Since decades conventional biotechnology has been in practice in all sectors of life sustaining processes and in value addition to food production and food products. Use of microbes or enzymes for producing value added products, down stream processing for the recovery of bioproducts, drug production and its synthesis with effective metabolites, production of vaccines and plant breeding techniques to improve crop traits are well set examples.

In the past decades the convergence of technologies with strong foundation of areas of research and advancement in Genomics, Proteomics, Molecular Biology, Computational Biotechnology (Bioinformatics) had set a road map for enabling technologies integrating genetic engineering, cell culture methods, hybridoma and immunological techniques with wide coverage of sectors in healthcare, disease management and control, alongwith agriculture, functional food and nutraceuticals. The major thrust in healthcare sector is on evolving technology and knowledge to usher earlier disease detection, supplemented with more targeted treatments as well as most important and adjunctive support through healthy nutrition.

The education and research-developing interface between life sciences and information technology strengthening interdisciplinary collaborations are the most emerging trends in the field of healthcare support systems. In the present scenario material sciences, knowledge based computational Biotechnology (Bio-informatics) and nanotechnology are emerging as a great support system enabling life changing breakthroughs in the healthcare industry.

Looking to the challenges ahead in the present scenario a strong research programme in the areas of Environmental Biotechnology, Agricultural Biotechnology, with greater emphasis in introducing stem cell research, biosensors in the health care sector having strong knowledge based integration with Nanobiotechnology are to be on higher priority.

Education, research and development as the support systems for advancement of knowledge and technology upgradation, are at higher priorities in our institution. Amity Institute of Biotechnology ( AMITY University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida) has been ranked one of the top Private institutions with most compatible status with IITs and universities of long standing at the national level. The institute offers graduate and post graduate programmes in various areas of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics with specialized Management courses-MBA (Biotechnology Management) and P. G. Diploma in Clinical Data Management.

Amity Institute of Biotechnology with its most novel programmes in teaching and research has althrough been looking to the most exciting developments in Biotechnology and its commercial application making a headway to contribute in India’s latest Biotechnology boom sector through research and education. NATURE (an international journal of science) in its special report published in 2007 volume 450 has made a mention that “Amity Institute of Biotechnology; Amity University has spacious laboratories and cutting edge equipments. These programmes have the money to attract qualified staff”.

The institution with its strong backup of the infrastructure, specialized laboratories and highly qualified faculties, presently 110 in strength provide cutting-edge knowledge to the students with exposure to varying trends in biotechnology industry. Students after graduation and post graduation have attained high positions and reputations in the institutions of higher learning and also in the corporate sectors devoted to Biotechnology interventions in product development processes.

Our students have earned the coveted Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship from University of ULSTER, North Ireland for doing their Ph. D in continuous two successive years 2005 and 2006 and occupied high positions in reputed institutions of Biotechnology in India and abroad as research scientists and teaching faculties. The institution presently runs eleven Government sponsored research projects in highly specialized area of Biotechnology. A continuous non-ending process of up gradation and development of programmes in tune with the global mandate to cover the wider spectrum of education and research in the area of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics are the main objectives of the institution.

Prof AK Srivastava