered a value added course on Principles of seed technology for III semester B. Sc BTGN and MBGN for the academic year 2022 -2023. The course contained topics on quality seed production, processing of seed for quality storage and upgradation. Students gained insights on seed processing techniques, storage, maintenance of genetic purity, hybrid seed production and maintenance. The faculty through their lecture necessitated the need for conservation of genetic stock for sustainability.

In their lectures, the faculty spoke about hybridization and breeding of few crop plants and their economy. They mentioned about the use of seed certification and quarantine process. Students got to know the positions and role of seed certification officers and seed analyst in certified seed company. They became aware about the positions and role in such companies for their employability as well. The importance of seed bank and its agricultural importance was highlighted. Students actively participated in all the class sessions. They also made presentation on few topics. All sessions were interactive and educative.

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VAC on Essentials of Entrepreneurship for Life Sciences
Date: 22.08.2022 to 27.08.2022

“Essentials of Entrepreneurship for Life Sciences” was designed to instigate the importance of entrepreneurship and for students to discover the new avenues in the field of Life Sciences. The course had discussions on the process of setting up a start- up, considerations to start a company, and details of innovation and entrepreneurship. Knowledge on the essential understanding about market dynamics, challenges, timeframes, regulation and investment needed to succeed was explained. The background level of technology transfer, accelerator and incubator managers, government policymakers, investors, start-up advisors, consultants and other information was imparted. Students were acquainted with the details of financing knowledge from whom the investment and venture capitalists can be attracted. Imperative knowledge on right working environment from the get-go and the steps for optimal productivity was imparted. Necessity of a premium lab space to develop various clinical trials and testing was rendered. As a Life Science entrepreneur, setting up a business with sustainability in mind as a prime focus was dealt upon. As a part of the course, an expert lecture- Digital Entrepreneurship- Opportunities & Challenges was arranged to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of the students.

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VAC on Environmental Management
Date: 16-08-2022 to 24-08-2022

The importance of environmental science and environmental studies cannot be disputed. The need for sustainable development is a key to the future of mankind. Continuing problems of pollution, loss of forest, solid waste disposal, degradation of environment, issues like economic productivity and national security, global warming, the depletion of ozone layer and loss of biodiversity have made everyone aware of environmental issues. Environmental management has captured the attention of health care managers. Managing environmental hazards has become very important. India is rich in biodiversity which provides various resources for people. It is also basis for biotechnology. Only about 1.7 million living organisms have been described and named globally. Still many more remain to be identified and described. Attempts are made to conserve them in ex-situ and in-situ situations. Destruction of habitats, over-use of energy resource and environmental pollution have been found to be responsible for the loss of a large number of life-forms. In spite of the deteriorating status of the environment, study of environment have so far not received adequate attention in our academic programmes. With this background this course was introduced to all branches of life science students to create awareness on the different environmental concerns and the ways to remediate the same.

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Essential Of Research In Science
Date: 2nd August 2022 - 8th August 2022

The Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, had organized the Value Added Course (VAC) on “Research Methodology” for the V Semester B.Sc. students of Forensic Science (FS), Microbiology (MBG), Biotechnology (BBG), and Botany (BBB). The VAC program was aimed at introducing the students to the concepts revolving around research and how to go about it. From coming up with an idea to center one’s research around, to publishing the final research paper, the VAC program covered all the different aspects of research that the students need to be familiar with to pursue research in the near future. The students were of the unanimous opinion that the VAC program was not only insightful but also instilled in some of them the drive to pursue research even if they weren’t particularly keen about it before. All in all, the VAC program on “Essential of Research in Science” was the right choice to indulge the students into research.

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Value Added Course On Vermicompost Technology
Date: 02/08/2022 – 10/08/2022
Value added course on Vermicompost technology was successfully organized by the Department of Life Sciences from 02/08/2022 – 10/08/2022 for second year B.Sc B.Sc BOBT and BTBC students to give an essence on vermiculture and vermicompost techniques. The pollution free environment is the need of an hour and the WHO stressed upon the importance of eco-friendly measures for a global action towards waste management. Therefore, the course on vermicompost technology was conducted to help the students to understand the concept of sustainable development of soil fertility through vermicomposting technology and as well as to help them be educated about the economic importance of vermiculture. The course enabled the students to understand the management of waste and also created the awareness on the scope and opportunities for vermicomposting technologies. The course also elevated the active participation from the students wherein the students presented various seminar topics including enemies of earthworm, microorganisms associated with vermicomposting technology, role of earthworm in soil texture and soil fertility.

Hands on training for laboratory assistants
Date: 22nd June, 2022

Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College organized and conducted ‘Hands-on training for laboratory assistants” on 22nd June 2022 under DBT STAR College scheme. Dr. Elcey CD, Head, Department of Life sciences delivered the inaugural address where she emphasized on the need for enhancing knowledge and upgrading practical skills of laboratory assistants.

The training program included six sessions on topics viz., roles and responsibilities of laboratory assistants (Dr Vijayanand); Good Lab Practices (Dr. Arunkumar); safety measures in the laboratory (Dr. Sangeetha Menon); reagent preparations (Dr. Shinomol George) and maintenance of laboratory equipment (Dr Hanumantappa B and Dr. Elcey CD). Resource persons shared their expertise and knowledge during the respective sessions. The lab assistants were benefitted from the training program in improving their technical knowledge.

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Hands-on Training on Essential Techniques in Biotechnology for Secondary and Higher Secondary School Biology Teachers
To provide hands-on training to biology higher secondary school teachers on advanced biotechnological techniques. To prioritize and enhance the practical skills as part of the curriculum, the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College conducted an Hands on Training on ‘Essential Techniques in Biotechnology’ for secondary and higher secondary biology teachers” on 21th June 2022. This training is the first of its kind organized by the Dept of Life Science, under the canopy of DBT STAR College scheme to reach out to the Secondary and higher secondary biology teachers.

Principal Rev. Dr. Augustine George delivered the inaugural address where he stressed upon the need for teachers to engage them in constant knowledge building process. The training programme included three sessions on advanced topics. The first Session on chromatography techniques was handled by Dr. Sriram and Dr. Roopa in the Biochemistry laboratory, where they explained the different types of chromatography and its applications.

The second session on Isolation of DNA from plant source and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis was handled by Dr. Esther Shoba and Dr. Sonia Angeline in the Biotechnology laboratory. Dr. Dileep Francis explained in depth Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Research laboratory. All participants were very happy as they got to learn and perform all the experiments individually. Their theoretical knowledge was put to practice. This training programme provided a better understanding of the concepts and experiments that benefited the teachers in their practical pedagogy.

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Orientation on Birac E-Yuva
Department of Life Sciences organized an orientation for IV sem UG life science students on BIRAC-E-YUVA scheme which is aimed at providing funding support to students at various levels at undergraduate, post graduate and post-doctoral.

The students were benefited by the enlightening words of the speaker who gave them an insight on the BIRAC E-YUVA scheme offered to undergraduate students to pursue research with the required funds and trainings offered by the agency.

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Effective Communication Skills
Date: 18th March, 2022 | 10.30-11.30 AM
Name and details of the Resource Person: Resource Person: Ms. Alna Maria Isac, Assistant Professor, Department of English (UG), Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.
The session started with an interaction on debates and talk shows that took place in various news channels. The resource person was jovial and enthusiastic, made the session interactive, meticulous and informative in her own beguiling way. She continued the session with an activity which was performed by a few volunteers portraying nonverbal communication. She explained about the contents of effective communications; Characteristics, Skills, Significance and barriers. The active, interactive participation of students led to the resounding success of the talk. The crowd applauded and thanked Ms. Alna for her time and valuable inputs for the talk.

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Experiential learning visit to Forensic Science Laboratories By faculty member and students of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Studies, Chennai
The unit of Forensic Science, Department of Life Sciences organized an experiential learning session for faculty member and students of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Studies, Chennai on 18th March, 2022. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Studies requested a visit to the Forensic Science Laboratories at Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru to experience the practical training and exposure given to the students of Kristu Jayanti College.

In this regard a faculty member, Ms. Niveditha Rajendran along with 15 students of the First year MSc Forensic Science programme visited the Forensic Science Laboratories, Life Sciences laboratories and the other facilities in Kristu Jayanti College. The visit started with a welcome session at 9:30 am in the M4 Auditorium. Fr. Deepu Joy, member of management, Student Welfare Officer and faculty member, Department of Life Sciences addressed the gathering and explained the significance of sharing knowledge among academic institutions. This was followed by visits to the different facilities.

Dr. Dileep Francis, faculty member, Department of Life Sciences took the team through the different Life Science laboratories, research labs, plant tissue culture facilities and the instrumentation facility. The Thermo-cycler, UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, Micro-titre Plate Reader, Uv Trans-illuminator, Laminar Airflow Cabinet etc. were demonstrated.

