About

IBT Hub of Gargaon College was established in the year 2013 with financial assistance by the DBT, Government of India under North Eastern Region – Biotechnology Programme Management Cell (vide letter BCIL/NER–BPMC/2013/1040 dated September 27, 2013). The Hub facilitates practical training and research activities not only for the students, researchers, and faculties of the college but also of other neighboring institutions.

Amount Sanctioned: Rs. 46, 42, 000/- (for 5 years, 2013 - 2018).

Objectives: The IBT Hub of Gargaon College was established focusing primarily on the field of Basic Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Cytogenetics, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology. The IBT Hub activities are planned in a way so that it facilitates:

1. The students of the Higher Secondary and High School to modern tools and techniques in biology.
2. The undergraduate students of Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry in theory, practical and project works.
3. Interaction with experts and resource persons in the field of Life Sciences, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, etc.
4. In bringing awareness to research in Life Sciences, Molecular biology, Bioinformatics, etc. among the students (Higher secondary students/UG) through the outreach progrmmes, hands on training, and workshops so that they can choose their career in different fields of biological sciences and biotechnology.

People

1. Coordinator : Dr. Dimbeshwar Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Botany
   09864387746, dimbeshwar@rediffmail.com
2. Co-Coordinator: Mrs. Joya Saikia Goswami, Associate Professor, Department of Botany
   09435156050, saikiajoya2017@gmail.com
3. Junior Research Fellow (JRF)
   1. Mr. Kangkan Kr. Das : December 4, 2013 – October 31, 2014
   2. Mr. Janardan Boruah : November 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015
   3. Mr. Romesh Hatimuriya: October 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016
   4. Mrs. Ajanta Baruah Das : August 1, 2016 – September 30, 2018
4. Laboratory Assistant
   1. Mr. Romesh Hatimuriya : June 1, 2015 – September 30, 2015
   2. Mr. Luhit Raidongia : September 1, 2015 – September 30, 2018

Major Equipment and Accessories present in the IBT Hub

1. PCR- Gradient Thermocycler (Agilent Technology, 96 x 0.2 ml)
2. Gel Documentation (Merck Bioscience)
3. Deep Freezer (- 4⁰C, Cell Frost)
4. Deep Freezer (-20 4⁰C, Blue Star)
5. Centrifuge 16000 rpm ( CM 12 Remi)
6. Bench Top Centrifuge 6000 rpm (RM 02; Remi)
7. UV – Visible Spectrophotometer (190 – 1100 nm; Elico SL – 159)
8. Gel Electrophoresis Midi Sub System (Merck Bioscience)
9. Gel Electrophoresis Vertical Dual Mini with Power Supply (Merck Bioscience),
10. Trinocular Research Microscope (Olympus CH20i BIMF) with Digital Camera & Adaptor (Olympus, VG 160)
11. Vortex Shaker (Ikon, IK 173)
12. Magnetic Stirrer Cum Hot Plate (Ikon, IK 160)
13. Water Bath (Insif, H376)
14. Double Distillation Apparatus (Insif C467)
15. GPS (Garmin, Etrex – 30)
16. Autoclave (Portable, Insif H325)
17. Trinocular Stereo Zoom Microscope (Insif, B37) with CCD camera (5.0 megapixel, Insif B56)
18. pH Meter (Elico, LI 614)
19. Microprocessor based Colorimeters (Elico, CL 0223)
20. Kejaldahl Digestion and Distillation Unit (3 well, Insif H351)
21. Micropipette (0.5 – 10; 20 – 200 & 100 – 1000 µl, Pfect BTMP10E/100E/1000E)
22. Digital Colony Counter (Labotech)
23. Binocular (prismatic, 50m – 1000 m Nikon),
24. Refrigerator (Godrej 190 L)
25. Samsung Microwave Oven 20 L
26. AC 1.5 Ton with Stabilizer and Stand (LSA5PW5M; LG),
27. Online UPS (with SMF Battery, Rack and Cable HR10 KVA & HR15 KVA; Better Power)
28. Desktop; Laptop; Printer, UPS and other Accessories (HP Desktop PC 110-0161; HP LaserJet M1005 MFP & Acer X45C-VXO13D)

Hands on training programmes organized

1. Biochemical Separation Techniques for 5 days from 8 – 12, March 2016 (Participants: 15).
2. Biochemical Separation Technique for Undergraduate Students for 3 days from April 3 – 5, 2017 (Participants: 24).
3. Handling of Microscopes for School Students for 1 day on February 17, 2018 (Participants: 40).
4. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Technique & Applications for Undergraduate Students for 2 days from March 16 – 17, 2018 (Participants: 50).

