AN OVERVIEW OF BIOTECHNOLGY DEVELOPMENT IN NEPAL

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AN OVERVIEW OF BIOTECHNOLGY DEVELOPMENT
IN NEPAL
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BIOTECHNOLOGY

• MAY BE A NEW WORD
• NOT NEW PRACTICE

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UNDERSTOOD VARIOUSLY

• DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
• USA CANADA UK
• RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGIES

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DEVELOPING COUNTRIESSAARC

• MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
• RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGIES
• CELL FUSION
• TISSUE CULTURE
• EMBRYO TRANSFER
• IMMUNOLOGY
• FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGY

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NEPAL

• TECHNIQUE USING LIVING
• ORGANISMS OR SUBSTANCES FROM
• ORGANISMS
• TO MAKE OR MODIFY A PRODUCT
• TO IMPROVE PLANTS OR ANIMALS
• TO DEVELOP MICROORGANISMS FOR SPECIFIC USES

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PRACTICAL VIEWPOINT

• MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE
• WORKING TOGETHER IN HARMONY
• BIOLOGY
• PHYSICS
• CHEMISTRY
• MATHEMATICS
• ENGINEERING

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RECENT ACHIEVENTS ADVANCES IN GENETIC
ENGINEERING

• SPLIT THE HAIR
• OLD BIOTECHNOLOGY
• NEW BIOTECHNOLOGY
• TRADITIONAL NATIONAL HERITAGE OF NEPAL

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TRADITIONALBIOTECHNOLOGY IN NEPAL

• FERMENTATION
• KODO, RICE, SAKHAR INTO ALCOHOL
• LEAFY VEGETABLES INTO GUNDRUK
• BROWNING OF RICE INTO HAKU JAKI
• PICKLING OF FRUITS
• JUTE OR NALU FROM BARK OF HEMP
• DUNG AS FERTILIZER
• DUNG CAKE AS FUEL FOR COOKING

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NEW BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NEPAL

• FIELD OF APPLICATION
• AGRICULTURE
• FORESTRY
• ENVIRONMENT/SANITATION
• EDUCATION
• FOOD
• HEALTH
• ENERGY
• VETERINARY

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TYPE OF TECHNIQUES

• WIDELY USED
• PLANT TISSUE CULTURE
• MICROBIAL CULTURE
• LITTLE USE
• MERISTEM CULTURE RECOMBINANT DNA
• ANTHER CULTURE BOTANICAL PEST CONTROL
• PHROMONE MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
• BIOLOGICAL CONTROL PROTEIN PROFILE
  TECHNIQUE
• ELISA TECHNIQUE CONVENTIONAL BREEDING
• BIOASSAY AGROTECHNIQUE
• ENZYMOLOGY
• CALLUS CULTURE
• FLORICULTURE

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THRUST AREAS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

• PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
• CLONAL PROPAGATION
• MERISTEM CULTURE
• GERM PLASM CONSERVATION
• POLLEN AND ANTHER CULTURE
• Genetic engineering for insect/pest resistance
• Genetic engineering for herbicide resistance
• Genetic engineering for virus resistance
• Embryo rescue

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MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• BIOFERTILIZER
• BIOINSECTICIDE
• SINGLE CELL PROTEIN PRODUCTION
• INDUSTRIAL ENZYME
• BIO-ENERGY

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ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• IMPROVED ANIMAL PRODUCTIVITY
• IMPROVED ANIMAL PRODUCTION
• IMPROVED ANIMAL HEALTH
• AQUATIC BIOTECHNOLOGY
• FISHERY
• AQUACULTURE

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STATUS OF BIOTECH PROJECTS

• MAJORITY AIMED AT PROPAGATING DEVELOPED
  TECHNIQUES AT SUITABLE LEVEL
• MOST R D STILL AT LABORATORY PHASE
• A FEW TRANSFERRED TO LAND TRIAL

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EXPENDITURE ON BIOTECH ACTIVITIES

• GOVERNMENT AND UNIVERSITY FUND ----- NOMINAL
• INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH BY INDUSTRY ----- NON-EXIST
  ENT
• EXTERNAL FUNDING AGENCIES
• ROCKFELLER FOUNDATION
• USAID, JICA, IFS, FAO, ODA (UK), ADB
• LARGEST FUNDING 150,000/-

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HUMAN RESOURCES IN BIOTECH ACTIVITY

• MASTER LEVEL 57
• DOCTORATE LEVEL 32
• TRAINING
• LONG SHORT COURSES
• MAINLY TISSUE CULTURE TO
• FARMERS, M.Sc. Ph.D.s

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MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

• OCCASIONAL PAPERS
• ANNUAL REPORTS
• NATIONAL JOURNALS
• BIOTECHNOLOGY LETTERS
• HIMALAYAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCES
• BANKO JANAKARI

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PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

• DISSEMINATION OF IMPORTANCE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
  AMONG POLICY MAKERS, PLANNERS, GENERAL PUBLIC
• SHARING EXPERIENCES AMONG SCIENTISTS INVOLVED IN
  BIOTECH
• NEPAL BIOTECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION
• BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY SOCIETY OF NEPAL

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ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN BIOTECH ACTIVITIES

• GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
• AUTONOMOUS ORGANIZATIONS
• TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY
• PURBANCHAL UNIVERSITY
• POKHARA UNIVERSITY
• PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

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TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