The faculty members of the unit of Forensic Science explained the different equipment, techniques and procedures in the Forensic Science Laboratories in Kristu Jayanti College. The Digital Forensic Microscope, Trinocular Stereo Microscope, Anthropological Apparatus, Ballistics Apparatus, Fingerprint Development Powders etc. were demonstrated to the visiting team. The visiting team had an enriching experience during the visit and took many useful suggestions and feedback from the time spent in the college.

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National Quiz
Date: 5th March, 2022 | 9.00 am & 11.30-1.30 PM

To commemorate Arthur Kornberg’s contributions, a National level Quiz was conducted for the undergraduate students of other colleges all over the country on 05.03.2022, organized by Unit of Biochemistry, Department of Life Sciences A preliminary round was conducted on the same by 9.00 am and out of 22 teams 8 teams entered in to the finals. The winners and participants of the finals were felicitated by Rev.FrLijo P Thomas, Financial Adminstrator Kristu jayanti College with Certificates and Cash prize.

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Carrer and Prospects in Liffsciences
As a part of lecture series Kristu Jayanti College, Department of Life Sciences organized an expert lecture for the under graduate final year students. Final year students were chosen especially to bring in awareness among them regarding the versatile job opportunities available once they graduate. Also the talk stressed on the importance of higher education in the field of Lifescciences. Motto of the talk was to bringing the point of realization and choose their filed of interest and obtain their passion as profession.

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Commemoration of Dr. Arthur Kornberg’s contributions
As a part of lecture series to commemorate important day’s; Kristu Jayanti College, Dept of Life Sciences with support from DBT Star college scheme organized a webinar commemorate Dr. Arthur Kornberg’s contributions. Dr. Ganesh Nagaraju delivered extensive and interactive session pertaining to structure of DNA, models of replication, bidirectional replication, Arthur Kornberg experiments and contributions in understanding role of DNA polymerase, DNA pol III and DNA replication process.

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LOQUACIOUS- Quality of Being Facile in Speaking
Date: 24th February, 2022
Dept of Life Sciences in association with the Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru had organized a virtual session on orientation on speaking skills. The two parallel sessions gave interactive learning on importance of speaking skills. The resource persons suggested techniques and recent apps to improve speaking skills.

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Commemoration of International Darwin Day
Topic: “Life and works of Charles Robert Darwin”
The Dept of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru organized an expert talk to commemorate International Darwin Day. 12th February, is celebrated as Darwin Day around the world and is also known as International Darwin Day. Darwin Day 2022, signifies the birth Anniversary of Charles Darwin and his significant contributions in the field of science and humanity. The mission of International Darwin Day is to inspire people throughout the globe to reflect the importance of the scientific thinking, works, curiosity to find new things, and hunger for truth as embodied by Charles Darwin.

Dr. John Milton shared profound information on the principles and contributions of Charles Darwin. He explained the concepts of evolution and origin of species as proposed by Darwin and his ideologies towards science and mankind. The talk was very intriguing and captivated the audience.

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Guest Lecture / Invited Talk on Orientation On KJC- LMS
Date: 23.10.21
Classes Attended & Number of beneficiaries: I M.Sc. BT, MB and BC
Name and details of the Resource Person: Dr. Esther Shoba R
Objective: To train students about the use of Kristu Jayanti Learning Management System - KJLMS

The Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, organized training session on the use of Kristu Jayanti Learning Management System. The training session was started with the introduction of what LMS is and the contents of LMS. LMS delivers and manages all types of content, including video, courses, and documents. Students were introduced to the concept of flipped classroom activity and blended teaching. They were made to walk through the process of going through the lesson content and attend the challenge question. Students were practiced the use of interactive video and taught the process of answering questions. They were asked to get acquainted with video links uploaded after every lesson. Additional reading sources in the form of review articles and research articles that benefit with more acquaintance of depth knowledge was also made aware of. Students were informed that LMS enables automated assessments and assignments for learners, which are accessible and submitted online. Note on the type of assessments that includes multiple choice answer; true or false/yes or no; fill in the gaps was also informed. Students were directed to use RSS and discussion forms posted at the end of each lesson. The training session was informative and helped students in getting their doubts cleared about the use of LMS.

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Project Orientation (PG Programme)
Date: 23/10/2021
Dr Sriram T, Resource Person of the session addressed Ist and IInd -year Post Graduate students about the importance of research in Life Science and gave an overview of the objectives and outcomes of the research project. He briefed the gathering about the requirement of research project for completion of the master’s degree and explained the evaluation scheme for the same. He gave an insight about the workflow of the research project and briefed about the dos and don’ts, plagiarism check, and how publication of the research work can be done. He also explained the format to be followed while writing the Research Project report. Dr.Sriram also demonstrated the effective use of plagiarism softwares available in the field of Research. Later he insisted the importance of evaluation criteria for the project work which included the allotment of marks for reviews, presentation, and reports respectively. It was an informative session for the students as it gave a clear understanding about how research has to be done.

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Expert Lecture on Innovation Ecosystem and Bioincubator
Expert Lecture on Innovation ecosystem and Bioincubator sponsored by Institution’s Innovation Council and DBT Star College Scheme was organized by Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru on 13th October 2021. There were two sessions viz., "Innovation Ecosystem: Entrepreneurial avenues for Healthcare Biotech ventures" by Dr. M. S. Narayanan, Principal Scientist, IIT Madras Bioincubator, and IIT Madras Bioincubator: Nurturing Bio-entrepreneurs" by Dr. Priya Elamvazhuthi, Senior Manager, IIT Madras Bioincubator. Dr. Narayanan spoke on entrepreneurship in the Healthcare sector and the role of IIT- Madras in supporting and training entrepreneurship. Dr. Priya spoke on Bioncubator and its importance and the process of application and creation of bioincubator in IIT –Madras. She spoke on how Bio-incubation allows harnessing of the entrepreneurial potential of startups by providing access to infrastructure as well as mentoring and networking platforms that the startups could use during their fledgling days. She also elaborated on the creation of a new bio- incubation space that should be cognizant of the differential needs of the varied nature of biotech startups. The sessions were highly informative and both the resource persons patiently answered all the doubts raised in the sessions. The expert lecture motivated the students to pursue entrepreneurship and nurture scientific ideas and further turn them into ventures.

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VAC on Essentials of Entrepreneurship for Life Sciences
Date: 24.09.2021 to 1.10.2021
Classes Attended: I Semester MSc Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Microbiology
Number of beneficiaries: 84 students
Name and details of the Resource Persons: Dr. Sonia Angeline M, Dr. Esther Shobha R, Dr. Shinomol, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College

The value added course on “Essentials of Entrepreneurship for Life Sciences” was designed to instigate the importance of entrepreneurship and for students to discover the new avenues in the field of Life Sciences. The challenges, scope and possibilities in this area was highlighted by giving many practical references. The entrepreneurial process was discussed to help the students to look for the opportunities available. Entrepreneurs create new jobs, ignite innovation, and make significant contributions to the country’s economy. A key ingredient in successful entrepreneurship is self-knowledge. If entrepreneurs know their limitations and strengths, they may be able to avoid some common pitfalls in starting up a biotech company. Students were made familiar with the industry sectors, Government projects and regulations and the financial probabilities in the area. The course intended to encourage the students to look into the aspects of entrepreneurship for a career path.

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Creative Writing Contest On Microbes in Commemoration of International Microorganism Day
Date: 17th September 2021
International Microorganism Day is an opportunity to promote the diversity and variety of microorganisms and a way to encourage everyone to recognize and celebrate the importance of microscopic organisms in human health, culture, and throughout our daily lives. International Microorganism Day (since 2017) aims to raise awareness among young, and society in general on the essential role that microorganisms play in our health, environment, and quality of life, as well as of their biotechnological potential. It is celebrated on the 17th of September, the day in 1683 when the Dutch Anton van Leeuwenhoek – a merchant with no fortune or university degrees - sent a letter to the Royal Society of London, reporting the first description of a single-celled organism. This unlikely scientist displayed infinite curiosity, being a patient and tireless worker, gifted with the extraordinary power of observation. He built and developed his microscopes (hundreds of them!), perfecting the lenses of his optical system and thus making it possible to obtain extraordinary amplifications, well ahead of his time, and to observe and describefor the first time, microorganisms.

In this regard, the Department of Life Sciences organised a creative writing contest on microbes where the students were encouraged to bring out their creativity in the form of a story or poem based on microbes and the role they play in human lives. The students were asked to submit their posters and poems through lsevents@kristujayanti.com. The entries were judged and the results were announced. Every student was given ample opportunities to participate and show their talents. Students came up with creative stories and poems on microbes that helped them to gain vast information on microbial diversity.

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Alumni talk on Scope of Biotechnology in Biotech & Pharmaceutical Industry and its Applications
The Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, had organized an alumni expert talk on “Scope of Biotechnology in Biotech and Pharmaceutical industry and its Applications”, on 25th of September, Saturday, for final year and II Year students of B.Sc. viz. BBG, MBG and BBB. The audiences were addressed by a resource person Mr. Abhijeet Paul- Alumni of Kristu Jayanti college (B.Sc. BBG, Batch 2007-2010), a Research Associate, GCC Biotech PVT.LTD., Kolkata. The webinar was conducted with the aim of providing the students an insight on the developments in the field of Biotechnology and the scope of Biotechnology in the future. By means of a perceptive presentation the audiences were introduced to the different techniques in Biotechnology and the current developments in this field. The students were also briefed on various topics regarding the importance of Human Genome Project , Antisense Oligonucleotide therapeutics and its modifications in developing drugs, use of nucleic acids and their mode of action in the field of therapeutics and the use of genome therapy in treating rare diseases like SCID with the help of Biotechnological tools. Mr. Abhijeet Paul created awareness among the students about the skills that are to be developed and how to utilize the opportunities.

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Project Orientation talk
Date: 18.09.2021

The Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, had organized a talk on “Project Orientation”, on the 18th of September 2021, Saturday in zoom platform for the final year students of B.Sc. viz. MBG, BBG, BBB, and FS. The numbers of beneficiaries were 165 students. The audience was addressed by Dr. Sriram T, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences.

The webinar was aimed at introducing the students to the mandatory project work that they are supposed to undertake as a part of their Bachelor’s programme. By means of a perceptive presentation, Dr. Sriram briefed the students about the different components of the project work, such as choosing a relevant topic, how to go about the project and the format of the final compilation. The webinar was successful in giving the students a clear idea about the different aspects of project work and at the same time giving them a head start with their respective projects.

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Value Added Course on Computer-Aided Drug Design
Computer aided drug discovery is a fast growing field in the discipline of Computational Biology with applications in medicine and pharmacology. CADD provides a set of computational methods and resources to accelerate the process of identifying drug-leads, thereby accelerating and easing the process of drug discovery. The VAC on CADD was designed to introduce the concepts of computer aided drug discovery to the post-graduate students. The syllabus covers the history of drug discovery, various aspects of ligand-based and structure-based drug design and computational resources for designing drugs. The VAC was conducted in the offline mode adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour. Students were introduced to the basic concepts of medicinal chemistry which finds applications in computation drug discovery and some of the advanced techniques used in the field. They were trained to derive QSARs and perform Molecular Docking. Hands-on training on Autodock -Vina was conducted. Most of the students were able to perform docking on their personal computers

Intra-departmental Poster Making Competition
Date-22.04.2021
“The earth is what we all have in common.” —Wendell Berry
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. According to the UN, "Despite ongoing efforts, biodiversity is deteriorating worldwide at rates unprecedented in human history. It is estimated that around one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction". Therefore, to highlight environmental issues like loss of biodiversity, increasing pollution every year Earth Day is observed. The theme of Earth Day 2021 is “Restore Our Earth”. The climate change and coronavirus pandemic have reminded us of the harm we've caused. Thus, we must Restore Our Earth not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it.

To commemorate this event, the Department of Life Sciences, conducted a poster making and Poem writing competition for the UG batch of students on the topic “Green Technologies”.

The competition started with great zeal and enthusiasm. Young modernists were thrilled to be a part of colorful, vibrant and energizing event. Every student was given ample opportunities to participate and show their talent. Students came up with varied talent abilities and interest buried deep within them. The biggest challenge is how students can manage and apply them creatively and such competitions improve qualities of students to excel in life. The students were asked to submit their posters and poems through lsevents@kristujayanti.com and the results were announced next day, attractive prizes and certificates were distributed. The event was coordinated by Dr.Challaraj Emmanuel, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, KJC. The events were judged by faculty members, Dr.Sonia Angeline, Dr.Indira M.N., Mr. Jeremiah Justus and Ms.Alna Maria Isaac.

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Outreach Programme ‘Prerana- Introduction to Experimental Science’- Training for Science students
As a part of the DBT star college scheme the faculty of the Department of Life Sciences took the initiative to reach out to the students of Netaji High School and Sri Siddaganga High School to teach basic experimentation in science. The team of faculty from Life Science Department comprised of Dr. Arun Kumar, Dr. Indira Nanaih and Dr. Esther Shobha.

The faculty members planned hands on experiments for the students of class VII, IX and X. Experiments on pollen germination, temporary squash method to study mitosis using Onion root tip cells and microscopic visualization of selected microbes (Aspergillus and Rhizopus) was explained and demonstrated.

A sense of excitement and enthusiasm prevailed in all the students as they were exposed to simple science experiments. The team of faculty actively involved themselves in the outreach activity. The students too were eager to learn and responded with great inquisitiveness. The students were very delighted to have a hands on experience.

The faculty highlighted the importance of science in everyday life and motivated them to pursue a career in science in later stages of their education. The Principal and staff of the School was also welcoming and requested the Kristu Jayanti College team to revisit their school and conduct such programs for the benefit of their students.

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Outreach Programme ‘Prerana- Introduction to Experimental Science’- Training for Science students/b>
Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti college organised an outreach program as a part of DBT Star College Scheme. The goal of the program was to educate school students with important techniques involved in Life Sciences. The program coordinators for this program were Dr.Vijayanand S, Associate Professor & UG Coordinator, Department of Life Sciences, Dr. Sriram T Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences and Dr. Shweta Sharma, Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore. Training was given to higher secondary school students from Royal Concord PU College and St.Vincent Pallotti PU College. The equipment and reagents required for the experiments were carried and proper set up was established in both the PU colleges. The techniques were explained theoretically as well as hand on training were given to the students.

The following experiments were conducted:
1. Identification of gram positive and gram negative bacteria
2. Qualitative assay for the contaminant present in milk sample.
3. Identification of amino acid present in unknown sample using paper chromatography.
4. Separation and qualitative determination of nucleic acid using agarose gel electrophoresis.

Thirty three students from Royal Concord PU College and 32 students from St.Vincent Pallotti U College participated in the training program. The program benefited students in comprehending the basic principles and procedures of very important and basic techniques of Life Sciences. The training was hands-on Students were found to be very enthusiastic and curious to get knowledge about the experiments. The feedback received from the students was highly positive

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Institutions Innovation Council My Story: Hear From and Entrepreneur-I
Date: 06/11/2020 | Time: 4. 30 PM
Ministry of Education, Govt. of India has established its ‘Innovation Cell’ at All India Council for Technical Education with a purpose of systematically fostering the culture of Innovation in all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country. IIC (Institution’s Innovation Councils) are set up in higher education institutions to execute the mandate of the Innovation Cell. IIC at Kristu Jayanti was established in the academic year 2018-2019. The council organises a series of events with the aim of motivating students to innovate and transform innovations to start-ups.

As part of the quarter-1 activities of the current academic year the IIC of Kristu Jayanti College conducted a motivational session dubbed as My Story: Hear From and Entrepreneur. The resourse person for the event was Mr. Nirmal George, Head of Operations, BuildNext, Ernakulam, Kerala. Mr. Nirmal George finished his B. Tech in Electronics from National Institute of Technology, Calicut. He served as an engineer at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. for three years before enrolling for a PG diploma in Management at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. During his tenure at the IIM he was trained at the NEOMA business school, France as part of a student exchange programme. Immediately after Graduating from the IIM he was offered the position of a summer intern at Amazon. Driven by strong entrepreneurial instincts Mr. Nirmal along with his friends launched the start-up called BuildNext, an IT enabled construction firm, that utilises the possibility of information technology in designing and constructing buildings.

During his highly motivating talk, Mr. Nirmal spoke about the mandate of his organization, the reasons behind his choice of being an entrepreneur rather than taking up a regular job, and the key skills required for someone to embark on a similar journey. He used real life instances to support his arguments based on his experience at BuildNext which made the session lively and interesting. Mr. Nirmal was patient enough to answer the questions raised by the participants and was gracious enough to share some practical tips to start a start-up venture

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International Expert Lecture on Career Advancement In Forensic Science
An informative International Expert Lecture series was organized by unit of Forensic Science of Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College through online platform on 28th of October 2020. Invitations were sent to second year students and first year students of Forensic Science by the Department. The expert lecture was conducted by the resource person, Mrs. Shraddha Nyati, Instructor, learntoupgrade, USA. The expert lecture was also graced by the presence of Dr. Elcey C. D, Head of the Department and other faculty members. The resource person highlighted the various career opportunities in the field of forensic science by giving examples of individuals who are working in those domains and the methods that they have taken to achieve those career options. The speaker encouraged the students to work hard and progress to a more specific area in forensic science that will help them build their careers in the field. The speaker also explained the fact that Forensic Science can be applied to almost any domain of working and the individual who has the knowledge of Forensic Science should be able to use this science in a versatile manner. The session was handled by Mr. Jeremiah Justus, Assistant professor, Kristu Jayanti College and the vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Don Caeiro, Assistant professor, Kristu Jayanti College.

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Alumni Expert Lecture on Cell lines in modern cancer research
As a part of the alumni expert lecture series, the Department of Life Sciences conducted a guest webinar session through Zoom platform on 3rd October, 2020. The resource person for the session was Dr. Alphy Rose James, Project Manager, Department of infectious disease Kasturba Medical College, Manipal on the topic- “Cell Lines In Modern Cancer Research”. The session was conducted for the benefit of final year undergraduate and postgraduate students of the department and was also attended by the Dean of Science, Head and all the faculty members of the Life Science Department.

The session was moderated by Dr. Sriram Thiruvengadam, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences who welcomed the resource person, the dignitaries and the audience. Cancer is one of the most intriguing and unanswered biochemical processes that has been affecting mankind from time immemorial. Researchers all over the world have been working on this area of cancer biology all over the world to understand the process and progression of this deadly disease. Cell lines are very commonly used to study the underlying biological pathways. After a formal introduction of the resource person, Dr. Alphy James spoke about the various cell lines that can be used and manipulated for studying the biological processes of cancer. The speaker also inspired and encouraged the audience to take up research as their career option. The session was loaded with numerous queries, doubts from the audience and Dr. Alphy James gladly answered and put all the uncertainties revolving in the student's mind to rest. The program ended on a positive note with a vote of thanks, leaving the audience with a true sense of inspiration and opening up new perspectives about cancer research.

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Orientation Lecture on Ideology of Gandhian thoughts for 21st century youth
As a part of commemorating 151ST GANDHI JAYANTI, Department of Life Sciences conducted a guest webinar session through Zoom platform on 5th October, 2020. The resource person for the session was Dr. R. VENKATA RAVI, Centre for Lifelong Learning and Extension, Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, and the talk was on the topic- “Ideology of Gandhian thoughts for 21ST century youth”. The session was conducted for the benefit of all the students of the department and was also attended by the Dean of Science, Head and all the faculty members of the Life Science Department.

The session was moderated by Dr. Esther Shoba R, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences who welcomed the resource person, the dignitaries and the audience. After a formal introduction of the resource person, Dr. R. Venkata Ravi spoke about 4 aspects of freedom - Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural. The speaker also inspired and encouraged the audience to take up the thinking of Gandhi’s ideas on leadership which is meant for youth. Dr. R. Venkata Ravi motivated all the students to have a vision. The program ended on a positive note with a vote of thanks, leaving the audience with a true inspiration and opening up new perspectives about Gandhian Philosophy.

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Expert Lecture on Security Audit and Its Relation to Forensic Science
An informative career oriented expert lecture series was organized by unit of Forensic Science of Department of Life Sciences at Kristu Jayanti College through online platform on 19th of September 2020. Invitations were sent to second year students and first year students of unit of Forensic Science by the authorised individuals. The expert lecture was conducted by the resource person, Mr. Sai Krishna, Security Analyst, Intuit India Product Development Centre, Bangalore. The expert lecture was also graced by the presence of Dr. Elcey C. D, Head of the department and other faculty members. The speaker prepared an informative presentation on the topic security audits and its relation with respect to forensic science. In his speech, he urged the students to realize the importance of security and spoke about security suggestions. Almost 100 students participated and benefited. Mr. Krishna also spoke about security grading, which is introduced according to the degree of risk of intrusion and that the Grading system is classified into 4 levels. The students were able to understand different aspects of security with the respect to forensic field. Different questions were asked by the students as well. The expert lecture came to an end at 1:15 pm wherein the guest lecture answered all the queries of the students. He provided the audience with security audit reports and also the classification of security issues were identified and what those issues could result in.

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Viral Vectors: Overcoming hurdles for commercialization of Gene Therapy
The Department of Life Sciences conducted an online International webinar on “Viral Vectors: Overcoming hurdles for commercialization of Gene Therapy” via Zoom Platform on 15th September, 2020 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. for the faculty and students of Life Science Department. The Resource Person for the online session was Dr. Sam Laurel Stephen, Principal Scientist, National Biologics Centre, Darlington, United Kingdom.

The aim of this programme was to enlighten students on mechanistic interplay of viral vectors in overcoming hurdles for commercialization of gene therapy. The concept and the usage of viruses as vectors in therapeutics lead the students to open new doors of the mind towards therapeutics. This session made the beneficiaries to understand genetic engineering of virus preparation and application in gene therapy.

It was interesting to know about the history of gene therapy. Dr. Stephen shared his research work on lentiviral and retroviral uses for gene transfer. The resource person also inculcated/ emphasized about the concept of virus gene modification and its success in research. He shared some success stories of people who had undergone gene therapy for their diseases. Beneficiaries were enlightened with the updates of gene therapy clinical trials which have taken place and about gene therapy medicines which might be available soon.

Total of 499 students from I Sem BSc BBG, MBG, BBB, FS, III Sem BSc BBG, MBG, BBB, FS, V Sem BBG, MBG, III Sem M. Sc MB and BT participated in the International webinar session and had an opportunity to learn about the various benefits of virus vaccines and gene therapies. The lecture was very informative, knowledgeable, and was indeed very enriching.

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First Anniversary Celebration on Fit India Movement Wellness Talk On Hack Your Happy Hormones From Food
Remarking the first anniversary of Fit India Movement that was launched by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 29 August 2019, the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous) organized an online webinar as a part of the webinar series organized by various departments of the college. The webinar was held online on 29 August 2020 via zoom platform. The resource person for the webinar session was Dr. Anto Cordelia Tanislaus, Assistant Professor Department of Chemical Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Perak, Malaysia. The welcome speech was given by Dr. Challaraj Emmanuel, Coordinator, Department of Life Sciences (PG), followed by the Presidential Address by Rev.Dr.Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous). Dr. Shweta Sharma introduced the speaker to the students, followed by which Dr. Anto Cordelia addressed the students.

The highlight of the session was Happy Hormones secreted by the human body, and how they not just work on our physical health but also mental fitness. The hormones she mentioned included Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin and Endorphins. The session included discussions on the function of these hormones, ailments and problems caused due to their deficiency and different ways through which the production of these hormones can be stimulated. Dr. Anto Cordelia mainly focused on how following a healthy diet practice can improve the stimulation of these hormones when required, and she also spoke about how doing things that makes one happy, like giving a simple hug or listening to your favourite music work on these hormones. The students were briefed on the type of food that should be consumed for the proper stimulation of each of these hormones. Dopamine works on an individual’s ability to concentrate, to feel motivated and self-confident. It is known as the “Feel Good Hormone”. While Oxytocin also known as the Love Hormone works on the emotions like trust, self-esteem, affection and bonding, Serotonin stimulates mood, sense of social well-being, and works on having a good appetite, sleep, and memory. Endorphins are hormones that are mainly responsible for pain relief, stress relief, and for experiencing the feeling of euphoria and pleasure.

Though the session majorly focused on how proper diet practices work on the secretion of these hormones and activation of their pre-cursor molecules, the need of physical exercise and yoga was also given importance. After all, fitness is not about being better than someone else; it’s about being better than you used to be. As the session ended the Vote of Thanks was delivered by Ms. Akshitha Suresh, III semester M.Sc. Biotechnology, Department of Life Sciences.

Webinar on “Waste Valorization: A new paradigm for sustainable environment” World Environment Day

The Department of Life Sciences in association with the Environment club of Kristu Jayanti College organized an online webinar on the topic Waste Valorization: A new paradigm for sustainable environment” in observance of the World Environment Day-2020. The webinar thet went live on zoom on 5th June 2020 from 2 PM -3 PM had Dr. Jastin Samuel R, Assistant professor at Lovely Professional University, Punjab as the resource person. In the course of the webinar Dr. Jastin elaborated on the various aspects of solid waste management and the methods to recycle and convert waste into useful materials. He also spoke about the importance of innovating novel ideas pertaining to waste management and putting them into action. The webinar also laid emphasis on the importance and possibilities of creating a plastic free environment, and minimizing the generation of plastic and other solid wastes.

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Vignana Vicintana: Research Colloquium
The Department of Life Sciences have collaborative projects in association with industries / research labs. Both Undergraduate and Post graduate students of the department are involved in minor research projects in diverse areas of Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Genetics and are efficiently guided by the faculty. With this optimum learning environment, the students realize their true potential, to develop their intellectual, academic and entrepreneurial skills through rigorous and hands on training. This program was conducted exclusively for our PG students on 29th May 2020 between 10.30 am and 1 pm. Dr.Elcey C .D. Head, Department of Life Sciences, welcomed the gathering, followed by the Inaugural address by Dr. Calistus Jude, Dean , Faculty of Sciences. The program comprised of four sessions:

Session-1 The resource person was Dr. Neha Pandey, Asst. Professor, Department of Lifesciences. Topic: “Growth promotion and mitigation of arsenic toxicity by plant growth- promoting bacterial consortia on Oryza sativa L seedlings via expression of stress responsive anti- oxidant genes”. She discussed on the arsenic toxicity and remediation through microbial consortium and the effect on paddy seedlins. The whole session provided an insight about bioremediation and growth of toxin resistant plants in the presence of microbes.