Workshop/ seminars/ awareness programmes/ Invited talks conducted

1. Workshop on Basic Tools & Techniques in Molecular Biology for Undergraduate Students for 2 Days from Oct. 21- 22; 2014 (Participants: 26).
2. Orientation Programme on Establishment of Biotech Labs in Senior Secondary Schools (BLISS), Assam for the Principal and Coordinators of BLISS on October 13, 2015 (Participants: 29).
3. Orientation Programme on Modern Laboratory Tools and Techniques for High School Teachers for 5 Days from September, 22 – 27. 2016 (Participants: 40).
4. Invited talk on Role of Sericulture in Entrepreneurship Development among Youths for Undergraduates Students on February 18, 2017 (Participants: 150).
5. Workshop on SPSS for Undergraduate Students for 3 Days from March, 29 – 31; 2017 (Participants: 30).
6. Awareness Programme on Superstitious (Street Play in collaboration with Assam Science Society and Zenith Youth Club) on June 30, 2017 (Participants: 150).
7. Workshop on Bioinformatics for Undergraduate Students for 6 days from February 5 – 10, 2018 (Participants: 50).       
8. Invited talk on Entrepreneurship in Biotechnology for Undergraduate Students on March 7, 2018 (Participants: 30).
9. Workshop on Herbarium Technique for School Students for 2 days, March 13 -14, 2018 (Participants: 30).

Outreach programmes conducted

1. Uses and conservation of Medicinal plants of Sivasagar District at Sankardev Vidya Niketan, Nazira on August 25, 2015 (Participants: 60).
2. Climate Change at Nazira Higher Secondary & M.P. School, Nazira on August 29, 2015 (Participants: 29).
3. Scope and Application of Biotechnology at Tribeni High School, Achalabari, Geleky on September 17, 2015 (Participants: 86).
4. Pollution and its impact on the Environment at Hanhchara Girls’ High School on September 19, 2015 (Participants: 20).
5. Wild edible fruits of Sivasagar District at Simaluguri High School on September 26, 2015 (Participants: 90).
6. Chemistry behind the Magic at Bidya Mandir Dimual, Sivasagar on September 29, 2015 (Participants: 68).
7. Wild medicinal plants of Sivasagar District at Bortala Higher Secondary School Nazira on October 10, 2015 (Participants: 50).
8. Scope and Application of Biotechnology at Simaluguri High School on December 26, 2015 (Participants: 20).
9. Drug Abuse at Simaluguri High School on September 9, 2016 (Participants: 60).
10. Role of Tissue Culture in Crop Improvement at Nazira Higher Secondary & M.P. School, Nazira on April 22, 2017 (Participants: 20).

Important Day Celebrated

1. World Environment Day on June 5, 2017 at Nazira Bortala Higher Secondary School.
2. National Technology Day on May 11, 2017 at Bidya Mandir Dimual, Sivasagar.
3. National Science Day on February 28, 2018 at Gargaon College.
4. National Science Day on February 28, 2019 at Gargaon College.

Paper published in national/international journals with the support of IBT Hub

1. Das, D.; Das, K. K. and Neog, B. (2014): Diversity of Aroids (Araceae) in Nazira Sub - Division, Sivasagar (Assam), Indian J. of Plant Sciences 3 (2) April - June, pp. 35-41, ISSN: 2319–3824
2. Bora, D., Kalita, J., Das, D., and Nath, S. C. 2016: Credibility of Folklore Claims on the Treatment of Malaria in North-East India with Special Reference to Corroboration of their Biological Activities. Journal of Natural Remedies 16 (1) January pp. 7 – 17, Online ISSN: 2320-3358
3. Bora, D., Mehmud, S., Das, K. K., Bharali, B. K. Das, D., Neog, B., Hatumriya, R. and Raidongia, L. 2016: Credibility of medico-ethnobotanical uses of members of Aroid family in Assam (India). International Journal of Herbal Medicine 2016; 4(3): 09-14, E-ISSN: 2321-2187 & P-ISSN: 2394-0514
4. Das, D., Kar, A., Nath, D., Das, A. B., Hatimuriya, R., Raidongia, L. and Boruah, J. 2016. Diversity and Uses of Solanaceae Species in Sivasagar District, Assam Pleione 10(2): 226 – 238 ISSN: 0973-9467.
5. Das, D., Neog, B., Dutta, S., Raidongia, L., Das, A. B., and Hatimuriya, R., 2020 Karyomorphological analysis of some edible aroids of Upper Brahmaputra Valley of Assam J. Cytol. Genet. Vol. 21 (NS): 27─39 ISSN: 0253 – 7605 (UGC Care Listed Journal).