• OLDEST AND LARGEST
• M. Sc. PROGRAM IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
• KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY
• B. Sc. IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
• PURBANCHAL UNIVERSITY
• POKHARA UNIVERSITY
• B. Sc. IN BIOCHEMISTRY

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CURRENT STATUS OF PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

• LIMITED TO TISSUE CULTURE
• PUBLIC LABORATORIES
• DEVELOP PROTOCOLS
• PRIVATE LABORATORIES
• USE PROTOCOLS FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSE

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PROSPECT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NEPAL

• MAJOR CRISES
• DISEASE
• HUNGER
• ENERGY SHORTAGE
• ENVIRONMENTAL DETERIORATION
• POLLUTION

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REVOLUTIONARY ROLE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

• POVERTY ALLEVIATION
• REDUCING DEPRIVATION
• SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
• CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
• MAINTAINING A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT

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NATIONAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR NEPAL

• FOCUS ON TISSUE CULTURE
• TO PROVIDE GENETICALLY IMPROVED SEEDLINGS
• LARGE SCALE PRODUCTION OF
• VALUABLE SPECIES FOR
• MASSIVE FUEL WOOD
• FODDER
• TIMBER

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MAJOR AREAS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR NEPAL

• PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
• PLANT TISSUE CULTURE
• CALLUS CULTURE
• MERISTEM CULTURE
• IN-VITRO EMBRYO RESCUE
• POLLEN AND ANTHER CULTURE
• GENETIC ENGINEERING

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2. MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• BIOFERTILIZERS
• INDUSTRIAL ENZYMES
• SINGLE CELL PROTEIN PRODUCTION
• BIOPESTICIDES
• BIO-ENERGY PRODUCTION
• FOOD PRESERVATION
• MINERAL LEACHING

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3. ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• IMPROVED ANIMAL HEALTH
• IMPROVED ANIMAL PRODUCTIVITY
• IMPROVED ANIMAL REPRODUCTION

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4. MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• RAPID DIAGNOSTIC REAGENTS KITS
• PRODUCTION OF CULTURE MEDIA
• PRODUCTION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES
• VACCINES AGAINST MALARIA, MEASLES, DIARRHOEA,
  JAUNDICE CHOLERA ETC.
• THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FROM LOCAL PLANT RESOURCES

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NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY

• DRAFTED FROM A MEETING OF STAKEHOLDERS
• Put biotechnology high on national agenda
• 2. Establish high-level Biotechnology Development
  Council (BDC) under the chairmanship of Rt.
  Honorable Prime Minister to review and revise
  biotechnology, appraise annual progress and solve
  problems for the development of biotechnology.

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3. Biotechnology Coordination Committee (BCC)
under the chairmanship of Honorable Minister of S
and T

• to carry out RD in biotechnology
• to develop critical manpower and
• a curriculum for biotechnology
• to encourage private entrepreneurs and
• raise public awareness.

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4. National Biotechnology Research and
Development Centre (NBRDC)

• undertake research and training as per national
  priority
• 5. Review existing legislation and propose new
  legislation or amendments to regulate
  biotechnology
• 6. Strengthen and develop appropriate human
  resources for biotechnology.

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Strengthen infrastructure in existing
Institutions and set up new institutions as per
necessity.

• 8. Encourage private entrepreneurs to set up
  laboratories, greenhouses and nurseries to
  propagate elite and disease free plants by using
  biotechnology tools.
• 9. Encourage the private sector to establish
  biotechnology related industries.

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10. Create conducive atmosphere for research,
development and commercialization of
biotechnology.

1. Devise a mechanism to set up one window system
   for the transport, import and export of
   biotechnology products.
2. Management of funds at national level to promote
   research and development of biotechnology.

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13. Establish linkages with ICGEB, FAO, WHO,
UNESCO, CGIAR, COBIOTECH and IPGRI.

• Establishment of venture capital, attractive tax
  incentives and financial assistance to qualified
  biotechnology companies.
• Grant of financial incentives to viable
  biotechnology programs.
• 16. Promotion of technology transfer from
  laboratory to land and laboratory to industrial
  production.

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17. Conservation and promotion of indigenous
biotechnology.

• Develop a national biosafety system to monitor
  and regulate genetically modified organisms.
• 19. Design of patent law and
• intellectual property rights.

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POSSIBLE ROLE OF BINASIA

• A SERIOUS CONSTRAINT
• LACK OF INFORMATION ON BIOTECHS
• NO INSTITUTION CAPABLE OF
• INFORMATION COLLECTION
• RETRIEVAL DISSEMINATION
• SO RELIES ON INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES FOR
  SPECIALIZED INFORMATION

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SOLUTION TO INFORMATION SHORTAGE

• to conduct a thorough literature search on the
  existing information, which should then be stored
  in the institutes having the capability to manage
  information and make it easily accessible to
  biotechnology researchers.
• OR
• to set up a biotechnology information centre and
  establish a computer link with institutions in
  the industrialized countries. However this
  depends on the willingness of the institutions in
  the North to share their biotechnological
  information with those in the South.

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PIVOTAL ROLE OF BINASIA

• BINASIA PORTAL
• OBJECTIVES
• ACTIVITIES
• R D COMPONENT
• PUBLICATIONS WITH FULL TEXT
• BIOTECH INDUSTRIES AND PRODUCTS
• DISCUSSION FORUM OF BINASIA
• MAILING LIST