Sesion-2 The resource person was Dr.Manikandan K., Asst. Professor, Department of Lifesciences. Topic : “Small Non coding RNAs: Insight into modulation of gene regulation”. The topic revolved on different types of RNA and is regulation mechanism. He highlighted the RNA regulation in disease control of Staphylococcus aureus. An extensive study on controlling the disease causing mechanism using small non coding mRNAs

Session-3 The resource person was Mr. Jestin V Thomas, Managing Director & CEO., Leads Clinical Research Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru. Topic: Clinical Research during Pandemic – Oppurtunities and Challenges. He briefed about the methods and applications of Clinical research during the current scenario. He also added on the various clinical trials that are carried out to identify the diseases.

Session-4 The resource person was Ms. Varsha Kaur, IV Semester M.Sc. (Microbiology), KJC Topic: Biodegradability of Plastic Using Microorganisms and their synergistic effect on Degradation. She briefed about her current research work carried out in degradation of plastics. She also added on the importance of microbial consortia to degrade plastic material within 90 days. She shared her research findings and explained the methodology involved in degradation of plastics.

The program was co-ordinated by Dr.Challaraj Emmanuel, Faculty member, Department of Life sciences. Overall the program helped in knowledge sharing of the researchers in the field of their expertise. It is a blend of research experience from an industrialist, academicians and the student. Finally Dr.Sriram T, Faculty member of the Department, proposed the vote of thanks congratulated the presenters for coming forward to impart their research findings and experiences, and wished everyone a significant and enriching learning.

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Industiral Visit and Workshop Axxonet System Technologies, Pvt LTD
Date: 26/02/2020
Classes Attended & Number of beneficiaries: II Semester B.Sc. (Honours) Forensic Science. 44 students
Objective: In order to for the students to learn about the practical aspect of the field of forensic psychology and the procedures involved.

The students of second semester B.Sc. (Honours) Forensic Science were taken to Axxonet System Technologies, Bangalore on 26th February 2020. The students were accompanied by two faculty, Dr. Reena Josephine and Mr. Don Caeiro of the department of Life Sciences. The students reached the venue at 10:15 AM. The visit started with a briefing on the company and a lecture session on Polygraph. Further the demonstration polygraph was done on two students and the students learnt how to read the graphs generated by the machine in order to determine whether the individual is deceiving or not. The students were also trained on the methods of questioning that should be used for the procedure of polygraph and they were familiarized with the instrument and its components. Then the students were taken to the Brain Electrical Oscillating Signature Profiling Laboratory and were explained about the process of BEOS. Then a demonstration of the Electroencephalogram (EEG) was done for the students to show how the activity of the brain is measured and detected with respect to the various responses given in a forensic scenario. An explanation of the process of BEOS was given and the students were enlightened on the various cases that polygraph and BEOS were used in the country.

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Industrial Visit to Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
Industrial visit is one of the tactical methods of teaching. The department of Life Sciences, KristuJayanti College organized an industrial visit to CSIR- CIMAP (Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants), Yelahanka, Bengaluru for students of IV sem BSc Microbiology.The students were accompanied by Dr. Shweta Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences. The students along with the faculty started for CIMAP by 10:30 AM and reached CIMAP at 11.05AM. The facility in CIMAP lab and fields was shown around by Dr. V. Sundaresan followed by Mr. Nazeer -a research scholar from the same institute. The students were taken to the field where different types of aromatic and medicinal plants developed by the institute were cultivated. Almost 3 different varieties of mint and Tulsi were there. Ashwagandha,Aloe, rosemary,lemongrass, germanium were among the other plants cultivated. Field distillation units that have been commercialized has been installed and transferred to several farmers/ entrepreneurs. Students were given an opportunity to participate in the process of distillation. After the field visit we were taken to visit the laboratories where the research students conduct research on plant endophytes, plant tissue culture, molecular aspects,etc. The visit to CIMAP was an enthralling experience where students got an absolute learning experience amongst the nature to receive an insight about the aromatic and medicinal plants. Students were excited to be out on the field amongst many medicinal and aromatic plants. They were thrilled to have hands on experience in steam distillation in the institute. Overall the students considered the industrial visit to be a rewarding experience.

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Industrial Visit | Anthem Biosciences

Bridging the gap between the academic curriculum and industrial practices enhances the employability of students. Visits to industries based on Biosciences have been a regular practice in the Department of Life Sciences over the years. The students of first-year M. Sc. Biotechnology and MSc Microbiology had an enriching experience through a one-day visit to Anthem Biosciences, a Bengaluru contract research organization on 7th January 2020. Dr. Elcey C. D, Head of the Department and Dr. Hanumanthappa Nayak , Assistant Professor accompanied the students.

Anthem Bioscience offers services in the pharmaceutical sector, production of bio-actives and global generic healthcare at a low-cost. Ms. Tanushree and Mr. Nitish, Senior Scientists at the company walked the students through the various upstream operations involved in the production of bio-actives. Design, operation, and application of different types of fermenters were explained based on processes that were being carried out at their facilities at the time of the visit. Students were also exposed to the instruments, processes and practices at the downstream processing facility of Anthem. The operations carried out at the Bioassay and Molecular Biology Labs, Goods Management and Processing (GMP), Quality Control (QC) and Research and Development (R & D) sections were also elaborated.

The visit offered the students a day out from their regular classroom and laboratory activities and enriched their learning experience through real-world exposure to operations happening in a Biotechnology company and interactions with scientists who design and run those operations

National Pollution Control Day
The Environment Club of Kristu Jayanti College, led by the Department of Life Sciences organized an intra-collegiate photography contest in observance of the National Pollution Control Day, 2019. Twenty eight young budding photographers of Kristu Jayanti captured the action to curb pollution in India as part of the competition. The photographs were screened and evaluated by a panel of veteran judges and the best were awarded with cash prizes. The prizes were distributed by Fr. Dr. Augustine George, Vice principal and Fr. Emmanuel P. J, Director, Kristu Jayanti College of Law at an august gathering on 2nd December 2019, the National Pollution control day, after a brilliantly orchestrated dance –drama performance by the members of the environment club pleading for a pollution free earth. Mr. Joel John of IV semester BBA and Mr. R. Emmanuel Selva Royan of II semester HEP bagged the first and second prizes respectively. Consolation prizes were awarded to Mr. Rajat Krishnan, M. Alex Savi, Mr. Alfred Francis, Mr. Pawan Reddy and Mr. Kevin Victor Philips.

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Industrial Visit to Bangalore Biotech Labs (BIOZEEN)
Date: 31^st July 2019
The Department of Life Sciences organised an industrial visit for the students of III year MSc Biotechnology and Microbiology to Bangalore Biotech Labs (Biozeen), Bengaluru. In an attempt to provide comprehensive learning experience to its students, the Department organises many such industrial visits in an academic year. Industrial visits give the student an idea about how things that they learned in the class room translate into products and services. The student also gets aware of the requirements and skill sets that have to be acquired to land an industrial job.

The students received a warm welcome at the Biozeen campus and were guided through the campus by a scientific staff at Biozeen. The students visited different labs starting with the animal cell culture facility and was briefed about the various techniques involved in animal cell culture. The difference between bioreactors and fermenters was explained by displaying a bioreactor and describing is parts. The concept of ‘cleaning in place’ was also explained. Cleaning and keeping everything sterile in an animal cell culture lab play a key role in the success of an experiment; hence it becomes mandatory to understand the right cleaning procedures before and after the experiment, which was explained in detail and without ambiguity. Another important factor for the growth of living cells is nutrition which is provided to the cell through media, and if proper care is not taken the media can contaminate and kill the growth of cells. Students were briefed about the preparation of cell culture media too. The filters used to make the media were shown. The students also saw chromatography columns, freezing unit, HPLC, sophisticated centrifuges etc. The visit gave the students an industrial scale view on animal cell culture laboratory set up and the application of some of the techniques they learned in the classrooms.

