Dr. Rajendra Prasad is an eminent Scientist in the area of Molecular Biology. At present, he is the Director of the Amity Institute of Biotechnology and Amity Integrative Sciences and Health. Dr. Prasad is a former Professor & Dean of the School of Life Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. He has done Ph.D. from Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, and joined JNU in 1976 as an Assistant Professor after doing post-doctoral training at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Prof. Prasad is a recipient of the Royal Society Commonwealth Bursary, Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Fellowship, Wellcome Foundation Mercator Professorship at the University of Bonn, Centre of Excellence, DBT, BSR-UGC award. He is an elected fellow of all Indian Science Academies, and a Member, of the American Society of Microbiology, USA, Society of Microbiology, UK, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and International Society of Human and Animal Mycology. He is also a National Contact Point of the European Commission, Research Ambassador, in Germany. Prof. Prasad is a renowned scientist of repute who has supervised more than 75 PhDs thesis, published over 300 research papers, and handled 55-60 national and international grants. He is a leading molecular mycologist and has done trend-setting research in the area of antifungal clinical drug resistance.

Amity University, Gurgaon

As a Director how do you ensure the student has holistic exposure not just academics?

Even long before the release of the NEP2020, Amity University’s curriculum is designed to give students a holistic development beyond their chosen field of academic specialization, with the opportunity for choosing from six different foreign languages, courses on personality & behavioral development, courses impart soft skills and communication skills. Within the department, the students are exposed to ample opportunities for cultivating leadership qualities through initiatives in organizing seminar series and academic, cultural, and sports events.

How do you try to bring in a practical approach towards subjects and how do students get practical experience from studying the subject?

As an institute offering education and training in a cutting-edge field of Science, most of the courses offered by Amity Institute of Biotechnology have a laboratory component with due emphasis on hands-on experience for each student. AIB is a proud recipient of DBT-Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life Science Departments for Education and Research program funds which have strengthened our Learning Laboratories infrastructure. Furthermore, students carry out in-term research projects, summer internships, and final semester dissertation projects. Exposure to cutting-edge research carried out at the Bionova laboratories by AIB’s faculties, the high-end Central Instrumentation Research Facilities (CIRF) that include Fluorescent Microscopes, HPLC, and Lipidomics facilities, and participation in the hands-on workshops on the instruments at the CIRF undoubtedly contribute to students’ practical exposure in Biotechnology. Field trips, Industrial visits, further enhance students’ exposure to the role of Biotechnology in addressing real-world problems. It is because of these merits AIB at AUH stands out as one of the top Biotechnology institutions in India that is recognized by the DBT to offer the GATB MSc Biotechnology program.

What are the best practices offered by the department to the students which help them gain the necessary skills?

Some of the best practices offered by our institute include rigor in academics (both theory and hands-on experience), focused, one-on-one Mentor-Mentee interactions based guidance for students, and nurturing an environment of passionate approach towards Science.

How do you help your student cope with the competition being so high in the outside world?

Every student has access to a faculty mentor who helps the student identify one’s strength and interests, and guide them in their career progression in the chosen path. Our students see competition as a necessary factor in life that helps them bring out their best.

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What do you see as the department’s/ college’s greatest strengths and how is it helping students to excel?

AIB’s greatest strength is the constellation of highly qualified faculty. All faculty members are Ph.D. holders from leading universities in India and abroad. Many have had several years of postdoctoral research experience in countries across the world. The Scientists at AIB are good not only in research but their passion extends to teaching too. In the words of our students “classes taught by our teachers help us ‘think like a real scientist’.

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Can you share some success stories of your students/Alumni?

A three-pronged approach of teaching, research, and industry exposure in addition to thorough personality development has produced tremendous returns in terms of the department’s most recent triumphs. In the startup world, Divyanshu Arya started NVK Diagnostics in Rohtak, Ashok Yadav founded Micro Path Labs in Gurugram, and Amrita Singh founded Crafty Owl with the help of IIT. Rahul Saginella, a master’s student, found a few kinds of powerful bacteria adjacent to the Bhiwadi waste disposal yard that break down plastic. The original inventor who patented a brand-new technique for supplying blood oxygen was Akansha Kumari. Vaishali Rana is also engaged in developing a biosensor to identify the glycation of haemoglobin. Creating a sensor that can immediately ascertain a plant’s toxicity is the goal of Prashant Yadav’s research. To improve photosynthesis, Sikha Singh is developing a light-absorbing nanodot. Alumni from the department have been hired by top companies and universities, including Reliance life sciences, Agilent Technologies, AIIMS, NGIV Diagnostics (Faridabad), Penam Laboratories, Voice of Healthcare, CDRI Lucknow, Penn State University USA, and the University of California.

What valuable advice would you like to the students for them to have a prosperous career ahead?

I would like to suggest students identify their strengths and interests, Define a clear goal – your Truth North, and identify the right place to help them achieve their goal. An aimless life with no focus and no determined effort does not lead to success.