Department of Biotechnology (DBT),
Ministry of Science & Technology, announced the expansion of its first
joint International laboratory with National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science & Technology (AIST) Japan named as DBT-AIST
International Laboratory for Advanced Biomedicine (DAILAB) to DAICENTER by
signing a contract on September 13, 2017 in Delhi.

DIACENTRE expands the scope of the
collaboration to focused research activities with several institutions in India
and other Asian countries like Sri-Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand at a Mission
mode. It will also provide a platform for translation of research of leads
emerging from the bi-lateral co-operations in collaboration with the Industry
and opportunity for training of young scientists.
It will involve continued research,
training and innovative networking programs enrolling DAILAB@AIST and its Six SISTERs (Satellite International Institutes for Special
Training Education and Research). DAICENTER will focus to connect
academia to industry and network innovation to entrepreneurship promoting S&T relationship
of the two countries.
Signing the contract to extend the
collaborations, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Secretary, DBT commented that
India and Japan have lots to share in Science on complementary basis and merge
experience to education for the next generations and bring their research outcomes
to needs of society worldwide. He added that while Japan stands out with the
expertise of its scientists in areas like stem cell research, India can offer
its young science brains that can be trained to use this expertise to bring
about solutions for diseases.
“The collaboration so far has
created long lasting networks helped accelerate drug discovery, identified
anti-cancer properties of traditional plants like Aswagandha, brought out high
quality joint research publications. We will look forward to more research
leads and translations,” said Dr Ryoji Chubachi, President, AIST.
Speaking about the benefits of the
collaboration to India, Dr Madhan Mohan, Advisor DBT said, “Japan has advanced
expertise in areas like stem cells, we expect our young researchers to learn
from them and use this to work on applying them to tackle diseases like sickle
cell Anaemia which are specific to India.”
Setting up a DBT lab in the
University of Kyoto and an AIST lab in IIT Delhi & another in the Regional
Centre for Biotechnology has given a truly international character to the
collaboration. While DBT has spent for the infrastructure for the AIST lab at
IIT and RCB, University of Kyoto maintains it. On the other hand the
infrastructure of the DBT lab in AIST Tsukuba was established by Japan and
maintained by DBT.
The DBT-AIST collaboration which
started in 2007 has seen a gradual strengthening of ties and has produced high
quality research leads over the years.
Tracing the build-up of
the DBT-AIST Collaboration
(i)
DBT~ INDIA –AIST~ JAPAN
COOPERATION
The Department of Biotechnology(DBT)
, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India has concluded a
comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of
Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Japan on February 12, 2007
under the Joint Statement towards India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership,
signed by the Prime Ministers of India and Japan in December 2006. The MoU
enrolled five years of successful bilateral research collaborating in the field
of Bioinformatics and Biomedicine and joint workshops all both ends. Eight
themes of projects focusing mainly on drugs /therapeutics for diseases like
cancer have been supported.
(ii)
DBT-AIST INTERNATIONAL
LABORATORY FOR ADVANCED BIOMEDICINE (DAILAB)
MoU was renewed for second term
(2012-2017) along with an establishment of a joint laboratory DAILAB
(DBT-AIST International Laboratory for Advance Biomedicine) at Biomedical
Research Institute (BMRI), Tsukuba campus of AIST, Japan on Oct 3, 2013. DAILB
is the first International laboratory in Life Sciences & Biotechnology of
the two institutions. The recurring budget for DAILAB is supported by DBT,
while the non-recurring budget is supported by AIST president’s special budget.
Goals of DAILAB are to (i) conduct joint basic to applied research on disease
prevention and therapeutics for increasing the quality of life (with focus on
old age), (ii) offer research training to young International studies, (iii)
networking among researchers for fundamental and cutting edge research, and
(iv) endeavour global frontage of both the institutions. Signing and Opening Ceremony
of DAILAB@BRI by AIST President, Dr. R. Chubachi and DBT Secretary, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan
was held on Oct 3, 2013 at AIST, Tsukuba in the presence of dignitaries
including the DBT delegates. The occasion was also graced by the presence of
Her Excellency Ms. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Ambassador of India to Japan.

Establishment of DAILAB has made
significant progress not only in research projects (evident by their
publications), but also been carrying out training and education of young
scholars from India.
In order to accelerate research
education, training and productivity, 6 SISTER (Satellite Institute for Special
Training in Education and Research)-DAILABs have been set up. These include Regional
Center for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, IIT-Delhi (Dec. 10, 2015), University
of Sri Jaywardenepura (Sri Lanka) (April 19, 2016), Manipal University (Aug.,
4, 2016), Sikkim University (Oct. 26, 2016) and IIT Guwahati (May 8, 2017). These
labs are actively collaborating and aim to become an OPEN INNOVATION HUB in
Asia in the field of Biomedicine. DAILAB has been a successful
model for India-Japan S&T partnership. Six different types of training
programs (STAR, CAFÉ, CAFÉ-PLUS, PIKNKIH, JUKU and DOSTI) have been conducted
regularly in association with DAILABs and other institutions and have engaged
and inspired large number of Indian students.
(iii) DAILAB
TO DAICENTER
In last three years, DAILAB has
become a role model of India-Japan S&T co-operation and has helped
thousands of students in several ways. DBT in cooperation with AIST is
scheduled to expand DAILAB to DAICENTER from September/October 2017. DAICENTER
involves (i) new research projects on Translational and Environmental Research
including Big Data in Biomedicine, (ii) new programs for educating and inspiring
youth for science careers and (iii) new connectivity/bridge between
universities-research institutes-industries at both ends to inspire innovation,
application and industrialization of research for the benefit of society.
(iv) DBT~INDIA – KYOTO UNIVERSITY~JAPAN COOPERATION ON STEM
CELL TECHNOLOGY IN HUMAN DISEASE
The Department of Biotechnology has implemented an Indo-Japan
cooperative program on “Accelerating the application of stem cell technology in
human disease” with four participating institutions from India, and the Centre
for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Japan as
international partner. The aim of the program is to develop infrastructure and
the expertise for India to be a competitive force in the field of regenerative
medicine and induced pluripotent stem cell biology. The focus of the
collaboration is on developing treatments for sickle cell anemia, β-
thalassemia and brain disorders and creating haplobank relevant to Indian
population.
(III)
SIGNING OF MoU AND JOINT RESEARCH
CONTRACT (JRC) BETWEEN DBT AND AIST, JAPAN:
A comprehensive MoU and JRC between
DBT (India) and AIST (Japan), for the next five year period, was signed by Prof.
K. VijayRaghavan, Secretary, DBT (India) and Dr. Ryoji Chubachi,
President, AIST (Japan) as part of India-Japan
Summit 2017.
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RDS/nb