Department of Biophysics

Panjab University, Chandigarh

 Profile of the Biophysics
Departments

YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT 1964

COURSE OFFERED B.SC. (HONS. SCHOOL) IN
BIOPHYSICS
M.SC. (HONS. SCHOOL) IN
BIOPHYSICS
Ph.D.
NUMBER OF TEACHING 12 + 2 PROF. EMERITUS
POSTS
NUMBER OF
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF 3
NUMBER OF TECHNICAL 6
STAFF
NUMBER OF STUDENTS B.SC (H.S): 70 + 5 SC/ST
 Profile of Faculty
Name and Major Areas of Research Experien Ph.D
Designation of ce (yrs) students
Faculty enrolled
1 Prof. D.K. Dhawan Nuclear Medicine/ Radio pharmaceutics 30 8
(Chairperson) development, Colon Cancer

2 Prof M.L. Garg Molecular Biophysics/Biomedical 27 6

instrumentation

3 Prof. A.Koul Chemical carcinogenesis and phytomedicine 20 6

4 Asst. Prof. S.N. Kaur Reproduction and Gene expression studies 8 -

5 Asst. Prof. Avneet Computational Biology 5 1

Saini
6 Asst. Prof. Tanzeer Proteomics 4 4
Kaur
7 Asst. Prof. Pavitra Molecular Biology 5 1
Ranawat
 Profile of Faculty
Name and Major Areas of Research Experien Ph.D
Designation of ce (yrs) studen
Faculty ts
enrolle
d
8 Asst. Prof. Simran Preet Antimicrobial anti cancer peptides 2 1

9 Asst. Prof. Naveen Kaushal Molecular Immunology 8

10 Asst. Prof. Neha Singla Neuro-biophysics 2

11 Prof S.N Sanyal( Re- Membrane Biophysics, carcinogenesis 7 2

employed and apoptosis

12 Prof. B. Nehru (Re-employed) Neurobiology, Neurotoxicology 4 7

13 Prof. F.S. Nandel (Emeritus Biomolecular modeling & simulation of 2

scientist) bioactive peptides and peptoids

14 Prof. M.P Bansal( Emeritus Molecular Biology/Gene expression in 2

Scientist) reproduction and tumorigenesis
Curricular Aspects
 Curricular Aspects

Semester  Thesis work in

System M.Sc.
Second year
Equal thrust on theory
 Pre-Ph.D. course work
and practical

 Subsidiary courses  Courses comply with

UGC-NET syllabus
 Syllabus
B.Sc (H.S) M.Sc (H.S)

Tissue processing and microscopy, Cell and membrane biophysics, Gene and protein
Biophysical aspects eng., Biomolecular spectroscopy and
crystallography, Medical physics and
instrumentation, Bioinformatics and its
applications
Physiology, Anatomy, Biophysical Advanced topics in Biophysics, Comprehension of
chemistry, Physicochemical techniques NET-syllabus for life sciences, Pre thesis seminar
Cytology, Molecular Biology, Molecular
Biophysics Neurobiophysics, Radiation
biophysics, Biomedical Instrumentation
and electron microscopy,
Subsidiary courses
Botany, Biochemistry, Microbiology Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics

Courses are updated at regular intervals, taking into consideration latest development in the
field. Syllabus is in line of syllabi undertaken by institutes of international fame and text
books prescribed are the one’s followed internationally.
Teaching –Learning and
Evaluation
 Teaching: Learning

Learning
3hrs/week- theory for each course
 3hrs/week- practical for each course
To imbibe soft skills:
 Presentation
 journal club
 Demonstration of sophisticated instruments (NMR,
electron microscope, MRI in Central Instrument lab,
PGIMER and IMTECH)
Educational tours are organized every year for students
Attend summer training at other reputed institutes
 Teaching –Evaluation

Theory Evaluation
20% marks for internal assessment (basis of mid-term
examination, assignments)
80% marks for end semester examination

Practical Evaluation
20% internal assessment (regular practical performance and
viva)
80% marks for end semester examination

Masters Thesis evaluation

Presentation in Journal club
Performance at Thesis evaluation/viva from an external
examiner
Research , Consultancy &
Extension
 Research Grants
Departmental Grants
Funding agency Duration Amount (Rs.)
1 Department of Science & Technology-Fund Till May 2015 Rs.63 lakhs
for Infrastructural Development (DST-FIST)
2 UGC-SAP DRS II Status 2009-2014 Rs. 75 lakhs
3 UGC-SAP DSA-1 Status 2015-2020 Rs. 127.5 lakhs
4 DST-Purse 2009-2014 Rs. 34 lakhs

Grants for research projects by faculty members

Funding agency Duration Amount (Rs.)
1 University Grant Commision (UGC) 2009-2014 133.03 lakhs
2 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 2009-2014 90.25 lakhs
3 Department of Science and Technology (DST) 2009-2014 67.62 lakhs
4 Department of Biotechnology (DBT) 2009-2014 61.90 lakhs
5 Others 2009-2014 2 lakhs
 Research Grants
Grants for research fellows
Funding agency Duration Amount (Rs.)
1 University Grant Commission (UGC) 2009-2014 93.9 lakhs
2 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 2009-2014 86.59 lakhs
3 Department of Science and Technology (DST) 2009-2014 38.1 lakhs
4 Others 2009-2014 3.84 lakhs

Total research grants in

last five years: Rs. 8.76
Crore
 Publications and
patents
Publications
No. of publications in last List of some high impact factor Impact factors
Five years Journals where articles are published

2009-10:- 44 Molecular Neurobiology 5.7

2010-11:- 45 Biomacromolecules 5.7
2011-12:- 43 Cellular and Molecular Biology 5.03
2012-13:- 31 Metallomics 4.0
2013-14:- 42 Biophyica Biochemica Acta 3.82
Molecular carcinogenesis 3.2
Total: 205 J Chem Phys 3.5
Neuroscience 3.4
Chemico Biological Interactions 3.09
Neurotoxicology 3.01
Neurotoxicity Research 3.15
 Publications and
Details
patents
Patents
Year of Filed by
application
99m
Tc labeled albumin/ Cisplatin 2006 Prof. D.K. Dhawan and
radiopharmaceutical for the DST (Govt. of India)
early detection of cancer
TC-albumin//MAA-doxorubacin for
99m Prof. D.K. Dhawan
early detection of cancer
Improved gel electrophoresis apparatus 2011 Dr. Tanzeer Kaur
and its method of use thereof.
Anti-leukemic property of nutrient- 2011 Dr. Naveen Kaushal
derived metabolites
Stability, bioavailability and drug 2013 Dr. Naveen Kaushal
hypersensitivity of the omega-3 derived
anti-leukemic prostaglandin: Delta 12-
prostaglandin J3
 Books Published
No. of Single author books 2010- No. of book chapters 2010-
2011 2011
3 8

Single author books 2010-2011

1. Animal Lectins: Form, Structure and Functions (Vol I & II)
(Publisher: Springer), ISBN: 978-3-7091-1064-5, 2012
by Prof. G.S Gupta
2. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: Basic Experimental Protocols
(Publisher: TERI), ISBN8179933792, 2013
by Prof. M.P Bansal
3. Oxidative Stress Mechanisms and their ModulationAuthors
(Publisher Springer India), ISBN8132220315, 9788132220312, 2014
by Prof. M.P. Bansal, Dr. Naveen
Kaushal
 Collaborations:National
&International
National institutes International
institutes
1 Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Baylor Medical centre, Dallas, USA
Allied Sciences (INMAS) New Delhi
2 IMTECH, Chandigarh University of Manitoba, Canada
3 PGIMER, Chandigarh Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, USA
4 CSIO, Chandigarh University College of London
5 Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi University of Waterloo, Canada
6 Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of Stony Brooke university, New York, USA
India, Mumbai,
7 Central University Hydrabad MD Anderson medical centre, Huston,
USA
8 Agriculture university, Palampur,
9 Institute of Physics, Bhubaneshwar
10 AIMS, New Delhi
 SEMINARS/CONFERENCE/SYMPOSIA: (Organized by
the Department)

 International Symposium on ‘Recent Advances

in Biophysics’ November 3-5, 2014
 Alumni meet to commemorate 50th Anniversary of
the Dept. from November 3-5, 2014
 National Seminar on “Recent Trends in Cancer
Research” March 18th, 2013
 32nd Annual Conference of Indian Association
of Biomedical Scientists , Nov. 11-13, 2011
 National Seminar on Molecular pathogenesis of
neurodegenerative disorders, 22nd February,
2011
 Chandigarh Science Congress-Basic Medical
Sciences Section, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013,
2014
 Infrastructure-
Learning Resources
 Infrastructure-Learning
Infrastructure Resources
No. Details
Research Laboratory 7 Equipped with all minor instruments
Animal cell culture 2 Equipped with CO2 incubator, inverted microscope, laminar
laboratory air flow
Animal House 1 Fully Air-conditioned rooms with appropriate ventilation to
house laboratory animals
Behavioral laboratory 1 Actophotometer, Active passive avoidance, rota-rod, Morris
water maze, Plus maze, radial maze
Central Instrument room 1 Atomic absorption, UV-Vis, Fluorescence spectrophotometer,
Ultracentrifuge, Fluoresce microscope, Gel-Doc, X ray
machine
Radiation laboratory 1 Liquid Scintillation Counter , GM counters
Computational laboratory 1 2 work stations, 15 desktops, software's for bioinformatics
Teaching laboratory 3 Molecular biophysics lab, Cell biology lab, molecular biology
lab
Lecture halls 3 Seating capacity of 70-80 students, projector
Seminar hall 1 Seating capacity of 100
Library 1 2300 books; 29 journals subscription
Student support
and progression
 Placement cell

Working Placement cell in liaison with University

 Guidance about various fellowships (national and international)

 Students Preparation for UGC-NET examination

Arrange students meeting with alumni of the department for job

prospects
 Carrier
National
opportunities
Academics (more than 40 countries)
International
Medical colleges/Insitution University of Otago, Newzealand
Faculty position at national universities Tubingen University, Max Plank Institute of
(BHU, JNU,PU) Biophysics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection
Research, Braunschweig, Germany
Faculty at national Medical institutes Groningen University, Groningen, Netherlands
(PGIMER)
National Institute of Sports (Patiala and Portland State University, Portland, Texas, Stanford
Banglore) University, Stanford, and NINDS/NIH Bethesda,
Baylor University medical centre, Texas, USA

In Industry
National International
Sigma operation Head Elsevier (Scientific editing), USA
BIOCON (R & D) Patent Registrar in USA
Quantum Solutions, (CRO)
Indo-Swift, Pharamceutical
Governance, Leadership
& Management
Governance, Leadership & Managem

 Democratic governance of the department by collective decision

taken by various committees (Academic /Admistrative/Technical)

 Rotation of headship after every three years

 Promotion and recognition of any achievement by faculty/students

at the National and International level in research.

 Division of duties like time-table in charge, date-sheet in-charge,

Store in-charge, admission cell etc among faculty members.

 Extracurricular and cultural activities are organized every year by

Biophysics Society.
Innovation and
Best Practices
 International visits of the faculty
members
Prof. D.K. Dhawan
Topic Place Date
Invited to deliver a talk during BIT’s 5th Annual Nanjinh, China 17.05.2014
world congress of Neuro-Talk
Invited to deliver a lecture during 2nd Medical Thessaloniki, Greece 18-20.10.2013
Olympics Conference
Delivered key inaugural lecture at 17th national Tehran, Iran 4-6.9.2012
and 5th international Iranian Biological Conference
1st Medical Olympics Conference Thessaloniki, Greece 22-24.9.2011

57th Annual meeting of the International Society Salt Lake City, USA 5-9.6.2010
of Nuclear Medicine
Delivered a Lecture during 4th International Thessaloniki, Greece 7-9.11.2009
Meeting of Hellenic Society of Nuclear Medicine

Prof. F.S. Nandel

Topic Place Date
6th Asian Biophysics Association Symposium Hongkong University of 11-15.01.2009
Science and
Technology, Hongkong
 International visits of the faculty
members
Prof. Bimla Nehru
Topic Place Date
XIX World Congress on Parkinson’s Shanghai, China 11-14.12.2011
Disease and Related Disorders.
6th Asian Biophysics Association Hongkong University of 11-15.01.2009
Symposium Science and Technology,
Hongkong
Prof. M.L. Garg
Topic Place Date
Trace Element Analysis Applications Kathmandu Humboldt Kolleg 10-13.9.2010
through Collaborative Research Efforts (KHK), Kathmandu, Nepal
Ion Beam Analysis, Trace Element Analysis University of Combridge, 7-11.09.2009
of Aerosol samples using edxrf technique U.K

Dr. Avneet Saini

Topic Place Date
Conformational and Characterization of University of Bath, Bath, 19-20.12.2011
Peptoids Using QM and MD Approaches United Kingdom

Dr. Tanzeer Kaur

Topic Place Date
2nd Kidney-Control of Homeostasis Geneva, Switzerland 14.6.2012
Symposium: Sodium and Potassium
Homeostasis in disease.
 Introduced new
courses
Department has contributed to the reception to
three new courses

M.Sc. Nuclear medicine in collaboration with PGIMER,

 M.Sc. Medical Physics

 M.Sc. System Biology

 Future Vision
 To create collaborative research program with
international universities, through Indo-German, Indo-US
and other international agencies.

 To create revenue through outreach activities and

consultancy, by developing interface with industry.

 To transform existing excellence in basic research into

translational research through Biotechnology Industry
Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) of DBT, Govt. of India.
Thank-You