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Visit to Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai – Department of Life Sciences
Students of the Department of Life Sciences visited Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai on 26th of January 2019. The museum symbolizes many important facets of Mahatma Gandhi’s life. It was here, where Mahatma Gandhi entered the magnificent Meenakshi Temple with Harijans, which was a historic step in his fight against untouchability. Gandhi Memorial Museum was originally a palace of Rani Mangammal of the Naick dynasty; this building has seen many rulers with changing decades. In a way it also represents the transition of history from one point of time to other. Gandhi Memorial Museum not only boasts of a rich collection but also presents an alluring architecture. In front of the main building of Gandhi Memorial Museum, you can see a hut, named Gandhi kutir. It is located slightly towards the south of the main building. It has been created as a replica of the original hut of Mahatma Gandhi in Sevagram. This museum consists of all the belongings he used, which gives us a glimpse of how he lived his life. Gandhi Memorial Museum of Madurai has three prominent sections namely India Fights for Freedom; Visual Biography of Mahatma Gandhi and Relics and Replicas along with a Philatelic Gallery on Mahatma Gandhi. The artifacts which were used by Mahatma Gandhi, including a blood stained cloth which was used by him on the day of his assassination. This piece of cloth, which is said to be a replica of the original cloth, has been preserved carefully in a glass box. Other relics at this section include a letter written by Mahatma Gandhi to Various famous personalities. Overall it spurred a feeling of nationalism in students.

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Industrial Visit of Dept. of Life Sciences Students to Southern Regional Research Center, Mannavanur
A team comprising 83 students (Under graduate final year, 58 and Post graduate final year, 25) and three faculty members from the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore-560077 had made an industrial visit to Southern Regional Research Centre (SRRC), Mannavanur under the leadership of Dr.Challaraj Emmanuel, E.S., Associate Professor, on 25th January 2019. The core subjects for the undergraduate students were Biotechnology/ Microbiology, Biochemistry & 9Genetics. On the other hand, the major discipline of the post graduate students was either Biotechnology or Microbiology. At the outset, Dr. A.S. Rajendiran, Principal Scientist and Officer In-charge of SRRC Mannavanur proposed the welcome address and briefed about its history, objectives, milestones, species of focus and all about the activities undertaken. Dr. G. Nagarajan, Senior Scientist (Animal Bio-technology), delivered a lecture to the students on “Utility of the Biotechnological tools in the Sheep Husbandry and Rabbitry” & further he spoke about the common infectious diseases of Sheep and Rabbits as well as different types of vaccines being commonly used in Veterinary sciences. .Dr.S.M.K.Thirumaran, Scientist (Animal Gentics & Breeding) explained about the various breeds of Sheep & Rabbits and their utility in different geographical areas of our nation. The lectures were subsequently followed by brief students’ – scientist’s interaction. All the students got enlightened their knowledge in the areas of biotechnological tools for improving livestock production, disease diagnosis, vaccines, managemental aspects of sheep husbandry & Rabbitry and expressed their gratitude to SRRC, CSWRI for giving them adequate information of their interest. Surprisingly, the faculty members of the said college are much eager to look forward for having MoU for the mutual exchange of resources, expertise and scientific knowledge. Finally, Dr. S.M.K.Thirumaran, Scientist, explained about the various employment opportunities available for the students and thanked the students, faculty & administration of the college from Silicon valley of India, for having chosen the centre for their Industrial Visit and welcomed them for future programs of the kind.

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SS Vermicompost Company
The Students of final year UG and PG of Life Sciences Department visited SS Vermicompost Industry on 25th of January 2019. Vermicompost is the organic manure and it is the end product of the breakdown of organic matter by an earthworm. Mr. Suresh Palanisamy, the owner of the farm and industry, explained about the earthworm and its importance in making cultivable land more fertile. He said earthworm releases indole butyric acid which is used to induce plant growth hormones like Auxin, Gibberellin, Cytokinin etc.,. For this purpose raw materials such as cow dung, pressed mud, leaf and plant wastes and 2 types of earthworms were used. Eudelus eugenia -Top feeder - very long Eisinia foedito -Bottom feeder- dark red in color In bottom, gravels are spread and soil, cow dung, pressmud and leaf compost were mixed and spread uniformly. The coconut leaf and coir pith are not used, because it contains high amount of lignin. The lignin content reduces the heat which is mainly used in decomposition of the compost. So, to reduce the lignin content application of pleurotus microorganism is followed. Water is sprayed for once in 2 days. If water does not sprayed for a week the earth worm will die. The earthworm is allowed and spread for 30 days. With this visit, the students learned about the production of vermicompost, various techniques involved and the packaging of the vermicompost. Mr. Suresh also highlighted on the effect of chemical fertilizers and its impact on food crops. He also added on adding bioactive recyclable materials and the use of cow dung in the preparation of manure.

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Industrial Visit to Kodaikanal Observatory of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics
The students of Department of Life Sciences both final year PG and UG visited the Kodaikanal Observatory of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics is located in the beautiful Palani range of hills in Southern India on 24th January 2019. It was established in 1899 as a Solar Physics Observatory and all the activities of the Madras Observatory were shifted to Kodaikanal. This location was chosen for the observatory as the region was right at the equator therefore allowed the Precise observations of the equatorial electro jet due to the unique geography of Kodaikanal. With lot of curiosity and amazement we visited the Solar observatory Museum. Students observed polarimeter setup kept in front of spectrograph slit that makes polarization measurements in sunspot regions of sun. This provided information about the magnetic field strength and direction of sunspot regions they also learned about the twin telescopes and various other instruments used for astrophysics The students were enlightened with what would happen to earth in another 4.5 billion Years. It was a surprise to know that Mars would the backup planet. Students had an opportunity to look into the museum and learned about the 6 and 8 inch telescopes that are used to observe sun.

Industrial Visit to Indian Institute of Astrophysics- Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
On September 25th, 2018, the students of III Semester B.Sc. Biotechnology (BBG), visited Holy Cross Mercy Home, Kothnur, Bengaluru as a part of their Social Outreach Programme. The students were greeted by Sister Lucy; the care taker of the organization and gave an insight about the organization and services offered to old age and students. The session began with the inmates introducing themselves to the students. The rest of the session was carried out by the students performing various activities like singing, dancing and games. The students interacted with them, to listen to what they had to say and they also felt happy and some were emotionally moved by the presence of the students. They were entertained well by the programs conducted by the students. At the end of the session the inmates whole heartedly thanked students for their presence and their support. The visit to the old-age home was a true fulfilling experience to the students and the interactions with the inmates indirectly advised them to take care of their parents and to help the poor and needy.

Social Outreach Programme
The III Semester B.Sc, Microbiology (MBG) students visited Guanella Preethi Nivas old age home, Geddalahalli, Bengaluru, on 24th September,2018, as a part of their Social outreach programme. The students were welcomed by Rev.Fr. Louduraj, caretaker of the organization, he appreciated the students interest to help the needy and visit to his home. He briefed about the home and the care takes by the organization to the needy. Students interacted with the inmates about their past life, their difficulties and how they brought to the home and how secure in home. Fr. Lourduraj was very happy about student’s interactions, their contributions to the needy and he thanked the college for having such welfare programs creating responsibility to the young students to know about the society and the need of extension services to the needy.The visit to the old-age home was a fulfilling experience to the students and the interactions with the inmates taught them to take care their parents and created awareness to help the needy in the society.

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Social Outreach Programme
PG Students of Life Sciences Department visited Alamba Charitable Trust, Gubbi Cross, Bengaluru, on 22nd September 2018. The students were greeted by Mr.Nagesh, the Chairman of the care center, who gave insights about the center. He also shared and appreciated the extension services done by Kristu Jayanti College. He also thanked the extension service “lab to land’ done by the Department of Life Sciences. Currently 22 disabled inmates are being taken care by the trust. It was a remarkable experience where the students encountered real life achievers who shared their success stories and whose abilities far exceeded their disability. During the interactive session the inmates shared about their experiences in getting job opportunities. Their personal experiences with the disabled students making the student volunteers take home a new direction to motivate themselves in achieving better goals in their life. The visit made the students about disability management and about the achievements accomplished by those people despite their disability. It also gave them a deep sense of urge to help the people impaired.

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Visit to IISC – Quiz competition on Climate Change & Environment
The UG students of Life Sciences Department attended the Climate Change and Environment Quiz held at IISC, Bangalore on 11th of September 2018, the quiz and guest lecture was organized by Divecha Centre for Climate Change, IISC, Bangalore. They had the opportunity to visualize the posters and exhibits displayed by the research scholars of the department. The exhibits were in relation to air quality, pollutants and its control. The students had the privilege to listen to and interact with Dr. H Paramesh – Pediatric Pulmonologist, Environmentalist. He addressed the students on ‘Air Quality and Health’. Students were much benefitted by the lecture and quiz and got awareness regarding the environment and its protection.

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Alumini Interaction
On 22nd September, 2018, the Department of Life Sciences, organized an alumini interaction programme. Mr. Abhijith Sharma, Head of Clinical operations and Scientific Strategies, Aurigene Discovery Technology, Bangalore, was the guest of honour. The convention flagged off with the invocation of Gods precedence over the gathering. The guest speaker, Mr. Abhijith Sharma, a proud alumnus of Kristu Jayanti College (2005- 2007 M.Sc., Biotechnology) addressed the Post Graduate and Under Graduate students of Life Sciences on Drug discovery and careers in bio-pharmaceutical industry. He also shared his views about various cancer therapy treatments available and different stages of drug discovery. He also widened the talk on the analytic aspect of pharmaceutical industry and the job options for students in that frontier. Overall it was quite an informative and beneficial session for the students. It also served as a prospect and outlook for their future in the field of Science. The objective of this interaction was to give awareness in the recent techniques in the field of drug discovery and wide opportunities in bio-pharmaceutical industry for Life Sciences students.

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Visit to IISC – Quiz competition on Climate Change & Environment
The UG students of Life Sciences Department attended the Climate Change and Environment Quiz held at IISC, Bangalore on 11th of September 2018, the quiz and guest lecture was organized by Divecha Centre for Climate Change, IISC, Bangalore. They had the opportunity to visualize the posters and exhibits displayed by the research scholars of the department. The exhibits were in relation to air quality, pollutants and its control. The students had the privilege to listen to and interact with Dr. H Paramesh – Pediatric Pulmonologist, Environmentalist. He addressed the students on ‘Air Quality and Health’. Students were much benefitted by the lecture and quiz and got awareness regarding the environment and its protection.

FDP ON DATA ANALYSIS IN NATURAL SCIENCES
Department of Life Science organized a FDP on data analysis in natural sciences and the list of Resource Persons with details is as follows:
1. Dr. K. P. Suresh, Ph.D. (Biostatistics), Sr.Scientist
National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bangalore.
2. Dr. Sridharan D, Chairperson,
Institutional Ethics Committee, ChanRe Rheumatology & Immunology Center & Research
The FDP aimed at providing comprehensive introduction to the statistical methods used in natural sciences to analyze empirical and experimental data.
The FDP would also serve to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
To help the budding researchers get an insight into ethics, data gathering and analysis, and statistics.

Session I: “Essentials in Research Methodology”, Dr. K. P. Suresh
The resource person briefed about identifying research topics, variables, and methodological approaches followed by data collection, assessment strategies and interpretation methods. He also added emphasis on
• reviewing the literature and formulating a research question
• drafting a research protocol
• understanding the process of applying for ethical approval
• learning research methods applicable to clinical studies
• learning how to formulate a questionnaire
• learning how to prepare papers for publication
• learning the basics of statistical analysis of data

Session II: “Ethics in Research”, Dr. Sridharan D
Ethics in research are very important when an experiment is going to be conducted. Ethics should be applied on all stages of research, such as planning, conducting and evaluating a research project. The first thing to do before designing a study is to consider the potential cost and benefits of the research. Ethical Standards :
• avoid any risk of considerably harming people, the environment, or property unnecessarily. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is an example of a study which seriously violated these standards.
• Not use deception on people participating, as was the case with the ethics of the Stanley Milgram Experiment
• obtain informed consent from all involved in the study.
• preserve privacy and confidentiality whenever possible.
• take special precautions when involving populations or animals which may not be considered to understand fully the purpose of the study.
• Not offer big rewards or enforce binding contracts for the study. This is especially important when people are somehow reliant on the reward.
• Not plagiarize the work of others
• Not skew their conclusions based on funding.
• Not commit science fraud, falsify research or otherwise conduct scientific misconduct. A con-study, which devastated the public view of the subject for decades, was the study of selling more coke and popcorn by unconscious ads. The researcher said that he had found great effects from subliminal messages, whilst he had, in fact, never conducted the experiment.
• Not use the position as a peer reviewer to give sham peer reviews to punish or damage fellow scientists.

Session III: “Data Analysis”, Dr. K. P. Suresh
Data Analysis is the process of systematically applying statistical and/or logical techniques to evaluate data. While data analysis in qualitative research can include statistical procedures, many times analysis becomes an ongoing iterative process where data is continuously collected and analyzed almost simultaneously. Indeed, researchers generally analyze for patterns in observations through the entire data collection phase. The form of the analysis is determined by the specific qualitative approach taken (field study, ethnography content analysis, oral history, biography, unobtrusive research) and the form of the data (field notes, documents, audiotape, and videotape).
An essential component of ensuring data integrity is the accurate and appropriate analysis of research findings. Improper statistical analyses distort scientific findings and may negatively influence the public perception of research. Integrity issues are just as relevant to analysis of non-statistical data as well.
Considerations/issues in data analysis:
There are a number of issues that researchers should be cognizant of with respect to data analysis. These include:
• Having the necessary skills to analyze
• Concurrently selecting data collection methods and appropriate analysis
• Drawing unbiased inference
• Inappropriate subgroup analysis
• Following acceptable norms for disciplines
• Determining statistical significance
• Lack of clearly defined and objective outcome measurements
• Providing honest and accurate analysis
• Manner of presenting data
• Environmental/contextual issues
• Data recording method
• Partitioning ‘text’ when analyzing qualitative data
• Training of staff conducting analyses
• Reliability and Validity
• Extent of analysis

NATIONAL SEMINAR ON BIOFILM TECHNOLOGY – PROBLEMS & PROSPECTS
With every event that it organizes, more so in the Life sciences Department, Kristu Jayanti College never fails to use an opportunity to empower and educate. Yet again, this National Seminar on Biofilm Technology- Problems & Prospects has proved what this institution is capable of offering. The event flagged off with a total of 7 Universities, 7 Colleges with 54 delegates both from in and out of Karnataka, with the inaugural ceremony, where the presidential address was delivered by Honorable Principal Rev. Fr. Josekutty P.D.

The Chief Guest address was delivered by Dr. Anand Khetkar- Associate director, Apotex pharmachem, India, who set the pace of the National Seminar by bringing out the significance and economic importance of drug resistant Mycobacterium. This was followed by the technical sessions, the first session then began with the resource person being Dr S. Murugan- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, who spoke about “ Relationship between adhesion and biofilm genes in clinical isolates of methicillin resistant and vancomycin- intermediate Staphylococcus aureus”. Apart from the general description of biofilms, Dr. S. Murugan explained in detail, PIA biosynthesis, one of the causes of biofilm formation by S. aureus and it’s various virulence genes, also focusing on taking the transdisciplinary approach in eliminating pathogenic bioflims.

Following the first session was the session by Dr. Kushi Anand- Amit Singh Group, Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Bangalore, Karnataka, who spoke about “Drug repurposing for tuberculosis by deconstructing drug resistance mechanisms”. He emphasized on the present scenario of prevalence of Tuberculosis in India and various aspects pertaining to the same.

The next session was taken over by Dr. B. Anandkumar - Scientific Officer, Surface modification and characterization section, corrosion science and technology division, metallurgy and materials group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, who spoke about “Non- conventional techniques to combat industrial biofilms/biofouling”. He also emphasized on metal- microbial interaction, metal corrosion, biofouling and its control measures.

The resource person for the fourth session was Dr. C. Nagaraj- Professor, PES Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (PESIMSR), Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh. Whose talk was about “Myths and Realities of biofilms in Medical Sciences.” He took everyone through the history of biofilms thereby laying emphasis on the various roles played by biofilms from a medical perspective. Defining biofilm from a novel viewpoint as – Microbial cities of scientific significance, he accentuated the dual nature of biofilms- as a boon and as a bane.

The speaker for the next session was Dr. Kavitha G- Scientist, Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Bengaluru, who spoke about “Biofilms with special reference- Microbes of Veterinary Importance.” She threw light on the formation of biofilm, microbes involved in the biofilm formation and also focused on the impact of biofilm formation.

The paper session marked the end of the conference, a total of 6 posters were presented by students other college & universities.

Therefore in a nutshell the national seminar on Biofilm Technology was truly successful in giving both the faculty members and the students an in depth knowledge about the various aspects in Bio film Technology and also provided an insight into the research aspect as well.

Industrial Visit to Munnar
The Industrial Visit was organized by the Department of Life Sciences for the Post Graduate students to Munnar, Alappuzha and Kochi from 15th September 2017 to 18th September 2017. The students visited the Kerala Livestock Development Board, on the 15th of September. The Kerala livestock Development Board was formed in 1976 by integrating the Indo- Swiss Project Kerala. It is a registered company fully owned by the Government of Kerala. KLD Board is one among the many agencies entrusted with the task of implementing the Breeding Policy of the State. This was instrumental in the development of the new cattle breed 'Sunandini'. Frozen Semen from different breed / grades of highly selected bulls are produced by the Board and supplied to 2400 odd Artificial Insemination centres run by agencies as Dept. of Animal Husbandry, Milk Unions etc. A progeny testing scheme for the selection of the breeding bulls to maintain continued genetic improvement of milk cattle is also implemented by the Board with Central assistance. Every year 40 young breeding bulls are the test according to this programme.

