BRIGHT FUTURE: Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and IT Secretary M.N. Vidyashankar releasing `First Announcement' at a function to announce Bangalore Bio 2007, in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Bangalore is likely to get the ambitious Stem Cell Research Institute envisaged by the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India, with the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, having agreed in principle to grant 10 acres of land on its Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra campus here.

Information Technology and Biotechnology Secretary M.N. Vidyashankar disclosed this on the sidelines of a press briefing to announce Bangalore Bio 2007 to be held here in June. He said this is the first such initiative to be undertaken by the Government of India, and the Department of Biotechnology was keen on this location as it would be close to the National Centre for Biological Sciences campus.

Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said Bangalore Bio 2007 would witness the launch of the revamped biotech policy, an updated version of the maiden policy of 2002. The upcoming event would be on the theme " Think Big Think Biotechnology think Innovation and Think Growth." The main conference would focus on "accelerated industry growth through integrated innovation."

The event, which has already emerged the undisputed unique platform for bringing together national and international participants from biotechnology, pharmaceutical educational and financial sectors to interact, network and showcase innovations, would continue to retain its brand identity, Ms Mazumdar-Shaw said.

The much-awaited Bangalore Helix, the biotech park planned on a 106-acre campus in Electronics City here, is closer to becoming a reality, and it has been accorded Special Economic Zone status.

The Vision Group on Biotechnology, chaired by Ms. Mazumdar-Shaw has finalised plans to select a developer or a consortium to execute the Rs. 350-crore project that would be developed in two phases.

In the first phase, an area of 250,000 sq ft would be taken up.

The name of the developer who will be chosen from a group of 21 would be announced in the third week of April. The vision group will meet on February 28 to consider the proposals from these aspirants. The land would be leased to the developer for 35 years.

Phase I will be ready in 12 months from the date of awarding the contract, and the second phase, covering 450,000 sq ft, will be completed in 18 month after that. The first phase will become functional as soon as possible and two prestigious organisations — the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, and the Centre for Human Genetics will move to the new campus immediately. The cream of the biotech companies in the growing pharma and agri biotech sector will be invited to set up shop.

G. Padmanaban, former director of Indian Institute of Science, a member of the vision group, said two new additions to the forthcoming conference would be an attempt to showcase the R&D in biotechnology in Karnataka, and a session on intellectual property.

Mr. Vidyashankar said a new feature for this event would be the Biotech Trail for delegates who wish to see the best facilities in biotech on site.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu