Message from the Chairman
Welcome to the website of Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jagannath University. It is an immense pleasure to greet prospective students, current students, and visitors, as we immerse in the vast world of biotechnology. Studying Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology means our mission is to lead in understanding life, from molecules to cells, and organisms to ecosystems. Pursuing a University degree in this state-of-the-art subject leading the science, research and industry in the world is a great decision to make, especially in the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jagannath University.
Our curriculum, coursework and laboratory offerings make our department prodigious. The faculty, consisting of bright minds from all over the country is committed to excel in education and research. We are proud of the outstanding students and staff who make this possible. The collaborative nature of the department contributes to the enriched education and research environment of GEB, since its establishment in the year 2016.
In an effort to mentor young scientists to lead our country, the department offers Undergraduate program and a MSc Graduate program which is about to start. We show unparalleled dedication to meeting academic deadlines, hence ensuring no session jams. We are equipped with four excellent labs: Practical Laboratory, Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Bioinformatics Laboratory and Molecular Biology Laboratory where we provide careful hands-on training to each and every budding scientist who enroll in our department. There are – research projects which encourage an inquisitive mind as well as inter-disciplinary research and the participation of students. Here, we reach the golden standard of educating young minds in this science of twenty first century: Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.
Most importantly, we engage and embrace a community of students, scholars and educators who are and will be the scientists of our country. Our undergraduate education nurtures our students’ eagerness to explore the natural world by presenting them with syllabi that comprises the most up to date knowledge of the miniscule micro-world to the gigantic macro-world. The syllabus ranges across animal biotechnology, plant biotechnology, bacteriology, virology, biochemistry, cell biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, molecular biology, physiology, and many more. Additionally, our syllabus promotes critical thinking, problem solving and reasoning skills: which are crucial for a University graduate to make them active contributors in scientific discovery. Graduate training is entrenched in innovative, high-impact research but includes proficient growth to open up careers, in various job sectors: industries like that of Biotechnology, Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals etc, as well as Government and Non-government Scientific Organizations, Advanced jobs in the Healthcare and the Education sector.
The journey to develop a career and therefore studying the discipline of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology is a fascinating one. It encompasses the combination of biology and technology, seemingly two opposite fields, with professionals using living organisms and the principles of biology to develop products and solve problems. The sky of Biotechnology includes the colors of main areas of biotechnology: white (industrial), green (agricultural), blue (marine and fresh-water), red (pharmaceutical and medicinal), brown (desert biotechnology), purple (patents and inventions). It is a great journey to embark upon, and by being a graduate of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, you can face the challenges of today's world that continue to pose problems for us in the future. Aside from benefiting society, a biotechnology major can be personally advantageous. You'll learn transferable skills: not only laboratory and quantitative skills but also skills in communication, entrepreneurship and on the other hand, study thought-provoking problems and come up with the most effective and unique solution in fields of medicine, agriculture, energy, environment, industry, and even the technology and electronics industry.
In Bangladesh, Biotechnology is gearing up. The root of biotechnology in Bangladesh was agricultural biotechnology but nowadays, Bangladesh is on the verge of adopting genetically modified (GM) crops for commercial cultivation and consumption as feed and food. Many laboratories are engaged in tissue culture and molecular characterization of plants, whereas some have started GM research despite shortage of trained manpower, infrastructure, and funding. Nutritionally improved Golden Rice, Bt brinjal, and late blight resistant potato are in contained trial in glasshouses while papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) resistant papaya is under approval process for field trial. During the covid pandemic, pharmaceuticals have even opted for production of vaccines and are already producing many biotech products in our country. In this race, GEB JnU is not lagging behind. We are researching on human disease, bioremediation, biofuel production, biopharmaceuticals, bio-nanoparticles, antimicrobials and emerging pathogens, and thus can make a full-on impact in the country’s biotechnology scene, covering a wide range of sectors.
Last but not the least, we welcome you to browse through to discover the breadth and depth of our educational motives, interests and the research opportunities in our lab, and embark on the journey of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology: the science of the twenty first century.
Best Wishes,
Professor Dilara Islam Sharif, PhD
Chairman
Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100