news bytes
DBT to popularize
Prakash Labs’s
‘Foldscope’ as
a research tool
in India
The Department of
Biotechnology (DBT),
Ministry of Science and
Technology, Government
of India in partnership
with Foldscope
Instruments Inc. and
PrakashLab (Stanford),
have invited applications
under this request for
proposals from teachers,
scientists and community
members across India for
the use of foldscope as
an educational, training
or research tool.
Selected applicants
will be awarded with
Foldscope and a small
grant, and preference will
be given to government
schools and colleges in
resource constrained
environments. The
selected applicants will
be twinned with the
North East region of
India for exchange of idea
and students under the
programme. All proposed
acitivities of the successful
proposals will be mirrored
in a school/college of
the North East; likewise
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BioVoiceNews | April 2017
all successful proposals
from NE will mirror
activities in school/
colleges from rest of India.
The North East of India
is a global biodiversity
hotspot. In order to
connect the NE and
understand the value
of its rich biodiversity,
ecology and environment
as vital for the life of our
planet, all successful
projects, from the NE
states and from states
from rest of India will be
twinned by the North-East
Region_ Biotechnology
Programme management
Cell (NER-BPMC) DBT.
The school/college
twinning will also
have a long term
social impact towards
sharing of a national
and global purpose in
environmental, ecological,
social and scientific
matters. With such
twinning, Indian youth
can lead in sustainable
development of our planet
and in eco-science.
In order to connect the NE
and understand the value
of its rich biodiversity,
ecology and environment
as vital for the life of our
planet, all successful
projects, from the NE
states and from states
from rest of India will be
twinned by the North-East
Region_ Biotechnology
Programme management
Cell (NER-BPMC) DBT.
The Foldscope is an
ultra-affordable paper
microscope inspired by
origami. The instrument’s
optical quality, durability
in the field, price, and
versatility make it a
powerful scientific tool.
Foldscopes are especially
useful where larger,
expensive instruments
are impractical due to
cost, size, complexity
and availability to the
community. Especially
when combined with
the power of cellphones
to record images and
video, Foldscope
provides an incredible
scientific tool for
citizens and researchers
around the world.
Govt added over
4000 medical PG
seats for 2017-
18: J P Nadda
Mr J P Nadda, Union
Minister of Health and
Family Welfare has stated