Book Chapters Published

1. Boruah, J., Das, D. and Das, A. B. 2016. Ethno-medicinal Plants of Sutiya Tribe of Sivasagar District, Assam. In North-East India Biodiversity – A Glimpse. Bairagee, A.; Kalita, G.; Sarmah, S.K.; Kakati, D. and Baruah, P. (Eds.). Department of Zoology, Guwahati College. Pp 16 – 32. ISBN 978-81-202-8823-8.

Students Project Completed using biotech hub facilities: 16

Number of students trained by biotech hub since its inception: 576

Major achievements of the biotech hub since its inception

1. An infrastructural facility for Basic Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Cyotogenetics, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology laboratory has been established.
2. The undergraduate students of the Department of Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry are being supported by the Hub in theory as well as in practical as per the syllabus of the Dibrugarh University.
3. Students of the Department of Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry of the College and Department of Chemistry, Sibsagar Girls’ College are doing their project works.
4. Students of the nearby schools are also supported by the Biotech Hub for doing their National Children Science Congress, related project work. Kashyap Gogoi and Bastab Hazarika students of Baulimaidam High School has done NCSC project in the IBT Hub and has been selected for the National Level in 2018.
5. Students are utilizing the library facilities of the Biotech Hub.
6. Students from the nearby Institute avail the facilities of the biotech hub to complete their project work.
7. 5 Research Papers and 1 Book Chapter have been published to date.
8. 120 Undergraduate students have completed their project work till date.
9. 1 Ph. D. scholar has utilized the facilities for his research work.
10. Students visited the Orchid Park at Kaziranga (2017); NEIST, Jorhat (2016), and Entrepreneurs engaged in mushroom cultivation (2016).
11. Mentoring two senior secondary schools of the Sivasagar district which has been selected for BLISS, NER by DBT, Govt. of India in April 2015:
    1. Bortala Higher Secondary School, Nazira
    2. Nazira Higher Secondary & M.P. School
12. Students of the college are aspiring for PG Courses in Life Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Botany, Zoology, Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics in the different Universities of North East India. To date 25 students from our college have got admitted to PG Courses in Dibrugarh University (in Life Sciences and Bioinformatics); Assam University Diphu Campus, Assam University, Silchar (in Life Sciences); Tezpur University (in Environmental Sciences); Mizoram University, Aizwal (in Botany and Biotechnology) and Sikkim University (in Botany).
13. 12 Bamboo species, 70 varieties of Rice, 30 species of Orchids, 40 species of timber yielding plants, about 250 species of plant, 100 medicinal plants, 5 edible fungi, 57 bird species, 50 butterflies, and 10 fossil specimens (both plant and animal) have been documented from the Sivasagar district, other parts of Assam and North East India till date.
14. NAAC Peer Team has appreciated the facilities of the Biotech Hub.
15. Collaboration with Institutional Level Biotech Hub, Sibsagar College, Joysagar and Institutional Level Biotech Hub, Sibsagar Girls’ College, Sivasagar in sharing of knowledge through training & lectures among students.

Future action plan of the biotech hub

1. To conduct outreach programs.
2. To conduct workshops for the teachers and students of colleges  as well as higher secondary level.
3. To provide hands-on training to the teachers and students of college, higher secondary, and school levels.
4. To provide support and assistance to the researchers working in the relevant areas of Life Sciences.
5. To open Certificate programme on Mushroom Cultivation in collaboration with KVK Sivasagar
6. To make a database of the biodiversity of Sivasagar District.
7. To prepare a museum of flora and fauna of Sivasagar District.

To provide quality education by infusing a new spirit among the learners is the prime objective of the college. It will be our endeavor to march ahead with this motto and pursue knowledge in a fruitful way.