Ten-day Internship (Online) on Molecular and Analytical Techniques for Plant Sciences (MATPS – 22)
New Delhi: The first national level Ten Day internship (online) on Molecular and Analytical Techniques for Plant Sciences (MATPS – 22) was jointly organized by The Department of Biotechnology, School of Agriculture and Biosciences, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (KITS), Coimbatore, and Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Kerala in association with Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam was inaugurated on 24th January, 2022. The objective of this internship was to foster the academic and research potentials emphasizing on molecular and analytical techniques focussing on plant sciences and it was well received by more than 75 participants across the country. In his welcome address, Dr. Binoy T Thomas, Head, Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta formally welcomed the panellist from the organizing institutes and also the delegates across the country. Prof (Dr). Sabu Thomas, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam accepted the invite with great heart and inaugurated the internship program by sharing his knowledge and experience he gained while he was a student and the progression he made till date. This motivated the student and other participants to be keen on their aim to achieve in their academics and research. He was also pleased to share the availability of various chromatographic and spectroscopic instruments for the plant biologists to use them very effectively for their research and career enhancements. This was followed by Dr. Sajan Kurian, Dean School of Agriculture and Biosciences, KITS, Coimbatore, during his key note address, he shared the academic and practical evolution in the biosciences field with great astonishment and encouraged all the participants to explore and update the transitions in the science world. He also briefed how the quantitative and accurate measurement of compounds have gradually came down to nano and pictograms from kilograms respectively for which analytical techniques play a pivotal role. Dr Philipose Omman, Principal, Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta in his opening remarks highlighted the events and activities conducted for both faculty and student members during the pandemic time. Dr.Jibu Thomas, Professor and Head, Department of Biotechnology, KITS, introduced about the course module and he briefly spoke on modules and plans for the internships and encouraged the participants to progress in ceaseless learning in the pandemic time. The internship was organized by the coordinator (s) Dr.S. Murugan, Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology, KITS and Dr Nisha Joseph, Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta.