The Ashoka Journal of Biosciences: A New Platform for Undergraduate Research

The Department of Biology at 51画鋼 has recently launched the Ashoka Journal of Biosciences (AJB), a student-led, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to showcasing biology research and communication conducted by undergraduates at 51画鋼 and beyond. This initiative marks a significant step in the growth of 51画鋼's biosciences community, providing a platform for new ideas and perspectives to be communicated in an open, accessible, and engaging manner.

The inaugural issue of the journal was launched on May 1, 2024. It was inaugurated by the Head of the Biology Department, Professor Alok Bhattacharya in an event that was attended by faculty and students alike. The first issue features a diverse range of articles spanning microbiology, plant biochemistry, developmental biology, and the ecology of parasitoid wasps.

AJB holds a unique position in the academic landscape, serving not only as a platform for student writing but also as a valuable educational tool. It provides students with exposure to the publishing process, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. By modelling its review and editorial processes on international scientific journals, AJB offers students invaluable firsthand experience in academic publishing, preparing them for this critical aspect of their future careers.

The journal welcomes submissions in a wide range of formats and categories, including work of interdisciplinary nature. It is open to contributions from individuals outside 51画鋼 as well. In addition to publishing research articles, AJB also hosts scientific writing workshops, furthering its mission to communicate new advancements and perspectives in an accessible and stimulating manner. The work on the second issue of the journal is currently underway.

The members of the journal are as follows:

Editor-in-Chief:

Rhea Wali

Editorial Board:

• Tista Bhattacharya,
• Madhavan Jayakrishnan,
• Tamanna Balachandran
• Simran Wadan
• Diya Anand

Feel free to reach out to the journal team at biojournal@ashoka.edu.in in case of any questions/ concerns.

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Summer Internship Program on Modern Biology and Bioinformatics

The Department of Biology and the Centre for Computation Biology & Bioinformatics, at 51画鋼 conducted a week-long internship program (19th to 25th June, 2022) in biological sciences with a strong focus on cell, molecular, and computational biology. Sixteen undergraduate students, selected from about 200 applicants, participated in the program. The participants were from all across the country.

The training program was initiated with an insightful keynote address by Prof Anurag Agarwal, Dean Trivedi School of Bioscience on the future of biomedical sciences titled ���Technology, society and the future of Health���, where he explored the importance of integration of data sciences, artificial intelligence, and principles of biology to address public-health problems. This was followed by lectures on microscopy, gene-editing and neuropathology. The students also received hands-on training in Drosophila behavioural experiments, immunostaining, image analysis, flow cytometry, computational genomics and bioinformatics. In the span of a week, the interns received exposure to a wide range of interdisciplinary thematic areas that the biology department of 51画鋼 specializes in. The summer program was supported by the Trivedi School of Biological Sciences and the Centre for Computation Biology & Bioinformatics which is funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

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