Jawharalal Nehru Annual Rep-2009-10.Pmd
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ISSN.0973-9319 ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 JAWAHARLAL NEHRU CENTRE FOR ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (A Deemed to be University) Jakkur, Bangalore – 560 064. Website: http://www.jncasr.ac.in CONTENTS Page No The Centre 1. Foreword ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 2 3. Objectives .................................................................................................................................................... 3 4. Progress ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 5. Highlights of research and other activities .............................................................................................. 6 6. Activities Chart ............................................................................................................................................ 10 7. Organisation Chart ..................................................................................................................................... 11 The Organisation 1. Council of Management ............................................................................................................................ 12 2. Finance Committee .................................................................................................................................... 13 3. Academic Advisory Committee ................................................................................................................ 14 4. Faculties ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 5. Administration ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Units, Centres,Computer Laboratory, Library and Endowed Research Professors .............................................................................................................................. 17 Academic Programmes 1. Academic Activities ................................................................................................................................... 49 2. Discussion Meetings/Workshops .............................................................................................................. 50 3. Colloquia ..................................................................................................................................................... 51 4. Endowment Lectures ................................................................................................................................. 52 5. General Lecture .......................................................................................................................................... 52 6. Lectures delivered at the Annual Faculty Meeting .................................................................................. 52 7. Seminars ...................................................................................................................................................... 52 8. International Conferences/Workshops .................................................................................................... 55 Extension Activities 1. Summer Research Fellowship Programme ............................................................................................. 56 2. JNC-TWAS-ROCASA- Summer Research Fellowship Programme ...................................................... 56 3. Project Oriented Chemical Education Programme ................................................................................ 57 4. Project Oriented Biological Education Programme ...............................................................................57 5. Visiting Fellowships .................................................................................................................................... 57 6. National Science Day .................................................................................................................................. 58 Intellectual Property .............................................................................................................................................. 59 Research Programmes 1. Research Areas ........................................................................................................................................... 60 2. Research Facilities ...................................................................................................................................... 61 3. Sponsored Ongoing Research Projects ................................................................................................... 62 Publications 1. Research Publications of Units …………………… ............................................................................... 68 2. Research Publications of Honorary Faculty/ Endowed Professors ...................................................... 86 3. Books authored/edited by Faculty ........................................................................................................... 88 4. Books authored/edited by Honorary Faculty ........................................................................................ 88 Awards / Distinctions .............................................................................................................................................. 89 Financial Statements ............................................................................................................................................... 93 The Centre Foreword It is a matter of great pride to present the Twentieth Annual Report for the year 2009-2010. The Centre has been emerging as one of the leading institutions in the country for higher learning and research in frontier areas of science and engineering. The Centre has also been recognized as a Deemed University. This year significant progress has been made in all spheres of academic activities at the Centre. Beginning this academic year, an MS-Ph D in Chemistry and Biology has been launched to facilitate our POCE and POBE students in their pursuit of research degrees. We will also be starting an Integrated PhD programme in Biology from the next academic year. There is a steady increase in the number of research students at the Centre pursuing various academic programmes. After obtaining the status of Deemed University, 66 students have obtained Ph D Degrees; 21 students M S (Engg.), one student M S (by research) and 09 students M S (Int. Ph D) degrees. The academic, research, fellowship and extension programmes have been progressing as envisaged. The publication record is growing steadily. The faculty members have made significant scientific contributions. Prof C N R Rao, National Research Professor and Linus Pauling Research Professor has received the Queen’s Royal Medal. He has also been awarded the August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann medal for outstanding contributions in chemistry by the German Chemical Society. This is the highest international medal in chemistry and has been awarded to an Indian scientist for the first time. Previously, the medal had been awarded to Nobel laureates and other leaders in chemical research. Prof M R S Rao, President, JNCASR, has been awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India. Many of our faculty members have received recognitions like the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, National Bioscience Award, B M Birla Prize and Fellowships of the Science Academies. Based on the decision of the Council of Management, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister, and Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Union Minister for HRD were conferred with the “Honorary Fellowship” of the Centre. This has been a year of significant scientific discoveries made by our faculty and students; to name a few, Chemists at JNCASR have unveiled a new composite that claims to be harder and stronger than the strongest metal. The new material is a carbon-based polymer reinforced with graphene, and has been developed at the JNCASR after two years of intensive research. The material may be relevant to several commercial applications including building super capacitators, photo voltaic and carbon-based large transistors. A group from MBGU has identified the gene locus causing hot water epilepsy. Researchers from NIMHANS and JNCASR have discovered the gene locus (at chromosome 10q21.3-q22.3) responsible for causing hot water epilepsy is positioned. This is the first identification of a locus for this unusual neuro-behavioural disease. For the first time, researchers of MBGU have found a link between acetylation of the histone chaperone NPM1 and manifestation of oral cancer. There is a drastic enhancement in the level of acetylated NPM1 in malignant oral tissues and hence it might serve as a diagnostic marker for oral cancer progression and abnormal acetylation could be a potential therapeutic target. The Science Outreach Program has become an important academic component of the Centre. It is heartening to note that many school children and teachers get exposed to the excitement of Science through various programmes at the Centre. The C N R Hall of