1 Genome sequencing key to keep check on potent virus variants: CCMB Director CSIR-CCMB 05th March, 2021 CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) are among the 10 scientific institutions across the country, chosen by the Central government, for genome sequencing of COVID samples secured from passengers at airports of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Karnataka, to monitor for new dangerous mutations coming to the country like the latest Brazilian strain. “We have managed the situation well so far and of the 6,000 samples genome sequenced, we have found more than 7,000 variants of the virus but none of them are cause for any alarm. However, it does not mean a more dangerous mutated virus strain cannot arise as the virus keeps mutating, so we have to be on constant lookout,” said CCMB Director Rakesh Mishra on Thursday. “We have made a start and hopefully, within the next few days, we will get work done more efficiently to ensure not a single variant escapes our notice even from remote corners of any panchayat. This is the only way of controlling any further spread of the new variants so that the particular area can be cordoned off with testing and tracing so keep it under control,” he explained. Since the number of reinfections have been minimal thus far, it is a clear indication of the body’s immune system working towards the infection. And, both the vaccines available in the Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 2 country have shown to be protective towards the UK and South Africa variants while the Brazilian variant is being investigated, he said. With regard to the relatively low mortality rate and lesser hospitalisations across the country, compared to the western world, Dr. Mishra said the jury is still out on the reasons and research is going on various fronts on this ‘mystery’. “Earlier, we thought it is our genetic base that has been saving us but the South Asian population in United Kingdom have not been spared. Therefore, it could be something else like may be our environment or our hygiene levels or may be a lesser virus strain similar to COVID-19 may have infected us before making our bodies more resilient,” he observed. The scientific institutions, including CSIR and ICMR, are continuously tracking the infection rate and the virus transmission across the population with multiple research studies using latest technology. “Still, it is amazing we have vaccines in less than a year that I thought was not possible till a few months ago because of technological advances,” he added. Published in: The hindu Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 3 CSIR-CMERI 5th March, 2021 Published in: Atulya Hindustan Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 4 CSIR-CMERI 5th March, 2021 Published in: Dhabkar Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 5 Dr. Harsh Vardhan Launches “CSIR Floriculture Mission” CSIR 04th March, 2021 New Delhi: Dr Harsh Vardhan today exhorted scientists of CSIR laboratories across the country to develop the land available at each laboratory to be set up as a model under the “CSIR Floriculture Mission”. Recently, CSIR Floriculture Mission has been approved for implementation in 21 States and Union Territories of India wherein available knowledgebase in CSIR Institutes will be utilized and leveraged to help Indian farmers and industry re-position itself to meet the import requirements. The Minister was addressing the gathering at the launch of “CSIR Floriculture Mission” through virtual mode in New Delhi today. This Mission is being implemented in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Directorate of Floriculture; Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC); Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce; Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED); Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Universities. Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, “Farmers have little knowledge about floriculture which can give 5 times more return than the traditional crops. Floriculture has the potential to provide employment to a large number of people through nursery raising, floriculture farming, entrepreneurship development for nursery trade, value addition and export”. The Minister pointed out, “Despite the fact that India has diverse agro-climatic and edaphic conditions, and Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 6 rich plant diversity, it shares only 0.6 % of global floriculture market. At least 1200 million USD worth of floriculture products are being imported by India every year from different countries”. Dr. Harsh Vardhan highlighted,“Since 1953, CSIR has been developing new floral varieties and several value addition technologies. Through Floriculture Mission of CSIR, agro- technologies, new varieties and value addition technologies available with the CSIR institutions, efforts are being made to take these to farmers and entrepreneurs, and help them in multiplying their income”. “Market linkage and trade issues will be solved with partnership of APEDA, state horticulture departments and TRIFED”, he added. The convergence of Floriculture with Apiculture as envisaged in the mission will yield even greater benefits. The CSIR Floriculture Mission is expected to create opportunity for entrepreneurship development in floriculture . Infusion of latest technologies in the field of floriculture can be successfully led by CSIR. The mission will focus on commercial floral crops, seasonal/annual crops, wild ornaments and cultivation of flower crops for honey bee rearing. Some of the popular crops include Gladiolus, Canna, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Gerbera, Lilium, Marigold, Rose, Tuberose etc. The Indian floriculture market was worth Rs 15700 cr in 2018. The marketis projected to reach Rs47200 cr by 2024 during 2019-24. Dr. Harsh Vardhan also launched CSIR’s Societal Portal along with the Android App.This portal has been developed by CSIR Team with the help of MyGov Team. The Portal is to facilitate the public to submit the societal problems that can be resolved using S&T interventions. This is the first step in terms of seeking inputs on challenges and problems being faced by different stake holders in society. The Minister asked the scientists to make it more people centric, solution science portal, accessible to all. Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that this portal should be the most-sought-after portal for people to express their problems and seek scientific solution to them. nterprises (MSME) and Universities joined the event online. Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 7 Shekhar C. Mande, DG-CSIR and Secretary DSIR; Dr.TrilochanMohapatra, Secretary DARE, and DG, ICAR;Prof. S. K.Barik, Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow;Dr.Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head, TMD-SeMI, CSIR; were present on the occasion while scientists and officials from various laboratories of CSIR, representatives and officials from KVIC, ICAR-Directorate of Floriculture; APEDA, Ministry of Commerce; TRIFED; FFDC, Kannauj, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Universities joined the event online. Published in: Indiaeducationdiary Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 8 Here's what India's scientists achieved in 2020 CSIR-NCL 04th March, 2021 Hydrogen fuel cell car trials successful In October 2020, the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune and the multinational company, KPIT Technologies Limited, carried out the first successful trials of a new kind of car that could revolutionise the future of automation in India — a car powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The cell is a low temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) that operates at 65 to 75 degree centigrade. The prototype car incorporated a 10 kWe automotive grade LT-Proton exchange membrane fuel cell which operates within the temperature framework. Researchers said that the battery can be used in mainstream automotive operations. At the heart of the PEM fuel cell technology is an membrane electrode assembly, which is a proprietary development of CSIR-NCL. KPIT’s contribution was system integration, control software and an electric powertrain to help run the prototype vehicle. The trials showed that the car could run for approximately 250 km under typical Indian road conditions at speeds of 60 to 65 kmph. Bricks for lunar habitation The cost of sending a single pound of material into outer space comes to about Rs 7.5 lakh. How then, can future space explorers afford to build structures on the moon? By making bricks on-site on the lunar surface, say Bengaluru-based researchers who have found a Produced by Science Communication and Dissemination Directorate, (SCDD), CSIR, Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi 9 sustainable method to create such blocks from moon soil. The research team, made up of scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), found a way to use urea — which can be sourced from human urine. It exploits lunar soil, and uses