Students had a chance to interact with Dr. Avinash, Incharge of the farm, he explained about the dairy farm, the milking process, and the measures taken to store the milk, bull semen collection and IVF process. The students got an opportunity to see the different breeds of cows in that farm.

On 16th September students visited the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company in Munnar, where Mr. Sunil Kumar, Plant Engineer, briefed the students about the importance of tea and raw materials and precursors of green tea. The Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company succeeded Tata Tea Limited on the 1st of April, 2005, when the latter exited most of its plantations in Munnar to focus on the growth of its branded tea business. Having created an exemplary plantation model, KDHP is the first ever employee owned plantation company in India and nearly all its employees are shareholders

The students visited the Eravikulam National Park at Munnar on 17 of September and got the opportunity to learn about the different types of wild life that are conserved in the park. The most sought after destination in Munnar is the Eravikulam National Park, the first of its kind in Kerala, where the endangered is protected. Spread over 97 sq. km., this park holds the largest viable population of Tahr, several other species of rare animals, birds and butterflies. The park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and also of the rolling hills caressed by blankets of mist. The park becomes a hot destination when the hill slopes get covered in a carpet of blue, resulting from the flowering of. It is a plant endemic to this part of the Western Ghats which blooms once in twelve years.

NSS CAMP
The students of The Department of Life sciences; Renuka.R, Likitha.P.M and Sumathi along with Dr. Calistus Jude, Dean of sciences and Dr. Elcey C.D, HOD, Dept. of life sciences had attended the NSS camp held at Siddaganga high school, Purushenahalli on 25 November 2016 .The students of the school were educated about various infectious diseases spread by mosquitoes like dengue, malaria, chickengunya. The students were also educated about health and hygiene. They were shown slides of the cells and the students saw them with enthusiasm. Overall the camp had created awareness to the students about the diseases spread by mosquitoes.

Fresher’s Day Celebrated
Following the rich tradition of Kristu Jayanti College, the Fresher’s Day was organized by the fifth and the third semester students of Life sciences department on June 29, 2016 to welcome the first-year students. The evening marked the induction and integration of the new freshmen’s of B.Sc. Biotechnology and Microbiology into the Jayantian family. The event proved to be even more jubilant and exciting when the professors shared the stage with the students while dancing. The energy on the dance floor showed that the new batch with their level of enthusiasm will do great work in the future. All were seen enjoying and as always demanding for more. It was an ecstasy filled evening, at which the freshman students got the opportunity to interact with their seniors and also with the professors.

Report on Student Outreach Program
On the 5 December 2016 the class of B.Sc. Biotechnology and Microbiology visited the Thritwa Ashram as a part of student outreach program (SOP). 48 students were accompanied by three Teachers to the ashram. We boarded the bus at 1:40 pm and made our journey to the ashram which is located in Hegdenagar. There were around 30- 40 ladies, among them some were mentally challenged. The students entertained the people in the ashram by performing a dance and also sang some songs and interacted with them.

Educational visit for the students of OASIS International School
Life Science department had organized an educational visit for the students of OASIS International School of the class ten on 8 Sep 2014 as per their request. The students arrived at 11AM, 40 students accompanied by 2 teachers were escorted to the auditorium and Dr. Bheemsen Rao briefed them about the microbial world. After the introduction session they were grouped into 8 teams consisting of 5 students each & a student from our college was allotted to lead the group. As groups they proceeded to the lab for the explanation of the following which was displayed for them. Instruments like autoclave, incubator, colony counter, centrifuge, PCR machine, LAF, spectrophotometers were shown & the principle on which it works & the uses of those instruments in the lab were explained to them by the M.Sc students. End of the program the students gave the feedback saying that it was a very good exposure for them about the microorganisms & liked the way the program.

INDUSTRIAL VISIT TO FOUNDATION FOR REVITALISATION OF LOCAL HEALTH TRADITIONS
On the 18 September, 2014, the students of the Life Science department of Kristu Jayanti College went on an industrial visit to FRLHT (Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions). The student body consisted of III Semester B.Sc. Life Sciences and I Semester M.Sc. Microbiology and Biotechnology, accompanied by two faculty members. The students set off for the industry at 9.00am from the college campus and reached FRLHT at around 9:40 am and were promptly escorted to the main auditorium where they were briefed on the history, Vision and Mission of the Institute, aim and also on the vast database on national medicinal Plant board (NMPB) created by the industry in order to document the properties and uses of medicinal plants available across the country. The students were then escorted by the Mr. Shubuta towards the Herbarium to learn and understand the need to conserve the country’s medicinal plants and the projects the Industry undertakes in order to achieve this. Followed by which Dr. Bala subramium took over to show the Instrumentation facilities. The students then moved on to the Bio analytical labs where explanation on how Ayurveda medicine coupled with modern health practices is the future of healthcare and further demonstrated to students the various instruments and practices employed by the industry to distinguish between genuine and fake medicinal plants available in the market.

The students were then taken to medicinal plant nursery where the students had the opportunity to view and purchase a wide variety of medicinal plants. At noontime, the students were dispatched for a one hour lunch break. Post lunch the students were escorted back to the Institute’s campus and treated to a one on one interactive session with Mr. Nagaraj who took charge of the students and took the students around the field demonstrating about the various plants grown in the campus and their medicinal benefits.

Finally, towards the end of the day the students were encouraged to purchase the Institute’s health magazine Amruth and then proceeded to collect the plants they had purchased earlier in the day. Before leaving, the students gathered with the faculty for a brief group photo shoot session. Following which, the students departed for home fully enriched and ‘revitalised’ by their visit to FRLHT, anxious to put their newfound knowledge into practice for the betterment of the society, country and the world.

NATIONAL SEMINAR ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
National seminar on Science and Technology for Human Development was organized by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Bangalore chapter in association with the Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College. The national seminar brought together over 300 delegates, five resource persons and other participants from all over the country. The participants were a blend of Scientist, faculty members, research scholars and students of all branches in Life sciences representing 30 colleges all over India.

Industrial trip to Britannia Industries
The department of life sciences of Kristu Jayanti College had organized an industrial visit for the first year and the second year students of the Life Science Department. The industrial trip was to the Britannia Industries Private limited on 26 April 2013. Mr.Ravishanker, The Production Manager at Britannia, was the guide for the visit. The visit began with a brief introduction about Britannia. Britannia - The story of one of India's favorite brands reads almost like a fairy tale. Once upon a time, in 1892 to be precise, a biscuit company was started in a non-descript house in Calcutta (now Kolkata) with an initial investment of Rs. 295. The company we all know now as Britannia today. As the students approached the production unit, they got to see how the biscuits are made and packed. The production unit also checks for any sort of contamination with Seals, Worms, Glass pieces etc.

Social outreach program 2013
Service to mankind is the service to God, keeping this motto as the base Kristu Jayanti College organizes various Social outreach programs for the students, to humanize the need to concern for the lesser fortunate brethren of the society. The students of B. Sc.(BT/MB) of IV semester along with C.S.M.E IV semester students went for a social outreach program to the little sisters of poor located at Hennur cross on 19 March 2013, it was organized by our college. It was overwhelming to hear them sharing their experience about the home and their life. “We went around the home and were amazed to see the environment of the home. It was too pleasant and beautiful. We provided them with some sanitary requirements and fruits. We entertained them by performing a dance and a song. We could see the happiness on their face and they enjoyed with us. We spoke to all the inmates before we left and assured them that we will visit the home again. We left the home by 4.30pm and came back to our college. We also learnt that in future not to abandon our parents in their old age and take a due care of our parents as old age is the second childhood for them, we are immensely grateful to the management of the Kristu Jayanti College for giving us an opportunity for experiencing the real purpose of life,” opined a student representative.

National Level Essay Competition on Green India
A National level essay competition was conducted under the banner of Environmental Science Club of our college. It was organized with a view to create awareness about the importance of Life Sciences and its application. The essay contest was open to all students who are studying in 11th /12th /PUC classes anywhere in India or abroad. The contest was initiated in the month of November 2012. The last date for receiving the essays was on 20 of January 2013. The invitations along with the details of the competition were sent to 4890 schools throughout India. We received around 87 essays from 32 schools. The final results were consolidated by our patron Rev. Fr. Sebastian T.A. It was then published on 5 February 2013 on our college website.

The details of the results were e-mailed to each and every participant and to the Head of the institutions. The prize winners were invited for the prize distribution ceremony which was held on 12 April 2013 along with College Day celebration. The certificates and the prize money for the consolation prize winners were posted to their school address.

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Vignanamanthan 2012
The academic year began on 22 August, 2012, as per the Jayantian Life Science Forum- “Vignanamanthan”, various activities were conducted. One of the activities was to present seminars in front of an audience in order to build confidence among students and also impart knowledge.

The seminars were conducted every Friday, from 1.45p.m. - 4.00p.m. Every presenter was allotted 20 minutes for his or her seminar (15 minutes for the presentation and 5 minutes for the Q & A).