PU student wins Rs. 50 Lacs from BIRAC as Biotechnology Ignition grant

Panjab University, Chandigarh, student wins 50 lacs from BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) as a Biotechnology Ignition grant to carry out innovation.

 BIRAC is a new industry-academia interface and implements its mandate through a wide range of impact initiatives, providing funding, technology transfer, IP management and handholding schemes that help bring innovation excellence to the biotech firms and make them globally competitive.

        The Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) scheme is for potential entrepreneurs from Academia, start-ups or an Incubatee (Researchers, PhDs, Medical degree holders, Biomedical Engg. Graduates) who have an exciting idea which may be in the nascent and planning stage and there is an unmet need for mentorship and initial funding.

 The PU Project to develop enzyme sachet named “Novice Zyme 001-A closer look into enzymatic biotransformation/s” has won BIRAC-BIG in the 12th call in 2018. The Novice Zyme 001 is a nitrilase that will have multiple applications, including pharmaceutical industry and organic synthesis industry. The project also will be focusing on degradation of textile industry waste using the same enzyme.

Under the guidance of Dr. Rohit Sharma, Chairperson, Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Panjab University, the project will be carried out by Shivanshi Vashist, Research Scholar, Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. The student has a start-up named MicroRadical Pvt. Ltd. The start-up has won many accolades like AICTE startup award, LJ innovation award and was also selected for BIO 2018.